By David J. Stewart
Revelation 5:8, “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
If we stop and consider that our prayers (or lack thereof) are being stored (or not), it should convict us to “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING” as the Bible commands in 1st Thessalonians 5:17. Most believers complain without ceasing, and gossip without ceasing; but we ought to be praying without ceasing as God commands. Complaining is the opposite of praising God. You can't complain and praise God at the same time. So get into the habit of saying, “PRAISE GOD ANYHOW!” Praise God in spite of your troubles, fears and frustrations along life's journey, and you'll enjoy the sweet presence of God a lot more.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 teaches that every human being must give account to God in eternity for every work, whether good or evil. Jesus warned that even our words must be accounted for in eternity on judgment day (Matthew 12:36). Idle words could have been spent preaching the gospel, praising God, singing a melody or praying. Oh, be careful little tongue what you speak!
God keeps track of the literal number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:29-30). Psalms 139:1-5 tells us that God continually monitors our every thought and word, knowing each time we lie down or rise up from our bed.
Revelation 5:8 teaches that God preserves our prayers, keeping track of how much we pray. They are stored as odours in golden vials in Heaven in ways that we cannot understand. I do not claim to even begin to grasp the complexities of the Word of God; yet, I do understand the simplicity of prayer, faith and trusting upon the Lord. It's difficult to do consistently, but not hard to understand. Most believers are too distracted watching television to pray. Most believers look to their bank account instead of the Lord to supply their needs.
Most people have a superficial form of godliness, but they deny the power of the saving Gospel. Roman Catholics APPEAR to be godly, but they are children of the Devil, lost in their sins and on their way to Hell. Romans 1:16 says that the GOSPEL is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION to everyone that believeth. Do you believe Christ died, was buried and resurrected? If you trust the Gospel and nothing else, then you are saved. Adding the seven sacraments is a road to the Lake of Fire!!! Adding water baptism is a corrupted plan of salvation that cannot save anyone. Trust in your water baptism and you WILL go to Hell forever! You'd better trust what CHRIST DID FOR YOU, and not what you can do for God.
The Bible is
often falling apart of the man that is not!
(in other words... a worn-out Bible)
