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Voice Of Prophecy

H.M.S. Richards

Stories of Prayer

Lift up the trumpet and loud let it ring, Jesus is coming again.

Cheer up you pilgrims, be joyful and sing, Jesus is coming again.

This is the voice of prophecy, a voice crying in the wilderness of these modern days.

From our Voice of Prophecy studios in Los Angeles, California, we welcome you to this half hour of inspiration and music transcribed with the Kings Heralds, Del Delker, Brad Braley, and HMS Richards, the Voice of Prophecy speaker.

In him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm.

Secure whatever may be tied, a shelter in the time of storm.

Mighty rock in a weary land, cooling shade on the burning sand.

Faithful guide for the pilgrim band, a shelter in the time of storm.

Be thou our helper ever near, A shelter in the time of storm.

Faithful guide for the pilgrim band, A shelter in the time of storm.

Our Father in Heaven, we pray that we may find in Thee a shelter in every storm of life.

There is a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blessed Redeemer, sent from the heart of God.

Hold us who bow before Thee, near to the heart of God.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer that calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my my father's throne, make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief and oft escaped the tempter's snare By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, Thy wing shall my petition bear, to him whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since he bids me seek his face, believe his word and trust his grace, I'll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

Horace Bushnell, the noted preacher, well known for his spiritual life, went to a mountain retreat to regain his health.

To the same place came the man who was at that time Mark Twain's pastor.

These 2 men had seasons of fellowship and spiritual communion together.

The other minister, telling of the incident, said, While Dr.

Bushnell was praying, I was afraid to put up my hand lest I touch God.

The presence of God seemed so near, he actually felt he would touch him if he put his hand out.

In prayer we draw near to God, and God draws near to us.

In prayer it is our privilege to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith—Hebrews 10.22.

I personally remember an experience much like this at a camp meeting in Boulder, Colorado, when I was just a boy.

The meetings were held in 1 of the Chautauqua buildings up near the flat iron rocks.

1 of God's children, an aged mother in Israel, bore her testimony that afternoon before about 5, 000 people.

From one-half to two-thirds of the audience was highly skeptical.

She gave a simple Bible reading, then knelt down to pray.

The rain was falling steadily on the iron roof, and there were no amplifiers in those days, but her soothing voice sounded like a silver bell.

Instantly a change came over the meeting, over all of us.

It seemed as though we were in the very presence of God.

Skepticism was vanquished and a great silence fell over the audience as they knelt in the presence of God.

In a few moments, sobs could be heard everywhere.

The sense of the divine presence was so great that I actually was afraid to look up, for fear I would see God standing beside the suppliant.

Experiences like this change human lives.

Because God commands it in the Holy Scripture.

Read Luke 18 1, and he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.

This command is universal, not some men, but men, mankind, And we're not to stop praying, we're to keep the habit of prayer through the entire lifetime.

Pray without ceasing is the apostolic command of 1 Thessalonians 5, 17.

Then we are commanded to pray about everything.

Philippians 4, 6, Be careful, or anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Do you mean to say we are to pray about everything, literally?

We read in 1 Timothy 2, 1, I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, not only for everything but for everybody, not only so but at all times, Ephesians 6, 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication.

1 does not need to wait for some specific time or go to some particular place to pray.

We are to pray about all things, for all people, and at all times.

Since we are distinctly told to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, Matthew 28, 20, we are to watch and pray lest we enter into temptation.

Prayer then is commanded to every Christian, and it is a sin to stop praying.

Don't think for a moment that prayer is only for the humble.

Beatrice Plum tells of watching a man enter a church and walk up to the altar rail and pray.

As she sat alone there in the house of God, she recognized this man as an eminent surgeon whose skill was famous.

As he knelt and folded his fine surgeon's hands in prayer, she was deeply impressed with the earnestness of his face.

A few days later, the papers carried a report of this surgeon's operation which marked the first decisive victory over a disease against which doctors had been practically helpless.

She knew where he had received his power.

So whoever we are, housewife, farmer, mechanic, plumber, merchant, teacher, nurse, surgeon.

Wherever we are and whatever we do, the seemingly impossible is possible through prayer.

The soul's sincere desire, unuttered or expressed.

The motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.

He prayeth best who loveth best all things both great For the dear God who loveth us he made, and loveth all.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, the falling of a tear, the upward glancing of an eye when none but God is near.

He prayeth best, who loveth best all things both great and small.

For the dear God who loveth us, he made and loveth all.

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.

It does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to him.

In a dream a man once saw an angel with a little slate and a golden pencil in his hand.

The angel replied, all the prayers that ascend up before God today.

There will not be room enough in that little slate, not even for the prayers that will arise up in our church this morning.

As you must see and hear as we, God's messenger, see and hear.

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Stories of Prayer

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