Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 296

October 23;   Revelation 8:4;      246/260;      ‘Incense & Prayers’

Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

The Lord Jesus is about to use seven angels to sound seven trumpets bringing devastation upon the earth, the heavens and those who still have refused to acknowledge and turn to Jesus.  The Bible speaks of incense from a golden altar before the throne of God.  The incense is mixed with the prayers of the saints, Christians.  The combination of the incense and the prayers are a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord.  The prayers of a Christian are very powerful and the Lord moves when believers pray.  The church is in heaven with Jesus and they are praying.  Those who have given their lives to Jesus after the rapture and are going through the tribulation are praying as well.  Verse 5 tells us that the incense and the prayers of the saints in a censer filled with fire is thrown to the earth by an angel.  Fire purifies.  The prayers of the Christians are continually being offered for the Lord to ‘purify’ those who have not as of yet accepted Jesus.  The prayers offered for the salvation of the lost is as incense to the Father, a marvelous fragrance.  Christians must know how important and powerful their prayers are.  God gave Adam authority on the earth and they were to work together to rule.  Adam gave that authority to satan when he sinned, but Jesus Christ took that authority away from satan when He rose from the dead and gave it back to the church.  Once again the Lord and saved men and women are to work together for the salvation of the lost. When Christians pray as this verse indicates, the Lord hears and answers the prayer.