So continuing with our look through Fervent, I found this passage on page 9: “One of the hands, as you see, is wrinkled and worn. Visibly older. A couple of the nails are a bit bruised and tattered. There’s no jewelry to adorn any finger. And no real attempt at cosmetic touches. It’s just plain. Simple. Strong and storied, yet nobly, humbly feminine.” Priscilla is talking about her grandmother, the woman who taught her not only what prayer looks like, but the significance and power behind it. Priscilla credits her grandmother's influence and example for making such a difference in her life. When I was a young mother, divorced with two little ones, I fell far from God. I had married young. And as the saying goes about sewing wild oats - Well, divorce and culture made bad choices easy. Decades later, when I was safely back in God’s arms, I found myself considering my life and how horrible some of my early choices had been. When out of the blue, as if someone had tapped me on the shoulder, came an image of my grandmother praying. Like it was yesterday I saw her sitting at the kitchen table, head in hands, praying with fervent compassion, tears dropping onto the pages of her open bible, whispered pleas floating up in the air. I realized she had seen my behavior in those years long ago, and I know she would not have stood idly by without praying. I could imagine oceans of tears falling for her precious granddaughter who she loved so much. She would have literally been a WARRIOR against the enemy's influence in my life ~ calling on God to draw me back! ~ to restore the child she knew was still deep inside. In that moment, many years after she was gone, I saw in my life the results of prayer's eternal force. See, prayer isn’t just something we do to alleviate a pain, or fix a bad situation (although it can thoroughly accomplish both). No, prayer’s effects can be eternal. Prayers spoken now can build godly outcomes in the future, as I prayed years later for my third child that his spouse (who would come many years ahead in his life) that she would be holy and devoted to God. Now a godly, amazing woman is his wife and mother of their two children. We have so much power given to us through the prayers God lays in our hearts. Prayers for healing. Prayers for peace. Prayers for redemption. Prayers for restoration. Prayers led by God, offered by a compassionate heart are unstoppable, becoming an eternal force in another's life.
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So, I want to start on Page 3. Here’s a great sentence: “...we want the devil and his plans to go back to the hell where they came from.” Priscilla was talking about the hell God designed for the evil one and his groupies. But any adult knows there are different kinds of hell in this world. I want to talk about those self-imposed ‘hells’ and God’s power over them. Yesterday I experienced a God-event. I don’t say that flippantly, but in a most profound way. Have you ever had an issue in your life that became so big you knew only God could fix it? You had no idea how to do it yourself - or you would! Mine lead me into desperate, tearful, and repeated prayers of, "Help me!" Yesterday, in response to those cries - He stepped in. Do I know what happened? Yes. Do I understand why it helped me and why I feel so free and joyful today? No. What does it mean that He intervened and yet I don’t understand what he fixed? It means GOD IS GREAT and he saw what hurt. He saw what was going wrong. He corrected what needed correcting. He's a merciful God who removes hurt and fixes what's broken ~ all to accomplish His purpose through you. Then ~ HE IGNITES THE POWER HE PLANTED IN YOU. Can the enemy give you anything other than pain and lies? No! But he wants you to think he can! He wants you to believe you can fix what’s going wrong in your life ~ even the things you DON’T UNDERSTAND ~ that you don't need God! Don’t believe that lie. Pray! Even if you don’t know why it hurts or what to say - JUST PRAY! Cry out the simplest request, “Help me!” He sees you. He hears you. He is faithful! I’m so thankful He fixed what I still don’t understand… because now, as experience teaches me, I will understand someday. Then He will ignite the wisdom gained in that suffering for His purpose in another moment and another time to benefit another. And that is a great God! Amen, amen and amen... |
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