Altar of Private Prayer

 

 

Charles H. Spurgeon:

"Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, there- fore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion.

Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world.

The text will also apply to the altar of the heart. This is a golden altar indeed. God loves to see the hearts of His people glowing towards Himself. Let us give to God our hearts, all blazing with love, and seek His grace, that the fire may never be quenched; for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. Many foes will attempt to extinguish it; but if the unseen hand behind the wall pour thereon the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher. Let us use texts of Scripture as fuel for our heart's fire, they are live coals; let us attend sermons, but above all, let us be much alone with Jesus."

©Charles H. Spurgeon

ℹ️Blue Letter Bible

2026 - A New Year

 ♡~•~♡~•~🩷🄹🄴🅂🅄🅂🩷~•~♡~•~♡

2026
A New Year
A New Beginning 
Filled with God’s Grace

As the new year begins, it offers a sacred moment to pause, reflect, and renew faith. Each new season is a reminder of God’s grace — a chance to start afresh, leaving behind what weighs the heart and stepping forward in hope.

Scripture reminds us that God’s mercies are new every morning. The turning of the calendar is more than a change in date; it is an invitation to trust God’s plan with renewed confidence. The past year may have brought challenges, but through every trial, God’s presence remained steadfast.

Entering the new year of 2026, let hearts be anchored in gratitude and purpose. Seek to grow in love, serve others with compassion, and walk in the light of Christ. Let prayer guide each decision and faith shape every goal.

We will receive renewed strength from God and also rise above our problems. We must persevere and endure through our life's journey without becoming discouraged.

This year, may God’s peace dwell deeply within and the joy of the Lord overflow in daily life as the love of Christ shines through every action. In Him, every beginning holds promise, and every step forward is filled with grace.

Joyful, blessed New Year in 2026.
May we continue to lift up the Name above all names, Jesus.  Remember to carry the persecuted church in your prayers.

Much love in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

♡🩷♡

Isaiah 40:31 NLT
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Titus 3:5 NLT
he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

📖 Bible 

🎵  Song  🎵 
Guide Me To Where I"m Meant To Be
All For God • Heartfelt Guitar Gospel Songs • 2025
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebe9B1b9MOA
♡~•~♡~•~🩷🄹🄴🅂🅄🅂🩷~•~♡~•~♡

The Secret Place

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

~Psalm 91:1 NKJV

That verse really grabbed my attention.  Who shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty?  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High!
Lord Jesus tells us to go into our rooms when we pray and that our Father who is in the secret place and who sees in secret, will reward us openly.

When we pray to our heavenly Father we enter into His presence where He is in the secret place and Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us.  Jesus also said that if we love Him, we will keep His word and His Father will love us and He and Father will come to us and make their home with us.

Jesus also told us to remain (abide) in Him and for His words to remain in us.  When we are faithful to pray always, we abide in the presence of God and there is safety in abiding in the presence of God!

We now have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.  We access the secret place of the Most High with confidence through faith in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:6;  Luke 17:21;  John 14:23-24;  John 15:7;  Hebrews 10:19;  Ephesians 3:12

God's protection!

This morning (14th June 2015) when I tried to open the front door, it wouldn't open.  The handle turned way too much around so I knew someone must have tried to break into our house!
So my husband went around the back to check the front door from the outside and 'lo and behold the front door handle was missing!
I reckon the burglars must have been interrupted.  To think we did not hear a thing!  They could have broken in and killed my Mom, my husband and I.  But THANKS BE TO OUR GOD who is faithful and did not allow them to enter our house!  Thank you Jesus my LORD!  I am always praying for protection around our house. Criminals have stolen much from us through the years.  Broken into our garage a few times, stolen our pool motors twice.  Unbelievable how brazen they are and they use marijuana or meth to be so brazen to do their crime.  One time when a guy broke into our garage the whole garage smelled of dope!  He got away by scaling our 6 foot wall with our weedeater in hand.  But they have never gotten inside our house.  I give God the glory for that!

Anyway, initially, after realising that someone tried to break into our home, I had a little bit of nauseous feeling in my tummy, but that went away quickly and I have this peace about me.  (Holy Spirit! :D )

I decided to have some alone time with the Lord and thank Him for keeping us safe from harm, who cares about a door handle anyway.  So I put on some worship music, worshipped our God and then I prayed and then God led me in His word to Proverbs 6:30-31 !! :)  See, God knows, He sees all and God will bless us sevenfold what the devil has stolen from us through the years and it is not just material.  He has stolen peace and joy from us through the years etc. and God is truly faithful in giving it back to us with interest!  Hallelujah!  Glory be to God!  <3

Just wanted to share this with you to remind you to always pray God's protection over you and your loved ones and over your property and to show you how faithful God is and how He speaks to us through His word!  God's word truly is alive!   

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 

~•Hebrews 4:12

The devil may kill our bodies, but he can't have our souls!  We were bought at a price!  The precious blood of Jesus and we are His!  Amen!
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." 

~•Matthew 10:28

People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
~•Proverbs 6:30-31

And as I am typing here, two police vans are chasing a car, sirens galore, down our street!  The devil is working overtime!  We have to stay in prayer saints!  God bless all of you. ♥

The goodness of God

I will never forget a Sunday in September 2013.  Early the morning during my time with the Lord, He led me to this scripture.  Later that morning my Ma had a stroke.  As we went through the motions, in hindsight, there was a peace in all of us (Ma, my husband and I) as we were driving her to the hospital, we were even joking and laughing in the car.  Peace surrounding us at the hospital. 
The Lord brought to my remembrance what I read that morning and I was so happy, so so happy knowing God is in control, worrying won't help one bit! 
Pray we did and for her healing and I told the Lord when He heals her from that stroke, I will testify in front of the whole congregation to His glory. (I am terribly shy, fear of man)
Exactly 10 days later, my Mom called me all excited that God healed her because she can use her hand again, pick up heavy objects which she could not do.  (Her healing was gradual over 10 days, from above her left elbow down to her fingers.) 
On her 72nd birthday God healed her. :)

I was elated!  Later I thought about what I promised the Lord.  I was very nervous and praying fervently for God to help me, to give me boldness, courage to speak in front of the people.
That day when I went up front my lips were quivering, my voice shaky, I was crying, but I did it! :)  Glory be to God! ♥
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! ♥

While making this picture I felt led to share this.  God bless all who read here in Jesus' Name.

Evergreen

There are apostles and prophets in America who started a prayer movement.  On their banner is an evergreen tree. 

So I see some Christians coming against them because they use the evergreen tree as a symbol.  These Christians describe the evergreen as a phallic and pagan symbol.

For those calling the evergreen tree a "phallic/pagan symbol"....In Isaiah God says that He will decorate His sanctuary with cypress, fir and pine trees (evergreen)! Evergreen trees were created by Almighty God. It does not belong to the pagans, just as the rainbow does not belong to the LGBT movement. It belongs to God who created it. :D

“The glory of Lebanon will be yours—
the forests of cypress, fir, and pine—
to beautify my sanctuary.
My Temple will be glorious!"
~•Isaiah 60:13 :)

How can there be anything wrong with a prayer movement? The only one scared of a prayer movement and who would want to stop it, is the devil and his minions! o_O
Don't stand in God's way!

False prophets

False prophets are everywhere on Facebook, writing their "words from the Lord". God led me to scripture this morning after I saw another false "word from the Lord" last night on FB. The second time I see a similar word from the Lord from two different "prophetesses" in 18 days.

It seems like the message they want to get out there is for us to not pray so much, because one "word from the Lord" said to stop asking God for things, He already knows what we need, so stop asking (I wrote about that in my previous blog entry, click the link to read it) and the other "word from the Lord" from another "prophetess" said that God says we do not have faith and we show it by our actions and our words, because we keep asking for the same thing over and over again.

Well that contradicts scripture because in Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus tells us to keep on asking, keep on knocking and to keep on searching and the door will be opened. Also the parable of the judge and the persistant widow tells us to keep on asking, to basically pester God in prayer! :)

The Bible also tells us to pray unceasingly!

There seems to be a common thread in certain "words from the Lord"...to pray less, stop asking.

So this morning after prayer, God led me to Jeremiah 8:8 and the last part of that scripture jumped at me.

Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.

 

These "prophetesses" are writing false words from the Lord.

Stay in prayer and keep on reading your Bibles saints! How else will we discern the lies from the truth? The devil is sending a message through these false prophets that we should cut down on prayer. If he could have his way he would prefer we do not pray at all! God bless you who read this. ♥

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:1-8 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us'?

Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.

Jeremiah 8:8