When Children Pray

We had an incredible time in Tennessee.  We got to see so many friends and a ton of family.  I'll blog more about that later, but I have to share what is going on in the Sunday school class of Jerry Barlar.  Jerry is another of Les' lifetime friends.  Part of the quartet known as Doug, Troy, Jerry and Les.  No, they didn't sing together, but they did everything else together as teens!  I love it when we get together with them.  I just sit and listen to them reminiscence.  Our times are always full of laughter.  Friday night was no exception, then Jerry started talking about his Sunday school class...

A little over two years ago, Jerry felt the Lord impress him to start a prayer cloth ministry with his Sunday school class.  He teaches the primary age - 9 and 10 year olds.  He bought some handkerchiefs and anointed them with oil.  He then talked to his class about prayer and what the Bible says.  The children laid hands on the cloths and prayed for them.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Acts 19:11-12

For the next 30-45 minutes, Jerry told us story after story about what God has done.  They saw four answered prayers that first week and many during the following weeks.  Jerry began to write each one on the board.  He didn't know how long this would go on - a month or two at most.  But TWO YEARS later, these children are still praying and God is doing miracles in their midst!

One boy saw a classmate with such a bad headache he couldn't lift his head off his desk.  He asked his friend if he could pray for him right then and he did.  A few minutes later the boy was fine.

They have seen God do what only God can do.  Financial situations.  Tumors have disappeared.  A family who was told their little girl would never walk without braces is now running without assistance!!  When people are healed or prayer is answered, they want to share that testimony with Jerry's class.

They take prayer requests every Sunday.  If a child isn't feeling well, they pray right then.  When the child is feeling better, they are quick to point it out in class.  These children are grasping what many adults struggle with.  They simply pray believing.

The story was featured in the Pentecostal Voice of Tennessee.  When the class learned about it, one of the boys said, "We need to include a prayer cloth in the magazine."  And that's what they did.  They prayed over each one.

Jerry said his faith has been increased.  His neighbors were making  their way to the car one Saturday.  Jerry could tell there was a problem, so he went over to see if he could help.  The wife thought her husband had had a stroke.  Jerry said in the past he might have offered to call 911, but this time he asked if he could pray.  With their permission, Jerry laid hands on his neighbor and prayed.  Later at the hospital, the man was sitting up and talking.  The doctors kept asking him to describe his symptoms, because they could not find any indication that the man had a stroke!

Jerry carries with him at all times cloths that have been prayed over.  I asked for, and received, one for my Dad.  Jerry then asked for his name and the need so he could tell his class what to pray for.  They now have two columns on their classroom board - prayer requests and answered prayers! 

The days of miracles are not behind us.  God is still able.  When children pray.  HIS children.