Daniel F Wallace

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Daniel's Prayer Life

by Frank Wallace

http://www.biblecentre.org

• Prayer

• The Continual, Settled, Individual Prayer Life of Daniel

• The Collective Prayer Life of Daniel

• Daniel! Prayer of Confe!!ion

Prayer

Thi! evening I want to engage you with the "atter of prayer. Perhap! it i! one of the

thing! in the Chri!tian e#perience that we neglect "o!t. If we have prayed in the"orning, given than$! for food and prayed in the evening, than$ing %od for &i! $indne!!

and goodne!! to u! throughout the day, then perhap! we feel that we have done all that i!

nece!!ary. &owever, I feel that a! we e#a"ine the e#erci!e of Daniel and hi! prayer life,we will !ee that "uch "ore i! re'uired in the Chri!tian life.

Prayer is the outcome of real concern. (hether it be for one! own !piritual progre!!, or

for the glory of Chri!t, or for the pro!perity of %od! intere!t! upon earth, it "u!t alway!

flow fro" one! own per!onal concern. If we are not "otivated by the!e thing! then our prayer! will be of a very !hallow nature indeed, but if the!e thing! are continually in our

"ind and cau!e u! concern, then we will find that our prayer! will ta$e on a different

character, there will be a fullne!! to the", there will be an urgency about the", there will

be a continuity of the", and !uch prayer! are e#tre"ely appreciated in heaven. Danielwa! a "an greatly beloved )*:+, -:--, -:-*, not only becau!e of hi! per!onal

behaviour, but becau!e of the e#erci!e! that he carried day by day in 0abylon whil!t in

captivity1 and great re!ult! flowed fro" the" for the glory of %od. So thi! i! what wewant to con!ider thi! evening, not !i"ply to i"part $nowledge )encouraging a! that "ay

be, but to !ti"ulate in each one of our heart! a de!ire to pray "ore for the pro!perity of

the intere!t! of the Lord in our localitie!, in thi! favoured country and throughout theworld.

(e would all ad"it that thing! could be a lot better than they are, individually, in the

ho"e! of the !aint!, and in the gathering! of the !aint!. There could be "ore !ub!tance,

"ore life, "ore energy and e#erci!e, and "ore evidence of progre!! in!tead ofdeclen!ion. The continual cry i! heard, &ow can the !ituation be altered2 &ow can we

!ee "ore energy2 &ow can we !ee "ore faithfulne!!2 &ow can we !ee "ore glory for the

Lord2, and the "ore we plan and !che"e, the "ore we !ee how fruitle!! it i!. I !ugge!t toyou, dear brethren, that if a co"pany li$e thi! wa! !ti"ulated into greater concern in

prayer , then we would !ee thing! changing, %od would co"e in in &i! power and in &i!

wi!do", and give u! the nece!!ary direction, !o that our live! "ight be "ore fruitful for

&i" (ho ha! ble!!ed u! in !uch a wonderful way.


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The Continual, Settled, Indiidual Prayer Life of Daniel

! Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his

windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees

three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.!

"Dan.#$%&

I have cho!en thi! pa!!age in chapter 3 to !how a little of the private prayer life of Daniel

before we con!ider the two other portion!. &ere we find the real !ecret of thi! "an!greatne!!. Daniel wa! a captive in 0abylon and yet in thi! in!tance he wa! not !ub4ect to

the law! of the $ing, he wa! not !ub4ect to the direction! that were i"po!ed upon hi", &e

wa! really concerned about doing the will of %od. &e $new %od! will, and whatever thecircu"!tance or occa!ion, he wa! governed by that will in !pite of the danger and

oppo!ition that thi! arou!ed. &e wa! a true and faithful "an.

In thi! chapter %od reveal! to u! the secret of his (o)er and of hi! faithfulne!!, it wa!

hi! private life in prayer that wa! never hindered. 5pon hearing the $ing! co""and he6prayed and gave than$! before hi! %od as he did aforetime6. It wa! not a !udden bur!t of

energy in prayer becau!e the circu"!tance! were difficult and hi! life wa! in danger, it

wa! hi! continual practice. It wa! not !o"ething that wa! forced upon hi", it wa! hi! 4oy.7y dear friend!, what a wonderful way to view prayer life, to !ee the !ettled di!po!ition

of Daniel, praying three ti"e! a day. I a" perfectly !ure that Daniel allowed nothing to

interfere with the "o"ent! when he bowed hi! $nee! in prayer before hi! %od. &e wa! agreat "an, he had great re!pon!ibilitie! in ad"ini!tration and yet he could find ti"e, three

ti"e! a day, in !ettled portion! to pray. (e do not $now how long, but he did it, it wa! hi!

!ettled life, praying, praying, praying. (e will con!ider later the !ub!tance of hi! prayer!.

It says also that he (rayed !to his *od!. I like that. It wa! not a %od who wa! far offa! far a! Daniel wa! concerned, it wa! hi! personal %od, 8ne who" he $new in per!onal

co""union. %od wa! a reality to hi". %od wa! not an ab!tract conception of the "ind,

but &e wa! a living, gloriou! %od to who" he could turn at all ti"e! and in all !ituation!

and find an an!wer, and who wa! al!o day by day in co""union, hi! 4oy, hi! delight andhi! life. I! thi! your e#perience in prayer2 I! thi! "y e#perience in prayer2 I! %od near to

u!, or i! &e far off2 8h, what a challenge9 (e need brother! and !i!ter! with a $nowledge

of %od in thi! way, becau!e %od doe! li!ten to the prayer! of &i! people and %od delight!to an!wer tho!e prayer! when they are in accord with &i! revealed will.

The righteou!ne!! of the "an wa! a living witne!! to the reality of &i! connection with

%od. In ;e$iel -< Daniel i! lin$ed with two other "en, =oah and >ob, and %od !aidSuppo!e the!e three "en co"e with their righteou!ne!! it would not alter the !ituation inI!rael, it i! !o bad. 0ut by the very "ention of thi!, %od i! drawing attention to the

righteou!ne!! of the!e three. Daniel wa! a righteou! "an, that i!, he lived hi! life

recogni!ing the right! of %od and obeyed tho!e right! whatever the co!t, and for thi!rea!on hi! prayer! had power. >a"e! tell! that 6The prayer of a righteou! "an availeth

"uch6 )?:-3, but Proverb! tell! u! that the prayer! of evil "en are an abo"ination to

%od )+@:*. (e al!o read in - >ohn 6if we a!$ anything according to hi! will, he heareth


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u!6 )?:-


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Eecently I had the privilege of being in %er"any and &olland and what a !ight it wa! to

!ee * brother! and !i!ter! bowing their $nee! when it wa! ti"e for prayer. It touched

"y heart. 8h that thi! reverence "ight "ar$ u!. &ere it i! individual, but there i! norea!on it !hould not be collective when the !ituation i! !uitable. C.&.7ac$into!h felt that

not bowing the $nee wa! an indication of irreverence when there wa! opportunity to do

!o, that it wa! !howing a ca!ual attitude in the pre!ence of the great and gloriou! %od,who i! infinitely beyond u!.F-G

Thi! $neeling in prayer i! a phy!ical action that indicate! a recognition of the !upre"acy

and greatne!! of the eternal %od. &ave you ever felt co"pelled to bow the $nee2 I do not

"ean co"pelled by power, but co"pelled becau!e you feel it i! the right thing to do to bow the $nee. It "ay be a ca!ual attitude to begin with, but the Lord !ay!, =o. There

"u!t be nothing ca!ual in "y pre!ence. 0ow down in the ac$nowledge"ent of "y

!upre"acy. nd we have good e#a"ple!, !upre"ely, the Lord >e!u! Chri!t &i"!elf, a!we !ee &i" $neeling in the garden of %eth!e"ane. 0owed down with the weight of the

approaching cro!! and all that that "eant, &e $neeled and &e prayed )Lu$e ++:eru!ale". Hir!t of all, he would be occupied with theland, depopulated becau!e of the unfaithfulne!! of the nation. It wa! a good land, a land

that flowed with "il$ and honey, but there wa! !o"ething greater than that, it wa! %od!

land, 6The land i! "ine6 )Lev.+?:+, and in !overeign goodne!! &e gave it to the nation

of I!rael, not becau!e they were greater and better than any other nation )indeed theywere !"aller than the other nation! A Deut.:, but &e gave it to the" a! a gift. It wa! the

inheritance, and all %od! thought! were centred in that land, and Daniel would pray for

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it. Then, !pecifically Daniel would pray for >eru!ale" becau!e %od! na"e and all %od!

intere!t! were placed there, and Daniel would pray !pecifically for the hou!e that wa!

built where &i! na"e wa! )+ Chr.3:-+. nd finally Daniel would pray for the na"e of>ehovah &i"!elf. Thin$ of the!e thing!, the land, the city, the hou!e and the na"e. I

believe the!e thing! would characteri!e the prayer! of Daniel.

0ut then you !ay, That i! all hi!torical. (hat doe! it "ean for u! today2 I believe it

"ean! a lot. (e !ang together and we prayed together at the !tart of the "eeting about the!alvation of preciou! !oul!, never let u! forget thi! in our prayer!. &ow "uch we need it,

but there i! !o"ething that i! greater than that, and that i! the right! of %od according to

&i! revealed will in &i! word. *od has indicated ho) Christians should +ather

to+ether to the name of the Lord esus )7att.-@:+, without any hu"an organi!ation,

without anything to direct the" in the !en!e of authority a! far a! "an i! concerned. %od

ha! given preci!e in!truction! regarding the!e thing!. Today the church i! &i! land and&i! people brought to &i" through the death of the Lord >e!u! Chri!t i! where &i!

intere!t! are centred. There i! an ad"ini!tration of love in the &ead!hip of Chri!t and in

the power and !ervice of the &oly Spirit, and there preci!ely i! where Chri!t i! to befound 6where two or three are gathered together in F&i!G na"e6 )7att.-@:+. I believe

thi! i! what the land, the city, the hou!e and the na"e repre!ent for u! today. The!e are the

thing! that have been attac$ed by the power of the ene"y, but in Chri!t all the!e thing!

are !ecure and can never be overthrown.

What )e )ant to see in these last days is an increase of interest in relation to

+atherin+ to the name of the Lord esus Christ, without any hu"an organi!ation

what!oever, becau!e it i! not nece!!ary where the &ead!hip of Chri!t i! in operation,

where every "e"ber of the body i! !ub4ect to the direction of the &ead, where the &olySpirit ha! free direction to "ove a"ong!t &i! people to guide the", to direct the" and to

in!pire the" and where we are all governed by the na"e of our Lord >e!u! Chri!t1everything i! done and !aid in con!i!tency with that great and gloriou! na"e. I! that too"uch to hope for in the!e la!t day!2, not if we are obedient, not if we accept the word of

%od a! our guide, not if we are prepared to !ub4ect our own will! to the will of %od a!

revealed in &i! preciou! word. It i! not only an ideal, it i! a gloriou! po!!ibility, and whata wonder it would be if it did co"e to pa!!, that in the la!t day! before the church period

clo!e! there "ight be a revival of intere!t! and enthu!ia!" in the!e wonderful truth! !o

that when the Lord doe! co"e &e will find tho!e who are faithful to &i! word.

(ell, the wic$ed "en ca"e to Daniel and found hi" praying. Their action! in banning prayer to anyone other than $ing Dariu! did not interrupt Daniel in hi! prayer!, he $ept on

praying to %od. The ti"e then ca"e when they arre!ted hi" and put hi" into the den of

lion!, and we $now the re!t of the !tory, %od loo$ed after hi! !ervant.

The Collectie Prayer Life of Daniel

!Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he

would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the

thing known to ananiah, !ishael, and "#ariah, his companions$ that they would


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desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret$ that Daniel and his fellows

should not perish with the rest of the wise men of %abylon. Then was the secret

revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel

answered and said, %lessed be the name of God for ever and ever$ for wisdom and

might are his$ and he changeth the times and the seasons$ he removeth kings, and

setteth up kings$ he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that knowunderstanding$ he revealeth the deep and secret things$ he knoweth what is in the

darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. & thank thee, and praise thee, ' thou God of

my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee$ for thou hast now made known unto us the king(s matter.!

"Dan.-$%#-/

(hen $ing =ebuchadne;;ar had a re"ar$able drea", he wanted it interpreted. &e

refu!ed to give the a!trologer!, the !ooth!ayer! and the wi!e "en any encourage"ent,=o, he !aid, you tell "e the drea" and the interpretation too. That wa! a very hard thing

to do, and when there wa! no interpretation forthco"ing or no telling forth of the drea",

the $ing ordered the e#ecution of all the wi!e "en, and that included Daniel and hi! threeco"panion!. So they ca"e together in fellow!hip in prayer. It wa! not now a private

"atter, thi! wa! a "atter of fellow!hip. Daniel "ade the !ituation $nown to the three

young "en.

The na"e! of the!e "en had been changed, they had been given 0abyloni!h na"e! by the0abylonian! who connected the" with heathen god!, but the Spirit of %od recorded for

u! here their >ewi!h na"e! that indicated their connection with the living %od. Thesemen +ot to+ether and (rayed about the matter, they had fello)shi( in (rayer , and

the drea" wa! "ade $nown to Daniel. It i! a wonderful note of prai!e and wor!hip thatDaniel then gave to thi! great %od, becau!e 0e )as the *od )ho could do thin+s. 8h,

that we "ight get thi! into our !oul!, that %od can change thing!, %od can bring about a better condition, %od can give wi!do", under!tanding and power, provided that weac$nowledge and obey &i", provided that we are prepared to !ay, 8ur live! are your!,

whether individually or collectively.

I re"e"ber pa!!ing by a church and a po!ter wa! di!played out!ide, and it !truc$ "e very

"uch, it !aid, 'Do not let *od be the s(are )heel'. !pare wheel i! only u!ed in ane"ergency. Thi! i! not the $ind of %od we want, )e )ant a *od )ho is at the steerin+)heel, the 8ne who ta$e! control, the 8ne who direct!, to who" we are !ub4ect. So

Daniel and hi! three co"panion! prayed together and %od gave the an!wer, revealing toDaniel the drea" that the $ing had, and al!o the interpretation of it.

I want you to notice the $ind of an!wer that Daniel gave to %od for thi! revelation.

60le!!ed be the na"e of %od for ever and ever: for wi!do" and "ight are hi!6. Thi! wa!

virtually Daniel !aying to %od, Thi! i! a !i"ple "atter for you. The drea" wa! revealedand the interpretation given. (hat an in!tant an!wer thi! wa! to the prayer.

Then he went on to !ay, 6&e changeth the ti"e! and the !ea!on!: he re"oveth $ing!, and

!etteth up $ing!6. ing! "ay be powerful, "ighty and !trong, boa!ting in their !trength,


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their ar"ie! and their wealth, but %od can re"ove a $ing overnight and replace hi" with

another a! he did in Daniel ?:A-. 8h, how !"all "an i! in the pre!ence of %od9 (hat

power &e ha!9 (e !ee in the 0ible and in hi!tory how boa!tful "an i!, !etting hi"!elf upin all hi! arrogance and pride !aying he will do thi! and that, but %od change! it

overnight. Thi! i! the $ind of %od that we believe in.

6&e revealeth the deep and !ecret thing!6. If we 4u!t apply thi! in connection with our

own live! and in our co"panie!, are we re!igned to the fact that there can be noi"prove"ent2 re we re!igned to the fact that in our individual live! there i! no

po!!ibility of getting "ore power, or "ore !piritual progre!!2 Do we ac'uie!ce in the

wea$ne!! and failure that i! there or do we tru!t in the living %od, becau!e &e can changething!2 &e can change thing! for u! individually, and he can change the condition! in

localitie!. Thi! i! the $ind of %od that Daniel had. re we prepared to pay the price in

prayer, giving up "ore ti"e to pray and when %od reveal! &i! will to u!, are we ready toobey2

Daniel's Prayer of Confession

! &n the first year of Darius the son of "hasuerus, of the seed of the !edes, which was

made king over the realm of the )haldeans; in the first year of his reign & Daniel

understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the *ord came to

Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of

Jerusalem. "nd & set my face unto the *ord God, to seek by prayer and supplications,

with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes$ and & prayed unto the *ord my God, and made

my confession, and said, ' *ord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant

and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; we have

sinned, and have committed ini+uity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even

by departing from thy precepts and from thy udgments$ neither have we hearkenedunto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and

our fathers, and to all the people of the land...... "nd while & was speaking, and

praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people &srael, and presenting my

supplication before the *ord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while &

was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom & had seen in the vision at the

beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening

oblation. "nd he informed me, and talked with me, and said, ' Daniel, & am now come

forth to give thee skill and understanding. "t the beginning of thy supplications the

commandment came forth, and & am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved;

therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.! "Dan.1$%#, -&-/

2ery often )hen )e are (rayin+ )e are 3uite una)are of )hat is +oin+ on. t the

!a"e ti"e a! Daniel wa! praying, %od wa! wor$ing on the !pirit of Cyru!. Cyru! wa!giving in!truction! a! to the return fro" 0abylon of a !ection of the people who were held

in bondage. The $ing wa! giving a decree that the people could "ove out fro" captivity

and go bac$ to >eru!ale". Daniel did not $now thi!, but one thing he did $now wa! that

%od had !aid preci!ely that after year! of captivity, there would be a re"nant


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returning. Daniel $new thi! fro" the boo$ of >ere"iah )+?:--. Thi! indicate! to u! that

that boo$ wa! in circulation then, Daniel read it and he $new %od! "ind.

There i! a principle for u! i""ediately. Do we kno) *od's mind4 0o) are )e +oin+ to

+et it, from the (hiloso(hers of this )orld4 It is not there. There i! one !ource where

we can find it, that i! in %od! word, not the law a! it pertain! to I!rael, not even thehi!tory of I!rael and the le!!on! that we learn there, but in the =ew Te!ta"ent, where it

!pecifically !pea$! of the Chri!tian! po!ition in thi! world, the privilege! and there!pon!ibilitie!. Thi! i! where we learn %od! "ind, and a! we learn it and !ee$ grace to

obey it then the ble!!ing of %od co"e!. So i""ediately Daniel $new that the ti"e had

arrived. &e had alway! been in accord with the "ind of %od, but now he $new that a!pecific "o"ent had arrived, and !o he !et hi! face with earne!t diligence to pray to %od

about thi! !pecific "atter.

It i! beautiful that he started his (rayer )ith )holehearted confession. &e did not

e#clude hi"!elf, he did not !pecifically bla"e other!, but he too$ an overall view of the

picture, the ab!olute failure and wea$ne!!, and he freely ac$nowledged to %od that thi!wa! the ca!e. long with that he $new that %od wa! a "erciful %od, a forgiving %od, a

%od who had not deviated fro" &i! covenant with I!rael, a %od who wa! ready to ble!!,ready to forgive, ready to hear. (e have not ti"e to enter into the !pecific detail! of the

prayer, I co""end the !tudy to you, but the thread that i! running through i! (e have

!inned, we have done wic$edly, we have failed, we have been unfaithful.

I want to a!$ thi! co"pany, individually, would any of u! dare to !tand up and !ay that wehave not failed2 I do not thin$ !o. nd I can a!!ure you I would i""ediately ta$e "y

place along with you if you !tand up and !ay that you have failed. I have failed. I regret

that. very failure of our!, "orally, eccle!ia!tically, or any other way adver!ely affect!

the Chri!tian te!ti"ony. Do not let u! thin$ that we can !in or fail in any way what!oeverwith i"punity. It i! a definite truth that our failure affect! the Chri!tian witne!! in thi!

world. Thi! i! very !ole"n. (e "ight thin$, (ell, I do not do thi!, and I do not do that,and we "ight pat our!elve! on the bac$ and !ay, (ell, I have not failed )I a" tal$ing

individually, but oh, "y dear friend!, let u! e#a"ine our!elve! in the light of %od!

pre!ence. Thi! i! the "ea!uring !tic$, 4u!t to be in %od! pre!ence. Let u! tell &i" that we

have not failed, and !ee what &e !ay! to u!. 8h, what a !ole"n thing it i! to be in the pre!ence of %od9 So when we con!ider the wea$ne!! of the Chri!tian po!ition do not let

u! bla"e other!. Daniel !aid, I confe!! "y !in. nd having confe!!ed our !in, let u! loo$

for under!tanding to follow the right way and to follow the word of %od, that there "ight be better condition!. 8h, what a prayer it wa!, and %od an!wered by addre!!ing Daniel a!

68h, "an, greatly beloved6. Daniel wa! a "an who!e heart wa! yearning for the

pro!perity of %od! intere!t! fir!t.

=otice that Daniel !aid, 6the $ing! have failed6. (ho are the $ing!2 )I a" now referringto the Chri!tian co"pany. They are the per!on! who are leader!, the per!on! who !hould

tell forth the "ind of %od without any partiality1 the $ing! are to enforce the word of

%od. I do not u!e the word enforcing in the !en!e that there are leader! who !ay, Bou"u!t do thi! or you "u!t do that, I "ean enforcing by pre!enting the word of %od to the


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people of %od, and what it "ean! to do the will of %od in our day. Daniel !aid, 8ur $ing!

have failed. I! thi! true of the Chri!tian profe!!ion a! we $now it2 I thin$ it i! true. Then

con!ider the prince!, the influential "en a"ong!t the people of %od, the "en who occupy place! given to the" by %od. (e often read in the boo$ of =u"ber! of prince! brought

forward a! per!on! who are given direction by %od to acco"pli!h thing! for &i". The

prince! have failed. =ot only have the prince! and ruler! failed, but the people have al!o Aindividually, every one of u!. Peter wa! certainly a $ing. &e failed, he led the !aint!

a!tray, !o that even 0arnaba! wa! carried away by a!!i"ilation )%al.+:--A-e!u!.

nd that wa! the "ean! of hi! conver!ion. Conver!ion can not only co"e about by

ca"paign! )than$ %od for the", but !alvation can co"e about in a per!on! life by

faithfulne!! to the Lord. That young lad i! going on, he i! "a$ing advance! in hi!!piritual life, he ha! !een faithfulne!!, it wa! the "ean! of hi! conver!ion and it i!


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governing hi" in hi! life. Dear brethren, young and old, oh that the Lord "ight help u! to

be faithful9 (e will influence tho!e who are be!ide u! and we will influence the" in the

right direction.

7ay the Lord help u! then to be "ore and "ore e#erci!ed in thi! tre"endou! "atter of

prayer. The right attitude, the right de!ire, and the $ind of life that give! power to our prayer!, a! we wait for the Lord to !ee &i" face to face.

Frank Wallace

F-G Prayer and the Prayer 7eeting, by C.&.7ac$into!h. vailable fro" Chapter Two, Hountain &ou!e, -a Conduit Eoad, (oolwich, London, S-@ >, 5
http://www.biblecentre.org/addresses/fw_prayer_daniel.htm#ftref1http://www.biblecentre.org/topics/chm_prayer_and_prayer_meeting.htmhttp://www.chaptertwobooks.org.uk/http://www.chaptertwobooks.org.uk/http://www.biblecentre.org/addresses/fw_prayer_daniel.htm#ftref1http://www.biblecentre.org/topics/chm_prayer_and_prayer_meeting.htmhttp://www.chaptertwobooks.org.uk/

Daniel F Wallace

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