The Prayer that Makes Perfect

Something made me think of my Grandmother the other day; she would often call and say, ‘I don’t know nothing….I just called to find out how you were doing’. She was a busy woman, probably too busy, but I was amazed that she could find the time to do the things she did. “I don’t know nothing” may not be good english, but it made me think about her and the love she had for me. It makes me lovingly think of others I care about and how I should find the time to reach them. The truth is, I don’t have much to offer and I really don’t know much… but, for the grace of God I am nothing and I have nothing. While in that momentary thought of, ‘what little I could offer anyone’, I found myself praying; God save my children, save my family, God save me, and Lord save others through my life…oh, how I need Your power.’ Your life is a powerful thing, a tool created really for only for one purpose and that’s to be used by the power of God to influence others for His cause. Your life is to become a living testimony made by what only the Holy Spirit can reflect upon you, so others could be saved. I love the place where Jesus says, ‘Come to Me all you who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest….’ The word says, Jesus lives at the right hand of God (Mk16:19). Residing in power, He lives to make intercession for us’ (Heb7:25). He lives to call us to rest ourselves in His finished work and be connected to His life and power by the Holy Spirit whom He sent as our Helper and His agent of extra-ordinary benefits. He lives to bring you into a restful place to stop thinking there’s anything you could do for Him. He lives so you might realize it’s in only what He can do for you– to reflect His life by powerful changes in your character and demeanor. The Spirit of God moves in the place of prayer connecting us to the will and intention of His heart. While men search for the perfect; the perfect life, a perfect home, the perfect love, it can only be found in the perfect heart of God, known only by time in the presence of His own dear Son.   E.M. Bounds one said, “Prayer is far reaching in its influence and worldwide in its effects. It affects all men, affects them everywhere, and affects them in all things. It touches man’s interest in time and eternity. It lays hold upon God and moves him to interfere in the affairs of earth. It moves the angels to minister to men in this life. It restrains and defeats the devil and his schemes to ruin man. Prayer goes everywhere and lays its hand upon everything.” It’s prayer that makes us behold Him who is perfect, so we should reflect His glory. The enemy would have you weak and giving up over the things you see, but Jesus would have you pray and He says, ‘come to Me!’

All Because of the Son

While recently waiting at an airport with my wife and son, I reflected upon a story my wife had told me some 18 years before during a holiday visit home to Texas when we were living in Maine. My wife was always a good-mother to be there for her children; she took great pleasure in seeing our children were well clothed, well taught and well cared for (something I will always honor her for).  Isn’t it interesting in a world that says, ‘woman get out there and make something of yourself’ your real blessing will depend on your children and what they say about you.  On this particular occasion, she was traveling alone with our children.  She would often dress them alike or in coordinated outfits. A well remembered favorite of mine were the little denim dresses my two daughters wore to match my son’s blue denim hat… all that to say, she was making a statement that said to the world around her, “these are distinctly mine”.  As I’d reminisced about the story she once told me, I got her to tell it to me again.   It seems her plane was late in arriving to make a late night connection for Dallas.  When they arrived at the very large metropolitan airport they got turned around and had to run hand in hand to the connecting gate.  When they finally found their gate, the attendant said that the plane had already left. My wife realizing there were no more planes out, leaving her and our 3 children stranded in a strange airport, began to cry as they walked about holding each other by the hand.  The cries were tears of what if, and why, and how come.  As tears continued to flow, my wife felt my son’s small hand begin to gently pat her face. Isn’t that like the son, a loving touch to say, ‘I’m here, it’s okay we’re together it’s going to be alright….’ My son always did have a very good sense of direction!  A short time past and a very important looking man came by and saw her crying.  He was moved as he saw her tears and the children holding hands beside her.  He asked what was wrong and she proceeded to tell him the story.  “Quickly”, he said, “come with me.” Understanding there were no more planes to Dallas leaving out that night and her dilemma, he got on his radio speaking to someone all the while whisking them downstairs and onto the tarmac. She said from there he put them on little cart and drove them at full speed across the runway to board a plane that He had held up to take them aboard.  As she re-told what happened, I had to choke back the tears, but I was moved by the reminder God uses small things to tell one very big story.  He reminded me that while I could not be there, He was able to use my only son to accurately convey His love and sentiments!  I believe He is saying to you, ‘I see you in your tears and I understand your problem, I’m here, it’s okay we’re together it’s going to be alright….trust Me!’.  I believe the Father wants to say, ‘I’m going on ahead of you, moving on your behalf and if you’ll trust Me, I’m holding some things up to get you where you need to be.  It may not be the most comfortable means, but if you’ll trust Me it will be okay.  It will be better than okay, it will be a testimony of My Unseen Power that moves others and moves out ahead of you to change what you cannot foresee.’  ‘You must trust me and receive my touch and the Son of My Love.’  ‘He has the mantle of my blessing and is able to touch you offering comfort in your long standing pain.  Believe Him and trust Me.’  There is and should be a moral to every story, but how seldom we see it as we stand blinded by our fears and our tears.  God says receive the touch and obtain the promise.   What about your story?  God is writing a story on the pages of your life– a story little different from the one I just told.  I’m so moved sometimes when my wife tells me of these little miracles of how she believed God’s hand was moving in her life. Our lives are always better for having acknowledged how the hand of God moves on our behalf helping us in times of trouble!  This little story has been stored away in my files for months; I kept coming back to it, but couldn’t delete it because of the truth it conveys. I believed God saved this story for your benefit, so that you might see in your sorrow, when in your tears, the Spirit of Jesus gently comes alongside you to touch you and say, ‘I’m here, it’s okay we’re together it’s going to be alright… Trust Me!’  Today in your struggle, don’t fail to see Jesus; He’s there beside you; He walks with you; He moves ahead of you, to command your miracle in spite of you, and to open what has been shut, and to shut what has been opened!  He’s waiting for your response of complete trust, and through it He is moving to bring forth your story–a unique testimony of His advancing power that comes in your present circumstance to say to you, “You are distinctly Mine, all and only because of the Son!”  Trust Jesus today and don’t miss this opportunity; God saved it especially for you!

The Field of Glory

God has a word for you today to persevere in the field He’s placed you in. He wants you to reach the people in it for His glory. Be assured today, you’re right where you should be as you yield your ambitions because of the Father’s love for the field. He would say to you, ‘know My love and you WILL produce My glory in this, your field!’ God has you right where He has you to be effective! Without His glory your crops will fail and there is no harvest. God desires to see the glory of His field in full bloom because it is His desire that you be fruitful and multiply. Jesus says, ‘lift your eyes on the fields white unto harvest’. My heart was reassured recently, that if I’d just live for Him and not resist, I’d get the love of His heart and He would allow me a window into what He sees and how His heart breaks because of how He loves. I looked up to see a child and thought of my own and my love for them and began to understand the Father’s love for others. The love of God and relationship with Him produces glory. It’s not so much what you do, but it’s who you become. My son can’t really do anything to be my son, he IS my son and everything he does is a reflection of me. Put into perspective, God says you are to be a reflection of Me, so where is your glory? You are like a mirror reflecting what you are looking at, so what are you looking at? God says, ‘know my love and behold the man Christ Jesus the son of my love, then you will be a reflection of My love for others.’ When you see Him, you’ll weep for your foolishness because it robbed you from people in danger with no one to sound the alarm…no one to show forth the glory. He lovingly says to you again and again, ‘I’m your glory, I am all you need and in my unfailing love, I will have you to be the bold light of the field.’  Our prayer today…‘God give us the beat of your loving heart and show us the field of glory!’

The Love that Listening Inspires

The Spirit’s role is to make your life a conduit inspiring the greatness of God in others through faith. It is important, not that you just read or hear, but comprehend His love and word by listening! Listening involves a developed skill by which you gain awareness, a capacity for spiritual growth and greater understanding. In Mark 4:24-25; Jesus says, ‘take care how you listen’. Listening will ensure your place in the Kingdom by giving you access to ‘spiritual capital’ which is the riches of Christ. Your life will be full and satisfied, and from it, your abundance will overflow to many others. Are you failing to comprehend His love and desire for your life? Listen more closely…get still….put sin away…and come to His word. Jesus promised, if you truly belong to Him, you would hear His voice speaking, going ahead of you and bringing you to an awareness which will make you fully satisfied as His follower actualizing an anointing for the greatness of God in you and through you. Your life will accomplish His purpose inspiring faith and  love for God in others…when you listen.  He says, be careful how you listen, because I am seeking to reach many who are on your watch.  Come! There is a love that listening inspires and I would have you to know its abundance.