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Luke 18:1 - "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." Since He has given humanity authority over the earth, He requires the permission or authorization of mankind in order to act on the earth. This is why, when we stop praying, we allow God's purposes for the word to be hindered. Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." AFFIRMATIONS: I bind and cast out those things that are unfruitful and I loose the blessings of God in my life through the confession of His word. (Matthew 16:19) Since I live vitally united to Jesus and his words continue to live in my heart, I ask whatever I will, and it shall be done for me. (John 15:7) I continually ask, seek, and knock concerning the things God has prepared for me because Jesus says I will receive, find, and it will be opened for me. (Matthew 7:7,8) 2 Peter 3:14 - "With this to look forward to, do your utmost to be found at peace with Him, unblemished and above reproach in his sight." Observation: WE WANT A PEACE THAT TEMPORARILY COMFORTS AND CODDLES BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED OR CHANGED. THE PEACE THAT FLOWS INTO US FROM THE LORD SATISFIES THE SOUL WITH FULL ASSURANCE THAT HE IS STILL FOR US, EVEN AS WE ARE BEING TAKEN THROUGH FIRE - IN WHICH WE CAN BE CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Proverbs 8:10 - "Receive my instruction and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold." Observation: MY IGNORANCE IS THE ONLY WEAPON THE ENEMY CAN USE AGAINST ME. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Numbers 11:5,6 - "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions and the garlic: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna before our eyes." They were unsuccessful in deriving from the manna all the taste and strength they were looking for, not because the manna didn't have these but because of their craving for other foods. Similarly, if spiritual persons could raise their appetites above childish things, they would discover in spiritual food the savor of all things. \ 2 Kings 6:17 - "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." In spiritual warfare, the battle is never limited to an "us against them" human affair. It always includes "those with us" against "those with them." Do you want to cultivate your spiritual mind? Then immerse yourself in God's Word (Psalm 119:9). Pray for revelation and ask the Spirit of God to open your eyes to behold awesome things from heavenly realms. There is nothing wrong with intellectual knowledge and pursuit. God gave us our mind and expects us to use it. However, we should never depend upon mere human intellectual wisdom to advance us in the realm of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). Mark 11:23 - "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." Because great power is released when my heart and mouth start working toether, it's extremely important that I put the right things into my heart. OBSERVATION:Once I find the will of God in a situation I will know how to pray. If I need a mountain moved out of my life, I believe God with my heart and speak it out with my mouth. AFFIRMATIONS:Jesus came that I might have life and that I might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) I shall have whatsoever things that I desire when I pray, since I believe that I receive them. (Mark 11:24) Seeing that I have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, I hold fast to my confession. (Hebrews 4:14) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 17:4 - "Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Peter wanted to come up with a program to organize what God was doing; but God would have us to forsake our various programs and gimmicks and, instead, simly listen to Jesus. The same glory is just as close to us as it was to Peter -- as is the same instance to revert to dead works in spite of who we have seen. Matthew 17:5 - "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." Deuteronomy 28:1 - " If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." Affirmation: I MAKE A QUALITY DECISION TO DILIGENTLY LINE UP WITH GOD'S WORD SO I CAN RELEASE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD INTO THE EARTH. "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." - Isaiah 1:19 This opportunity is given to all who are saved, but not everyone is willing to adjust to a "diet" that is conducive to spiritual growth. Therefore, Jesus said, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). In other words, "Few will pay the price in order to be chosen." This process of qualifying begins after we have received the gift of salvation, which has been freely provided for us by Jesus upon Calvary's Cross. James 1:19 - "Know this, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." THE WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD CHANGE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

In Ezekiel 37, the Prophet Ezekiel was carried in the Spirit to a valley of dry bones. These bones represented the house of Israel, but also speak of structures, as well as anything that has been dead for so long it no longer even resembles its former appearance. God led Ezekiel to walk around the dry bones, and in verse 2, the Bible makes three things very clear: 1. Ezekiel had to walk around the bones very many times. 2. The amount of bones was enormous, so much so that they couldn't be counted. 3. The bones were very dry. The amount of detail that the Prophet goes into about the bones speaks to the fact that he was in the midst of a situation that he could not easily escape, walk through, or just gloss over. God specifically had him going around in circles so that he could get a detailed look at the condition of the bones he was in the midst of. CONFRONTING OUR IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS In the same way, many of us have been in the midst of situations we could not escape. Every time it seems like we get free, it seems like we're right back in the same place we started out! Season after season, over and over again, we're made to go around the same problems and issues! Walking around a dead situation long enough can sometimes dampen even the most brilliant and powerful faith! However, it's just these times where God comes to us and asks us like He asked Ezekiel, "Can these dry bones live?" After you have heard the darkest and most depressing news, do you still believe that God is able? God's question to Ezekiel was never about the bones. What God was really asking Ezekiel was, "Where is the limit to your faith?" After seeing all the death and devastation, God needs someone who will rise up and declare, "MY GOD IS STILL ABLE!" That is what God is looking for TODAY! God needs your voice to declare His power! Someone around you needs to hear that God is still able to save, heal, deliver, defend, provide, heal, and bring victory! The answer our generation gives to the question of "Can these bones live?" is going to determine the level of breakthrough that we experience. START PROPHESYING! When God saw Ezekiel's faith arise to the challenge, the answer was simple: START PROPHESYING! He told Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones and command them to listen to the Word of the Lord! Right now creation is moaning and groaning, waiting for the Word of the Lord to bring forth God's manifestation, but it can't because the sons have not arisen to declare the Word of the Lord! As Ezekiel began to prophesy and declare God's will, the release of faith and authority began to cause a shaking! Right now God is shaking things loose in the heavenlies and in the earth! As the Bible says in Haggai 2:6, "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; 'Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land...'" THE WIND OF DESTINY Right now, God is releasing a fresh wind upon us, the wind of destiny, to blow us into our PURPOSE and into our CALLING! Winds are the vehicle of the spirit realm. From Moses to Elijah, even to the Day of Pentecost, the winds of God have all played a part in bringing God's will into the earth! Ezekiel 37:9 - "Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man.." Declare today that the four winds are about to bring you into your place of purpose, power, prosperity, and passion as you are delivered into your DESTINY! • Declare that the winds of destiny are being released over you right now! • Declare that the north wind is bringing forth God's presence and rain! • Declare that the east wind is blowing to bring judgment to the forces of darkness in your life and release you into righteousness! • Declare that the west wind of God is bringing forth God's mercy and God's miracles in your life! • Declare that the south wind is releasing God's blessing and provision as you walk according to His ways! This is your finest hour! Receive the winds of your God-given DESTINY and rejoice! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Exodus 16:4 - "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no." God did not give the children of Israel the heavenly manna until they exhausted the flour brought from Egypt. This bread of angels is disagreeable to the palate of anyone who wants to taste human food. Persons feeding on other strange tastes not only become incapable of the Divine Spirit, but are not satisfied with God alone but entertain a desire and affection for other things. John 1:1,14 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Observation: IN MY LIFE GOD'S WORD BECOMES FLESH -- MY FLESH! John 14:6,7 - "Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had know me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him."' Unless we can be corrected, unless we are seeking God for an unfolding revelation of His Son, our so-called "faith" may be, in reality, just a lazy indifference, a deception concerning the things of God. Subconsciously, we may actually want a dead religion so we do not have to change. True faith is freighted with the power of God. Timothy 3:5 - "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power therof: from such turn away." AFFIRMATIONS: I do only those things that I see the Father doing. As I take communion, partaking of the bread and wine, I confirm my oneness with Jesus. I am in Christ Jesus. I walk worthy of the Lord - I am fruitful, and I increase in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. Each day I seek to draw ever nearer to Christ, seeking to yield, ever deeper, my will to His will. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Genesis 21:10 - "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." Freedom cannot abide in a slaves heart dominated by worldly desires and honors. Royal freedom of spirit attained in devine union has nothing to do with slavery. There are certain foundational attributes of servanthood and sacrifice that create a seedbed for the fragrance of Christ in our lives. Luke 22:26 - "Not so with you: on the contrary, the highest among you must bear himself like the youngest, the chief of you like a servant." Psalm 9:1,2 - "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." Affirmation: I ACTIVATE THE POWER OF GOD IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE BY SPEAKING THE WORD IN FAITH AND PRAISING GOD THAT HIS MARVELOUS WORKS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN MY BEHALF. Romans 5:5 - "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." The proof of love is the willingness to change Observation: I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SAME LOVE THAT COMPELLED JESUS TO GO TO THE CROSS. IT IS THE LOVE THAT COMPELS ME TO INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS. I PRAY FOR OTHERS TO RELEASE THEM FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE ENEMY. I PRAY FOR THEM SO THEY CAN COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

The prayer journey I know on this site, monastic life is probably a subject many here have not thought of, or even heard of. I hope it is OK, but I would like to share a chapter talk I gave last Sunday on prayer. Chapter talks are given on Sundays here by the abbot. When he is gone then other monks will give the talk. Most presentations are given on the “Rule of St. Benedict”. Br. Cassian and I both gave a talk. My talk was more personal, while Cassian’s who was a teacher before he entered the monastery, gave a more academic presentation. I do believe that prayer is simple at its heart, yet each person is unique in how it is lived out. I have found my relationship with the Lord has given me the strength to face much of what is within me that keeps from more fully giving my self over to His love and mercy. It is a slow journey, and for me the monastic journey is the way for me to do it. In the body of Christ we all have a place and when we live out our calling we lift up all others in the Body of Christ as well. So below is my talk. One thing I have learned here is that language about anything can be used differently making it hard for understanding to grow. So I don’t expect many to read this, or to even agree with what I am saying because of the religious language used. ++++++++++ The prayer journey Whose wounds do we bear? Do we bear the wounds of Christ? Or does Christ bear our wounds? When I was a very young monk, just 23 and in the Monastery for only a year, we had a reading one day at our midday office by Thomas Merton that blind-sighted me and created a great deal of inner turmoil. I can’t recall what the reading said, but when the office was over I knew that I had to leave. I was very angry because I thought all those years of believing I had a monastic vocation was a lie. So I went up to my room and was going to pack and leave. When I arrived at my room in what was called the ‘the snorers dorm’ at the time, I became very sleepy and decided to lie down for a nap before I packed. How I could be so agitated and angry and still feel an overwhelming desire to sleep was something I was wondering about even as my head hit the pillow. It was then that I had a dream that kept me in the Monastery. It was a short dream, but very powerful. In the dream Thomas Merton came to me and presented to me this question: “Mark, do you now what a monk is.” I responded: “No I don’t”. He smiled at me and said in a very matter of fact tone: “Mark, a monk is a man who clings to God even when he is in despair”. I awoke then, and I knew that I was to stay. Though the importance of the message did not really register on such a young mind….yet within a few months I got some insight into it. I did understand that the dream pointed to the reality of God’s faithfulness in all of my struggles, even the worst of them. It was just I had not experienced ‘despair’ before that time. A short time later I entered into a journey that made the dream come alive. It also made me understand the importance of clinging to God through trust and prayer. While I was still 23 my inner state changed, how and why I have some understanding but the intensity of what I had to go though was at first terrifying. I do believe that this is a common path that is followed by humanity. If I had known that this would happen to me in the monastery, I doubt I would have entered. However that is probably true of any vocation, what we have to face is hidden from us, the reality would be too grim. The only way to describe it is to say that my heart, my inner space became a dark pit of a pain whose nature I still can’t quite understand, or for that matter even begin to describe. Yet it was there, it would not leave and there was nothing that I could do about it…..except pray. For I soon learned that if I ran from it in some mad plan to alleviate it, to self medicate myself, was a waste of time. In fact it only made it worse. It was like tearing off the protective scab over a deep wound. So I would just sit and stare inwardly and pray to a God who seemed truly absent. Yet the dream stayed with me, “Cling to God, even in despair”. So I clung and God slowly brought about healing. I suppose if I had left the monastery, I would have dealt with this wound with the salve of addiction. Say sexual addiction, or drugs, food etc. I would say that my main weakness is food. It was prayer that kept me on the road towards healing, though it was far from a straight shot. I would run, find it useless and return to prayer, to the Lord, and over the years healing has come, and is in fact still taking place. I still have not figured out just exactly why I have this inner wound, but that is ok. One of the good things about ageing is that I don’t have to fix it, or figure it out, but to pray, trust, and live one day at a time. In prayer I keep the doors open to life and to embrace all that is within me. My joy, my love, my anger and lust, my inner rages, are stepping stones to prayer. It is also my connection with all others, for my path while unique is not that much different from most people I believe. So in my prayer, I understand that when I am healed, or being healed, for it is a life long journey, I grow in my desire to bring all others with me. In this I have learned what ‘The priesthood of the faithful “means. Christ Jesus is one with us in all of human experiences, so it is also true that the deeper we go into the ‘Mind of Christ’ the more we understand our oneness with all of humanity and when I pray I feel this deep connection. Self knowledge does not mean that I have myself figured out. It does mean however that I come face to face with my radical freedom as well as my struggle to grow in freedom every day. This releases me from the burden of judging others, as well as trying to figure them out. How can I? For the greatest mystery to me, is well, myself and my life long dance with God. This dance can be a waltz, or a polka, or sometimes it is like being in a wrestling match… but there it is….prayer is not always about finding peace, or gentle love, but about embracing the inner conflict and sitting with them, praying with them and growing in understanding of my union with the rest of humanity. Whose wounds do we bear? Do we bear the wounds of Christ? Or does Christ bear our wounds? When St. Paul talked about Christ Jesus living in him, it was not some abstract theological principle but a lived reality. Christ Jesus is the immanence of God. In prayer we become ever more deeply one with this reality, until slowly our hearts become the “Heart of Christ”, our minds “The Mind of Christ”, our feet and hands His as well. Prayer allows this to happen, so we can bring forth thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. It happens slowly for most of us. How it happens, well it is the seed of grace, once planted God does the watering and the harvesting. We are called to pray, to love and to minister to each other. Not to judge or to criticize. The greatest self wounding I do to myself is when I judge in ways that I have no right to do. In prayer I learn to see my reflection in others and to not make others suffer because of that.—Br.MD

John 4:24 - "God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Observation: My true heart's desire is what attracts Him, like a fragrance rising on the air. He whispers delicately all the while to my inmost being -- and until now I have tried to follow Him on my own, and failed. Now He will show me how to follow Him in Spirit. Matthew 17:17 - "Then Jesus answered and said, 'O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.'" Jesus made it clear to the disciples that the gift of God would remain dormant in them if they could not believe. OBSERVATION: When we walk in fear, doubt, and rembrance of failures we are robbed of our boldness, and we become unable to step out in God's ablilty. Jeremiah 32:17 - "Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You." Affirmation: I AM NEVER AS FAR FROM A MIRACLE AS IT FIRST APPEARS. OBSERVATION: The spirit of the resurrected Christ is in you -- find it. That discovery releases extraordinary faith. It's the discovery of the person in you -- that partnership positions you to redefine the nature of the world around you. Matthew 7:7 - "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Joshua 1:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them." AFFIRMATIONS: SINCE I AM COMMITTED TO PRAYER AND HAVE COURAGE TO STAND ON GOD'S WORD --I AM CONFIDENT THAT GOD WILL ANSWER FROM HEAVEN. I REFUSE TO GIVE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF BATTLE AND AM DETERMINED TO RECEIVE MY REWARD. Hebrews 10:35 - "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward." Luke 5:4 - "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets". OBSERVATION: I quit fishing in the same waters I've bee fishing in for so long. I go to new territories and get ready to catch more fish than I ever dreamed possible! Luke 5:10 - "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for the souls of men!" Proverbs 24:16 - "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." If we lose sight of OUR PURPOSE that God has for us being here we will drift aimlessly into things that are not fulfilling, but leave us empty and confused as to why we are here. Like Caleb, we need a "different spirit" that is exemplary in faith. For he who is born of God "overcomes" the world, possessing and inheriting the promises. (1 John 5:4) Psalm 37:23,24 - "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14 DESIRING HIS PRESENCE It is certainly a time of calling upon the name of the Lord and praying but we don't want to forget the rest of the Scripture...it is also a time to seek His face. To seek means to desire, to seek to secure oneself to, and to require. The word "face" in this Scripture means to seek His presence, to turn toward Him, and to make a clear path to God. We are to desire God, to secure ourselves to Him. We are to desire His presence, to turn toward Him and to remove anything that would stop us from being in His presence. That is what God means by seeking His face. It is easy to pray a short prayer and go about your day. Often, it is much more difficult to pray from a place of seeking God and seeking His face. The latter takes time, it takes focus and it takes setting your own agenda aside and surrendering entirely to God alone; but when you do this, the reward is great. It will take putting God and His presence first – before work, family, ministry and anything else that may demand your attention. THE TIME IS NOW In Psalm 27:8 David said, "When You said, 'Seek My face' my heart said, 'Thy face, Lord, I will seek.'" God is saying to you, "Seek My face." What is your response? Is it like David's? Are you saying, "Thy face God, I will seek." Or are you saying, "When I get caught up at work, or when things slow down a bit..."? The time is NOW and by next month "this time" may have passed. Seek Him now, while He can be found, as the Scripture says (Isaiah 55:6). Acting in the spirit of sacrifice He will come to you and His reward will be with Him: Wherever His presence is, healing is. Wherever His presence is, restoration is. Wherever His presence is, peace is. Wherever His presence is, prosperity is. We WILL See the Goodness of God Psalm 27 ends with "I would have lost heart if I had not believed I would see the goodness of God in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13 Seeing the goodness of God – here, in our life – is the fruit of intimacy with God; it is part of the reward. Seek Him now. Seek His face and see His Goodness. Can you sense His desire for time with you? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Luke 6:8 - "But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the crippled hand,'Stand up and come here to the front.' The man got up and stood there.'" Observation: Jesus is telling me to come out of the back row of life; come out of darkness; come out of my comfort zone and launch out in a great leap of faith toward Him! Mark 1:35 - "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." We do our very best each day to find time to spend alone with God. It is in those times that we discover the DESTINY that He has for us. Can you feel the depth of God’s heart calling to you in this season? Can you feel the depth of your spirit desiring Him more than your next breath? Launch out , and launch into Him. It is in this place that your wilderness becomes a fruitful field. Expect faith upon faith to rise up! Expect advancement from strength-to-strength! Expect to go from glory-to-glory as God opens impossible doors for the advancement of His kingdom through his CALLING on your life. Affirmation: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY I LET ALL DISTRACTION AND EMPTY TALK BE SILENCED AND LET MY FIRST THOUGHT AND FIRST WORD BELONG TO HIM TO WHOM MY WHOLE LIFE BELONGS. Ephesians 5:14 - "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Mathew 11:28-30 - "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Observation: STRESS IS THE PROOF I AM ATTEMPTING SOMETHING GOD DID NOT COMMAND. 1 Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Galatians 1:10 - "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." Observation: IF I AM TO WALK WITH CHRIST I NEED TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE FEAR OF MAN, THE COMPULSION TO BE ACCEPTED BY MEN, AND THE MOTIVE OF WANTING TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THEM. Acts 6:4 - "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." TO PRAY IS TO CHANGE. Observation: PRAYER IS THE CENTRAL AVENUE GOD USES TO TRANSFORM ME. IF I AM UNWILLING TO CHANGE I WILL ABANDON PRAYER AS A NOTICEABLE CHARACTERISTIC OF MY LIFE. Psalm 63:1 - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." John 15:7 - "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you." Some are willing to spend hours in prayer asking for a miracle instead of planting the Word of God in their hearts, which in time would produce the miracle. Prayer is what water and fertilizer are to a seed. They help the Word release its life. But if you haven't planted the seed, it doesn't matter how much water and fertilizer you apply, the soil still won't produce fruit. It's the seed that has life! AFFIRMATION: The creative language of God is demonstrated when I speak forth the creative word of God in boldness and confidence because it is abiding in my spirit. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1 Corinthians 4:20 - "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power." OBSERVATION: When the Lord calls me to do a task, I must resist looking to my resources for the ability to carry it out, but rather to God's resources. Ezekiel 22:30 - "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none." We are called to intercession because God does not do anything in the earth withou the cooperation of a man. He intends for us to work together with Him to accomplish His will. Proverbs 4:20-23 - "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Affirmations: I AM DILIGENT TO KEEP MEDITATING AND CONFESSING THE PROMISES IN THE WORD UNTIL THEY OVERTAKE MY LIFE. I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THAT I RECEIVE FROM GOD STARTS WITH THE WORD IN MY HEART. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

I am finding apart from the divide between Catholic's and non-Catholic, or least for some of them, there is also a language barrier. Below is something I wrote on prayer and I would like to see how others view prayer in their lives. I do believe that we all belong to the Priesthood of the faithful and when we pray we stand for all seeking the Lord's blessing on all, as well that all may come to know Christ and his love.....for God wills (desires) the salvation of all. 1 Timothy 2:3-4. This is not a teaching but a sharing. If I am breaking any rules, moderator please delete immateriality. How do you pray? What does prayer mean to you? How has it changed over the years as you mature +++++++++++++++ Breathe in; breathe out (the practice of prayer) When I ask this “what do we pray for”, many do not understand what I am getting at. I guess we can start with the question what is prayer? The simplest answer is that it is “raising our heart and mind to God”. But that answer can lead to another question…..what does that mean for me in my everyday life? Prayer, if pursued and the impulses of grace are followed, which is in fact an invitation from the Holy Spirit, can slowly grow over the years to become a deeply ingrained habit. Prayer becomes a form of breathing for the soul. The Holy Spirit breathes in us, and we breathe out prayer. To stop and pray, to be open to the Holy Spirit opens us up to the healing and mercy of “the fire of God’s love’, which is stronger than death. So as the life of prayer deepens we can often find ourselves in a dry desert with only faith and prayer as our guides. Or we find that we discover depths within our souls that block us from living fully in the joy and love of God. Prayer gives us the humility to grow in the knowledge of God’s grace and our total dependence on his mercy and love. So we can find ourselves on stormy seas, without the false luxury of blaming others, or of seeking ways to self medicate that only complicate the matter and pile on more problems. Prayer frees us from being a victim as well as drowning in anger or self pity. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand the struggle of others and find our hearts becoming the Heart of Christ Jesus. Prayer and our openness to God’s grace makes us aware that Paul’s statement that “It is not I but Christ who lives in me”, is not some abstract statement, or theological principle, but an actual living reality. Fear, bitterness, anger and cynicism are ways that we protect ourselves from the on- slot of life. Sin is the shield that we use to keep life out, which leads to only more suffering and a deepening of our wounds. It is only by letting go of fear that we can understand the healing balm of God’s love. As John says in his 1st Epistle, “Love cast out fear”. The death to self that Jesus calls us to is a letting go of self concern to the exclusion of others. As well as freeing others from manipulation and being made into mere object so that we can feel secure and in control….illusions both of them. Yet when we discover the love of God, its depth and what Christ Jesus went through to save us, we come to the understanding that we are truly embraced in the ever lasting arms of Christ Jesus’ love. We can forget how short our lives are and that we are pilgrims. One good thing about aging is that illusion of “I have plenty of time” is taken away. If someone lives to be 120 years of age, on their death bed, it will seem like a passing dream…..our time is short here. Being 68 (or will be in December) has freed me totally from that illusion. Life is more precious to me as I age, yet I know that ‘soon’ I will move on. What is life for? We need to ask ourselves that question and live from what we discover. Breathe in, breathe out, allow the Holy Spirit to pray in you, through you and let yourselves be used so that our arms, become the Arms-of-Christ, our hearts, become The-Heart-of-Christ and our minds, to become, The-Mind-of-Christ. For in our bodies we make up for what is lacking in the body of Christ. We have a great calling; we are all members of Christ Jesus and belong to the priesthood of the faithful. The more conscious we are of that the more we can allow the Holy Spirit to use us.

Psalm 91:1 -- "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty." Jesus lived a life of of prayer, and when He needed dedicated prayer time He would send crowds and, most likely, potential resources away so that He could be with the Father. As a result He would not move, speak, or do anything that the Father did not ask Him to do. Our talking and listening to the Father should be a continuum or seamless activity. When we are in conversation with anyone we should ask the Lord, "Father, what do you want me to hear?" and "Father, how would you desire me to respond?" When we are consciously doing this the Lord will do astounding things and we are giving God glory in many more conversations and releasing His love more abundantly to others. Prayer is really for us to connect with Him, His nature, and for a conduit of His peace, love and joy to flow through us, but we must participate and engage relationally with Him in order for His presence to manifest through our lives in power. Psalm 62:1,5 -- "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Prayer is tuning everything else out so we can hear from Him. When prayer is foundational and we allow His will to supersede our will we begin to develop vision -- as vision expands we commence to see our DESTINY (the purpose of God for our life). PRAYER PRINCIPLES TO CONNECT WITH OUR DESTINY: 1. To be successful in our vision, we must have a daily, dynamic prayer life with God. 2. We will never achieve our destiny without prayer because prayer is what keeps us connected to the Vision-Giver. 3. Prayer encourages us to get back in the fight of faith. 4. As prayer is the essential resource of vision, we remain connected to our Source for the renewal of our purpose, faith, strength, and PERSEVERANCE. 5. God is the One who planted our life's PURPOSE within us in the beginning. He has invested Himself in our dream and as we are obedient and stay committed He will bring our DESTINY to pass. Matthew 7:7,8 -- "Keep on asking and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened."(NAS) Hebrews 12:1 -- "(We must) run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." Philippians 3:14 -- "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Psalm 91:1 -- "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty." Jesus lived a life of of prayer, and when He needed dedicated prayer time He would send crowds and, most likely, potential resources away so that He could be with the Father. As a result He would not move, speak, or do anything that the Father did not ask Him to do. Our talking and listening to the Father should be a continuum or seamless activity. When we are in conversation with anyone we should ask the Lord, "Father, what do you want me to hear?" and "Father, how would you desire me to respond?" When we are consciously doing this the Lord will do amazing things and we are giving God glory in many more conversations and releasing His love more abundantly to others. Prayer is really for us to connect with Him, His nature, and for a conduit of His peace, love and joy to flow through us, but we must participate and engage relationally with Him in order for His presence to manifest through our lives in power. Psalm 62:1,5 -- "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Prayer is tuning everything else out so we can hear from Him. When prayer is foundational and we allow His will to supersede our will we begin to develop vision -- as vision expands we commence to see our earthlyDESTINY(the purpose of God for our life). PRAYER PRINCIPLES TO CONNECT WITH OUR DESTINY 1. To be successful in our vision, we must have a daily, dynamic prayer life with God. 2. We will never achieve our destiny without prayer because prayer is what keeps us connected to the Vision-Giver. 3. Prayer encourages us to get back in the fight of faith. 4. As prayer is the essential resource of vision, we remain connected to our Source for the renewal of our purpose, faith, strength, and PERSEVERANCE. 5. God is the One who planted our life's PURPOSE within us in the beginning. He has invested Himself in our dream and as we are obedient and stay committed He will bring our earthly DESTINY to pass. Matthew 7:7,8 -- "Keep on asking and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened." (NAS) Hebrews 12:1 -- "(We must) run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." Philippians 3:14 -- "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

For those who are faint in their heart be of good cheer for the Lord has overcome all that surrounds you. Remember He said,"lo, I am with you always, even until the end of time." (Matthew 28:20) Draw Him into the situation that is trying to draw you into the valley of fear. As you draw Him in His faith within you (Galatians 2:20), rises up, fear will bow down and diminish. Let the faith that He has given you -- let that gift be opened to a greater degree. Release the faith that is within you. Allow Him to take that faith, even that tiny mustard seed, and speak multiplication, for He has not come to judge your unbelief. He has come to celebrate your mustard seed. Call Him in as the One who brings the breakthrough. Call Him as the One who holds time in His hand. Call Him in as the begininning, the Alpha and the Omega. Call Him in to be the One who stands as the Good Shepherd, and takes His staff and hits the ground, and takes His rod and beats back all that would come to oppose you. Let His Word rise up, mixed with faith. Let praise be the crown that you would send on the wings of an angel back to Him. As you bring forth honor and glory to His name, He will turn the tide that wants to drown you and rob you of your faith, for He comes to multiply faith -- to take your hand and your broken heart, and to hold them in His hands and bring healing and wholeness. Use the authority of His name. Cease to tremble. Let the demons flee and tremble.Command the waves to be still. Command the storms to cease. Commandthe Peace of Understanding to penetrate situations as He brings to your understanding revelation knowledge and crowns you with favor. For such a time as this He is lifting up a people who will decree, and who will declare, that Jesus is not only Lord, but that they will say also in one accord, 'It is Finished. It is Written." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

A. Ask God to Soften Their Hearts Ezekiel 11:19 - "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh..." Pray for the condition of their hearts to change. B. Spirit of Conviction Ask for the release of the spirit of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. John 16:8 - "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment..." C. Spirit of Revelation Ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation (dreams, visions, inspiration etc.) Ephesians 1:17-19 - "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might..." D. Recall To Remembrance. Ask the Lord to bring to their remembrance any of the good Word of God that they were taught from their childhood to this day 1. John 14:26 - "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." 2. Isaiah 55:11 - "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." E. Pray Prayers of Forgiveness Forgive your mother, your father, your son, your daughter. Forgiveness is the master key that unlocks the prison door to a heart of stone. Through forgiveness comes a place of identification. The model prayer of Jesus is not an individual prayer. It is a corporate prayer. Matthew 6:9-15 - "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.)'" F. Pray for Laborers to Be Released to Your Loved Ones Matthew 9:38 - "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." G. Pray for a Revelation of Eternity Ask the Lord to give them an awareness of the realities of both Heaven and Hell. Ask the Lord to reveal that none are righteous and that we each need to receive the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus! H. Resist the Enemy Pray to break the powers of darkness that are generationally hindering your loved ones from the saving power of Jesus' Blood. I. Solicit Other People's Prayers Enroll others on your team of intercessors to pray for your family. Ephesians 6:19-20 - "...and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." 2 Corinthians 1:11 - "...you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many." J. Revelation of God's Love Ask for God's love to overwhelm them. (Don't pray for bad things to happen to them.) 1. Romans 2:4 - "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and (forbearance) and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" 2. Romans 12:14, 19 - "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not...Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." EXPECT GREAT THINGS! Let revival begin. Release your faith and believe the Lord for more of His presence to come to your family. Stand as a Prophet, Priest, and King of your family before the Lord and your own home and family for the glory of God's great name. PRAYER OF SALVATION FOR FAMILY MEMBERS Lord, I bring my family members to You right now. I bless them in Jesus' great name. I call forth that You soften their hearts and release the spirit of conviction upon them. I pray that You reveal the goodness of God to them and draw them to repentance. Release laborers across their path that will move in power and kindness. Release demonstrations of Your love to them for Your holy name's sake. I pray myfamily members into God's eternal family, in Jesus' name! Amen ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Where does the word "Amen" really originate from, and what exactly does it mean? What is it's purpose? Is it required? I imagine most, like me, say it out of habit. I'd love to know what it really is so I can mean what I say and say what I mean!

Why do we need to persevere with God in prayer concerning the salvation of others?

Three Aspects of the Spirit #1 - Conscience The conscience discerns right and wrong and is not influenced by knowledge or outward persuasion. Conscience will condemn sometimes when one’s reasoning condones. Scriptural examples of the functioning of the conscience: John 13:21 - After Jesus had said these things, He was troubled (disturbed, agitated) in spirit and said, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.Acts 17:16 - Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Romans 8:16 - The Spirit Himself testifies together with our own spiritthat we are the children of God. 1 Corinthians 5:3 - For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 2 Corinthians 2:13 - I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went from thence to Macedonia. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

We all have areas where we are in great need of the Lord of Breakthrough, but remember that before God broke through David's enemies, he returned to the stronghold and inquired of the Lord. "And David enquired of the Lord.....And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them (the Philistines) there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters." - 2 Samuel 5:19,20 RETURN TO THE STRONGHOLD Breakthrough is found in our private devotion and personal pursuit of God when no one is watching. If you are in need of breakthrough, make it a point to "return to the stronghold" and watch what the God of the Breakthrough does for you. When He breaks open, we break out. "The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them." - Micah 2:13 "Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you" (Zechariah 9:12). Jesus modeled this profound truth in His own life. We see in Luke 4:14 that His time of fasting in the wilderness produced great power as well as preparing and positioning Him for His next stage of life and ministry. Great miracles along with public demonstrations of tremendous power and authority were often preceded by significant time spent hidden away with His Father in secret. When we purpose to live a life of sacrificial devotion to our Father in the secret place through contemplative prayer and fasting, we and the world we live in will become greater for it. This is one way that we can say "yes" to the ebbing pull of the Spirit in our daily life. "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in him." - Nahum 1:7 David found the God of the Breakthrough in the stronghold, not on the field of battle. He is our stronghold. It is in our returning to Him that He restores, breaks through, and gives back more than what we had lost and better than we had! A DOOR OF GREAT HOPE "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water." - Exodus 15:22 For many of us, we have experienced a wilderness while fulfilling God's PURPOSE for our life. We feel lonely, barren, and unfruitful. We have been so dry and thirsty that we find ourselves crying out to God in desperation. Our life is in disorder, and at times we are confused and irritated. God has a purpose for our wilderness -- He does NOT plan for us to stay there! God brought the Israelites out of Egypt for the purpose of not only proving their hearts, but also to give them an opening to be delivered from old thinking. Many of us feel that we have been pulled into a place that at first we did not see as necessary in our apprehension of God's CALLING in our life. Truth be told, it is in this place that we are prepared to inherit and fully occupy the promises. For some of us, it may feel like a wilderness, but if we can embrace His pull we will begin to know and experience the Lord in a new way. It is in the "valley" of our troubles that He establishes a door of great hope (see Hosea 2:14-23). Properly recognizing and engaging in the wilderness experience is as vitally important to our divine DESTINY as when the "walls came down" for Israel. There we begin to see God and the treasures of His PURPOSE for our life in a way that we have never seen before. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" - (Ephesians 2:4-6). As our minds are renewed and our faith grows, we take these realities as fact and live in the light of them. We come to know that we are above our enemies and refuse to walk in the flesh realm but take our place in Christ in the spirit realm. No longer will faith be a struggle, but a normal living in the realm of God. The spiritual realm places man where communion with God is a normal experience. We are not going to grovel in the earthly realm, but we are seated in the heavenly places with the Lord. Every Believer has the right, authority, and ability to minister out of the throne room just as Jesus did. "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily" - (Colossians 1:28-29). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Blessings Brothers & Sisters..... Lately I have been hearing a lot about the desire to be "top poster",I have had a couple of private conversations where one member is actually taking a little "time off" from posting because he/she got so caught up in trying to accumulate posts that their purpose for being here at Worthy ,in the first place,became blurred,,,,,,I have not heard this from just one member but this particular one prompted me to begin this Thread,,,,,,,as we are always happy to see that Worthy Christian Forums is a very active and lively place,we must always be mindful of the True Purpose of our Calling,,,,,,,, As a new member it is always exciting to see our number of posts increase,we start out a "newbie" & soon a junior,senior,diamond etc,,,, I remember I was just thrilled to become a "Royal Member" but at that time I barely understood how it all worked,BTW,,,,I'm still just as excited to be here & very grateful to God for leading us all here,,,,,,,Praise the Lord,may we always be excited going about our Fathers Business & fellowshipping with one another! How many "posts" we have is not what is important but our motives are and the substance of what we are posting,,,,,,,, There are many Forums here ,outside of the Inner Court,where we can have some fun,let our hair down & just chit chat,,,,,,,, we enjoy the time we spend together and & that is fantastic.,,,,there is a time & place for everything & it is fine for Christians to take time out to just relax,,,,,,but are you just relaxing or trying to "post"?Your goal should not be "I want to have more posts than this one or that one" It is not a competition,it is a Blessed Place that God has Provided for us,,,,,He should ALWAYS be our number ONE priority,it is not about us,it is ALL about Him,,,, There is nothing wrong with having the desire to be productive,to give as much as you can,to do as much as you can but sometimes it is a good idea to re-think your position,your motives,the desires of your heart I hope to encourage everyone to keep on striving to be the very best you can be and continue to participate,getting to know one another & doing what we came here to do,,,,,,just don't lose focus or get distracted by the things that are not important,I know some people that say very little (like my husband) but when they do speak ,they speak volumes The speak volumes because they are grounded & rooted in the Word of God,mindful of their words,prayerful and in Relationship with the One they love,the One they rely on to give them the Words,,,,,,,,,don't get side tracked,keep your eyes on Jesus,not your posts,,,,,,,,,,,,,, When I first came to Worthy so did Oakwood,we became friends & we were both here a lot in the wee hours of the morning when very few people were on,one day he brought to my attention that he was trying to catch up to me and it almost became a race for points,I had to pause for a moment & remember why I was here,,,,,,,,I never again looked at how many posts I had,I don't care,I want to say what the Holy Spirit prompts me to say,,,,,,,& then there is also my time to goof around but never to be anything more than the humble servant I am,let us boast for CHRIST,,,,,,,,,To God be the Glory With love-in Christ,Kwik

A Mocking Bird’s lonely song What is considered early in the morning will vary from person to person and place to place. Since we have our Vigil’s at 4 AM, after being here for a few years, that time seems like 6 AM. I am lucky I love the morning hours so when I sometimes wake up at 1:30 and feel refreshed, I like to go for walks, for it is not really that early here. Around the buildings, in our front parking lot by the bakery and also up to the store we have lighting. I find the sunlight too bright for me and the sun too hot, so I seldom go out during the day and now that I am older, I have to wear sunglasses in order to be outside. So the coolness of the night and the darkness are soothing to me. The night lights to me are very restful and calming. So it is a nice environment to be out and to take a nice slow walk. Most mornings I see some deer. Most run when they see me walking, some others just continue to eat. With a very few I can come up about three feet from them and they don’t seem to mind. However if I stop then they start to fidget and stomp their hoof on the ground….then the run off. Yet, there are even a smaller number who seem curious about who and what I am. I guess they figure I am not going to eat them, so a few times a deer has come right up to me, say about three feet and just looked at me. It almost seemed as if they were trying to make some sort of breakthrough in their awareness. One even shook her head and turned away slowly and went back to eating. Deer are beautiful, but for some reason people think they are dainty, when the opposite is true. Their hoofs are very sharp and the strength in their legs is astounding, so I do have a lot of respect for them. At this time, because the bridge that is on the road of our frontage property on 212 is being rebuilt so there is no traffic at all passing us by. So the silence is profound, beautiful and uninterrupted, some mornings the insects are even silent. About two weeks ago, on such a silent morning, as I was returning to the retreat house and was in the parking lot that the bakery sets on, the last tree on the left suddenly became alive with the song of a Mocking Bird. One bird call after another was loudly and joyously sung. So I stopped and listened. Then I noticed there was no response, just this one bird calling out getting no response….yet it continued. It brought out a pang of sadness in me and I wondered about that. As I started to ponder this, I began to see that in some way this bird reminded me of mankind. Even those of us who have deep faith, we do not always get the response we would like from the Infinite One, in fact many of us may never get one. Yet like the Mocking Bird we persist in our prayer of longing for connection. The Mocking Bird perhaps is simply responding to an instinct to mate, as well as making out territory for itself, something powerful and it can’t do otherwise. I envy animals because they are not burdened with the depth of self awareness that we have, they know what they need to do and without thinking do it. We question, struggle and seek to find answers to life’s mysteries. I believe that prayer is a universal response to the world and its often incomprehensible presence in our lives. We can marvel at its beauty, or be terrified at its seeming indifference to us. This reality drives many deeper into faith, into seeking what is behind this wonderful, awful, beautiful and tragic world. Those like the Mocking Bird who continue in their prayer life, find that in spite of themselves deep changes take place slowly over the years. They also learn that prayer is not a protection to the ups and downs of life, yet it gives a center to stand from, a relationship with Infinite-Mystery and in that even aging seems like a grace, for we begin to understand that all stages in our lives are good, but each succeeding stage on our pilgrimage is more important than the one proceeding it. So our last years take on a depth of meaning that younger people may not have any inkling of. I certainly did not. So we continue to sing, in spite of suffering, and in our unconscious futile desire to make prayer into some sort of magic where we can control our lives and get through it unscathed. This is impossible of course. For like that Mocking Bird singing hopefully for a response, it will one day be silent, it will no longer be part of this world…..so it is with us, though unlike the Mocking Bird we are saddled with the knowledge that we will one day cease to exist as far as this world is concerned. So like Mother Theresa, many go through life living in the darkness of faith, yet, in their seeking they continue out of true love and the desire for truth….for me these are the great souls closer to the mystery than those of us who do not live there all the time. Faith is a gift, yet we do have to respond, be open and deal with doubts. Yet why should doubt get the last word, why not let doubt drive us deeper in the mystery instead of escaping into skepticism and atheism. For the Christian the New Testament points to the reality of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is because of that and that only that it was written in the first place. Without the Resurrection, Jesus was just another failed messianic figure, so common in his lifetime.—Br.MD