Face to face_sep_2009

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Face to Face Peniel – A Center for Prayer and Renewal September,2009 Good News from “The Hills of Home” We have completed another summer of ministry at Peniel. The foliage has already begun to show its colors. Night temperatures are in the 40’s, and the pool is closed for the season. We have much to be grateful for. Lee has called this the best summer since he has been at Peniel. It began with members of the Christian Motorcycle Association using Peniel as their spiritual base to minister at Americade – always a blessing. Our major adult programs both featured excellent messages and renewed enthusiasm. Minister’s Conference attendance was strong and so were the messages. We were pleased to welcome Jim and Kathy Brownson, whom we had missed in recent years. We were also glad they brought Joyce Mostrom with them, who was looking quite well. Jim gave two excellent presentations. Tuesday afternoon there was a Plenary Meeting to discuss the future of Minister’s Conference. Major themes included hope and enthusiasm for the future and the need for change to draw younger clergy to the conference. Good, constructive ideas were shared. A new committee, under the Prayer Council, has since been formed. Growth In Truth Conference also had strong messages and interesting guests. For the first time it was co- chaired by Cal Malefyt and Dan Meiners, as this Conference also looks to the future. This summer Peniel also hosted a wedding reception, two family reunions, and a Wesleyan youth Camp. Our Summer Staff were, according to Lee, “The most effective group of workers that one could have asked for.” They were gracious in their hospitality and provided some good humor for both of these conferences. Nancy Smith seemed to be everywhere doing everything. Jessie Girard and Steve Nickels were scholarship workers. Bruce Brown served as staff chaplain. Missie Nieto served in both the office and the kitchen. Susan Burkley served both in housekeeping and the kitchen. Both Nancy and Susan have earned the “Serve Safe” certification, a major step in fulfilling full Department of Health requirements. Paul Noxon was a big help in maintenance and janitorial work along with Joshua Fox and Tim Mayhew. Volunteers Marilyn Merry and Caroline Hungerford helped with housekeeping. Missie, Susan and Paul continue to be available for part-time work such as for retreats. As Lee said, “It was good to hear the surprise of the Department of Health inspector as we once again received no violations.” He also said the facilities were in the best shape he could recall. Department of Health expectations are rising, and Lee and Nancy have done an excellent job of keeping ahead of them. This is a continuing challenge. Every year that Lee has been here, we have enjoyed significant improvements to our facilities. We enjoyed the beautiful chairs in the Meeting Room and the Lamplighter that Lee “rescued” when an upscale resort decided to redecorate. The best chairs that we had been using are now in the Dining Hall, making more comfortable seating all around. When we arrived this summer we found a brand new deck on the front of the Dining Hall. Once inside, Lee called our attention to the two brand new, fully handicapped-accessible bathrooms were now available right on the main floor of the Dining Hall. The doors match the surrounding woodwork so well not everyone Promoting Renewal through Union with Christ

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Transcript of Face to face_sep_2009

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Face to FacePeniel – A Center for Prayer and Renewal

September,2009

Good News from “The Hills of Home”

We have completed another summer of ministry at Peniel. The foliage has already begun to show its colors.Night temperatures are in the 40’s, and the pool is closed for the season. We have much to be grateful for.Lee has called this the best summer since he has been at Peniel. It began with members of the ChristianMotorcycle Association using Peniel as their spiritual base to minister at Americade – always a blessing.

Our major adult programs both featured excellent messages and renewed enthusiasm. Minister’s Conferenceattendance was strong and so were the messages. We were pleased to welcome Jim and Kathy Brownson,whom we had missed in recent years. We were also glad they brought Joyce Mostrom with them, who waslooking quite well. Jim gave two excellent presentations. Tuesday afternoon there was a Plenary Meeting todiscuss the future of Minister’s Conference. Major themes included hope and enthusiasm for the future andthe need for change to draw younger clergy to the conference. Good, constructive ideas were shared. A newcommittee, under the Prayer Council, has since been formed.

Growth In Truth Conference also had strong messages and interesting guests. For the first time it was co-chaired by Cal Malefyt and Dan Meiners, as this Conference also looks to the future.

This summer Peniel also hosted a wedding reception, two family reunions, and a Wesleyan youth Camp.

Our Summer Staff were, according to Lee, “The most effective group of workers that one could have askedfor.” They were gracious in their hospitality and provided some good humor for both of these conferences.Nancy Smith seemed to be everywhere doing everything. Jessie Girard and Steve Nickels were scholarshipworkers. Bruce Brown served as staff chaplain. Missie Nieto served in both the office and the kitchen.Susan Burkley served both in housekeeping and the kitchen. Both Nancy and Susan have earned the “ServeSafe” certification, a major step in fulfilling full Department of Health requirements. Paul Noxon was a bighelp in maintenance and janitorial work along with Joshua Fox and Tim Mayhew. Volunteers MarilynMerry and Caroline Hungerford helped with housekeeping. Missie, Susan and Paul continue to be availablefor part-time work such as for retreats.

As Lee said, “It was good to hear the surprise of the Department of Health inspector as we once againreceived no violations.” He also said the facilities were in the best shape he could recall. Department ofHealth expectations are rising, and Lee and Nancy have done an excellent job of keeping ahead of them.This is a continuing challenge.

Every year that Lee has been here, we have enjoyed significant improvements to our facilities. We enjoyedthe beautiful chairs in the Meeting Room and the Lamplighter that Lee “rescued” when an upscale resortdecided to redecorate. The best chairs that we had been using are now in the Dining Hall, making morecomfortable seating all around.

When we arrived this summer we found a brand new deck on the front of the Dining Hall. Once inside, Leecalled our attention to the two brand new, fully handicapped-accessible bathrooms were now available righton the main floor of the Dining Hall. The doors match the surrounding woodwork so well not everyone

Promoting Renewal through Union with Christ

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noticed them at first. No more trips down to the old bathrooms in the “dungeon” underneath. The walk-incooler under the dining hall has been completely restored and was much appreciated by the Kitchen staff.Just before the Prayer Council meeting in September we had the donation of a new floor installed in theDining Hall, which looks great.

We also found a new handicapped-accessible ramp on the Lodge. Old plumbing has been replaced in theDining Hall, the Infirmary and in the Motel units (the smell is gone!) With the Infirmary plumbing up tocode, the Infirmary has been renovated and restocked. There are new counters in the Lamplighter kitchen,and many other repairs and upgrades in essential but less noticeable places.

Going forward, Peniel will be renting out our facilities to groups advancing God's Kingdom as often aspossible. This will both enhance and expand our ministry while bringing in much needed finances. Asalways, we continue to rely on your generous financial and prayerful support. Thank you!

From the President of the Prayer Council

Dear Friends of Peniel,

We have just completed another summer at Peniel. As we enter the fall, we are already planning for retreatsand events well into 2010 (including the summer schedule for 2010). You can find in this edition of Face-to-Face a schedule of the weekends and weeks that have already been booked. But there are many weekendsstill open. We need your help filling these open dates. Does your church have a men’s or women’s retreat?Does your church board go on a retreat each year? Does your youth group plan a retreat during the winter?Have you suggested to your church that they consider Peniel for those events?

These retreats are an important part of our financial support. We need for you to help us get the word outthat Peniel is available for such events. We need to fill as many of the weekends and even week days aspossible.

Please continue to pray for Peniel’s finances. I attended an event recently at another conference centerwhere the president spoke about thanking God in advance for what he was going to supply. We need tobelieve not only that God can supply our needs, but that he will supply our needs. We need to pray thankingGod for the provision even before it comes.

And so, I thank God that he is already moving in churches that we have not heard from yet who will come toPeniel during the fall, winter, and spring. I thank God for his provision of the finances that I know he willprovide to pay Lee and Nancy. I thank God for the provision of the resources so that we will be able toincrease our staff so that even greater things can be done. God has promised to meet our needs out of hisglorious and abundant riches. I thank God now for what he is going to do in the coming days.

Please join me in thanking God for what he will do at Peniel. God is working. Ask God how you can be apart of that work.

Thank you.

Yours in Christ’s service,Allan Conover, President

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~~~ Coming Events ~~~

Breaking the Curse

Peniel Women’s Retreat Nov 6-8, 2009

As a pastor’s wife of 35 years, a mother and agrandmother, Susan Meiners has been observingand listening keenly, and she has something to sayabout what she is seeing. Too many Christianwomen today are frustrated with their ownChristian lives and not sure who is to blame. Toomany of them are watching one or more of theiradult children struggle and blaming themselves.And our society is powerfully pulling us all in thewrong direction.Susan knows that God has a blessing for Christianwomen that God does not want them to miss. Itbegins with understanding that, on the Cross, Jesusbore all our curses and purchased all the blessingswe will ever need. The Holy Spirit’s work isapplying the finished work of Christ to our lives.All of us need to know more about ourselves andabout this ministry of the Holy Spirit. There arevarious curses at work in our lives. We canidentify and name them, understand the role theyplay in our lives, and then get ourselves out of theway so that the Holy Spirit can flow and workfreely in our lives, breaking the curse and replacingit with blessings.There is no need to be frustrated that we cannot begood enough or feel under condemnation. Thework of Christ removes all condemnation from us.We can reject the accusations of the enemy andclaim by faith the wonderful promises of God.Perfection is the wrong goal. A different and veryreal type of holiness is possible. God delights inworking through families, and He delights ingiving us deeply satisfying relationships withHimself. The Holy Spirit enables us to chooseLife.Susan Meiners will give four messages. Theprimary scriptures for each are listed.

“Blessings vs. Curses” Deuteronomy“Giving God the Core” Malachi“A Better Way” Hebrews“Choose Life” Various New Testament

Scriptures

Summer Schedule, 2010

We want to let you know NOW what our schedulefor Summer 2010 will be. We invite you to makeplans now to attend! Speakers and Topics will beannounced soon.We are again scheduling a Weekend Conference toinvite those of you who cannot come for a week tocome for a weekend.If you are healthy enough to travel and have notbeen to Peniel recently - One of the greatest giftsyou could give Peniel is your participation!

JUNE

May 31st - 5th — Americade/ C.M.A.

21st — 26th Peniel Staff Training

28th — July 3rd — Senior High Camp

JULY

5th —10th —Junior High Camp

10th & 11th — Weekend Conference

12th —16th — Junior Camp (day camp)

12th — 16th — Family Camp

19th — 24th — Ministers Conference

26th — 30th — Growth in Truth

AUGUST

1st & 2dd — Family Reunion

8th — 12th — Wesleyan Kids Camp(not confirmed)

15th — 21st — Family Reunion

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Peniel Calendar

We are including the calendar for the rest of theyear for several reasons. The groups that usePeniel are an important part of our ministry and ourincome. If you have a church group of whateversize, and would like to ask about using Peniel for aretreat, Lee would be very happy to talk with you!If you can help fill in this calendar, please do!

SEPTEMBER 20094th and 5th — Prayer Council Meeting

7th — Redeemer Reformed Labor DayBreakfast

11th, and 12th — Back to School Rally forYouth and Youth Leaders

14th – 15th — Peniel Pastors Group

OCTOBER 2009151 – 4th — Autumn Colors Ride - C.M.A.

23rd, 24th, and 25th — Northway Bible Chapel

NOVEMBER6th, 7th and 8th — Peniel Women's Retreat -

Susan Meiners – "Breaking theCurse."

13th, 14 th and 15 th — Full Gospel Assembly,Youth Retreat.

DECEMBER4th and 5th — Prayer Council Meeting

JANUARY

FEBRUARY13th – 16th — Peniel SNO-FUN

19th – 21st — First Pres. Ocean City NJ

MARCH19th, 20th, and 21st — Peniel Men's Retreat

Rev. Dan Meiners, Rev. Bruce Brown, andWarren Maben – "Renewal Through theOld Story-Seeing Christ in Leviticus andLife." Messages, communion and Seder

APRIL4th – Easter

MAY31st – June 5th - — Americade/ C.M.A.

Report of the 2009 Minister’sConference

The 2009 Minister’s Conference met July 26 toAugust 1, under the theme of the Person andMinistry of Jesus. Presentations relied upon theGospel of Matthew for their emphasis. The desirewas to rediscover the “fully human” Jesus in hisministry. The varied presentations reflected uponthe topics: Birth, Friends, Opposition, Betrayal,Trial, Crucifixion and Resurrection, with asummation reflection on the possible work of theHoly Spirit alongside Jesus. A unique communionservice, seated around the table, closed the camp.

There was a renewed sense of energy andenthusiasm felt throughout the week.

The recent tradition of heavy rain mid-week wasagain honored. On Wednesday 3 ½ inches of rainfell in the afternoon hours. It wasn’t sufficient todampen spirits.

Those attending the conference noted a new rampinto the Lodge, a new deck on the dining hall, andattractive star lighting in the dining hall.

Presentations, prayer partnerships, renewedfellowship, and general good will characterized thecamp. We departed refreshed and renewed.Ken Hetzel

Those with children were enthusiastic about theprogram provided for them!

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Christian Motorcycle Association Friend Profiled

It is always a pleasure to welcome members of the Christian Motorcycle Association to Peniel duringAmericade at the beginning of June. After an early breakfast they head out to witness for Christ. In theevening, those who are available gather for memorable times of prayer and fellowship.We were delighted to see this picture and profile appear on the front page of the Chronicle, a weekly paperheavy on the ads out of Glens Falls.

Travels with PepeAmericader Bruce Hadley ofRochester, N.Y., is a retired tractor-trailer driver who shares the ride onhis Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic withhis dog, Pepe, named after cartooncharacter Pepe LePew, because of hisblack and white coloring. Bruce andhis wife Donna are members of theChristian Motorcyclists Association,working "full-time serving the Lord." A10-year Americade attendee, Bruceenjoys "the times with the peopleand the opportunity to share withpeople about Jesus Christ our Lordand Savior." Interview & photo by DavidCederstrom

Rev Ted Hard

Virginia Beach

When I wrote you for "Face to Face", I mentionedthat Ted Hard had introduced us to Peniel in 1954.He and Grace came to Ministers' Conference whenon furlough a few times. Some people might liketo know this about Ted: My husband Roger firstintroduced him to the Lord in high school, and theyremained close all these years.

After several years of illness and the loss of Grace,Ted died on March 15. The oldest of ten childrenhe was raised in CT, coming to faith in Christ inhis teens. While in the Army Air Corps, hereceived a call to the mission field. Married whileat Wheaton, the couple then went to WestminsterSeminary. Ted was ordained as a minister in theOrthodox Presbyterian Church.

The couple served in Korea for 37 years inseminary teaching and literature work. He wasinstrumental in building up the library of KoreaSeminary, which grew to become Kosin University(which includes Korea Theological Seminary).Ted strongly believed in the Lordship of Christover every aspect of life. He worked to developsolar ovens and solar water heaters for those whocould not afford expensive energy. In his latteryears he also spent time teaching in India and thePhilippines and helped establish a seminary libraryin the Philippines that now bears his name. Evenin retirement he continued a ministry of collectingbooks and shipping them to colleges andtheological schools all around the world. He issurvived by five children and severalgrandchildren.

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GROWTHIN TRUTH REPORT-2009

"Re-Discovering the Power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"

The "Growth in Truth" Conference this year wasmemorable for four reasons. First, the theme, "Re-Discovering the Power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"considered by four speakers in a timely and practicalmanner; second, the special music arranged by LorraineKress, Music Director; third, what our guests—ArthurGene Dewey and his wife, Priscilla, from Washington,DC-shared with us about God's provision in their lives;fourth, the improved facilities and excellent mealsprovided by Lee and Nancy Smith.

1) Calvin highlighted the Conference theme bydescribing our calling in Christ to "reign in life,"(Romans 5: 17). Because of the entrance of sinthrough the Fall we lost our regal status. Now we havebecome slaves to Satan. Christ has come, the first-bornof the New Creation, to restore that which was lost. AsPsalm 8 reveals, once more through claiming ourinheritance we have been crowned with glory andhonor, a symbol of our victory over everycircumstance. This is "the power of God untosalvation" (Romans 1: 16).

Dr. Jim Brownson, Professor of New Testament atWestern Seminary, Holland, MI, gave two talks. Thefirst was on "The Centrality of the Cross." Thisdespised and degrading symbol was embraced byChristians because they also gloried in the Resurrect-ion, what followed as the central fact of our faith. Hissecond talk—"Our Union With Christ," underscoredour oneness with our Lord and with one another as onebody. Here is one explanation of the sense of onenessso many have experienced when they have come toPeniel, as they have been taught and embraced all theScriptural teachings.

Eleanor Hartman-Malefyt used I Peter 2 as hertext, describing the "Blessings Out of Suffering," aswe identify with Christ and His suffering. The Biblepromises that all who live godly lives will suffer. Butthe Holy Spirit will help us to get through these tests toour faith.

Calvin's next talk opened up the Scriptures on the"Healing Work of the Holy Spirit Today," somethingbelievers are currently experiencing, for Jesus Christ isthe same "yesterday, today, and forever." PriscillaDewey shared with us her profound experience ofbeing healed from an alarming diagnosis of a "mass"in her left lung. Her Presbyterian Pastor and an Eldercame, and, following the teaching of James 5, anointedher with oil and prayed over her. Within a period ofweeks she was restored to health.

Calvin then spoke about the world-wide reality ofspiritual conflict today. Arthur Gene Dewey, AssistantSecretary of State under Colin Powell, told of themany answers to prayer and the sense of God'sprotection he had experienced, working as aConsultant to the United Nations, and under variousPresidents—Reagan, Clinton and the Bushes. Hisprimary responsibilities have been to deal with hungerand famine in various parts of the world.

The Rev. Dan Meiners, Pastor, challenged us tothink outside the box in evangelizing our post-moderngeneration. The Gospel has not changed, only thelisteners. A high point after his talk was a uniqueCommunion Service arranged by the Rev. BruceBrown. Here there was one long table, with crossesand nails distributed among the elements. This was athoughtful way to "re-discover the power of theGospel of Jesus Christ."

2). Lorraine Kress, Music Director, arranged for anoutstanding music program. This included CheriMarkward, formerly Concertmistress of the RhodeIsland Symphony; Elyse Barrett, Calvin'sgranddaughter, and a composer for Hannah Montana;Rev. Dan Meiners ("The Green-eyed Dragon"); Ed &Ellen Huff; and a special choir.

3). We were blessed by the friendship andsignificant participation of Arthur Gene and PriscillaDewey.

4). The meals, provided by Nancy Smith and herstaff, were not only delicious but also heart-healthynutritious. The facilities were in the finest shape peoplecould remember. There was a new deck and newhandicapped bathrooms in the Dining Hall; new,comfortable chairs in both the Dining Hall and MeetingRoom; new lights in the parking lot adjacent to theLodge; and other improvements. Two NY State HealthInspectors came during the Conference, and declaredthe facilities were in the best shape they had recalled.Lee Smith announced at the end of the Conference thatall bills had been paid! Thank you, Lee and Nancy, foryour fine leadership. God be praised!

Growth in Truth will be held July 26-30, 2010. Ourtheme will be "Steps in Your Spiritual Journey." Ourspeakers will be announced.

Calvin Malefyt

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A Wedding at Peniel!

Michael Burkley

It was a beautiful sunny day right up until the time the wedding guests sat down for the reception incelebration of the wedding of Elizabeth Anne Burkley and Austin Forest Guenther. No one minded the rainthough because they were all dry and secure in the newly cleaned and beautifully apportioned SummerDining Hall of the Peniel Bible Conference.

Liz and Austin’sstory began longbefore their June13th wedding thispast summer.Austin is a long-time member ofthe RockwellFalls PresbyterianChurch in LakeLuzerne, and Liz’father was thenew pastor of thatchurch when theyfirst met twoyears ago. Whileit wasn’t love atfirst sight, afriendship soonbegan anddeepened, andthey becameengaged lastThanksgivingtime.

The location of the wedding ceremony wasn’t decided for some time, but the location of the reception wasnever in doubt – Peniel. The Guenther family has had many years of connection with Peniel, and Liz’ dad,Michael, is a member of the Peniel Prayer Council. But deciding where a reception is to take place andgetting that place ready for the reception are not the same thing. The Summer Dining Hall needed a lot ofcleaning and fixing! Everything was swept and vacuumed, and swept and vacuumed again. The floor waswashed and stripped of layers of old wax and then waxed anew. Icicle lights formed a ceiling of light.Austin and Liz replaced all the screens on the newly repaired and painted frames. The deck was dangerouslyrotted and so was replaced with a new and larger deck built by Austin and his dad, Steve.

A wonderful wedding (the Bride and Groom said, “Make sure to lift up Jesus”) was officiated over by theBride’s uncle and father at the local Wesleyan Church (there wasn’t enough room at the PresbyterianChurch). Later, a delicious wedding dinner was catered by Barb Mitchell; the Bride danced with the Groomunder the glittering lights and afterwards with her father, and everyone who came had a wonderful time.

The lights are still hanging there, already used during the Ministers’ Conference and the Growth in TruthConference. Maybe they’ll be used for some more weddings in the future? Know of any possibilities?

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Harriett Dale

A Memorial And a Testimony!Mary Sloyer, Anna Sircar, Marion & Brenda Boozer

Harriett Brown Dale was born on September 11, 1916, inBluefield, Virginia. A graduate of Johns-Hopkins Schoolof Nursing, she served in the Army Nurse Corpsthroughout most of World War II.

While taking courses at Davidson College in the mid '40's,Harriett developed a concern for the spiritual needs of theDavidson students. Later, while Harriett was taking acourse at Wheaton College, in God's sovereignty Anne DuMont invited her to Peniel. That summer of 1947at Peniel, Harriett's faith and Christian walk were tremendously deepened and strengthened. One of hergreatest joys was "getting to know and have a personal relationship with the sovereign God of the universe."As she had gotten so much that she wanted to share from her summer at Peniel, at one point she was thinkingof having a busload of Davidson students get there. The next summer, however, there were only three whowent -- but that was the start of something much bigger, as more Davidson students were led to Peniel'sministry over the ensuing years. And numbers of them would become leaders in the ministry of Peniel andelsewhere in the Church at large.

Another event in Harriett's life that summer of '47 was her meeting Herbert Dale Wolitarsky, who was laterto become her life partner. And also that summer, Herb recognized that God was calling him into theministry. Called to minister in the South after finishing seminary, Herb felt led to invert his middle and lastnames, becoming identified as Herbert W. Dale, as we all knew him. Harriett and Herb were married in1950 by Rev. Raymond Meiners who traveled to North Carolina for the occasion.

One of Herb’s first pastorates was at the Hephzibah Presbyterian Church in North Carolina, where he andHarriett had a very significant ministry to the Clark and Carpenter families, a number of whom were greatlyhelped both through the Dales' ministry in the church and through Peniel. The Hephzibah church is one of anumber where the Dales are still remembered with great love and appreciation.

The Dales became Peniel regulars. Herb helped with the construction of the Dining Hall and several of thecabins. Harriett often assisted Marian Newcomb in the Infirmary. Continuing into the 1970’s, the Daleswere known to drive folks up to Peniel from North Carolina just to introduce them to a specific Penielconference and to the teaching and ministry of Peniel.

Both singly and together, Herb and Harriett were powerful prayer warriors -- praying for each other, theirfamily, other individuals, church situations, and especially Davidson. And they were gifted counselorswhose lives of obedience and faithfulness left a lasting impact on many.

A memorial service for Harriett was held on May 15, 2009, at Southlake Presbyterian Church, Huntersville,NC. In his remarks for that service, one of the ministers -- former Davidson student Alex Coblentz --focused on Harriett's "unshakeable confidence in the sovereign purposes of God, and in the power ofprevailing prayer."

Harriett is survived by a son, John H. Dale and wife Amy of Exton, PA; daughters Mary Sloyer and husbandRobert of Winston-Salem, NC; and Anna Sircar and husband Dhrubo of Denver, CO; and sevengrandchildren.

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A Prayer Teaching –

Starting Prayer With Thanksgiving

One of the most familiar prayer references inthe New Testament is Philippians 4:6,7: “Do notbe anxious about anything, but in everything, byprayer and petition, with thanksgiving, presentyour requests to God. And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guardyour hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I am particularly interested today in theinstruction given here that thanksgiving is toaccompany this prayer. I think that usually whenwe consider thanksgiving and prayer, we realizethe need to come back to the Lord with thanks forthe answers that we see to our prayers. Weremember Christ’s observation that only one ofthe ten lepers He healed on one occasion cameback to Him with thanksgiving, and He apparentlywas looking for that response to God’s mercy.This is surely one way in which thanksgiving is toaccompany our prayer lives.

But this passage says to pray the requests withthanksgiving in the first place. So what wouldthat involve? What sort of things would make ourhearts thankful in the very process of makingrequests? Let’s think about this a bit.

1. Thanksgiving for the kind of God we arepraying to:-- He is a God who loves and cares; aGod who watches over us daily; a God whonumbers the hairs on our heads; a God who wantsfellowship with His people. He is a God who hasplans for us and who works all things together forgood to those who love Him and are calledaccording to His purpose. I’m sure you can findmany well-known scriptures to support thesethoughts. So let us give Him thanks for Himself aswe bring our prayers to Him.

2. Thanksgiving for the Promises of God:--There is one of these in our Philippians passage:“And the peace of God, which transcends allunderstanding will guard your hearts and your

minds in Christ Jesus.” You can go into prayer—even urgent prayer—with the promise of peace inyour heart, a peace that comes because you are inChrist Jesus. You can thank Him for this promiseof peace right away, before you see the answers.Think of the many promises God has made to usabout prayer; have some of them in your mind asyou approach the throne of grace, and letthanksgiving well up in your heart.

3. Thanksgiving for Access to the Throne ofGrace:-- In many places in the book of Hebrewsthe picture is given us of Jesus as our great HighPriest, standing in the presence of His Father andours, interceding for us, so that we can then heedthe exhortation of 4:16: “Let us then approachthe throne of grace with confidence [or, boldly],so that we may receive mercy and find grace tohelp us in our time of need.” In other words, wecan come into prayer realizing that there is afantastic set-up going for us, and this merits ourfervent thanksgiving. We can sing joyously withthe old Swedish hymn-writer:

Every day the Lord Himself is near meWith a special mercy for each hour;All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.The protection of His child and treasureIs a charge that on Himself He laid;“As your days, your strength shall be in

measure,”This the pledge to me He made.

–Lina Sandell Berg

--Don Mostrom, January 16, 1999 # 56

Losses in the Peniel Community

Lou Huber died July 23.Rev. Roger Beech died August 4.J.P. Lusk died the week of August 10.In each family, there is a joy in their homecomingthat only Christians can know, along with grief attheir own loss and separation.We hold up in prayer Virginia Beech, Nancy Luskand the entire family of each of them.

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Contents: Good News from "The Hills of Home" 1 From the President of the Prayer Council 2 Coming Events 3 Peniel Calendar 4 Report of the 2009 Minister’s Conference 4 Christian Motorcycle Association Friend Profiled 5 Rev Ted Hard 5 Growth In Truth Report-2009 6 A Wedding at Peniel! 7 Harriett Dale 8 A Prayer Teaching – Starting Prayer With Thanksgiving 9 Losses in the Peniel Community 9

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