After This Manner, Pray

 

We are currently in our annual week of prayer and fasting at Victory Tabernacle.  It's the best way to start a new year!  Our first prayer meeting was last Friday night and I have been starting each prayer time with Matthew 6, verses 9-10:

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

This is well known as the Lord's prayer.  I am not quoting these verses, but following the pattern.  "This prayer is not a strict form, but a pattern of prayer, and a directory to it, both as to brevity, order, and matter." (John Gill's Exposition of the Bible)  I timed myself reading these five verses very slowly and it took less than 30 seconds, so that is not at all what I'm suggesting. I use it as a pattern to direct my mind when I first start praying.  So if you're having trouble getting started in prayer here is my manner of praying:

Our Father which art in heaven, 

Before I start asking for things, the first thing I do is approach God, I acknowledging His authority in my life.  I thank Him for being a great Father to me.

 

Hallowed be thy name. 

I love the name that is above all names - Jesus!  I spend time praising and magnifying His great name.

 

Thy kingdom come, 

I want God's kingdom to increase.  I want our church collectively, and me personally, to have an impact on the lives around us.

 

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

It is here that I start praying for my needs and the needs of others.  Situations that need God's direction.  I want to follow His plan in every area of my life.

Give us this day our daily bread. 

We are so often consumed with the future, that we forget that God has enough for every day.  If I have my daily bread TODAY, I can trust that God will provide for tomorrow and for all my tomorrows.
 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

I examine my heart for sins and faults.  I also examine my heart towards others. Has someone hurt me?  Have I forgiven them?  I can't expect God to forgive me if I don't do the same.

 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: 

It is interesting that Jesus said after we pray for forgiveness to pray for deliverance from evil.  We're always going to face temptation, but we can trust that He will deliver us.

 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. 

This is a mouthful!  This is a declaration, a belief in God's kingdom and power and glory.

 

Amen.

So be it.  "The word itself implies a confident resting of the soul in God, with the fullest assurance that all these petitions shall be fulfilled to every one who prays according to the directions given before by our blessed Lord."  (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible)

Each of these steps take a different amount of time each time I pray.  Some days there are more needs to pray for than others.  Other times, needs come to mind later in my prayer so I redirect my thoughts that way.  I guess I should have called this a recipe, because just like my recipe for spaghetti sauce is never the same, my recipe for prayer is never the same.  But I keep doing!

Belated Birthday Post and II Chronicles 16:9

Last Friday was Les' 59th birthday.  We had a great day.  It started with a 2 mile walk then we went out to breakfast.  He did have a few meetings that took up the middle of his day, then we headed to Buca di Beppo for dinner.  Their food never disappoints!  We shared the Double Dark Chocolate Cake for dessert and it was delicious!  Our last stop was at Road Runner Sports.  Les got a new pair of running shoes.  He's been going with me on the trail about once a week but needed some new road shoes.

My Bible reading this morning included II Chronicles chapter 16.  Verse 9 is an important part of Les' testimony and I thought it would be a great time to re-post his story of God's miraculous healing.  I've taken notes from a message Les preached a couple of years ago about his healing of Muscular Dystrophy and want to share them in his own words:

During my Kindergarten year I experienced a rapid decrease in my ability to get around. I lost the ability to jump, run, walk up stairs and would complain about my legs hurting. Once, Mom mentioned that I seemed to be struggling keeping up with the others at play. I answered that my new pants weren’t broken in yet and they were slowing me down. To this point, my parents wrote it off as growing pains and growth spurts.

But on a camping trip with three boys and two Moms – Mom’s friend noticed how I walked and ran. She said something looked very wrong and that I should be checked out. Later that summer, my Grandmother was visiting and told my Mother that something was seriously wrong with me and that I should be taken immediately to a doctor.

At this point, I could not walk up stairs without help. At home I crawled on my hands and knees. In public, Mom or Dad would assist me.

At the doctor’s office, I was unable to hop on one foot, or jump over a small block using both feet. Our doctor referred us to a specialist and arranged for an appointment.

First thing the doctors had me do was walk up a flight of stairs, which I couldn’t do. One doctor commented to the other, “ Have you ever seen it this bad in one so young?” They thought they were out of earshot, but my Mother overheard them say this. Doctors ran more tests, prescribed some exercises to be done at home, then scheduled a follow-up visit for two weeks later.

Before getting in the car, I wanted to go over to a fountain near where the car was parked. Mom gave permission and watched from the driver’s seat as I went over to the fountain. She broke down in the car and asked God what was happening to her little boy. As she lay her head on the steering wheel weeping, the Lord spoke to her and said, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in doctors, believe also in me.”

A couple of nights later, Mom and Dad started to do our first session of exercises. As we began, conviction gripped their hearts. They decided that if God was going to do something, He would get all the glory and nobody would be able to take credit for any part of it. We never did those exercises again.

That Sunday in church, by the gift of tongues and interpretation in operation, a message came to congregation. The message started by quoting II Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” The Lord went on to say that there were needs in that place that only He could meet, and that if you would just have faith in Him, every need could be met.

As a spirit of worship swept through the auditorium, my parents felt like this was to them, and they took me up to have me prayed for.

A couple of nights later, the same family we had camped with was over for dinner and we three boys were in the basement playing. Upstairs, they heard a bunch of whooping and hollering and came down to see what was going on. When they stepped into the recreation room, the first thing they saw was ME running around the room with my friend on my back!

A few days after that, I went back to the doctor for my follow-up visit. The doctor ran full tests again. He commented to my Mother, “Looks like the exercises have helped.” But my Mother said, “We haven’t been doing the exercises. What happened is that a lot of prayers have been going up for this boy, and God has healed him of this disease." The doctor told her that he wasn’t sure about that, but whatever we were doing, to keep on doing it.

And that was the last time I ever saw that doctor.

That little boy who couldn't walk up stairs, is the man who rode his bike across the country, has hiked the Grand Canyon, he skis, swims, and runs, and keeps me on my toes!

I am so thankful for praying parents and for a prayer answering God!

Repost: Hannah

I started reading the book of 1 Samuel this morning.  The first two chapters are the only ones written about Samuel's mother, Hannah.  What a great woman of faith she was.  I wrote quite a lengthy post about her in 2015 and wanted to re-post it here today.

 

I feel like the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:11 "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you."  This is a long post, so grab some water, tea or coffee...

Studying Hannah was a great reminder to me.  When I thought of Hannah, I thought of a woman who prayed and God answered.  This happened, but there were many years of sorrow before her broken prayer and God's beautiful answer.  There was so much in just two chapters.

Verses: 1 Samuel 1:1-28, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, 18-21

Background – parents, husband, children, siblings
Hannah was married to Elkanah.  Matthew Henry said, "It is probable that Elkanah married Hannah first, and, because he had not children by her so soon as he hoped, he married Peninnah, who bore him children indeed, but was in other things a vexation to him. Thus are men often beaten with rods of their own making." 

Hannah did eventually have children, first Samuel whom she gave back to God, and then three more sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21) 

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?

This is the third polygamous marriage that I have studied this year (Abraham and Sarah/Hagar and Jacob and Rachel/Leah.)  There was not harmony in any of these homes.  All three times it was because of the husband's greater love toward one who was barren and the fruitfulness of the other.  "The conduct of Peninnah was most unbecoming. But domestic broils in the houses of polygamists are of frequent occurrence, and the most fruitful cause of them has always been jealousy of the husband’s superior affection, as in this case of Hannah."  (A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown)

We don't know how many children there were, but John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible said, "how many Peninnah had is not said, perhaps ten; see 1Samuel 1:8."  1 Samuel 1:6-7 says, "And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat."  If Peninnah really did have ten children, then her provoking, and Hannah's barrenness, went on for a decade or more!  This was not a simple, light teasing.  "Some render it, "because she thundered" against her; that is, Peninnah was exceeding loud and clamorous with her reproaches and scoffs, which were grievously provoking to Hannah." (John Gill)

It's so easy to think this happened quickly because it's all in one chapter, but Hannah's suffering went on for many years.  She finally reached a breaking point.  She wept and could not eat.  "Hannah wept at the insults, reproaches, and scoffs, cast at her by her antagonist; insomuch that she could not eat of the peace offerings, though her husband always gave her the best part and portion of them; but her grief took away her stomach and appetite, that she could not eat."  (John Gill)

[Funny side note:  I have never been so upset that I could not eat!  There are times when I get busy and don't eat when I need to, but my body quickly lets me know.  I tend to have low blood sugar and I can go from happy to hangry (hungry with a side of angry) in a matter of seconds!  Les knows when I say, "I have a food headache," that it's time to get this girl some food.]

In the middle of a time of celebration, Hannah made her way to the house of God.  I don't believe this is the first time that Hannah prayed, but she did pray with great intensity.  "Her prayer was with strong crying and tears; it was very fervent and affectionate; she prayed most vehemently, and wept bitterly." (John Gill)

During this time of prayer, two things happened.  Hannah vowed a vow and Eli the priest took note of her.

Hannah vowed, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." (I Samuel 1:11)

I find this commentary very interesting: "Samuel, as a descendent of Levi, was the Lord's property, from twenty-five years of age till fifty; but the vow here implies that he should be consecrated to the Lord from his infancy to his death, and that he should not only act as a Levite, but as a Nazarite." (Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, and others about 1880, with introduction by R. A. Torrey. TSK)  So Samuel would have spent time in the temple, but Hannah dedicated him to a greater degree than called.

The next thing that happened is really interesting to me.  I Samuel 1:12 says, "And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth."  I've always imagined Eli hitting Hannah's mouth, but John Gill said he "observed the motion of her lips, and no doubt her distorted countenance, and uplifted eyes and hands, but chiefly the former; not knowing what the woman was at, and what could be the meaning of such motions."  The Hebrew word there is "shâmar" which means to "beware, be circumspect, take heed, keep, mark, look narrowly, observe."

There's a lot to be said about Eli (I'm working on a separate post because this one is too long already!) but he did stop Hannah in the midst of her prayers, thinking she was drunk.  "The suspicion of the aged priest seems to indicate that the vice of intemperance was neither uncommon nor confined to one sex in those times of disorder." (JFB)

"Hannah did not retort the charge, and upbraid Eli with the wicked conduct of his own sons. When we are at any time unjustly censured, we have need to set a double watch before the door of our lips, that we do not return censure for censure. Hannah thought it enough to clear herself, and so must we. Eli was willing to acknowledge his mistake. Hannah went away with satisfaction of mind. She had herself by prayer committed her case to God, and Eli had prayed for her. Prayer is heart's ease to a gracious soul. Prayer will smooth the countenance; it should do so."  (Matthew Henry)

Eli said, "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him."  "He found he was mistaken in her, and that her discourse was not only sober and rational, but religious and spiritual; and therefore dismisses her in peace.  The God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him; which may be considered either as a prayer for her, he joining with her in a request to the Lord, that what she had asked might be granted; or as a prophecy that so it would be, it being revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, as the high priest of the Lord; or impressed by an impulse upon his spirit that the favour asked would be given; and therefore she might go home in peace, and with satisfaction of mind." (John Gill)

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
It was after Hannah's time of prayer that she was able to reset.   She said to Eli, "Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight." Then she went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.  Hannah's faith was so strong that before Samuel was even conceived her countenance changed.  "A beautiful example of the composing influence of prayer. Hannah had cast her burden upon the Lord, and so her own spirit was relieved of its load. She now returned to the family feast, and ate her portion with a cheerful heart." (Albert Barnes)

We know that Samuel was conceived not long after Hannah's prayer.  She then stayed home from the yearly trip to the tabernacle until Samuel was weaned.  John Gill gave a very thorough explanation of what it meant to be weaned: "there was a three fold weaning of children in old times; the first from their mother's milk, when three years old; the second from their tender age, and care of a dry nurse, when seven years old; the third from childish manners, when at twelve years of age; and that it is this last and metaphorical weaning which is here meant, when Samuel was twelve years of age, and fit to serve in the temple."  

The Hebrew word for "young" used in 1 Samuel 1:24 is "nah'-ar" meaning "a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication a servant."  This makes sense to me.  I don't think Samuel was still a toddler when Hannah handed him off to Eli, but he was a young child.

1 Samuel chapter 2 opens with Hannah singing!  What a difference answered prayer made in her life!  Ten verses she sang and rejoiced. "My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.  There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.  The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.  The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.   The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."

Matthew Henry's commentary: "Hannah's heart rejoiced, not in Samuel, but in the Lord. She looks beyond the gift, and praises the Giver. She rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord, and in expectation of His coming, who is the whole salvation of his people. The strong are soon weakened, and the weak are soon strengthened, when God pleases. Are we poor? God made us poor, which is a good reason why we should be content, and make up our minds to our condition. Are we rich? God made us rich, which is a good reason why we should be thankful, and serve him cheerfully, and do good with the abundance he gives us. He respects not man's wisdom or fancied excellences, but chooses those whom the world accounts foolish, teaching them to feel their guilt, and to value his free and precious salvation. This prophecy looks to the kingdom of Christ, that kingdom of grace, of which Hannah speaks, after having spoken largely of the kingdom of providence. And here is the first time that we meet with the name MESSIAH, or his Anointed. The subjects of Christ's kingdom will be safe, and the enemies of it will be ruined; for the Anointed, the Lord Christ, is able to save, and to destroy."

Hannah is mentioned just a couple more times in this chapter, then she is never named in the Bible again.  Chapter 2 verse 19 says, "Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice."  Hannah left him in Eli's hands, but continued to take care of him when she saw him each year.  "This was an outer coat to wear over others, and this also was such an one as the priests wore; it is the same word that is used for the priest's robe, (Exodus 28:4,) and this, it is very likely, was altogether of her own spinning, and weaving, and making up; which were works women did in those times: and this Hannah did partly out of her great love to her son Samuel, and partly to lessen the expense that Eli, or the congregation, were at in the maintenance of him." (John Gill)  "She undertook to find him with clothes during his apprenticeship at the tabernacle, and took care he should be well provided, that he might appear the more decent and sightly in his ministration, and to encourage him in his towardly beginnings."  (Matthew Henry)

And finally, "And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.  And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters."  She prayed for a single child and God gave her five more!  "What is lent to the Lord will certainly be repaid with interest, to our unspeakable advantage, and oftentimes in kind. Hannah resigns one child to God, and is recompensed with five."  (Matthew Henry)

This is just a beautiful story!  We know that Samuel was an amazing man of God and he was greatly influenced by this godly mother.

A Vow That Should Have Never Been Made

My Bible reading yesterday morning included Judges chapter 11.  When I finished reading the chapter, I looked at Les and said, "This might be the stupidest story in the Bible!" Please don't misunderstand me!  I am not saying the Bible is stupid.  I'm talking about the actions of a man and a vow he made.  A vow that should have never been uttered.

My reasoning behind this statement comes from verses 30 through 40.  Verses 30-31 say, "And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible says, "The words of this verse prove conclusively that Jephthah intended his vow to apply to human beings, not animals: for only one of his household could be expected to come forth from the door of his house to meet him. They also preclude any other meaning than that Jephthah contemplated a human sacrifice. This need not, however, surprise us, when we recollect his Syrian birth and long residence in a Syrian city, where such fierce rites were probably common. The Syrians and Phoenicians were conspicuous among the ancient pagan nations for human sacrifices, and the transfer, under such circumstances, to Yahweh of the rites with which the false gods were honored, is just what one might expect. The circumstance of the Spirit of the Lord coming on Jephthah is no difficulty; as it by no means follows that because the Spirit of God endued him with supernatural valor and energy for vanquishing the Ammonites, He therefore also endued him with spiritual knowledge and wisdom."

Verses 34 and 35 tells us what happened after he returned victoriously, "And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back."

After reading those verses, I just shook my head.  Jephthah had ONE child.  Who was he thinking of when he made that vow?  The only others would have been his wife or a servant, but why would a servant come out to meet him?  So his burnt offering was going to be his wife or his daughter. There was nothing about this vow that could agree with God's laws.

His daughter replies in verse 36, "And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon." The Pulpit Commentary said, "The touching submission of Jephthah’s daughter to her unnatural and terrible fate, while it reveals a most lovable character, seems also to show that the idea of a human sacrifice was not so strange to her mind as it is to ours."

While many have said that she was not actually burned, The Pulpit Commentary said, "Who did with her according to his vow. Nothing can be more express than this statement. In fact, except the natural horror we feel at a human sacrifice, there is nothing to cast the least shade of doubt upon the fact that Jephthah’s daughter was offered up as a burnt offering, in accordance with heathen notions, but, as Josephus says, neither "conformably to the law, nor acceptably to God." Most of the early Jewish commentators and all the Christian Fathers for ten or eleven centuries held this view. Luther’s comment is, "Some affirm that he did not sacrifice her, but the text is clear enough." She knew. Rather, she had known."

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible said, "Most condemn Jephthah; he did ill to make so rash a vow, and worse to perform it. He could not be bound by his vow to that which God had forbidden by the letter of the sixth commandment: Thou shalt not kill. God had forbidden human sacrifices, so that it was in effect a sacrifice to Moloch."

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible , "Jephthah was right in not being deterred from keeping his vow by the loss and sorrow to himself (compare the marginal references), just as Abraham was right in not withholding his son, his only son, from God, when commanded to offer him up as a burnt-offering. But Jephthah was wholly wrong in that conception of the character of God which led to his making the rash vow. And he would have done right not to slay his child, though the guilt of making and of breaking such a vow would have remained. Josephus well characterizes the sacrifice as neither sanctioned by the Mosaic law, nor acceptable to God.”

The Biblical Illustrator sums it up nicely, "Two men are very foolish or stubborn who fulfill an agreement which they both see to be disadvantageous, and wish to fall away from. No duty whatever compels them to fulfill it, and if they do so they are justly the laughing-stock of their acquaintances. Now, this is precisely the case in which a man finds himself who has vowed to God what turns out to be sinful, for God can never wish him to fulfill a contract which, he now sees, involves sin. A man swears to do a certain thing because he thinks it will be pleasing to God, but if he discovers that, instead of being pleasing, it will be hateful to God, to perform his vow, and do that vowed but hateful thing, is to insult God. By the very discovery of the sinfulness of a vow, the maker of it is absolved from performing it. God shrinks much more than he can do from the perpetration of sin. Both parties fall from the agreement."

God doesn't work the way Jephthah thought He did.  You don't make deals with God.  God was ready to deliver without a vow that went against His Word.  We can't say, "God, I'll do this, if You'll do that."  We need to be like the Hebrew boys before they were tossed in the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:16-18, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Serve God.  Without conditions.  Whatever sacrifices we make, should be made out of love, not with an expectation of reward.  There should be no "If, Then" statements in our prayers. Follow Him wholly and everything else will go according to His plan.

Fear Not, Zacharias

I have had a really tough time getting this post written.  My thoughts have been all over the place!  I've finally figured out what I want to say and hopefully it will give you something to think about.

Over the course of the past two weeks I have read the phrase "fear not" eight different times in my daily Bible reading - seven times in the first 12 chapters of Luke "fear not" is found.  Zacharias is the first that I read and I thought he was a good one to study as I am reading the Prayer Life.

Luke 1:13 says, "But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." There is so much to study about Zacharias, but I just want to focus on "thy prayer is heard."

What was that prayer?
Many commentaries agree that is was more than one prayer that had been heard.  First, the prayer for a son, since he and Elizabeth were childless.  The second prayer was for the deliverance of Israel by the coming of the Messiah.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says, "which he had many years ago put up for a son; for it cannot be thought that he had been now praying for one, being in such an advanced age, and having for years past given up all hopes of one, and was even unbelieving, when he was told by the angel he should have one: prayer is sometimes immediately heard, and answered; and sometimes an answer is deferred a long time, to try the faith and patience of the saints, and to discover the more the wisdom, power, and goodness of God: or this may have regard to his present prayer, one branch of which might concern the coming of the Messiah, which was now expecting, and therefore is told, that his prayer was heard; since the angel that appeared to him, brought him the news of the conception and birth of his forerunner."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible says, "They are all heard - thou shalt have a son, and Israel shall be saved. If fervent faithful prayers be not immediately answered, they should not be considered as lost; all such are heard by the Lord, are registered in heaven, and shall be answered in the most effectual way, and in the best time. Answers to prayer are to be received by faith; but faith should not only accompany prayer while offered on earth, but follow it all its way to the throne of grace, and stay with it before the throne till dismissed with its answer to the waiting soul."

The Answer to Zacharias' Prayer
This is the part that I've been dwelling on for the past several days.  Zacharias had prayed for a son.  I don't believe he prayed for a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.  His prayer was simple, but God's answer was great.

When John was taken as a baby to be circumcised and given the name of John, Zacharias was able to speak once again.  Luke chapter 1 tells us he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied.  Luke 1:68-79 gives that prophecy.  Zacharias was given a glimpse of what God had in store for his child's life.

This son, known as John the Baptist, was more than Zacharias and Elizabeth could have imagined.  John had a mighty ministry.  Matthew 3:5-6 says, "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins."  But he knew who he was, Matthew 3:11 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."   John 3:29-30 says, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." 

He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness.  John 1:6-8 says, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."  Verse 6 of that same chapter says, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"

God Answers Prayer
My thoughts finally came together about this topic as I was re-reading a post about Rod this morning.  During the final months of his life, Les and I prayed earnestly for Rod.  We prayed that God would heal Rod from the disease that was destroying his body.  About six weeks before Rod died, Les and I went on an extended fast.  We believed that God was going to heal.  If an angel had appeared to me and said, "Fear not, your prayers have been heard," I would have believe it 100% and I would have expected a physical healing to take place.

After Rod died I could have questioned if God had heard my prayer.  But God gave me peace and assurance that He had heard it, but chose to answer in a different way.  My finite thinking could only see Rod's mortal body.  God could see Rod's soul.  The time spent in prayer and fasting wasn't wasted.  God heard and saw it all.  But God chose to deliver Rod from the chains of this life.  Rod was healed but he was also saved from any more sorrow on this earth.  My prayers were heard indeed.

Fear Not to Pray!
My conclusion regarding Zacharias, and in my own life, is we must pray without fear.  Ask, believing.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

Fear not, my friend, your prayer is heard.

The Prayer Life

I downloaded a free book last week that is just what I needed to start 2020.  It is called "The Prayer Life:  Persevering in Prayer" by Andrew Murray.  The book was the outcome of a conference of ministers in South Africa in 1912.  The conference was called to discuss the low spiritual state of the Dutch Reformed Church.  The conclusion:  prayerlessness.

I have only read the first four chapters, but this book is convicting me.  I want to share just a couple of things.  From the foreword:  "It has been said that it is only the prayerless who are too proud to admit their prayerlessness."

Chapter 1 is called "The Sin of Prayerlessness."  The second paragraph grabbed my attention: "There is so much talk about lack of time and all sorts of distractions, that the deep guilt of the situation is not recognized.  Let it be our honest desire that from now on the sin of prayerlessness will be truly sinful to us." Later in that chapter he wrote, "How does Satan hinder prayer?  He does so by temptation to postpone or restrict it, by bringing in wandering thoughts and all sorts of distractions, or through unbelief and hopelessness."

Lack of time and all sorts of distractions?  Does that sound familiar?  More than 100 years ago, lack of prayer was blamed on lack of time and distractions.  How many times do we pick up our phones to check texts and emails before we even get out of bed?  Our days are filled with distractions, but we really can't blame our prayerlessness on technology.  The blame sits squarely on our own shoulders.

The book doesn't stop at pointing out prayerlessness.  It deals with how to be delivered from prayerlessness and move on to victory.  The blessing of persevering in prayer is great, in chapter four these points were listed:

1. The blessing of unbroken fellowship with God.
2. The power that we can have for the work to which we are called.
3. The prospect that opens before us for the future.
4. The more abundant life.

Pastor White presented the 2020 Challenge to Victory Tabernacle this week.  Part one is to spend the first 20 minutes of each day in prayer and Bible reading.  He challenged us that the first voice we hear must be God's.  Prayer and Bible reading can't be after we've checked emails, the weather or the news headlines.  It must be first.

If your prayer life has been distracted, stale, dry, or even nonexistent, I encourage you to pick up this book.  It's free for Kindle (get it here.)

Dale Messner Memorial House Dedication

Thursday night was a special service as we honored the memory of a godly man. Bro. Dale Messner was a faithful man in the Twin Falls, Idaho church.  His son, Bro. Everett Messner, was in Mindanao with us.  Before Bro. Messner preached, he was presented with a beautiful painting by Pastor Balmas:

He was so touched by this...

Bro. Messner had so many great stories of his father.  Lessons from his life as a farmer.  He was a man dedicated to his God, his family and his land.

After the service we had a beautiful dedication prayer for the building.  Candles were placed around the entire building and we spread out around it.

Bro. Messner's pastor, Pastor John Collins, prayed the dedication prayer.

We know this house will be a blessing for many years to come.

The Syrophoenician Woman ~ Woman of the Week

A key theme to this story is getting our prayers answered.  We need to understand that any mercy God shows us is more than we deserve.  For more on that subject, click here. 

Verses: Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30 

Background – parents, husband, children, siblings 
We don't know much about this woman's family - only that she had at least one daughter.  Where was her husband?  Had he left because of the state of her daughter?  Were there other children, siblings who were afraid of their sister?  We just don't know the answer to these questions.

This woman's background is an important part of the story.  Mark 7:26 says, "The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation."  The first part, "The Jews called all persons “Greeks” who were not of their nation. The whole world was considered as divided into Jews and Greeks." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)  The second part, "a Syrophoenician by nation — so called as inhabiting the Phoenician tract of Syria. Matthew calls her “a woman of Canaan” - a more intelligible description to his Jewish readers."  (A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown {JFB})  What Matthew and Mark both wanted the readers to know was she was most definitely NOT a Jew.

What is she most known for?  Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her? 
We don't know her name.  We don't know her daughter's name.  But this woman, who was not a Jew, showed us the power of persistence.  The story played out like this:

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil."
But he answered her not a word. 
And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Jesus said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

She didn't stop when she didn't get the answer the first time.  Her request changed to worship, even as Jesus said He wasn't sent to an outsider like her.  Even after Jesus called her a dog, she humbly kept asking.

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset? If so, did she? For good or evil?
I wonder if when she first came she was expecting a quick fix.   She had to have heard of Jesus.  Her story takes place in Matthew chapter 15, in previous chapters Jesus had healed a leper, cast out demons, raised the sick of the palsy, healed the woman with the issue of blood, raised Jairus' daughter and fed five thousand.  There was no radio or internet, but word was spreading about this Miracle Worker.

Maybe she thought she could just slip in among the crowd, cry out her request, and happily be on her way.  But Jesus didn't immediately respond and now she had a choice to make.  Should she keep asking or go home to a tormented daughter.  I don't know if she first came believing the she "deserved" this miracle, but her reset happened when she decided that no matter how low she had to stoop, even crumbs where going to be enough.

"First, Her humility and necessity made her glad of crumbs. Those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve nothing, will be thankful for any thing; and then we are prepared for the greatest of God's mercies, when we see ourselves less than the least of them. The least of Christ is precious to a believer, and the very crumbs of the bread of life.
Secondly, Her faith encouraged her to expect these crumbs. Why should it not be at Christ's table as at a great man's, where the dogs are fed as sure as the children? Observe, She calls it their master's table; if she were a dog, she was HIS dog, and it cannot be ill with us, if we stand but in the meanest relation to Christ."  (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible)

"The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. I do not desire what is provided for these highly favored children, only what they leave: a single exertion of thy almighty power, in the healing of my afflicted daughter, is all that I wish for." (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible)

Of course we know the end of the story.  Her life must have completely reset when her daughter was made whole.  Jesus told her "great is thy faith." "The hinderances thrown in this woman’s way only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dykes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it.  Persevering faith and prayer are next to omnipotent. No person can thus pray and believe, without receiving all his soul requires. This is one of the finest lessons in the book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus! As sure as God is in heaven, so surely will he hear and answer thee to the eternal salvation of thy soul! Be not discouraged at a little delay: when thou art properly prepared to receive the blessing, then thou shalt have it. Look up; thy salvation is at hand. Jesus admires this faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same fruits and advantages from it." (Adam Clarke)

The key to getting prayers answered is perseverance, humility and knowing that what you receive will be what your soul requires.  As I said earlier this week, God is not a vending machine, so asking for a million dollars, no matter how long you ask, probably does not fall under the category of "what your soul requires."  Believe that your needs will be met and like this great woman of faith keep asking!

Things I Know About Prayer

As I've been reading and pondering the story of the Syrophenician woman, I've taken a look at Jesus' response.  It seemed He was unusually unkind to this woman.  First He ignored her, then insulted her.  Even after she worshiped Him, He didn't grant her request.  It's a story that we can learn a lot from.  I don't have all the answers but here are some things I DO know about prayer:

1.  God is Sovereign
He sees the whole picture.  He knows that answering your prayer in the way YOU want, may not be the best for you.  The Apostle Paul writes about a thorn in his flesh in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.  Paul prayed and God said "No."  Along with that no came a promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

2.  God is Able
Les is a living, walking, breathing, cycling example of God's healing power.   A little boy with Muscular Dystrophy who was losing the use of his legs, was healed one Sunday morning.

3.  Your Sincerity May Not Change the Outcome
No one has ever prayed more earnestly than Les and I did when Rod was near the end of this life.  We sought God for healing, we fasted for seven days, we prayed and cried.  But God, because He is sovereign, still allowed Rod to die.  Was there something greater behind the scenes at work?  I absolutely believe there was.

4.  God is NOT a Vending Machine
We don't get to put in our 2 cents worth of prayer and expect God to answer according to our will.

As I said, I don't have all the answers.  But I do know that if you never prayer, you will never see a single prayer get answered.  Prayers absolutely get heard and they get answered according to the will of the One Who hears them.

Remembering 9/11

Repost from 9/11/08:
This was one of the most sobering days of my life. Since I was not alive during World War II, this was the first attack on American soil in my lifetime - and what an attack it was. I was working at Amgen at the time and was on my way to work when I first heard the news. Both Towers had been hit, along with the Pentagon. What in the world was going on? What an eerie feeling, so sobering and frightening.

We in California were blessed that none of the attacks occurred in our state, but the impact was still felt. As the day progressed, word spread that an Amgen Clinical Development team had been in Washington, D.C. The team was there for meetings with the FDA regarding approval for a new drug. Later in the day, team members checked in, reporting they were okay, but stranded in D.C. for the time being. They had been scheduled for a Tuesday afternoon flight. Then we got word that Dora Menchaca, the team leader, had changed her flight to Tuesday morning. She, of course, was on American flight 77 that flew into the Pentagon.

Dora took the earlier flight for one reason - to be with her family. How that simple, sincere decision changed the life of her family! There was no way Dora could have known what the terrorists planned for that morning.

I went for a run this morning and reflected.  Our world has never been the same.  The beautiful patriotic song "America the Beautiful" floated through my mind.  I only knew the words to the first verse and came home to find many more.  I love our country and my heart breaks over her current condition.  If we ever have a hope of making America great again, we must humble ourselves and pray.

America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

We Talk About Everything

I have a 2016 calendar from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library hanging by my computer.  When I turned the page to August yesterday morning there was a picture of Ronald and Nancy Reagan with this quote:

"How do you explain it?  We're happy... We talk about everything."
~ Ronald Reagan

That is such a succinct description of a happy marriage.  We talk about everything.  Les and I are not in the same state right now.  He called me from the car last night and we talked for an hour - about everything.  There should be red flags when your spouse won't talk to you about their day or their dreams. 

And what about God?  Do you talk to Him about everything?  In Genesis chapter 3, after Adam and Eve sinned their eyes were opened and they hid themselves from the voice of God.  When God came to the garden to talk, they were afraid.  Being afraid to talk to God should be a huge red flag.

Prayer is talking to our Savior, and if we're quiet long enough we can hear Him talk to us... about everything.

Called to Be Saints ~ A Detour Before Ephesus

Our tour of Ephesus included a private mass.  We did not know that when we signed up for the excursion!  It was an interesting experience that I'll talk about more in my next post, but many of the sites we saw on our trip made me think about the word "saint." 

According to Bible Study Tools:  "The word "saint" is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo) whose basic meaning is "to set apart, " "sanctify, " or "make holy." In the history of the Old Testament religion, the idea of holiness or separateness was inherent in the concept of God...  Saints, in the New Testament, are never deceased individuals who have been canonized by the church and given sainthood. They are living individuals who have dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God."

Got Questions.org had a great explanation of the differences in the Biblical use of the word and that of the Catholic church, "How does the Roman Catholic understanding of “saints” compare with the biblical teaching? Not very well. In Roman Catholic theology, the saints are in heaven. In the Bible, the saints are on earth. In Roman Catholic teaching, a person does not become a saint unless he/she is “beatified” or “canonized” by the Pope or prominent bishop.  In Roman Catholic practice, the saints are revered, prayed to, and in some instances, worshiped. In the Bible, saints are called to revere, worship, and pray to God alone."

I think even more important is what Got Questions had to say about praying to saints, "The issue of Catholics praying to saints is one that is full of confusion. It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that Catholics do not pray TO saints or Mary, but rather that Catholics can ask saints or Mary to pray FOR them. The official position of the Roman Catholic Church is that asking saints for their prayers is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for us. However, the practice of many Catholics diverges from official Roman Catholic teaching. Many Catholics do in fact pray directly to saints and/or Mary, asking them for help – instead of asking the saints and/or Mary to intercede with God for help. Whatever the case, whether a saint or Mary is being prayed to, or asked to pray, neither practice has any Biblical basis.

"The Bible nowhere instructs believers in Christ to pray to anyone other than God. The Bible nowhere encourages, or even mentions, believers asking individuals in heaven for their prayers. Why, then, do many Catholics pray to Mary and/or the saints, or request their prayers? Catholics view Mary and the saints as "intercessors" before God. They believe that a saint, who is glorified in Heaven, has more "direct access" to God than we do. Therefore, if a saint delivers a prayer to God, it is more effective than us praying to God directly. This concept is blatantly non Biblical. Hebrews 4:16 tells us that we, believers here on earth, can "approach the throne of grace with confidence." 

Matthew Henry's commentary of Ephesians 1:1 when Paul writes "to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus," simply says, "All Christians must be saints; if they come not under that character on earth, they will never be saints in glory."

My favorite usage of the word saint was by Elder Morton at my Mom's funeral.  After telling a couple of funny stories and sharing a little about Mom's ornery side he said, "She was a saint, not an angel."

I hope this little detour makes sense!  I agree with the Biblical interpretation and I am striving to live my life as a saint, one who is set apart.  I'd be happy to pray with and for you now (while I'm still living) and I hope you'll do the same for me.

Delayed Answers

I'm having a bit of writer's block with my Hannah post.  I'm still trying to process some of my thoughts.  Since this is my Bible study and my blog, I'm giving it another week.  I do want to talk about one part of the story...

Last Sunday morning Les taught a great lesson about divine healing.  There is no magic formula for receiving healing.  It there was, we'd never need to have faith.  There is also no reason to believe that when a person is sick it is because of sin.  In John chapter 19, Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth.  His disciples asked, "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus' answer is one we can cling to, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

So back to Hannah.  We don't know how long she prayed for a child.  Peninnah, the second wife, is said to have "sons and daughters."  Meaning she probably had as least four children, possibly more.  This means Hannah's prayers went on for many years. 1 Samuel 1:6 says, "the LORD had shut up her womb." Was she less spiritual or desperate in the early years? 

Here's something to consider:  God's plan involved more than just Hannah and Elkanah and their desire for a child.  God knew that the sons of Eli the priest were evil sons of Belial.  Their sins were great.  A man of God came to Eli and prophesied destruction to his family.  God knew all that.  God was prepared to raise up a prophet in the land, that prophet would be Samuel.  But it was God's timing, not Hannah's. 

I believe God heard every time that Hannah prayed for a child.  He didn't turn away.  But His plan was for much more than just a child.  He planned for a child who would be dedicated to His kingdom, who would grow into a great man who would anoint the first two kings of Israel.  Samuel was born in God's time "that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

I've heard many times that God's answer to our prayers is "yes," "no," or "wait a while."  It's those "wait a while" prayers that really test our faith.  God is too big for our human minds to fully understand.  I just know that prayers are answered, in His time and His will.  Keep praying!

Specific + Believing Prayer

Genesis chapter 24 is the longest chapter in the book of Genesis.  Abraham's servant is sent to find a wife for Isaac.  Abraham knew that Isaac could not take a wife of the women of Canaan, so his servant was sent to Mesopotamia, the city of Nahor, Abraham's brother.  The Genesis Record describes the long journey and the burden on the servant to choose the right girl.  Upon his arrival, the first thing the servant did was pray:

12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out...

Here is what Dr. Morris had to say about this prayer:

This is a marvelous example of specific, believing prayer, an example that we can profitably follow today. It was not a presumptuous prayer; the servant knew he was following the Lord to this point, and his motives were only to do that which would honor God and accomplish the mission that the Lord, through his master, had entrusted to him. He needed definite guidance, not general direction, at this point. Therefore, he prayed quite specifically—a reasonable request, but one which would be most unlikely to come to pass without the Lord’s definite intervention. Today, if we similarly meet the conditions, we can similarly expect specific answers to definite prayer.

God wants to hear our prayers.   Sometimes we don't know what to pray for, but there are other times when we know the exact need or we need definite guidance.  That's when we should go boldly to the throne of grace.  He's waiting to answer, even before we're done speaking!

Encouragement

I love to be an encourager.  I'm really happy if I can say or write something that helps another.  If someone walks away from me feeling better than before, I feel good too.  I've had many encouragers in my life and I'm thankful for each one.

I read one of my favorite verses in the Bible yesterday morning:

"but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."  1 Samuel 30:6

As much as we all need each other, there are times when we must encourage ourselves.  There are times when we need encouragement and no one else is around.  David knew, and we need to know where our help comes from.  When he stood alone, his men talked of stoning him, David encouraged himself in the Lord.

Tuesday night our evangelist, Bro. Disotel, preached from Jude verse 20:

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost"

If David's story had been found in the New Testament, we could have easily read, "David, prayed in the Holy Ghost and he was encouraged."  Our greatest victories come from praying in the Holy Ghost.  It's not enough to just show up for prayer ~ half-hearted prayers are going to get half-hearted results.  And that doesn't have anything to do with the volume of your prayers!  We can walk away from a prayer meeting still carrying the load of discouragement if we don't truly pray in the Holy Ghost. 

I encourage you to be an encourager and learn to encourage yourself in the Lord!

Praying Mothers

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms!

As I was thinking about what to post this morning, a beautiful family memory came to mind.  It starts with my Great Grandmother, Maude Lancaster, born October 13, 1887.  She was the mother of eleven children.  She received the gift of the Holy Ghost and lived a holy life, but was not baptized according to the Bible.

Great Grandma Lancaster

One of her daughters was my grandma - Grandma Luella Pearson.  Born February 26, 1919 in Mayes, Oklahoma.  During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, the family moved to California.  At some point, Grandma Luella saw her need to be baptized in the name of Jesus.  Grandma Lancaster told her, "That's okay for you, but I don't think I need it."

Grandma Luella

On January 1, 1940, Norma Pearson was born.  Mom grew up believing the gospel.  As a young mother, she started praying for her children, but she also started to praying for her grandmother.  She wrote letters and sent tracts explaining Jesus name baptism.  In the early 1970s, Great Grandma Lancaster then in her 80s, saw her need to be re-baptized according to the plan of salvation found in the book of Acts!  It was a beautiful Sunday morning when our family gathered in Visalia to witness this grand occasion.

Mom, when the twins were still in the hospital.  I know she prayed for them, too!

I saw Grandma Lancaster for the last time in 1984.  I was preparing to go to the Philippines.  She told me what a blessing we would be.  Then she wanted me to turn around so she could feel my hair.  At the age of 96, most of her hair had fallen out, but it had never been cut.  She died peacefully while I was in the Philippines, I'll always treasure that last visit.

Mothers, don't ever stop praying!

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.

Some an Hundredfold, Some Sixty and Some Thirty

I think it was Wednesday night that Bro. Kelly said something in passing that really stuck with me.  He was talking about going through life with the baggage of past sins.  He then said, "Thirtyfold people spend 70% of their time dealing with the baggage on their back... "

He was referring to the parable of the sower in Matthew chapter 13.  Verse 8 says, "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."  I had never thought about it that way.

Bro. Kelly continued preaching and didn't expand on the thought, but it stuck with me.  I keep asking myself  "What is keeping me from bringing forth an hundredfold?"  I don't carry the baggage of a sinful life, I've never tried drugs or alcohol, I was blessed to be raised in the church, but I'm not bringing forth an hundredfold.

The answers to this one are still coming.

A Quick Tip

Before the service speak to God.
During the service let God speak to you.
After the service speak to your neighbor.

Ever notice when you get this out of order, how much less you get out of church?

What Will You Get?

I received this quote from Runner's World earlier this week:

Running is just you, the work you put in, and the clock. You can't cheat yourself. If you don't put in the miles, you can't go to the starting line thinking you're going to pull a miracle out of nowhere. You get out exactly as much as you put in.
~Desiree Davila

Last night, Bro. Brown preached "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?" from Genesis chapter 18.  He talked to us about believing God can do anything.  WE limit God by our lack of faith.  He also read Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  God will reward those who diligently seek him.

At the close of the service, Pastor White told us that God does not reward laziness.  He wasn't talking about running a marathon without training.  He was talking about prayer.  We cannot expect God to do great things for us if we don't take the time to pray.

I know that I won't finish my marathon in June if I don't run consistently between now and then.  Do you have a need that only God can take care of?  He's the only One who can pull a miracle out of nowhere, but you need to pray consistently between now and the time that He does it.  Thankfully, with God, you often get more than you hoped for!