"COMMUNITY PRAYER GETS RESULTS"

Good Evening to All!

As they say in church. please allow me to get these announcements out of the way so we can got to the really important things like God's Word.

The Answers to the Bible Challenge "Clothing" are at the bottom of the post.

I have had the privilege and honor to "Guest Post" at Serve One Another in Love tomorrow (Tuesday).

I hope you will come and join me as I place what God has put upon my heart to speak about--God Doesn't Have to Grant Wishes--He Answers Prayers.

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Peter realized it was no dream. "I can't believe it—this really happened! The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to."

^12-14Still shaking his head, amazed, he went to Mary's house, the Mary who was John Mark's mother. The house was packed with praying friends. When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young woman named Rhoda came to see who it was. But when she recognized his voice—Peter's voice!—she was so excited and eager to tell everyone Peter was there that she forgot to open the door and left him standing in the street.

^15-16But they wouldn't believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. "You're crazy," they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn't believe her and said, "It must be his angel." All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away.

^16-17Finally they opened up and saw him—and went wild! (Acts 12:11-16)

Prayer takes place everywhere. Many men and women gather in small or large groups to pray. Excitement comes when prayers are answered. Sometimes we can hardly believe god has answered. The unexpected blessing of a job, a car, or leniency in a court case can amaze us. Why this amazes us I don't understand. Don't get me wrong. I get just as excited about God answering prayers as anyone. There is a difference between being excited about answered prayers and amazement that it happened. After all, we get excited when a baby is born, but with the exception of the wonderment of God's miraculous power, the act of a child being born is an "everyday occurrence". We are awed by HIS power, not by it happening. I hope I am making sense.

The thing is, if we read God's Word, we shouldn't be amazed that He answers our prayers. He says He will do it, and He CANNOT LIE. Therefore we should EXPECT to see our prayers answered. The way He does it may surprise us, but not the fact that He did it. He tells us in His Word to expect miracles.so we should. He tells us "if we abide in Him and His words abide in us that anything we ask in His Name He will do. So, we should heed His words and believe them.

The Bible tells us when two or three are gathered together in My name, I am in the midst of them. The Message Bible states it like this: When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there. (Matthew 18:20)

I couldn't resist this picture. Even this little girl new the more the better.

If two or three can make a difference in prayer, can you imagine what a good sized group or even a nation could do by sending up prayers? God hears every one of them. The key is the phase with one accord. This means in agreement. In other words having a common goal. Not me praying for my family, someone else praying for their's, but a specific purpose. For example where I live has been having the worse drought since 1887. If we would get together and all pray for rain, it would definitely make a difference. If we would pray for our government to get their priorities straight, it would make a difference. We need to be in agreement about what to pray for and do it as a group or nation to see God work His miracles.

I was not putting a dig in about politics, I was just using that as an example. All I am saying is I have heard many people say "God didn't answer my prayer". I have a theory. One, they gave up praying too quickly, two, He did answer, the answer was just no, or not yet, three , their motives weren't right, four, what they were asking for was not in the will of God, and sometimes maybe God likes to hear more than one voice praying for the same thing.

I don't know if you noticed, but when the church was praying for Peter and Rhoda told them that Peter was standing outside, no one believed her. To me, that showed a lack of faith on their parts. Why pray for something if you don't think it will happen? Makes no sense to me. If we are going to take time and effort to pray, then we definitely need to have the faith in God to know He will answer. If not, we're just spinning our wheels, blowing hot air, we'll be doing about as much good as talking to the TV . (I've done that, and it doesn't do a bit of good. They don't hear a word I'm saying).

When someone asks me to pray with them, they are expecting results, or they wouldn't ask. Therefore, I better have my "shield of faith" ready to go into action. I better believe 1000 percent that God is going to do what I ask. You know what? He does. I have "layed hands on people and prayed for them and by God's powerful healing hand I have seen cancer healed, I've seen a lady with scoliosis stand up straight, and many other things. Not just physical healing, but depression lifted and worries dissipated. It's awesome to see God at work. The more I see, the more my faith grows and the more I see. It's fantastic. I will say that it takes faith on all sides though. A person doesn't show much faith if they get prayed for , and then turn around and say I better go to the doctor just in case.

I'm not saying I'm against doctors. I've been to them quite a bit lately, but wait a while to see if God is going to heal you quickly or if he is planning on using His "instrument" (doctor) to do so. He can do either . I've seen both.

When people pray, things happen. marriages grow strong, ministries begin and thrive, schools and neighborhoods turn around, people find healing. When you pray, and after you pray, look around you for changes and signs that God is responding, then share your observations and all good news.

Speaking of Good News, Remember Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Do not dwell on bad things. From what I have read, Jesus' outlook was a positive one.

Remember, Get together with a couple or a few friends and pray about an issue with one accord. You will be surprised at the outcome.

Bible Challenge Answers:

1. b) Jacob's ( Genesis 27:15-16)
2. c) the edges shouldn't be trimmed (Leviticus 19:27)
3. d) the same clothes for forty years (Deuteronomy 29:5)
4. b) a new coat (1 Samuel 2:19)
5. c) David's servants (1 Chronicles 19:4)
6. d) Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:8)
7. c) it was seamless (John 19:23-24)
8. a) silk (Proverbs 31:22)
9. d) pearls (1 Timothy 2:9)
10. True (1 Corinthians 11:15)

I hope you all did well, and had fun looking up the answers and maybe even got engrossed in what you were reading so much so that you kept right on reading. LOL

Good Night to All and May God Bless,