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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-01-21, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016. PAGE 13. From the Minister's Study Find the time, find the power in prayer By Rev. Mark Royall Huron Chapel Evangelical Missionary Church We read in Acts 12:4-5 how King Herod had the Apostle Peter jailed for preaching about Jesus Christ. It says, 4 "Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him." Verse four paints a dismal picture for Peter. He was arrested and scheduled to be executed for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. There were 16 men standing guard over him to make sure he could not escape. It seems hopeless for Peter until we read verse five which begins with this moment of pause; it says, "but". But while Peter was in prison, but while all seemed lost... "the church prayed earnestly for him" When we pray for others we are interceding upon someone else's behalf. In intercessory prayer there is a triangle of intercession that we call, 2" x 4" praying. When you are framing a house you use 2" x 4"s to build, right? When you engage in intercessory prayer you use "to -by - fors". Using our scripture text in Acts as an example, "to -by -for" praying looks like this: Praying "To" God, "By" the Church, "for" Peter. We can sometimes get into these places of thought where we wonder whether we are in God's will or not, or we questioned if we are doing what God wants us to be doing. I know this...when you pray for others, when you are sincerely participating in "to -by -for praying", you are doing what God would have you do. I remember how there was a time in my life when someone would tell me about a trial they were going through and I would tell them, "I will be praying for you," and I meant it and the person would respond by saying, "Thank -you". Later I would see that same person and they would thank me again for praying for them and I realized...I had never actually got around to praying for them and then this huge wave of guilt would overwhelm me. It wasn't that I was lying when I told them I would pray for them. I cared, I wanted to pray for them, I meant to but I never did. And maybe this has happened to you too. After this had happened to me a few times I decided.... no more. I am going to follow through when I tell someone I am going to pray for them. How can our prayers be more than just good intentions? 1. Don't wait...pray for them right away. Now when I hear of a prayer need, t t t t t t t t t t t t t t AgAiik firth* 1Vr 1111711,) c "Blessed with the Spirit by Faith, or Cursed to the Workhouse?" Evangelical Missionary Church Tues. 7:30 pm Small Group • The Daniel Plan Wed. 10:00 am "Coffee Break" Women's Bible Study at CRC Jan. 31 • Potluck and Annual Congregational Meeting Sun. Apr. 10, 7:00 pm "Faith -In -Song" at CRC 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School Ii at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) I I Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getliuingwater.org} I stop and pray for that need right away. If someone texts me, e-mails me or phones me, I pray right away. If they tell me in person I pray with them right there. If you are serious about prayer, there's no time like the present to pray. 2. Schedule times and places to pray without distraction. What gets scheduled gets done. My time for focused prayer is the early morning. My place is in the front room of our house. There is no television or computer in this room. Nor do I bring my phone into the front room because when I am there in the morning, I am focused on praying for others. And I believe you are worth my being focused in prayer. My kids are worth my focus in prayer. My wife is worth it. My community and my church are all worth my complete attention. I like what E.M. Bounds once said, "Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still." So I schedule times where I talk to God on BRUSSELS behalf of men and women. 3. Understand the privilege and the power we have to pray for others. As Christians, we need to understand that there is power in our prayers because we are entering into a conversation with the all-powerful God of this universe. When you watch the news and the news anchor is interviewing someone who has gone through some sort of disaster, they will often say to that person, "Our thoughts and prayers are with you". And this is a nice sentiment. However, I think this is merely a phrase we use to say, "I feel for you in your time of need," which is very thoughtful...but I doubt if the person actually prays for them. I could be wrong. I hope I am. If they do pray for them then I wonder...who do they pray to? The truth is, prayers in of themselves are not powerful. The power of our prayers is in who we are praying to. If we are just saying words, what can our words do? But if we are praying to God, then we are United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 11:00 am All Welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Other concerns: 226-963-1175 i` lou re Jnvited join ?its e9n Wolsk p SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm 01 1 it BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen I� Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-9017 11 Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. paitivitmLi J Sunday, January 24 Being In the Other Shoes ALL 1Nelcome MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. 6, OFFICE: 519-523-4224 now seeking what He can do in and with the situation for which we are praying. As Andrew Murray writes, "We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring its power down to earth." As the early church was praying for Peter in prison, an angel of the Lord came and freed him. We read in Acts 12:7-9, "Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel." God answered the Church's prayers. There is power in our prayers to God. So find a place and a time to meet with God every day. Sometimes the time and place will be where you are and the time is right now. AI\GLICAIN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH Trinity (J�. 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! www.nabcom.ca/church COME WORSHIP WITH US! Emmett,- e2sualtattv 'edge ettaizet You're Invited to come worship with us Sunday, January 24 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 FINDING A GOOD CHURCH DOESN'T TAKE A AA' LEAP F FAITH. HURON CHAPEL ALWAYS A PLACE FOR YOU EVERY SUNDAY @ 10:30am IN AUBURN huronchapel.com THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.