The other side of that very important coin!

The first side of the coin -

what you believe about God. https://conta.cc/47vICcb

Listen to this podcast here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/3900d803/the-other-side...

In the last Morning Briefing, I asked ‘Who is God to you?’ because how you answer that question determines pretty much everything about you. Now flip over the coin and it is encircled with "whether or not you pray". Hmmm...

The other night, I received this email from Tennessee, after “But wait…there’s more” https://conta.cc/3Hb7M50:  “Wow! So timely. Especially the song. As I lay here in the hospital waiting for all the tests to figure out why in the last 10 days I have gone numb and painful in my hands and feet and now can’t walk. It feels like the Guillain Barre I had in 1971. I knew when I read your briefing that I needed to let you know. I can use all the prayers I can get. Thankfully my heart and my mind are in a peaceful and joyful place… this is my next journey of trust and that is what I’m doing.”  The song she referenced impacted several of us: ‘Don’t Stop Praying’ by Matthew West, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbZqMJ-B44

Why did she contact me?  She knew I would pray.  What difference does that make?  A lot, to her.  But why?  Because of what she believes about God. She knows through a lifetime of her own experience with him, that God is good, loving and all-powerful, and therefore, worthy of her trust.

Several hours later in the early morning, my daughter, Amy, was driving to work and asked me to pray that there would be power at her office when she arrived, as she was conducting an important meeting.  (this was the morning after severe storms and there were still outages all around our area) Hours later, she said, ‘Mom, power turned on more than two hours ahead of schedule! Thanks for praying!’  

A need for healing.

A need for electrical power to hold an effective meeting . . . quite different and yet both important.  One ‘go to’?  

Prayer to God who knows and sees,

and can do both the possible and the seemingly impossible

because he cares and because he. is. able.

And then I was reading in Matthew chapter 9 the other day, and was struck by those who had faith in Jesus to do the miraculous.

Jairus, a leader in the local synagogue, comes to Jesus saying, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”1 Several verses later as Jesus is on his way to the little girl, a woman who has been sick for 12 years tries to get to Jesus that she might be healed by him. Unable to meet up with Jesus, she lunges and touches the hem of his garment. Matthew writes, "Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment."2 Dang, that is so good. So powerful. So instructive for you and me. A sincere faith in Jesus, even a lunge for him, can do the impossible!

We trust in an almighty God who wants to interact with us personally, and then move wonderfully in our lives... a God who has instructed us to ask him for what we need, to pray without ceasing, and thank him for his answers, knowing he has heard and he is at work.

May I give you a peek inside my life? Like, will you continue to read/listen? I often get requests to pray for people who live both near and far--people I know and love, others I will never meet.  'What is my privilege?' you ask.

To pray in faith and see God do what only he can do.

And why do I spend time praying, even for people I will never meet? Because God can do the possible and the impossible, he cares and he is able...

Matter of fact, "he is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."3

O, I invite you to come to God with your requests--take part in the great adventure! Rest in his comfort and peace, knowing he sees and hears and responds to our prayers, never leaving us alone or to our own devices. Indeed, God is more than able to do more than all we ask or imagine! Amen and amen.

"I Thank God" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcmA1QYqubg. Surely that song, those singers put a smile on your face!! Yes, thank God!

Because prayer changes things,

Christine

PastorWoman.net

1 - Matthew 9.18

2 - Matthew 9.22

3 - Ephesians 3.20