How wonderful, to have a home altar!
I also have lung problems, so our family incense is confined to the garden, where we love the smell and it causes less trouble for me.
Here is a CBN page that I found well worth reading; the relevant bits are below, I always love the thought of my prayers being offered up in golden bowls, with the angel being given incense to mix with the prayers of the people.
Quote from
http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/golden-bowls-prayer
Our family enjoys the fun and refreshment of water slides and lazy rivers during hot summer vacations. At most water parks, there are also one or two spots where large buckets hang overhead filling little by little with water. The closer the bucket gets to being full, the larger the crowd grows beneath in anticipation—children and adults alike wait for the outpouring. Then SUDDENLY the bucket tips and a great flood of refreshment crashes down on all below!
In the Book of Revelation, the Bible describes golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). In other words, the prayers of God's people collectively fill heavenly bowls with sweet aroma, much like the burnt offerings did in days of old. In
Revelation 8, we discover what these bowls are used for:
"Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden alter which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake" (
verses 3-5).
Much like the water park buckets, the prayers of God's people fill golden bowls in heaven. As these bowls fill, the prayers are mingled with incense creating a pleasing aroma to God. Then as the bowls brim over, an angel takes the censor dipped in incense and prayers and showers the fire of God on the earth.
God said, "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).
The "fire from the altar" is the power of God released from heaven to change the earth. As our prayers are lifted up to God, the golden bowls are filled until they reach a point when the bowls tip and pour out God's power and provision on the earth.
When God's people pray earnestly, the "effective, fervent prayer of the righteous" avails much (James 5:16). I'm not talking about begging God. Begging God is not the same as believing God. Effective, fervent prayer is always filled with faith. But to be effective, our prayers can’t be like bullets, popping off toward God like He's a target. No, our prayers must be spirit-led and intentional. "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]" (Amplified).
Jentzen Franklin said, "What a marvellous image! When you pray, you are filling the prayer bowls of heaven. In God's perfect timing, your prayers are mixed with the fire of God (His power) and cast back down to earth to change your situation... Even if you don't feel like anything is happening in the natural world, when you pray, you are filling the prayer bowls in the spirit realm. When they are full, they will tilt and pour out answers to your prayers!" (
The Amazing Discernment of Women, by Jentezen Franklin)
My heart felt prayer is that our prayers on this Christian forum are added to the prayers in the Golden Bowls offered to the Father in Heaven.
