Why Pray?

 

Monday, October 12, 2015

God’s Power Principle For Today: “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us” (2 Corinthians 2:1-12).   

 Hey Gang: I need to make a confession to you this morning.  I am not a very avid reader.  On my desk, as I write this epistle this morning, are four books with markers that tell me where I am in the book.  In one I am on page 32, the second 18, the third 47 and the last an amazing 123.

 But I have found myself returning to a book by Dr. John DeVries, founder of Mission India, titled, Why Pray. This has been a source of encouragement to me.   I have asked that question many times and, I confess, I have even stopped praying for a season because I did not think God was listening.

 

Yousee, I tended to measure the success of my prayers by what I received from them in short order.  There is an ad on Television advertising ‘Wentworth Finance ‘where the people are shouting, “I want my money and I want it now”.  That was kind of my attitude when I went to the throne room for a specific need.  Have I had victory over that, to a degree, but I must admit the battle goes on.

 But the resurgence of the Village has given me a leg up on the victory-trail over this issue.  I learned, from Dr. John, that when we have a specific need, we should place it in the Father’s hand and move on.  When Cathey, my daughter, became the exulted ruler of the Village, her mom and I felt we needed to build a pyramid of prayer warriors who were willing to pray in a sacrificial way for wisdom and direction and strength and protection for her and the Village. 

 Our challenge to each one, ‘If you are not willing to pray sacrificially and as Paul challenges us ,“without ceasing” please do not sign up to be a prayer warrior.  I believe the prayer warrior ring that surrounds the Village today is the catalyst that has produced the changes and victories that have become a wonderful testimony to God’s grace, mercy and love.  To fail to fulfill your prayer commitment is to leave a hole in the covering.  Satan dearly loves to move into those holes.

 I believe one of the most overused phrases in existence today is “I will pray for you!”  I believe, if everyone, who at one time or another said they would pray for me, did indeed follow through and placed my needs on the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror or the rear-view mirror of their car, I could have been able to walk on water.  (Just joking).

  My dear friends, let me share a piece of advice I received years ago, when I confessed to a friend that I had a hard time remaining focused when I was praying.  He said, “Journal your prayers.”  Not only will you remain focused, but you will have a record of your prayers and can look back and see when they were fulfilled.  So, I have two recommendations to you this morning: one, if you are asking “Why Pray? I recommend you get John’s book, Why Pray; and, if you have a hard times staying focuses, try journaling your prayers for a season and see how God blesses.

 Blessings, Gramps

Hey, Cheer Up - God Is Preparing to Come - Very Soon

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

God’s Power Principle For today:  “Behold the tabernacle of God is among men. And He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be among them” (Revelation 21:3).

 Hey Gang:  In this day, when it seems everything that can be shaken is being shaken so that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain, we need to keep our eyes glued to our Abba Father.  If the words through John from Jesus, in the morning Scripture, do not build a fire in the depths of your innards, you had best check yourself into the nearest emergency ward and see if your thumper is still thumping. 

 Each week the Koenig report, which is a report of current and future events that are based on the prophetic word of God, Claudia Koenig begins each up -date with prayer and a word from Father God.  They are always a challenge and give me a firm foundation to begin the new week. 

 This week she challenged me, and I pray you, with these words: “Many times when a faraway missionary was in a time of despair, the question was asked, “What can we do?’  The answer was always, “Pray, pray, pray!”  Today, many ask, “What can we do when judgment for man’s rebellion against God comes to America and people will be in despair?”  The answer is “Pray, pray, pray!” 

 As I read this, a recollection from my early years surfaced in my brain.  When I was eight years old and in the fourth grade, we began each day with the Pledge of Allegiance, several verses from the Bible and the Lord’s Prayer.  We also had a morning update on what was happening in the war zones. 

 I remember that fateful day when the teacher announced that General McArthur had thrown in the towel and left the Philippines but, on his way out he made a vow to return soon, a promise he fulfilled. 

 Yes, today’s news is filled with woe, woe and more woe.  One wonders if there is any wisdom in any capitals of the world.  We are surely paying the Piper for the decisions to remove God from every facet of our lives. 

 But!  Does it not fill your heart with joy when you read the words of the angels who were there when Jesus ascended back to the Father and took His rightful place at the right hand of God? They said: “Why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).  

 Soooo, my young buckaroos, keep your lamps trimmed and filled with oil, your Armor shined and in place (on your body) and pray, pray, pray!.  For you see, God never said the governments of the man would ever have the wisdom to repair what they break, but 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives us the promise that-“If we humble ourselves before Him, pray from the depths of our souls and seek Him until we find Him, He will heal our land!.

 Blessings, 

Gramps