Pray for Power

Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. Zech. 10:1.

Our heavenly Father claims not at our hands that which we cannot perform. He desires His people to labor earnestly to carry out His purpose for them. They are to pray for power, expect power, and receive power, that they may grow up into the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.

Not all members of the church are cultivating personal piety; therefore they do not understand their personal responsibility. They do not realize that it is their privilege and duty to reach the high standard of Christian perfection. . . . Are we looking forward to the latter rain, confidently hoping for a better day, when the church shall be endued with power from on high and thus fitted for work? The latter rain will never refresh and invigorate the indolent, who do not use the powers God has given them.

We are in great need of the pure, life-giving atmosphere that nurtures and invigorates the spiritual life. We need greater earnestness. The solemn message given us to give to the world is to be proclaimed with greater fervency, even with an intensity that will impress unbelievers, leading them to see that the Most High is working with us, that He is the source of our efficiency and strength. . . .

God has given us talents to be used in the upbuilding of His kingdom. . . . Do we ask ourselves the question, How am I using the talents my Lord has given me? Have you given . . . to God only a feeble, diseased service? . . .

Are you using all your powers in an effort to bring the lost sheep back to the fold? There are thousands upon thousands in ignorance who might be warned. Pray as you have never prayed before for the power of Christ. Pray for the inspiration of His Spirit, that you may be filled with a desire to save those who are perishing. Let the prayer ascend to heaven, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Ps. 67:1, 2).

From Heavenly Places, Chapter 332, by Ellen G. White

The Last Fifteen Minutes

“You’ve only got fifteen minutes left to your life. What are you going to do with it?” The preacher points his finger accusingly at the television audience, and the four of us fidget uncomfortably on the couch. We are watching one of my Revelation seminar DVDs in the girls dorm lounge. It has nearly become a tradition between Maria (our Slovakian Student Missionary) and myself to pop in one of these discs on Friday nights for general viewing after vespers. We never know who else will wander into the room. Sometimes it’s our confrontational Atheist student who is looking for a quibble. Sometimes it’s a pair of bored girls who want to make sure we aren’t watching something more interesting. But tonight, it is Tina, a young substitute teacher, and Jeanette, an aspiring nineth-grader. As the theme music comes on and the credits begin to role, the four of us ponder the preacher’s closing hypothetical question. What if we only had fifteen minutes left to life? What would we do with it? “Call my parents, perhaps?” suggests Jeanette somewhat doubtfully. “Snatch up my Bible and begin reading very fast?” says Maria, with a twinkle in her eye. “I might fall to my knees in prayer…” I propose, though not entirely convinced. We sit quietly for a few moments, mulling over the countless possibilities for such a short period of time. One by one I reject our previous ideas. My parents already know I love them. Why call them? The Bible is a wonderful book, but would a hurried fifteen minutes be beneficial to my grave? Falling to my knees in prayer might be the best option. Prayer never hurts. Yet, if I am already confident in my relationship with God, perhaps I should use my final moments on Earth for something else… “I tend to think that I would run outside and begin yelling to random people about the love of Jesus.” states Tina, entirely serious. We all turn to her in surprise. But as we think over what she has said, we can find no satisfactory rebuttal. Why not run out into the streets and begin grabbing pedestrians, telling them earnestly about what Christ has done for us? Isn’t that our mission on Earth anyway? Surely our self-conscious inhibitions would vaporize in the face of death. We wouldn’t worry about what people thought of us. But as the validity of this thought sinks in, we are threatened with an even more daunting question: Why wait till the last fifteen minutes?

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples ran out into the streets and began preaching. They did not have fifteen minutes left to live. Most of them had many years ahead of them, all of which would be filled with scorn from learned theologians and odd looks from common laymen. Yet, they preached God’s word all the same. “We are waiting for the latter rain of the holy spirit.” we tell ourselves in consolation. There’s no real need to make such a drastic move until then. Is there? The disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received God’s promise of the Holy Spirit. We have received no such charge regarding the latter rain. We are told only to be watchful and pray because we know not at what hour Christ is coming. What will He find us doing in those last fifteen minutes?

God's word

“Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming to cheer the wanderer, lone and tempest-tossed!” Noting that we were both feeling particularly “tempest-tossed,” Paul and I recently decided to seek that star of gleaming gladness with greater resolve. For the past week, we’ve each devoted two hours of study to the Bible each day. Our schedules are just as busy, if not busier, than they’ve always been. Yet somehow, the Lord has answered our prayers by providing us with the desired amount of time in His word daily. And what results! I can’t speak for Paul, but I can say that for myself, I’ve been ignited with a stronger desire to read even more of God’s book. Two hours a day is simply not enough! No longer do I look at my daily readings as religious drudgery that must be performed out of duty to God, but rather, as an exceptional honor and blessing from His hand. Every passage I read makes me want to read more. The Bible is such an amazing book. The more we’re exposed to it, the more we understand, and the more we are astounded by its profundity! Each line and chapter and book and testament reveal themselves to be more tightly woven together than we ever imagined. God’s face shines through the message in greater clarity. But at the same time, it attains a level of beautiful complexity that is beyond our ability to fathom. What a wonderful book. What a wonderful God! I encourage you to give your Bible a solid chunk of time out of your day today. You’ll find yourself agreeing with the hymnist that the "precept and promise," the combination of "law and love," won't vanish until eternal day.

Brown Goat Cheese

There are many things I savor
about the color brown.
Its constancies don't waiver
as other hues in town.
Where white may fade to grey,
and yellow be unstable,
where orange may pass away,
steady brown is able!

Although I love cows dearly
and though I think them cute,
Not one could serve quite nearly,
as goat in substitute.
A cow will only bellow,
while goats sublimely bleet.
Cows are fat and mellow,
while goats are strong and sweet.

A creature and a color.
Where do these verses meet?
By adding one another
you'll find the task complete.
Where other cheeses waiver,
where others fail to please,
There's one with strength and flavour:
Hat's off to Brown Goat Cheese!