Praying Desperate Prayers

Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. (Psalm 86:6, 7 NIV) I remember a time in the early part of my ministry where I was desperate for God to touch the church that I was pastoring. The church had been in existence for years but had never had a major breakthrough. I was young, it was my first church and I didn't know what to do. I had grown up in a growing and thriving church and was not used to being in a dead, non-growing enviornment. I preached my heart out, visited the people, encouraged them and everything stayed the same. After about a year I found myself in deep prayer over the church and the people. I remember walking up the stairs from the basement to the church sanctuary and couldn't go any further for the desperation I felt and burden I felt. I knelt on those stairs, prayed and prayed, cried and cried. I called out to God to bring breakthrough to that little country church. When the burden finally lifted off my shoulders I got up and went about my business. I let go of my ego and put the matter in the Lord's hands. I remained faithful and just watched as God slowly brought in a harvest that has continued to this day in that church. Today, that church is one of the largest in that community and has a deep affect to many people's lives. I look back now at a moment when I was willing to pray a desperate prayer. I look back and say, "God never fails His kids and He always hears our prayers." May I encourage you today to pray desperate prayers to the God who loves you and wants to do something big in your life. He is waiting for you and He is willing to touch you now. Are you willing to give it all to Him? Are you willing for Him to do it His way? As one dear saint told me... "Let go and let God!" That's great advice for all of us.

God Will Restore

Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:19 NIV) I have watched over the years how devastating life can be. I have watched people lose their houses, their jobs and income. I have see families torn apart through strive and division and I've seen the heartbreak of losing someone that they love. i have seen it all. Life can be very hard at times. But on the flip side, I have seen over and over again of how faithful God and how He always takes care of His children. He promises restoration to us and I've thought about that alot. Restoration doesn't mean that He will necessarily bring back each and every thing that we lost but He will bring back that which is better for our lives. Restoration might also be a healing to our hearts over some loss that we've experienced. It tells us in Psalm 23 that he "restores our soul" - indicating that he heals the hurts and wounds that we have. This is a picture of a lamb that has rolled over on its side and cannot get up on its feet. The shepherd picks him up and gets him back on his feet again. This is what God wants to do to you today - bring restoration to your life. Trust God to bring you "through" whatever trial you might be experiencing and that He will accomplish what is best for your life today.

GOD HELPS US EVEN WHEN WE MAKE MISTAKES

Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The Lord can give you much more than that." (2 Chronicles 25:9 NIV) Amaziah (a 25 year old king of Judah) invested his money in the wrong place by hiring Israelite troops to protect him and his people. That was not part of God's plan at all. Amaziah was worried about protecting his investment but God was wanting to protect his soul. God sends a man (we don't know who) and warns him to not go ahead with his plans. He proclaims to Amaziah that "the Lord can give you much more than what that" (referring to his investmest of 100 talents). Don't hold on to things that could in the end bring destruction and leaness to your soul. Yes, it might have been a costly mistake but it is better to let go of something that is the wrong decision and decide to go God's way. I love what the scritpures say in the Book Of Joel that God will "restore what the canker worm has eaten up in your life." He can give you so much more than what you've lost. God loves you so much that He will send His messengers to you to warn you of not going your own way. Let Him guide you through your mistakes and let Him lead you to the right paths. God will take care of you - trust Him today with every part of your life and you will be a blessed man or woman of God.

Tailor Made Trials Just For You

Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17 NIV) People often equate any trial in their life as coming from the devil and don't take into consideration that it is possible that the trial came from God Himself. God loves you too much to allow you to continue to do your own thing and will at times create a trial tailor made for you. Jonah had a call on His life and was running from that call. God told him to go one direction and he purposely went another to run from the call of God. God created a fish just Jonah's size that came and swallowed him up. It took 3 whole days for Jonah to repent and return back to God? Can you imagine being in that fish for three days with temperatures around 110 degrees? It could have been over sooner Jonah didn't quite get it. Finally, he relents and repents and the fish vomited him up on dry ground. (The fish probably left a bad taste in his mouth). Stop running from God today. Come back to the place where you should be. Submit to Him and to the leadership God has placed in your life. Only a God who loves you would go to such extremes to get your attention. Turn to Him today and you will be at peace.

How Are You And Jesus Doing Today?

"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart,with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:12, 13 NIV) I think all of us will relate to this verse at one time or another. It is interesting - we all live our life in cycles 1- Things are great. God is close to us and we have a season of abundance 2- We become lax and lazy and take things for granted. We forget God 3- A crisis will come and we find ourselves at the bottom of things 4- We then repent (hopefully) and God brings restoration back into our lives. Where are you in this cycle? Are you in that place and abundance and have taken things for granted. Is God first place in your life right now? Are you listening to and heeding the voice of God in your life right now? Are you hardened to the things of and ways of God? Is your heart indifferent today? Are you on fire for God or is your heart cold and calloused. My prayer for you today is that would do a heart check today and ask God to bring you back to the place where you need to be. Do you need to set aside time to be with God? Do you need to fast and pray? I pray that God would become real and close to you today and that His Holy Spirit would draw you into His presence today. I pray that you would be honest about how things are with you and Jesus today and that you would be willing for Him to speak the needed changes that you need to make. God is waiting. Are you willing and ready?

Our Victory Is On The Way

So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim. (1 Chronicles 14:11 NIV) in this passage - the Philistines were coming with full force against David in Jerusalem. David, goes to where they are and "heads them off the pass" as you might say. As David tells us - God gave such an overwhelming victory that it seemed like a dam was broke and the waters rushed out. In other words - it was BIG and it was QUICK. May God do that for you and more today. May He give you the courage to meet your difficulties straight up and give an OVERWHELMING victory today. I pray this in Jesus' strong name. Amen!"

The God Of The Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV) Every person who walks with God faces obstacles that are so daunting and overwhelming that we wonder if even God can fix it. I know I have - over and over. I've looked at certain things and thought that there was no way around that mountain. Fortunately for us, God knows that our faith is at times minimal and very weak. It becomes a reminder to us that "I can't but He can." He absolutely loves it when we call out to Him for help and assistance. He loves and even longs for His children to come to Him with any need they might have. Your God is the God of the impossible today. Go to Him and tell Him how much you love Him and tell Him your need today. Watch how He will then come through for you again and again."