Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
God Delights in His Son
God spoke to Isaiah about a particular servant who delights his heart: "Behold! My servant whom I uphold, my elect one in whom my soul delights! I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles" (Isaiah 42:1, NKJV).
Who is this one whom God sustains and upholds, guarding his every step? Who is his chosen, his elect, the one in whom he so delights?
We find the answer in Matthew's gospel. "When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" (Matthew 3:16-17).
The Hebrew word for "I am well pleased" is "delight." God was saying, "My soul delights in my Son, Jesus Christ!"
Throughout the Old Testament, untold numbers of sheep and cattle were offered to the Lord as sacrifices. Rivers of animals' blood flowed for centuries, yet the Bible says none of these sacrifices brought the Lord any pleasure. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins? In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure" (Hebrews 10:4,6). In the next verse, we read these wonderful words from Jesus: "Behold, I have come? To do your will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7).
Christ came to earth to do what no animal sacrifice could do. God had prepared a physical body for Jesus here on earth, a body that would provide the final, perfect sacrifice. "Therefore, when he came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.'" (Hebrews 10:5).
Beloved, God humbled himself for our sake. Encasing himself in a human womb, he took on our nature. He gave up the riches of heaven to become poor, giving his life to ransom us.
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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