God Answers Prayer – Part One

 

 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”  But He answered her not a word …Matthew 15:22-23a

Did it ever feel like God wasn’t paying any attention to your or your needs? That is undoubtedly exactly the feeling that this woman experienced. She cried. She begged. She fell to His feet. Nothing she could do or say seemed to touch the Lord. Her story reminded me of the Bangladeshi people who came to work the gravel of the dry river banks in North India. They were rejected by most of the local people and forced to take the lowest and most menial jobs. Yet Jesus made His only trip abroad and in retrospect came only for this one woman as an answer to her prayers.

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Bangladeshi Women in North India

So when it seems as if Jesus is not listening and when no one else seems to believe that we will find the answer, we have a decision to make. Will we continue to believe or will we go away? Will we continue to ask or will we give up in desperation?  For all of us there comes that single moment when we have to decide what to do with silence. This woman who appeared to have no background, no friends and no hope leaves us with a testimony of hope, not only that God is listening but that He cares enough to hear and answer our prayer! It is if you could think that Jesus made the trip to earth, just for you!

3rd Gift at Christmas

Third Gift of Christmas – Prayer

 

But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”  Luke 22:32 ESV

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That sense of being totally alone in the world can be worse for some people as Christmas works its way closer. Even people surrounded by friends can feel abandoned because of inner struggles that no one else knows. Why not take a moment to tell someone you will be praying for them, or better yet, pray right away with them. Some things in life are so heavy, so difficult, so complicated and so unbearable that only prayer can meet that need. There is no greater gift we can give someone than to be able to truthfully say “but I have prayed for you.”

 

Always Pray

Always Pray and Never Faint

When our eyes first open and the sun peeks ikimg2456n

We can thank the Lord as our day begins

Or when storms close in with darkening skies

And we run for shelter to our dear Lord’s side

kimg1384When the corn is ripe or when the fields look dead

We can still thank God for our daily bread

When we’ve sinned and feel the guilt and shame

He forgives us if we ask in His holy name

When we’ve run the race as far as we can

He renews our strength when we pray to Him

In every day and through every night

In every victory and through every fight

When we stand up strong or when we fall down

If we’ll pray to the end He has promised a crownp1010267

It’s not by our wisdom that this battle’s won

Not by our own strength that the race can be run

He gives when we ask He that seeks surely finds

When we pray and don’t faint to the end of the line!

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint             Luke 18:1