God Answers Prayer

The following story is told of William Miller during the WWII era. Shortly before America entered the war Mr. Miller was driving his car on a winter's night in Pennsylvania when he hit some ice that caused him to wreck. He was thrown through the window. A short while later he was pulled from the ice by a passing stranger, Warren Felty. Though in a coma for several days, Miller survived. 

Five years later Miller was a POW in Germany. They prisoners were being marched from one camp to another during a terrible blizzard when Miller collapsed under the strain. His last conscious thought was that he would die there in the cold. But again a good samaritan came to his rescue. Another prisoner pulled him from the snow and helped him to make it to camp. Who was the man? It was none other than Warren Felty, also a prisoner of war. For the second time he had saved Miller's live in almost identical circumstances. 

After the war the two met again. Miller was sitting in a cafe eating when  Felty stopped into the restaurant. He said that "something" just told him to stop and go in. Miller was on the verge of loosing a job because he couldn't secure the contract he needed. You guessed it. Felty was able to help him secure the contract with his company. For the third time Felty showed up right when Miller needed him. Coincidence? I don't think so. 

As I read this little story I was struck with a thought. Someone, somewhere was praying for William Miller. He may not have been aware of it but someone knew how to talk to God on his behalf. How do I know this? Because I have seen to many other instances of answered prayer that were more than just "coincidence."  Allow me to share another story. 

A friend of mine called a taxi to his home one day. The driver had a brand new vehicle he had bought for his taxi business. My friend tried to open the rear door on the passenger side but it wouldn't open. The driver told him to get in the front. He tried that but it stuck as well. Finally my friend went around and got in behind the driver. One block from the house a drive by shooter shot through the windshield into the passenger's side. The bullet not only shattered the glass but went through the head rest and lodged in the back seat. Had my friend been sitting on the passenger's side he would have been killed. Later I learned that several members of this man's family are Spirit filled Christians and two of his uncles are Holiness preachers. Again, I say someone was praying for him. 

I am convinced that we as the church of the living God don't realize the power that is available to us through prayer. We talk about prayer and sing about prayer but often prayer is our last resort. All of the power of God is available to the believer through prayers. Jesus said that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us (I John 5:14.) Wow, what a promise! The God of the universe pays attention to us when we pray according to his will and hears and responds. 

So often we don't pray because we become discouraged. Maybe we think we aren't worthy to ask God for anything. In our own selves we aren't worthy. But the blood of Jesus has made us worthy to stand in God's presence. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can come boldly before God's throne of grace to find help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). 

No doubt all of us find ourselves in times of need. We know others who need prayer. We must never despair. No matter how dark the trial may look, God is able to bring us through. Prayer is a powerful weapon that is available to all of us any time of day or night, anywhere. Let us not cease to pray for we never know what our prayers may accomplish. They just might save someone's life. 

Prayerfully,

Sullivan Jones 

Don't Listen To the Naysayers

Matthew 19:26 - With God all things are possible.

Gladys Aylward was a young British woman who served as a life long missionary to the Chinese during the first half of the twentieth century. Her story, told in the book "The Little Woman" is truly remarkable. One of the most amazing parts of her story is that no mission society would send her. When God began to deal with her about the mission field she attended a mission school for three months in order to learn about the possibility of serving overseas. At the end of that time she was told she was not qualified. Her education was not good enough and it was thought that she would never learn the Chinese language; it is considered one of the most complicated in the world for English speakers to master.

So what did Gladys do? She went anyway. She heard of a independent woman missionary in China who needed someone to carry on her work, as the woman was old and in bad health. Gladys worked as a parlor maid, saved her money, and bought a one way ticket to China. Shortly after her arrival, the older Mrs. Lawson died and left Gladys completely alone as the only European woman in that part of China. How as she going to survive? What would she do? The rest of the story is nothing short of miraculous.

Through divine providence Gladys was invited by the Mandarin (the local Chinese governor) to become the foot inspector for that region. The Chinese had passed a law that forbade the ancient practice of foot binding, a cruel practice which left the woman handicapped. As she was the only woman he knew without bound feet, he needed her to inspect the feet of little girls and make sure that there feet were allowed to grow properly. She accepted the job on the condition that she could also tell people about Jesus wherever she went. The governor agreed. For the next few years Gladys was paid to travel throughout every village in the region and enforce the new law. She had soldiers to accompany her for protection and to enforce what she said. She saw hundreds of people converted to Christianity and was able to help stamp out the cruel custom of foot binding. All this from the lady who was not eligible for service according to the mission societies.

And that that's not the best part .... Against all the dire predictions of the men who would not send Gladys, she learned to not only speak, but to read and write the Chinese language like a native. After a few years in China she dressed and spoke just like a native Chinese speaker. In fact, until she would tell them, most Chinese would not know she was not one of them. She always said that to her this was one of God's great mysteries.

The moral of the story is this: Do not let the nay sayers put limits on us. No doubt, these men meant well. They truly did not think Gladys had what it took to be a missionary and wanted to spare her a lot of trouble. But when God puts a call on someone's life and desire in someone's heart it is not for us to dissuade him. Do you have a dream you haven't seen fulfilled? You don't see how it could ever come to pass? Remember this. God's ability to work through us is not limited by what people think of us. It is often the least thought of who do the greatest exploits because then God gets the glory.

Are you discouraged? Thinking of giving up? Just remember Gladys, and tell yourself this: With God all things are possible!

Sincerely,

Sullivan Jones 

How to Pray Powerful Prayers

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Revelation 8:4 

Prayer is more than just an exercise or a discipline. It is an act of love poured out to God. Prayer is the pouring forth of a believer's innermost desires, concerns, failures, fears, and thoughts to the one he loves the most. Prayer is the most intimate thing we can do. It is expressing our very soul to God.

There are different types of prayers. There is a place for public prayer. This is almost like a married couple holding hands in public. A couple may even sneak a kiss in public but most of their intimate times are behind closed doors. This does not only include physical intimacy but they save their most private thoughts for when they are alone. Prayer is much the same way. A believer who is madly in love with the Lord will have times when he wants to be completely alone with God to share his most intimate praise, worship, and request. This is what Jesus meant by the "prayer closet."

Prayer is holy. It  means much more to God when the person doing the praying has kept himself clean from a sinful lifestyle and done his best to be faithful to God. No married woman would be comfortable with a spouse who flirts with other women all day and comes home to tell her how beautiful she is at night. The words would sound meaningless because he has said them to others. She will feel as if she is just someone else for him to flirt with. It is the same with God and prayer. He does not want our second best. If we participate in things that are clearly against his word our prayers will be lifeless at best and hypocritical at worst.

A husband and wife can each tell when the other is holding back something. My wife knows when I am talking to her but my mind or heart is elsewhere. Life is busy but I must always make time to give her my undivided attention. My prayer life with God should be no less important. When I am surrendered to God my prayers are more energetic and powerful; they have much more meaning.

Jesus Christ excelled in prayer because he was both Holy and completely surrendered to the Father. Full surrender opens the door to powerful prayer. God is only impressed when he knows we are holding nothing back from him. Anyone can memorize prayers and learn to pray beautiful orations in public. Only a person who is truly in love with God will pray prayers that shake the spiritual world and change heaven and earth. If I am tempted to participate in something I know is wrong I must remind myself of this. I can not afford to allow anything into my home or life that would make my prayer less powerful.

There are far too few believers who are praying and our world is depending on us. Won't you join me in making a commitment, not just to prayer, but to Holy prayer? It is worth the price!

Prayerfully Yours

Sullivan Jones