Preaching with a purpose

The most powerful thing we can do is to pray for them. We don't have many opportunies to help them in their poverty but we can pray. Prayer is not the last resort. Why is prayer so effective? It is because we have a powerful God and Father who loves his children and is ready to act on their behalf when we pray. He is not hard hearted and refusing to act until we pray, but he does like us to be actively involved in what he is doing.Leave a comment on this blog if you are praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters. If we all do that it may be an encouragement to them, should they have access to the internet. By commenting you can commit yourself to pray. At this time of year, when many of us are looking forward to being with our families, let's remember those in prison for their faith.

Prayer isn't about you demanding and God coughing up the goods. Prayer is about finding God's will for your life. God is great and glorious and has a plan for you. If you can quietly listen to him and bend your will to seek out his purpose and not your plan, you will find great peace, even if it is in the middle of disaster in your life. God is perfect and his plan for you is perfect, but it may not look as if it is from your present viewpoint. You have to learn to trust. Keep a diary of the people and circumstances you are praying about and then look back over your record and see how God has worked. As you note each answer you will become more confident that you can trust the Lord for everything. Don't forget to say thank you. See some prayers which I have written in the link below. A Prayer For Every Day

Prayer is not like a slot machine where you put something in and get what you want. Prayer is not so much asking God to do something as getting yourself in line with his will. If we believe God's way is the best way, we need to find out what that way is and get alongside. God wishes the best for us but we have to find out what that best is. At first it may appear to be anything but the best. None of us wants to suffer, but suffering can make us better people. If we relate suffering to this life only we will see it as a bad thing. If we look to the longer view and think of eternity when all will be finally sorted, if we are trusting in Jesus all our sorrows will be washed away and no longer remembered. So do not be afraid to face suffering. By prayer become God's friend like Abraham, who followed God even thought he didn't know where he was going. Throw away your plan for your life. Give your life over to God and find yourself in the biggest adventure.

God always answers our prayers, it just might not seem like it. Sometimes he says,"yes" and sometimes "no". But more oftern he says"wait." I recently had a prayer answered that I prayed about thirty years ago. A woman in a neighbouring village was going through a difficullt time and I asked the Lord if I could help her by being her friend. I didn't even know what she looked like then, but three years ago I was in a meeting, having met this woman once or twice and not even knowing she was the woman I had prayed for. She was in s distressed state having lost her husband 18 months previously. I felt the Lord was telling me to give her a hug. I did and this was the beginning of our friendship. Why did God take so long to answer my prayer? Perhaps this time was the best time for our friendship to begin, I think so. When God answers our ptayers he is not trapped in time as we are. He answers our prayers at once, it is just that we have to catch ...

This charming little westie is the reason for me being late. I spent the night dog-sitting at her place and couldn't get to a computer. So I am late. God is never late. He has everything planned and it happens just when he wishes it to. You may think God is late answering your prayer, but He has already answered it but maybe for you the answer is in the future. God is not caught in time as we are, he knows the end from the beginning. If you are trusting in Him He has your best interest at heart and you will get that answer to your prayer, but at the time that is best. However it is not easy for us to wait for that answer, we are by nature very impatient. I am 64 and I believe I am on the brink of having a prayer answered that I prayed when I was a teenager. Sometimes it is best to leave our prayers with God and get on with our lives until He answers and gives us a wonderful surprise. A Prayer for Every Day

I prayed for rain because the farmers need it. Rain came. Should I be surprized? Of course not. God is a prayer answering God. Try it and see. He won't give you things that are bad for you. He might take a long time to answer. You see God is in eternity and He is not restricted by time as we are. So God may answer at once in eternity, but you may have to travel quite a time to reach that answer. But it will be well worth waiting for.God cares about you and me. He won't let us down.