Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

May 7
Thursday


THE DIFFERENCE
PRAYER MAKES

READ:
Revelation 8:1-5
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The smoke of the
incense, with the
prayers of the saints,
ascended before God.
__Revelation 8:4
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Does prayer have any real impact on our world? Or is it merely a private conversation with God?

When a New Jersey couple learned that a man had been released from prison and had moved into their area, they started praying for him. Then they paid him a visit and opened their home to a weekly breakfast for ex-offenders like him. Now, 22 years later, the area's most despised men have one place to go where they are welcomed and treated respectfully.

What would happen if we followed literally Jesus' command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? What if we became known for approaching heaven on behalf of outcasts and disagreeable people?

In a scene recorded in the book of Revelation, the apostle John foresees a direct linkage between the visible and invisible worlds. At a climactic moment in history, heaven is quiet. Seven angels stand with seven trumpets, waiting. Silence reigns, as if all heaven is listening on tiptoe. Then an angel collects the prayers of God's people on earth--all the accumulated prayers of praise, lament, abandonment, despair, petition--mixes them with incense, and presents them before the throne of God (8:1-4). The silence finally breaks when the fragrant prayers are hurled down to earth: setting off a storm of "thunderings, lightnings, and an earth-quake" (v.5).

The message is clear. The pray-ers are essential agents in the final victory over evil, suffering, and death. __Philip Yancey
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God's work is done by those who pray.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Revelation 8:1-5***********

1 When He opened the
seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven for about
half an hour. 2 and I saw
the seven angels who stand
before God, and to them
were given seven trumpets.

3 Then another angel,
having a golden censer,
came and stood at the altar.
He was given much
incense, that he should offer
it with the prayers of all the
saints upon the golden altar
which was before the
throne. 4 And the smoke of
the incense, with the
prayers of the saints,
ascended before God from
the angel's hand. 5 Then the
angel took the censer, filled
it with fire from the altar,
and threw it to the earth.
And there were noises,
thunderings, lightnings, and
an earthquake.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The imagery of this scene is very interesting. The "prayers of the
saints" are pictured as incense--a sweet-smelling savor before God.
It is imagery that is not new, however. In Exodus 30:1, we read that
in the tabernacle was an altar of incense, which some scholars also
see as symbolic of prayer as it goes up before the Lord. Additionally,
in Revelation 5:8, the 24 elders are seen as falling before the Lamb
in worship--presenting to Him golden bowls of incense, "which are
the prayers of the saints." __Bill Crowder

[realtmg]

Amen.