The Influence of Intercession

~duluth news tribune photo

Every once in a while I find myself with thoughts that cause me to wonder if someone has been praying for me. Sometimes it’s waking up with a song that seems to have come out of nowhere. On other occasions, I find myself with an awareness of God’s goodness or presence that seems to have come from beyond myself.

What surprises me about such moments is that they can leave me with mixed feelings. Part of me can be grateful at the thought of someone else’s intercession. Another part of me can be unnerved. If another person can affect my deepest thoughts by appealing to heaven in my behalf, I wonder how much of me is being shaped by the prayers of others?

The disquiet behind my question has reminded me of how inclined we are to lose sight of the interaction between our own choices and the prayers of others for us. According to the Bible . . .

Our spiritual health and growth don’t depend on us alone. The apostle Paul affirmed this when he told followers of Christ that he was praying that the Lord would open the eyes of their hearts so they could grow in their knowledge of God and see how much He loved them (Ephesians 3:14-21; Colossians 1:9-11).

Paul believed, as the rest of the Scriptures confirm, that spiritual growth can happen in us through the help of the prayers of others on our behalf—while still leaving us responsible for our own decisions.

Our spiritual health and growth depend also on how we respond when God answers the prayers of others for us. Although the mystery of how God answers these prayers might leave us wondering who’s in control of our lives, we don’t need to worry about that. Even if our awareness is altered as a result of the intercession of others, our choices remain our own.

Does this mean I’m at peace with the thought of intercessory prayer? I wish I could say so. But if praying for others is so important, I don’t like to think about how many times I’ve told others I would pray for them without following through. And when I have prayed repeatedly for those I really care about—with no apparent results—I wonder why I don’t seem to be able to touch the heart of God.

If our prayers for others don’t seem to be making a difference in their lives, does that mean we’re wasting our time? Here’s where I find answers.

According to the Bible, intercession is . . .

An opportunity to show our faith. When we don’t see the Lord responding to our prayers for others, we are faced with an important choice: give up on God or use the lack of visible response as a test of our confidence in the One who urges us to keep praying for one another.
God considers our faith more valuable than gold (1 Peter 1:7). His decision to not give us everything we ask for immediately, offers us an immeasurably important opportunity to trust Him.

A priority of love. Our concern for others sometimes leaves us feeling so helpless. We lament that all we can do is pray. But by regarding intercession as a last resort, we may be underestimating one of the most important ways of showing real love.
If we accept the New Testament view that prayer is a way of showing our affection (Colossians 4:12-13), then interceding for one another is one of the most urgent things we can do.

An engagement of our interdependence. When we pray for one another, we’re following the example of the apostle Paul. He asked the readers of his letters to pray for him (Romans 15:30-32), even as he asked the Father in heaven to open the spiritual eyes of those for whom he was praying (Ephesians 3:14-21).

A discipline of endurance. Praying for one another without visible results can wear us out and tempt us to throw in the towel. When we don’t see answers from God, we may be inclined to assume that if He were going to answer our prayers, He would have done so by now. But one of the most important dimensions of intercessory prayer is endurance. As we patiently pray that God would give those we care for the grace to wait on Him, we share together in the patience that builds depth and richness of heart in people of faith (Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 11:1-2,13-16).

It is by the discipline of patient intercession that we help one another continue to rely on God. By prayerful patience, we take our place with countless others who have already discovered that for those who wait on the Lord, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5 NKJV).

A sharing of hope. If we have had a taste of the goodness and wisdom of God, then intercession can be a way of helping one another rise together on wings of hope.

Few things are more important than experiencing, in the middle of trouble and in the passing of time, the confident anticipation that God will show that He is deserving of our trust.

Because such hope is one of the central themes of the Bible, the apostle Paul could write, “Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4 NKJV). Just as importantly, Paul went on to show that the God to whom we pray is the source of our hope. So he wrote, in the form of a prayer: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (15:13 NKJV).

Father in heaven, by Your Word we acknowledge that Your Son and Spirit are already interceding for us (Romans 8:26; Hebrews 7:24-25). So now we ask for Your help to join Them in doing what You’ve invited us to do (1 Timothy 2:1). Please lift our hearts in anticipation of Your ability to help those who are in our hearts . . . even as we go to our knees for one another. —Mart De Haan

Happy 35th Anniversary Steve and Delia Splan

35 years ago I sang "When I became a newborn soul, Christ took complete control, Oh Joy He made me whole and pure within, Jesus my priceless Savior........." What a sweet wedding that was! I loved the groom's dinner at Mom Splan's and felt a kinship with her as she was a nurse, she loved tea cups and I loved her lovely home. What a wonderful Mom in Law you gained Delia who raised a very sweet, but fun son! Steve you are the best! Delia you are so special! What a great couple you two are. May God bless you with another 35 years!

A Prayer for Inner Peace

~photo by Diane Rupnow in Maui

Monday, February 1. 2010~this is taken from my Cousin John Stumbo's blog. He has suffered for over a year with a disease that has left him weak, unable to swollow. One day he was a strong athlete, the next day he was on life support. God is restoring his health very slowly but he has been thru so much

A sign hangs on the wall at Northwest Rehabilitation where I go for therapy. It reads, "Worry is a misuse of imagination." Imagination is a great gift from God, but left to run off on it's own, it can create a great amount of anxiety in our lives.Take some time today to enjoy the wisdom and to pray the insight of an individual who was seeking to not let his peace be robbed.

And which of you with taking thought can add to His stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow; they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith? Luke 12: 25 – 28

"O God, Who knowest our necessities before we ask, and the manifold temptations we meet with day by day, help us to put our whole trust in Thee when despair and misgivings assail us. Do not allow us, we beseech Thee, to become the prey of useless forebodings, nor to lose the things which belong to our peace, through the habit of morbid and sinful worry. So guide us, in all our way, that we may keep our faces always toward the light, that our shadows may lie behind us. Of Thy great mercy enable us to perceive our blessings, that we may always serve Thee with a glad heart and quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen"
~Bishop Charles E. Woodcock, D.D., LL.D.Louisville, Kentucky in God's Minute, 1916

Keep the shadows behind you.

Great Quotes

~photo by Duluth News Tribune-King

Let me learn—That the way down is the way up,

That to be low is to be high,

That the broken heart is the healed heart,

That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

That to have nothing is to possess all,

That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

That to give is to receive,

That the valley is the place of vision.

-Puritan Prayer

More is being planned for by God than had been prayed for by us.

-S.D. Gordon

If all my members are really at His disposal, why should I be put out if today’s appointment is some simple work for my hands or errands for my feet, instead of some seemingly more important doing of head or tongue?

-F.R. Havergal

Whatever He wills becomes great to us, however seemingly trifling…we have no right to measure its importance. On the other hand, whatever He would not have us do, however important we may think it, is as nought to us. How do you know what you may lose by neglecting this duty, which you think so trifling, or the blessing which its faithful performance may bring?

-Jean Nicolas Grou

HOW TO STAY YOUNG!!

~This is me in 1974 getting ready for a date with a wonderful patient (he took 4 of us students out for pizza) and I am putting eye shadow on and of course cannot do it with my mouth closed! I still think of myself as that young pretty girl until I pass a mirror.......I hate reality!!!

1. Forget about nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is. (Cindy this is for you!!!)
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Positve Steps in a New Direction

~photo by William Conk, in his yard

~excerpts form bob parks book

Life's challenges can become overwhelming, making us feel as if there is nowhere to turn and little we can do. Taking the first step after losing your job, ending a relationship, or recovering from health issues leaves many people feeling empty and without purpose in life. You need to not only decide to move on but actually take steps in the direction of a more fulfilling life. Taking these positive steps in the right direction can help you to rise up in down times.


Everyone struggles at some time in their life to find meaning. Right now, accept that you already have a purpose--living intentionally. Wake up each day determined to take advantage of all the opportunities this particular day has to offer. The night before, make a list of things you want to accomplish the next day, and from the moment you wake up, face them head on. Include work items, family things, and leave room for spontaneity…time to be "silly."

Life is simple, but we make it complex. Not only do we collect "things" that clutter our lives, we hold onto old fears, jealousy, anger, and the inability to forgive others. If we plan to move forward, we need to leave some things behind. Emotional baggage, like regret, can weigh tons.


The "go with the flow" idea only works if you're kayaking on a river. If you don't have a plan for where you want to go in life, how will you know when you have arrived? Create a "life map," with you in the center surrounded by all the places you would like to go and things you want to accomplish. Highlight the one ultimate destination, and visualize how each of the other things can take you there. People spend more time planning their vacations than they do planning their lives.

Do you really believe that you can have what you want in life? When you say, "This is what I want to do," do you really believe you'll do it? When you pray, do you expect results, or is prayer really a wish list?

Decide what you want, make plans to get it, and then expect that you will. That expectation is the most powerful tool you have on your journey to fulfillment.


Bob Perks is the author of the new book "I Wish You Enough" (Thomas Nelson, 2009), encompassing eight values needed for true contentment and happiness. He is a longtime inspiration contributor to Beliefnet, is a professional speaker, author, and vocalist. Visit his website at BobPerks.com.

Happy 36th Birthday Philip John Hart

Alex, Philip and Ashley

Ashley, Alex and Sue Sue

Linda and the children celebrated Philip's Birthday at Applebees yesterday and they included me and celebrated mine. Linda made a yummy cake for us complete with candles. Alex and Ashley went shopping for us and I got some very sweet treasures from them!

Happy Birthday Philip! I was a senior in nursing school when I got the call that my first nephew was born. It was so exciting to finally become an auntie! I hope and pray 2010 brings you peace, joy and lots of love!