Filling the Bowls

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelations 5:8 (NKJV)

Filling the bowls, that’s what I’ve been doing lately. During the holidays there are always bowls to fill…treat bowls on the counter, soup bowls on the table, baskets of bows for gift wrapping… I thank the Lord for helping me fill these bowls!

Before Christmas, I am almost to the end of my Bible, since I read through the Bible each year. This puts me in Revelations. One morning in December, I was reading Revelations 5…and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints...and God showed me how I am filling bowls with my prayers!

Every prayer I say…in the morning when I rise, at meal times with our family, when I read my emails and pray for friends and family, in the evening when I tuck our kids into bed, at night when I lie awake…every prayer is filling one of the golden bowls. These bowls are brought before the Lamb as a pleasing offering to Him. Wow!

One day as our family said grace, I contemplated this. The warmth from my soup bowl (or was it my oatmeal?) reached up and touched my cheeks. I asked the Lord to let our prayers rise up to Him from golden bowls, touching Him, also.

Today’s TEA CUPP: My dear prayer friend, your prayers are filling bowls, too! This day, this very day, sit down with Jesus for TEA and pour out your heart to Him. May our TEA CUPPS be incense before the Lord!

Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:1 (NKJV)

Hear Their Prayers

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive. 2 Chronicles 6:21

I can’t pray all the prayers that need to be prayed. There are just too many needs in this world for me to pray them all. So I ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for me.

King Solomon also asked God to hear others’ prayers. When he dedicated the temple which he had built with instructions from his father King David, Solomon asked God to hear anyone who prayed toward the temple. King Solomon said, “Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.”

So, sometimes I also pray for God to hear the prayers of others…

Like Judy, for her son…she knows better than I do what he needs…

Like Dorothy, for the persecuted Christians.. she knows the world news better than I do…

Like my pastor, for our church family…he knows so may in need of prayer…

I pray, “Lord, in Your mercy, hear their prayers.” And their prayers are multiplied by my prayers and the Holy Spirit, and even before we ask, our prayers have reached heaven and God has heard! Amen!

TODAY’S TEA CUPP: Is your prayer list overwhelming at times? Lift your list to the Lord, calling Him to take each person and need. Ask Jesus to hear the prayers of others. Pray King Solomon’s prayer, “Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.“

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV)

Crying Out to God

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2 (NKJV)

My favorite devotion book, Our Daily Bread, had a wonderful devotion a few weeks ago called “Crying Out to God.” Sometimes our hearts are so overwhelmed for our children, our families, our friends, and our country. All we can do is cry. Jesus hears us and comes to us. And so I share this devotion link with all those who need Him to hear today…

http://odb.org/2013/02/15/crying-out-to-god/

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)

Petitions: With my whole heart

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Jennifer Grace