Another angel came and stood upon the altar, having a golden censer. And much incense was given to him in order that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the altar went up, along with the prayers of the saints, out of the hand of the angel before God. Rev. 8:3, 4.
Does God still answer prayers the way He used to? Does He talk to people the way He did to Abraham? Early one morning a voice awakened Abraham and said, "Take your only son up to that hilltop north of you, stab him to death, and then set fire to him." If you had been Abraham, would you have done it?
How did he know that the strange request had come directly from God? I suspect that Abraham, during his long life, had done a lot of walking and talking with the Lord. He had come to know when God was communicating with him and when it was simply his own inner feelings or some other influence. Abraham had experimented with God until he had figured out when it was God speaking and when it was not.
Does God still speak to people today? I have employed the following process. When I am ready to pray, I take a pencil and paper with me. Finished with my prayer, I remain in position and wait patiently. Then I write down whatever thoughts and ideas come to my mind. A large percentage of them are usually irrelevant to my life at that point. But some of them seem more promising. I pass these ideas through the filter of Scripture, as far as I understand it, and eliminate all ideas contrary to God's Word. I test the rest of the ideas in experience and observe the results. If I feel impressed to visit someone, I go! Or if I'm urged to make a phone call, I do it! Whether or not something is from God can be discerned by the results of trying out the impressions that come to us.
A student who heard my suggestion decided to try it. After prayer he felt impressed that a woman in Canada needed a phone call. Since his wife was in Canada at the time, he called her and asked her to contact the woman. She tried several times but didn't get through. My student urged his wife to keep trying. The next time she did, the woman picked up the phone.
"My husband died three days ago," she said, "and I just returned from the doctor who diagnosed me with cancer. I was just sitting here by the phone wondering if anyone cared!"
Needless to say, that student and I believe that God still answers prayer.
Lord, touch my heart with anything You would have me do. I am open to Your leading.
Does God still answer prayers the way He used to? Does He talk to people the way He did to Abraham? Early one morning a voice awakened Abraham and said, "Take your only son up to that hilltop north of you, stab him to death, and then set fire to him." If you had been Abraham, would you have done it?
How did he know that the strange request had come directly from God? I suspect that Abraham, during his long life, had done a lot of walking and talking with the Lord. He had come to know when God was communicating with him and when it was simply his own inner feelings or some other influence. Abraham had experimented with God until he had figured out when it was God speaking and when it was not.
Does God still speak to people today? I have employed the following process. When I am ready to pray, I take a pencil and paper with me. Finished with my prayer, I remain in position and wait patiently. Then I write down whatever thoughts and ideas come to my mind. A large percentage of them are usually irrelevant to my life at that point. But some of them seem more promising. I pass these ideas through the filter of Scripture, as far as I understand it, and eliminate all ideas contrary to God's Word. I test the rest of the ideas in experience and observe the results. If I feel impressed to visit someone, I go! Or if I'm urged to make a phone call, I do it! Whether or not something is from God can be discerned by the results of trying out the impressions that come to us.
A student who heard my suggestion decided to try it. After prayer he felt impressed that a woman in Canada needed a phone call. Since his wife was in Canada at the time, he called her and asked her to contact the woman. She tried several times but didn't get through. My student urged his wife to keep trying. The next time she did, the woman picked up the phone.
"My husband died three days ago," she said, "and I just returned from the doctor who diagnosed me with cancer. I was just sitting here by the phone wondering if anyone cared!"
Needless to say, that student and I believe that God still answers prayer.
Lord, touch my heart with anything You would have me do. I am open to Your leading.
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