Helpful Hints on prayer.

Prayer can be classified in many ways 1) Public or Private 2) constant or closest 3)

devotional, intercessory warfare 4)Prayer, supplication with thankings giving. Though most

of these are self-explanatory, let me add a thought about "constant and closet". The

bible teachers that we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17) that we are to continue

instant in prayer ( Romans 12:12). Prayer is the breath of the soul. and just as we

breathe without ceasing, we are to pray without ceasing. This does not mean that we

must spend 24 hours on our knees. but it does mean that whatever else we are doing we

should be praying. We should pray as we work, as we walk and as we drive as we witness

and as we preach. The spirit of prayer should under grid all that we do through this kind f

praying in vital and necessary it is not enough. if we are to have power with God, we must

spend time in His presence. We must learn to listen to His voice. we must shut out the

world and we must be shut in with Him. Men who have done for God have been early on their

knees. It is not enough to talk about prayer, to preach about prayer to write about

prayer, we must pray. We learn to pray by praying. if a pianist is to be proficient he

must spend much time at the keyboard and if we are to prevail in prayer, we must lean

to spend time with God.

It takes time to pray, We sing take time to be holy. We will never the time to pray; we

must take the time to pray. When we realize that prayer takes time and when we believe

that it is important to pray. We will set aside time for prayer. We will make an

appointment with God and keep it Some people think that they are too busy to pray, we are

too busy. All of us operate on a priority basis. we take time to do the things we think

are important and if we think that prayer is important we will take time to pray.

Incentives to prayer.
If we are to pray we must believe in prayer. Every true Christian would say that he believes

in pryer and yet most Christians do very little praying. There are at least two reasons for

this (1) We do not give prayer the place of top priority (2) we are hindered in our

praying by satanic opposition.

If we are to pray, we must believe that prayer is important, that it is necessary. We

must believe that God answers prayer, and we must have the joy of seeing Him answer our

prayers.

Say what you will I most of us do things that we like to do, and we will never do much

praying unless we enjoy it. Very often preachers emphasize that prayer is hard work, but

such teaching is not likely to encourage most of us to pray! we will begin to spend time

with the Lord when we discover that in His presence there is fullness of Joy (Psalms 16:11)

What to pray for.

There is much that needs to be prayed for, we can pray for ourselves and for our

families, but if we are not careful, we will discover that we are spending all our time

praying selfishly. I am sure that you have heard of the farmer who prayer, "Lord bless me

and my wife and my son John and his wife, us four and no more"  Though we may smile at

such a saying it is very easy for us to slip into the rut of praying selfishly. "Lord

bless me, my family, my church, my word, my...... all for self, 'The Lord turned the

the captivity of Job, When he prayed for his friends (Job 49:10) we should pray for the

churches, servant of God, for public Officials, for Christians in other lands.

A Knowledge of Geography is of great held in praying. Visualize the world as you pray,

and pray around the world and by this, I do not mean the prayer that we heard so often.

"Lord bless the missionaries are the world".
Better than visualizing the worship, is to pray with the map of the world. The spirit of

God will direct your attention to areas and places that you have overlooked before.

Eve - A Mate and Mother

EVE - A MATE AND MOTHER

Scriputre Reading Gen 2:18-24  Eph 5:21-23

In the record of creation (Gen 1:27) it is simply stated that "God created man." - "male and female created He then." There is complete absence of any detail as to the manner and matter of their creation. We now get the details of Eve's creation. How long Adam was in Eden before Eve was created we do not know; except to say it must have been long enough to find out that no animal could be his companion and that he was lonely man. God paraded all the animals before Adam and he named them all; but found no one that could become his wife. So God said, " I will make an help meet for him."

Let us first of all meditate upon the Physical Production (21-22). We accept this simple statement as a fact and not fiction. The creation of Eve out of Adam was a miracle. The word translated "ribs" out of Adam was literally means "side off," or "side Chambers." Someone has said: "Woman was not taken from the head of man, lest she should rule him; not from his feet lest he should trample upon her. But she was taken from his side that she might be his equal; from under his arm that he might protect her; and from near his heart that he might cherish and lover." The translation "help meet" is rather unfortunate for the word means "a helper suited for him," or "a helper as his counterpart," This is the true idea of woman's relation to man, his counterpart, his complement his companion. Whenver this is realized God's purpose is being fulfilled.

Our scripture also suggests a spiritual purpose (24) "They shall be one flesh". Paul goes back here in the O.T and uses this physical relationship of Adam and Eve as a beautiful type of the relationship of Christ and His Body of the Church. "They shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ  and the church (Eph 5:31-32) There is nothing here in Ephesians five about a duality, as bride and bridegroom; but about a unity of Christ as the Head, and the Church as member of His body. So the first physical union becomes a blessed type of the highest spiritual union.

A Pleasant Paradise

A PLEASANT PARADISE

Scripture Reading : Gen 2:8-17; Songs of Solomon 4:12-16

In anticipation of man's arrival. God prepared a suitable abode for his reception. Into Eden, meaning "delightful"God planted a garden for Adam and Eve. It is interesting to note that the three heads of the three groups of beings are seen in conjunction with a a garden: Satan,"the Garden of God."(Ezek 28:13); Adam, "the Garden of Eden," (Gen 2:8); and Christ, "The Garden of Geth-semane," (John 18:1). This garden was place of both aesthetic beauty, and utilitarian satisfaction - "every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."-

The Garden was Place of Habitation. "The Lord God planted a garden." In all the work of God in these chapters we see His sovereignty at work. Thus far man has hand nothing to do. The garden is a display of God's wisdom, power and love. So it will be in our heavenly home, a creation all of God and one of man. Here His measure. We do not know the location of Eden, but it may have been in the locality of the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Note the words "every" and "freely" in verse 16. God's provision was both gratuitous and abundant.

The Garden was also a Place of Vocation, -"to dress it and to keep it." Adam is first told to "capture," discover its secrets," and "to dress it," He was to lay hands up to the potential of the garden and bring them out to fruitful perfection. He was also to "keep it". this means literally "to hedge it about." Is God here warning Adam that an enemy is lurking near by? We think so! So man was told to work and to watch.

And we find that this garden was also a Place of Probation. He was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, lest he die. Adam was created a moral being, with ability to choose. God had to put at least one restriction so Adam could exercise a choice. A garden is a place of seclusion  (songs of Solomon 4:12) and a place of service and satisfaction.

Family History

Scipture Reading : Gen 2:4-7

"The generation of the heavens and the earth" constitute the first of

the eleven generations in this book. The first one extendes to 4:26,

there are two other generation in all. The last of fourteenth is found

in the N.T (matt 1:1) These versed now reveal the offspring of creation,

both as to matter and man, but with special referencce to man. Man is

the offspring of both heaven and earth.

There is a change in the name of God in verse four. We are introduced to

Jah or Jehovah which is joined to Elohim, and translated Lord God. The

name Elohim is God as the Creator of all things. Jehovah is the same God

in covenant relationship to those whom He has created. Jehovah is the

Eternal, Immutable One who was, is, and is to come. He is the God of

redemption.

The narrator now tells us that therewas a time when the world of plants

had not yet appeared on the earth; and he proceeds to give two reasons;

There was no moisture on the earth because it had not rained, and there

was no man to till the soil. But there is provided moisture in the mist

that came up from the earth.

However, the crown of creation is man, Delitzsch says of this creation;

"The body of man was first formed of the moist dust of the ground by

divne power, and then man became animated being through divine

inbreathing." The breath, which creatively went forth from God, entered

into man and becme the principle of his physical life. This man became

"a living soul." So this Adam who is last formed, and for whom all other

things wait and are prepared, is made the interpreter of all, and the

glory of all, and the glory of God to them, God intended that his body

should become a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19) His Spiirit is

the creation and gift of God (Eccl 12:7) Isa 57:16 Zech 12:1) With both

his bodyand spirit he should glorify his Divine Creator (1 Cor 6:20) we

see here the true nobility of man's creation, and the consequent

obligation of neither dishonoring nor abusing it. 

Lord and Law of the Sabbath.

Scripture Reading: Gen 2:1-3 ; Mark 2:23-28; Col 2:16

The Sabbath reaches from the first paradise when God said, "and God

blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had

rested from all his work which God created anhd made", util that future

and greatest paradise, "there remaineth a rest to the people of God" (Heb

4:9). These verses should belong to chapter one as the crowning point of

the days of creation.

 We see here first of all the Fact of Completion. "Thus the heavens and

the earth were finished." Everything, the material heavens and earth,

with all creatures visible and invisible, has now been completed. The

verb "finished" is in the empahatic position, indicating a complete and

perfect termination. "All the host" suggests marching orders. It is like

a military armament marching forth.

The fact of Cessation is brought before us in verse two. In no sense

must the rest of the Creator be understood in the sense of fatigue (Isa

40:28) He rested because His work of creation was finished. It was a rest

in joy because of the satisfaction a perfect and harmonious creation

brought Him. The word sabath translated "rested" has the meaning "to

sit still." Elohim now desisted from His creative labors and assumed a

posture of quiescent respose. However God had to start working again

(John 5:17) and will work until the work of complete redemption is finished.
There is also The fact of Consecration. "blessed the seventh day and

sanctified it." This means first of all that God set it apart from all

the other days of the week. The sabbath became the special object of

Divine Favor. It was to be a day or epoch of blessing for the whole

creation. There is also a sense of permanence which did not belong to

the other days. They passed away and gave place to another. The sabbath

is a divine institution so ordered in creation. We have our rest in the

Lord of the sabbath, and not in the Mosaic ritual of the Sabbath (Col

2:16-17) One day's rest out of the seven will give both physical and

spiritual benefit, even under this Dispensation of Grace.

How Can A Person Know He is A Christian?

1. It is right for a person to try to know that he/she is a Christian?

2. What change must take place in every man's life before he can be certain he is a Christian?

3.How long does a man need to wait before he is assured of his acceptance with God? 

   Romans 5:1-3.

4.How can we be persuaded in our own hearts that we are of the truth?

   1John 3:19-21

5.How can a man know from the life he lives that he is a child of God.?

   Luke 6:35 Matt 3:17 Romans : 8:14

6.How does God's spirit bear witness with our spirits that we are children of God? 

   Romans 8:16,17 Gal 4:6

7. How may we know from the Bible that we have eternal life?

    John 20:30,31, 1 John: 5:13

a) His Birth - John 3:7

b) His Name - Acts 11:26

c) His Food - Matt 4:4

d) His Growth - 2 Peter 3:18

e) His Dress - Romans 13:14

f) His Speech - Matt 26:73

g) His Character - Acts 5:15

h) His Influence - Acts 5:15

i) His Standards - Col 3:2.

Three Marks of the Victorious Christian Life.

1. It is an Abiding Life ( John 15:14)

2. It is an Abounding Life ( 2 Corinthian 8:7)

3. It is an Abundant Life ( John 7:38)

TRAFFIC SIGNS IN CHRISTIAN LIFE

"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the Vision and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that read it." Habakkuk 2:2

1." GO"

    -"Go forward" toward the better things for Christ and the Church.

    - Grow in grace.

    - "We need fewer, "Look out committees and more Go out commiittees.

    -  Go ye into all the world and..."

2. "STOP"

     - If you are on the wrong road.

     - If you are saying something, or doing something, that might cause others trouble, sorrow, etc,

3."DETOUR"

    - Stay away from bad company,

    - Give questionable amusements a wide berth.

    -  Boycott business concerns that sell booze.

4."SHARP CURVES AHEAD"

   -Many dangerous curves on life's highway;extreme caution necessary.

5."SCHOOL-SLOW DOWN"

    -Young people, if you are thinking of quitting school, speeding by it, or taking a short cut with your education, you had better think twice about it.

6."ROAD SLIPPERY WHEN WET."

    -When the "wets" are on the loose, the highways are never safe.

    - Alcohol and gasoline are dangerous mixture.

7."MOUNTAIN AHEAD-FILL UP."

    -There are mountains ahead of us in the pilgrimage of life. Let us prepared.

    - Have you enough oil?

       (foolish Virgins)