Hello, I'm Dr. Kylie Fisher. Welcome to Heavenly Harmonies.
Psalm 55, verse 17 says, Evening and morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice. For the Christian prayer is the breath of the soul, is pouring out the heart to God and knowing that he will see us, hear us and help us. Sacred song can vitalise your prayer life.
In fact, we've already seen in our programmes that many a song is prayer. Today we explore this vital topic more deeply in the lovely hymn Sitting at the Feet Of Jesus. Stay With Me to discover how its heavenly harmonies can keep you near to the heart of God.
In our st. Thus far, we have been tracing through the everlasting gospel from its beginning in eternity past through dark centuries of persecution. And during this time, the Christian church to a large degree lost sight of Christ and the vital work that he was doing in the heavenly sanctuary.
But with the Reformation, the Bible began to be restored to the people and its great truths began to be rediscovered. And so in our last episode, we saw that the Bible, the word of God, is represented in the heavenly sanctuary by the bread. And the Bible was of central importance to the Reformation.
And that was, yeah, just such a central doctrine of the Reformation. Even though the Reformers did not understand all scriptural truths, they said that doctrines must be brought to the test of the Bible. And also which we'll be looking at more in future episodes.
Salvation is not just a theory. We must personally assimilate the saving grace of Christ or his death will avail us nothing. So just as we need to actually eat bread in order for it to do us any good, so we must be, must personally experience the power of the Gospel in our lives.
And we're going to be looking at that more today as we continue our series about the sanctuary. So we're going to look today at the next piece of furniture in that first apartment of the sanctuary in the holy place. And that piece of furniture is the golden altar of incense.
Now, so directions were given to Moses, as we said, to build this sanctuary or tabernacle tent. It actually was initially. And that was done while the Israelites were out in the wilderness.
And so there was. So, yeah, this, this altar, there were actually two altars. One was in the courtyard.
That was the altar of sacrifice that represents Jesus when he died on the cross. But there was also a golden altar that was inside the most holy place. And Exodus chapter 30 in verse 6 said that this was to be put before the veil, that is by the Ark of the Testimony.
So anyway, basically, as he came into the sanctuary. To your left would be the table of showbread that we spoke about last time, but directly in front of you would be this golden altar of incense. And the.
So there was a veil, or in other words, a curtain that separated the two apartments from each other. And the curtain did not reach right to the roof. And so actually.
And by the way, you would not be actually entering the sanctuary. It would be the priest going into sanctuary on your behalf, just as Christ has gone back to heaven and he's ministering for us in the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf. And so as the priest went into the holy place, right in front of him would be this beautiful golden altar.
And then in the next room was actually another piece of furniture, which is not our focus today, but that was where the presence of God was. And so the priest could, as he offered the incense on this altar, he could actually see this beautiful, you know, shiningness that was God's glory. But of course, it was.
There was a curtain there that, you know, he could just see it just above the curtain. Okay, so what does this altar represent? Well, Psalm 141 and verse 2 is probably the verse that shows really clearly what this altar represents. So Psalm 141:2 says, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
So that says really, really plainly that, you know, the incense that was offered on this altar, which is offered morning and evening, that represents prayer. And so that shows us that it's a really good idea to pray first thing in the morning and also in the evening. So it's, you know, in the morning we pray, we commit ourselves to God.
In the evening we pray, we ask God for forgiveness of sins that we have done. During the day we can pray for a good night's rest and, yeah, for strength for the new day. So that was the earthly sanctuary.
The altar of incense was placed right before the veil. And if we look in the book of Revelation, it speaks about the heavenly sanctuary and this altar being in heavenly sanctuary. And this is in Revelation, chapter 8 and Revelation, chapter 8, verses 3 and 4, say another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer.
And there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The saints, by the way, is a word that's used in the Bible to refer to God's people. It's not like souls that have died and gone to heaven.
It's talking about God's people that are alive on earth, they're the ones who are praying. So Revelation, chapter 8, verse 4. The smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Yeah. So that's really, really clear. This altar represented prayer and prayer came to be personal.
Prayer was a really, really important thing in the Reformation. And so I will read you some quotes about that and then we will look at our hymn for this. Actually, maybe we'll go through the hymn first.
I'll change my mind. Let's go through the hymn first. This is such a beautiful hymn.
I absolutely love it. So Sitting at the Feet of Jesus. It's a very simple hymn, actually, but it's just beautiful in its simplicity.
So sitting at the feet of Jesus oh, what words I hear him say Happy place so near, so precious May it find me there each day Sitting at the feet of Jesus I would look upon the past for his love has been so gracious it has won my heart at last Sitting at the feet of Jesus where can mortal be more blessed? There I lay my sins and sorrows and when weary find sweet rest Sitting at the feet of Jesus There I love to weep and pray While I from his fullness Gather grace and comfort every day Bless me, O my Saviour Bless me as I'm waiting at thy feet oh, look down in love upon me Let me see thy face so sweet Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus make me holy as he is May I prove I've been with Jesus who is all my righteousness. So hopefully you can hear the last verse of that hymn is actually a prayer saying, you know, bless me, oh my Saviour Bless me while I'm waiting at thy feet. So, yeah, so that's a beautiful, beautiful prayer.
Now what? Let's talk about the scriptures that this hymn is based on. Look, there's so many Bible verses about prayer. Yeah, well, I'll just, you know, mention just a few Bible verses that this hymn is based on.
Actually, it does talk about things besides prayer as well, because last week we were actually looking at, as I've mentioned already in this episode, if you didn't see or listen to last episode, we were talking about the bread that was in the sanctuary and that that represents the word of God. And so, you know, the word of God is God actually speaking to us. The Bible is the word of God.
It says that really clearly in second Thessalonians. And so, you know, we read the Bible and that is God actually speaking to Us. But communication is not just a one way street.
God not only, you know, has communicated to us, but he wants us to speak to Him. And you know, originally, as we've said in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve spoke face to face with God, but because of sin we can't do that anymore. And so what we now have as this kind of an interim thing is prayer.
That's the way that we, you know, well, we connect with God through His Word. But that's the way that we actually express ourselves and our thoughts and feelings to God now. And you know, God, the Bible says God knows the thoughts of all people.
God says in Psalm 139 that before we even utter a word, God already knows it. Before what is it anyway? Psalm 139, before we speak a word, God already knows what that word is. So God understands us completely.
Why then do we need to pray? Well, prayer is not really for the benefit of God, it's for our benefit. Prayer doesn't bring God down to us, but it brings us up to God. You know, God doesn't need for us to tell him what we're thinking or saying or whatever.
We already, he already knows that. But it's for our benefits that we can be transformed, we can be changed, become like God as we worship him. It's an act of worship.
Yeah, prayer is like a response to hearing the word of God. And I think this is actually brought out beautifully in this song because the song starts out in the first verse, as we said, sitting at the feet of Jesus. Now where does this come from? Well, this actually comes from really two Bible stories.
So Mark chapter five tells a story about, amongst other stories about Jesus when he cast a devil out of a man that was. Oh sorry, multiple thousands of devils out of a man that was demon possessed. And this man was just totally out of control.
He was living in, amongst the graves and you know, in a cemetery. And he couldn't be bound with chains. And so this man was just running totally wild.
And he was the terror of the whole town. But really in his heart of hearts he longed to be free, freed from these demons. And so Jesus cast those demons out.
And so then, and the demons actually, anyway, kind of a long story, but they went into some pigs and the pigs ran off the side of a cliff and into the sea. And the people that were taking care of the pigs went into the town and told the townspeople what had happened. And the townspeople all came out.
And so that's where we get the words, the beginning words of this hymn, because Mark chapter 5 and verse 15, it says that all of the townspeople, it says they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid. So here was this man that had been totally demon possessed and he was here sitting at the feet of Jesus and he was listening to the words of Jesus. Now this also is.
This idea of sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to his words is also in another Bible story, and that is the story of Mary Magdalene. Mary Martha. Actually, it doesn't say that it was Mary Magdalene here, but it was in this, in the story of Mary and Martha.
And, you know, Jesus loved Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. In fact, Jesus raised their brother Lazarus from the dead. But, yeah, he loved to go to their home and because he could enjoy quiet and peace there.
And so, so they lived in the village of Bethany. And one time Jesus went there and this lady Martha was serving, she was doing a lot of preparation because Jesus had come and so she wanted to have this beautiful, beautiful feast for him. But it says this is actually in Luke chapter 10 and verse 39.
Martha had a sister, as we've been saying, called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. So there was Mary sitting at Jesus feet and she heard his word. But Martha came and, you know, wanted to scold Mary and she said, anyway, Martha said to Jesus, lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.
So Martha was annoyed about it, but Jesus said to her, one thing is needful. Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. So, you know, once we have listened to the words of Jesus as contained in the Bible, that leads us to prayer.
And so that should be sort of like the natural response of our heart to the word of God. You know, as we study God's Word, we realise how much we need God. We realise how amazing God is and that amazing things that he's made in creation, we realise the amazing work in redemption that he's done for us.
And as we realise the love of Christ, that's how we are drawn to God. And so the prayer is the response of the heart to God. And so, yeah, the following verses are in song are talking about that, you know, there I love to weep and pray.
It says in psalms that God sees all of our tears and he numbers our tears. And that's just such a beautiful, beautiful thought. But let's have a look at the Reformers in prayer, because that's the focus of our programmes at the moment in this historical foundations of present truth.
And we're looking at the time of the early Reformation. So prayer was just so vital to the Reformation. And so once again, the great controversy and reading a quote from there.
From the secret place of prayer came the power that shook the world in the great Reformation. There, with holy calmness, the servants of the Lord set their feet upon the rock of his promises. During the struggle at Augsburg, Luther did not pass a day without devoting three hours at least to prayer.
And they were hours selected from those the most favourable to study. In the privacy of his chamber, he was heard to pour out his soul before God in words full of adoration, fear and hope, as when one speaks to a friend. I know that thou art our Father and our God, he said, and that thou wilt scatter the persecutors of thy children, for thou art thyself endangered with us all.
This matter is Thine, and it is only by thy constraint that we have put our hands to it. Defend us then, O Father. And so prayer was the secret power behind the Reformation.
Well, the word of God also was a weapon, mighty in every conflict with the devil, with Satan. But prayer was also so important also. Want to read a quote from William Tyndale about prayer and about true prayer.
Now, in this quote, he was talking about false forms of prayer. Now it speaks in Matthew, chapter six, Jesus, when he was speaking about prayer, he said, when you pray, don't use lots and lots of repetitions. He said, your Father already knows what things you have need of.
And so prayer does not gain us merit with God. We don't earn brownie points through prayer. Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend, as we've found that Martin Luther understood that.
And so Tyndale had this to say. He said, true prayer would so comfort the soul and courage the heart, that the body, though it were half dead and more, would revive and be lusty again. What a fantastic phrase.
Comfort the soul and courage the heart. And yeah, Tyndale was the one who has those great phrases. And so, yes, just so much tears, you know, fantastic phraseology.
If that's the right. If that's a word that. Yeah, we owe so much of our English Bible too, just a few more thoughts about Luther and prayer.
So the fear of the Lord dwelt in the heart of Luther, which enabled him to maintain his steadfastness of purpose. And it led him to Deep humility before God. He had an abiding sense of his dependence upon Divine and 8 and he did not fail to begin each day with prayer, while his heart was continually breathing a petition for guidance and support.
And to pray well, he often said, is the better half of study and even yeah. In his study of the Bible, Luther wrote to a friend, we cannot attain to the understanding of Scripture either by study or by the intellectual. Your first duty is to begin by prayer.
Entreat the Lord to grant you of his great mercy, the true understanding of His Word. There is no other interpreter of the Word of God than the author of this Word, as he himself has said. They shall be all taught of God.
Hope for nothing from your own labours, from your own understanding. Trust solely in God and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has had experience.
And also Zvingli was the Swiss reformer and an associate of his. Okelampadius. If I've pronounced that, you know, somewhat like it should be, you know, one time when he was being watched by his enemies, they found him always engaged in study or at prayer, and they were surprised about this.
But they reported that this man, whom they considered to be a heretic, they said, well, at least he is very pious. So prayer, prayer was vital. It was a secret of power in the Reformation.
So I hope that you can think about these things as we listen to Fountain View singing this beautiful, beautiful song. Sitting at the feet of Jesus Sitting at the feet of Jesus O what rose, I hear him say Happy place so near, so precious May I find it there each day Sitting at the feet of Jesus I would look upon the past for his love has been so gracious he has won my heart and love. Sitting at the feet of Jesus where can mortal be more blessed? There I lay my sins and sorrows and when we refine sweet breath Standing at the feet of Jesus There I love to reap and faith wildlife from his fullness Gathered grace and comfort every day.
Bless me, O my Saviour Bless me as I'm waiting at thy feet. O look down in love upon me Let me see thy face so sweet. Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus Keep me holy as he is Nay, I prove I've been with Jesus who is all, all my righteousness.
Psalm 34:10 says, the young lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. When we pray in faith, we can be sure that God will answer our prayers in the best possible way at the best possible time. Let's thank him for his wonderful grace.
Thank you so, so much, dear God, for the tremendous privilege of prayer. Please help us, dear Lord, to make use of this wonderful gift and to remember how song can vitalise our prayer life. And even that many a prayer, many a song is prayer.
And so thank you so, so much, dear Lord, I just pray for each person listening to or watching this programme. We all experience the true joy and fellowship that comes from opening our heart to God as to a friend. I pray in Jesus name.
Amen. So thank you so much for joining me today on Heavenly Harmonies. You can find past episodes on our website 3abnaustralia.org.
au just click the listen button and select Heavenly Harmonies from the list of programmes. We would love to hear from you. Email us at
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I would love for you to join me again next time when we continue our saga, Historical Foundations of Present Truth. And we will be looking more at the sanctuary in our next programme. But until then, may your soul be filled with heavenly harmonies that will keep you near to the heart of God.
