A Praying Friend

      What if I had prayed? ...like Christ prayed for His friends. What if I had prayed this morning like that? My musings continued as the day wore on. Those close to my heart seemed to be bombarded with Satan's attacks. Of coursed I prayed for them...but like Christ? Fervent effectual prayer? What an exalted standard is the prayer life of our precious Savior! What a calling it is to pray for our friends! Brothers and sisters let us not so easily cease our intercession on behalf of those we know. Christ's example in prayer is one to strive for...prayer that moves the arm of Omnipotence...prevailing prayer... 


      "Angels hear the offering of praise and the prayer of faith, and they bear the petitions to Him who ministers in the sanctuary for His people, and pleads His merits in their behalf. True prayer takes hold upon Omnipotence, and gives men the victory. Upon his knees the Christian obtains strength to resist temptation."—(The Review and Herald, February 1, 1912.)

There is a Friend in time of need,
A Friend who hears each cry
Before the throne He'll intercede,
For you He prays on high

This Friend takes care for any strain,
Or worry that annoys
The heart that's numb with fear or pain,
Christ longs to fill with joys

Our Savior spent whole nights in prayer,
In praying for His own
And still He prays with tender care,
Before our Father's throne

My friends, Christ's labor we can share,
On bended knee today
For dear ones are in need of prayer,
And brethren, we can pray!

Prayer

When burdens press and weigh the soul,
And none can share its load
We can commit to God the whole,
To bear upon this road

In prayer, our Brother hears the cry,
Of one whose strength is gone
And says, "My child, on Me rely",
"And cease ye not with dawn"

If wisdom is your greatest need,
Our Father knows it well
Then ask of Him who gives indeed,
To those who on earth dwell

In prayer my friends there is release
From burdens that oppress
For Jesus offers us His peace
In trade for our distress

...In Due Season...

      Raspberry canes poked me from most every direction. The spring sunshine making my task seem too hot for the time of year, I relished the cool breeze that occasionally tickled my hair across my face. I looked at the raspberry patch. “This is a big job,” I thought. “Maybe I could leave some for another day…”

      The task that I had set my hand to do was trimming the raspberry canes before they leafed out. Last year’s raspberry patch had a certain similarity to a jungle of canes. Beyond this, the warm weather would quickly turn the dormant plants into a patch of living green. They needed to be trimmed soon. This was going to exercise my perseverance. Almost instantly Galatians 6:9 leaped to mind. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”  

      “Hmmm...in due season we shall reap.”  Raspberries are not ripe in Montana until well into the summer. How differently than society views rewards in general! Instead of a weekly, or bi-weekly paycheck, reaping the remuneration of work, a due season in the raspberry patch comes after several months of waiting. Due season in a fruit tree orchard is several years out. Perhaps humanity needs to learn enduring patience. Human nature likes instant fulfillment and gratification, but in scripture we are called to be patient. 

      “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7. The husbandman has long patience for the fruit of the earth, and so must those of us who undertake gardening in one of its various forms. So also must the Christian who awaits Christ’s return. God’s people have eagerly anticipated His coming for longer than you or I have been alive, but we’re still called to patience. Just as the fruits of the earth are worth waiting for months to obtain, so the precious fruits of Christian character are worth waiting for. Though it takes a lifetime to reach the harvest, due season will come, it will not tarry. “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:8. “…in due season we shall reap…”

Stand for God

      The Hebrew worthies stood when the world bowed. What do we do? Do we bow to personal favor, popularity, or temporal pursuits? When human achievements call, do we answer and bow to them? Do we bow with the world, or do we stand with God? God stood. The three noble Hebrews stood. What about you and I?


Stand for God in a bow-down world,
Christ stands for me and you
When Satan's colors are unfurled,
We may to God be true

When all within us would bow down,
Christ offers us His hand
By faith behold a better crown,
Through faith in Jesus stand

We're called as witnesses for Christ,
And yet to stand we fear
But He who calls us knows the price,
And says, Be of good cheer

The One for whom we're called to stand,
Stood by the noble three
In flames, though bound by human hand,
With Jesus they were free!