A Culture of Prayer

I was thinking a couple of weeks ago that in many eastern countries, religion is ingrained in the culture. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, prayer should be more a part of my culture than it is. If this is something that I believe in then it should show. So this is my goal: to make prayer my culture. For me this means praying about everything in my life and everything I do.

That is just a glimpse of what this 40-day prayer challenge is about. Beginning today, I hope to answer the "what would happen if I prayed."

If you asked for a scripture booklet, you should have received it by now. Check you mailbox and check back to the blog later today.

Blessings!

God Speaks: Now One Way, Now Another

 

On May 11, I received a pleasant surprise – a phone call from a friend that I had not spoken with in five years. It was exciting to hear from her. We emailed each other afterwards and I shared information about the blog, etc.

She sent me a question regarding "It's Time to Pray." She asked me is the Lord continuing to deal with me using signs. Well, it's funny that she should ask that. I had just told someone recently that I try to hear the "wake-up" calls of others. For example, it used to be that when I would go to a hotel they might ask if I wanted a wake-up call. I always said "no" because I know how to set the alarm myself. But in the mornings, I could hear wake-up calls in adjacent rooms. So I decided that I am the same way spiritually speaking -- I can hear other people's wake-up calls.

Well here's the thing about me and alarm clocks and other people's calls . . . just because I hear them doesn't mean that I am going to get up.

God was already dealing with me about writing about prayer and increasing my prayer life. But I didn't "get up" until the alarm rang personally for me and said "pray." (See May 12, 2011 – Time to Pray)

So my answer to my friend is "yes." The Lord deals with me that way when I won't do what I need to do--when I need to do it. This "dealing" reminds me of these scriptures:

¹⁴ For God does speak—now one way, now another—
   though no one perceives it.
¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night,
   when deep sleep falls on people
   as they slumber in their beds,
¹⁶ he may speak in their ears
   and terrify them with warnings,
¹⁷ to turn them from wrongdoing
   and keep them from pride,
¹⁸ to preserve them from the pit,
   their lives from perishing by the sword. Job 33:14-18

God spoke to me one way and then through an iPad. I'm thankful that He gives me another chance. I repent for being slow to respond. I pray that you and I will perceive His speaking to us and then respond instead of hitting the snooze button. Blessings.

May 12, 2011 – Time to Pray

4:44 pm – The alarm rang on the iPad. I opened it. It said "Pray." 

I don't know why it said that, but I prayed. It kind of shook me up because I don't recall setting my alarm to "pray." I don't recall that I knew I could do that on the clock.

4:47 pm – My phone rang. My daughter called.

She: Why didn't you tell me you were going to get a package?

I: I didn't know. What is it?

She: Books.

I: From Amazon? I just ordered them yesterday.

   (If you know me a little bit, you know I would NOT pay for overnight shipping.)

I: What book is it?

She: Torrey (R.A.Torrey)

I: In English or in Spanish?

She: Spanish.

I had ordered some books with free super saver shipping. This title apparently shipped from Nashville so they arrived overnight. I'm not sure where the others are shipping from, but the ones that came today were two copies of Como Orar (How to Pray).

7:47 pm – New message on the sign outside the church down near my home: Prayer-the ultimate wireless connection.

I had been procrastinating beginning my next scripture booklet and blog theme—Prayer. The events of that afternoon were a giant nudge (wake-up call) to GET MOVING!

I will be ready to take the booklet entitled Faith to Pray to be printed tomorrow. I first made this booklet a year or two ago. I have reworked it so that it can be read in its entirety in less than 10 minutes a day. The theme on prayer will go through the end of June. We will officially begin on May 22 so we'll make it a "biblical" 40 days. :-)

Please let me know if you would like a scripture booklet. It's cool if you read what I write about the scriptures in the blog, but there's nothing like reading what God says about the subject.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 NIV

Porta-potty Prayer - God Is a Prayer Answerer Part 2

With my church, I've been able to help victims of the recent tornadoes that hit Alabama. The day before yesterday, I talked with a woman and her mom whose trailer had been damaged. They still did not have electricity after two weeks. They asked me to pray for them. I prayed that God would bless them with sleep and peace – they had mentioned that they did not feel safe. I also asked God to help rebuild their lives with the things they need.

When I returned yesterday, they said, "Your prayers worked." They pointed to the new blue porta-potty near their trailer. I did NOT pray for a porta-potty. It had not occurred to me that they still didn't have water. And when I thought about not having water, I only considered that they would not be able to cook and bathe. I totally forgot about the other things that couldn't do. I prayed that God would supply their needs.

Matthew 6:7-8 NKJV says:

⁷ And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
⁸ “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him

God knows; He hears; and He answers. Thank God for His mercy and grace. I think it's funny that they think the porta-potty came as a result of my prayer. Maybe it did; I just didn't know that was what I was praying for. But it gave us another reason to tell Him "Thank You."

God Is a Prayer Answerer

When I was teaching 8th grade, I divided my class into groups to work on a project. That year, I had a class that wasn't . . . shall we say . . . as agreeable as some classes I've had. For the project they were beginning, I tried to divide the groups by talents/skills that the students said they had. My goal was to have a researcher, writer, artist, etc in each group. (a heterogeneous group as we teachers say)

One of my students refused to work with her group. She felt like the others would not do their parts. She had a reason to be concerned. She wasn't at the top of the class herself, but she wanted to work with those who would try to create a good project.

I understood how she felt, but I did not want to change the groups and open that can of worms. I felt that she could work with them and do the best she could. There's no way I would penalize her for what her group wouldn't do. My main concern was that I could not have rebellion in my class.

At the time, I was keeping a prayer journal. I wrote about what I prayed and when God answered. I prayed about this situation. I asked for wisdom. I prayed that God would work it out. I had to be careful how I prayed. I couldn't ask God to make her think like I thought. That's not cool. That would be controlling. God gives us a will and He gives us choices. I couldn't try to take her choice away with my prayer; still I needed peace in my classroom. God would have to do this because I certainly could not.

Within a few days, my student came to me and said she would work with her group. I thanked her; I thanked God more.

For some reason as I thought about God answering prayer, this incident came to mind. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but it was important to me.

God wants to answer us.

¹ Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
   to you our vows will be fulfilled.
² O you who hear prayer,
   to you all men will come.

⁵ You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
   O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
   and of the farthest seas, Psalm 65:1-2, 5 NIV

The Bible is full of examples of God answering the prayers of His people. He answers great and small requests. He is our hope from the ends of the earth and across the seas.

He gives us promises to stand on to know that He will answer. One such promise Jesus left is found in John 15:7 NKJV

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

He promises that if we do our part, He will do His. That sounds like an open invitation to me.

God is Great; God Is Good!

After the tornadoes that hit Alabama on April 27, life is finally back to somewhat normal where I live. Many people lost homes and properties. Even worse, some lost their lives. But God is faithful. Storms are a part of life; they occur naturally. But supernaturally, God protects those who call on Him.

For the last few days, I've had the privilege of helping people affected by the storms. I've seen the destroyed homes, but I've also seen the work of God's hand of protection. In the midst of broken tree limbs, downed power lines, and overturned trailer homes, I saw a mobile home with two tall trees standing beside and a yard that didn't even seem to have a fallen leaf in it. I was told that in that house lives an elderly couple. The husband is bedridden so they could not go to storm shelter built for their mobile home community. The couple prayed and asked God to protect them. He did! Wow! How great is our God?!

Across the four-lane highway was a community of fairly new brick homes. In one of the houses a woman and two teens huddled in the utility room and cried out to God. That room was the only thing left of the house. Some might call it coincidence. Maybe it is a coincidence that when godly people call on The Good Shepherd, He protects them. But I call it answered prayer.

I don't understand it all, but I understand that the scripture says:

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
      For His mercy endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

Not only is He good, He is great beyond measure.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
   his greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:3 NIV

 I pray that through all of our storms, we endure and say like the psalmist:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 NKJV

Update

I'm writing from Atlanta this morning. Because of all of the storm damage that hit Alabama, my electricity was off for several days. That is the worst of my problems from the storm. Thank God! We lift up prayers for those who lost homes, property, and business. More than that, we ask God's strength for those who lost family members, friends, and coworkers as a result of one of the worst storms in history. 

It's a new month, so we'll start a new subject soon. More . . . later.

Thank You Lord for all the lives you preserved. We know that storms are a natural part of life, so we thank You for your SUPERnatural intervention. You are awesome!