Some of you, I think may have been misled in my former posting on prayer, that I am not a believer in the power of prayer. Let me clarify....
*I do believe in the power in God, not the power of the pray-er, or the litany used in the prayer.
*I don't believe that my prayer is any more significant to God because I recruited 50 others to pray my same prayer.
*Prayer is not a wish list of things I need and want from God.
*God acts on His terms, not mine.
*I don't believe that God acts because I told him to through prayer.
*People are deceived when they believe prayer healed them, GOD healed them.
What I do believe about prayer...
*Prayer is an act of obedience.
*Prayer is a time of confession or repentance of sin.
*Prayer is an opportunity for us to share with God and to make ourselves available to him.
*Prayer is a time of opening ourselves to the direction of God in ministry to others.
How wonderful would it be that if in your small group Bible study, instead of just "asking for prayer requests", we included a moment for others to suggest and volunteer means of ministering to the object of the request. Even if it just meant sending a card to the person. When someone asked for healing, that at that moment, your group not only prayed, but signed up to do meals or care for the person's yard, give them a ride to the doctor.
Our church is fantastic about ministering to others, but we also are great about listing everything from our twice removed second cousin for prayer as well as the ailing dog. When someone asks for prayer, don't just say, I'll do that. Pray right then and there for the person, then ask how you can minister to them.
To be Christians with fruit carrying out the mission of ministry, we must do more than quipping, "I'll pray for you." Let God do the healing, and let us be the arms and feet of his Love.
2 comments:
I must say TO THE GLORY OF GOD, that during our time (present) of needs for mark's parents that there are four or five members of ou church that have really reached out and become the loving hands and feet of our amazing God. It is such a blessing when you submit a request and people that don't even know my in-laws have visited and sent cards and offered to take them food or just to drop by. that is totally awesome!!!
What a great testimony of prayer in action. Thanks Lucille!
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