The Closest Ones Benefit the Most

Tuesday's DEVO had this paragraph in it: "We can certainly notice the needs of others and have the right responses ready in any given situation.  We can speak encouragement, and we can point others to the love of our  Father.  As for healing, we can take a bold step and pray for someone.   Christ is the One Who patches things up, but our hearts and hands are the conduits through which His power travels."

I have been thinking about these words a lot since then, and I finally realized why.  It's because those who are closest to us are the ones who will benefit most when we notice their needs, give a right response, speak encouragement, point them to the Parent Who loves them more than we do, and pray for them.

A few days ago someone in my precious inner circle really needed a confidence boost; they  desperately needed to see that God was in control.  In a voice devoid of its usual fervor-pitched loudness, I brought it down a notch to really emphasize how relaxed I was in the midst of the mayhem.   And then I simply stated the situation was in God's good hands, that I had placed it there several days ago, that He and only He was in control, and that nothing and no one could stand in the way of what needed to happen.   It finally all worked out.  I was AMAZED  and grateful I could stay so calm in the middle of a very frustrating moment.

Had I not prayed about it, had I ignored the need, or had my initial reaction been to throw in the towel, the outcome might have been different.  Also, had I not bombarded the throne of God with requests and guidance for this matter, I might have not had the faith  -  NO  -  I would not have had the faith to be so sure He was in charge!  And honestly, folks, I do not have the right reaction every single time something heads my way; it's something I have to constantly work on by staying plugged in to my Lord.  But in this circumstance I responded with God-given grace and certainty. I was acutely aware of God having my back and the back of this precious inner circle member.  It was fortitude not of my own making, but one that only comes when we follow Christ's example.  I love it when God uses me to impact someone else's life, but it's all the more meaningful when it's someone really close to me.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We connect with You right now in prayer, and we thank You that this connection blesses our lives and mightily impacts the lives of those closest to us.  We pray for our faith and the faith of all those we love to grow stronger. Help us to always keep the right attitude and perspective.  Remind us that when we pray about something, YOU TAKE CONTROL! In Jesus' name, AMEN.   

The Lord Provided a Hugh Fish~

Rainy Tuesday greetings~

Yesterday's DEVO caused many things to come into focus for some of us.

Whereas previously one of you did not know how to pray for a husband who is making poor choices, now you are boldly asking God to send the wind until there is a course correction. AMEN!

Another one of us finally let go of fear and asked God to shake things up for your teenager whose choices have had you worried lately. You have been so concerned about the consequences your child might face that you lacked trust and courage to ask God to send the wind.

So I dedicate this DEVO to you.

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

By verse 17 in Jonah chapter one, Jonah has tried to run away from God by taking a ship in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go, has realized that God sent the storm to get his attention, and has been thrown off that very same ship because it was the only thing that would bring the calm. And while the others on the ship are now safe, Jonah has been swallowed by a huge fish.

Pretty frightening circumstances. We all grew up hearing this story about Jonah and the whale. But the Bible does not say whale--it says huge fish. It could have been a whale, but I once heard a preacher say it could have been a great white shark because they are big enough to swallow humans whole. The horror!

Either way, I can not imagine the fear. However, look at the verse again: The Lord provided the huge fish.

Being in that desperate condition was part of God's plan. What Jonah thought would kill him and digest him, was supernatural provision to bring about a change of heart.

Jonah 2:1-2 "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and You listened to my cry.'"

Two points today. (1) Trust the Lord with your family. He knows what type of "fish" to send. He knows what circumstance it will take for your loved one to turn to Him. And (2) It may appear that, like Jonah, someone you love is in the realm of the dead, but when they finally call on God, Jonah 2:10 "The Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land," God will turn that situation around and bring a fresh start.


PRAYER: Dear Lord, We want You in control of the "huge fish" that will bring a change of heart in the life of someone we love. We pray and ask You to take charge. As difficult as it might be, we know that when You provide the circumstance it ends up well. And we know that by praying, we are inviting Your will and Your purpose to prevail. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

What Should Our Prayers Look Like?

Good afternoon, you magnificent creatures:)


Let's wrap up our look at praying for success by defining what success is. Abraham's servant was sent to look for a wife for Abraham's son. Arranged marriages were the custom back then, and even though we no longer do that, there is a lot we can learn from the servant's prayer. He specifically asked for a young woman who would offer water to him and the camels.

Sounds kind of lame in 2013. But back then after a lengthy trek across the desert, watering the camels meant a whole lot of extra work for this young lady. You try lowering a bucket in a well and haulin' it back up filled with water over and over again until those one-humped horses drank their fill, and the Bible tells us there were 10 camels in the caravan. If a camel can store 20 gallons in its hump, and each bucket holds a gallon, and there were 10 camels, that means Rebecca lowered and raised that bucket 200 times. (I feel so ashamed thinking back to when my mom would ask me to sweep the kitchen, and I would swish all the debris under the fridge).

At the heart of the servant's request was that the young lady whom he would find would be a decent, hard-working, kind, compassionate soul.

That's a worthy request if ever I heard one!

So when we pray for success what exactly should our prayers look like?

Philippians 4:6-9 Provides a great outline.
6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Do that, and God, Who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.

We're all smart people. We know what is true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, and gracious. We know what is the best and not the worst. We know what is beautiful and what is ugly, and we know excatly what things we should praise. (If you're not sure, you can search the Good Book.)

All of which brings me to a story. I have sometimes wondered why it is that certain things happen to me. One reason is because some of those things are providing the perfect illustration for these DEVOs.

Back in 1989 I went to a prayer meeting with my mom where several women gathered to pray for their husbands. Everything was going well when one woman asked for prayer for her boyfriend. The only problem was that he was a married man.

Was this woman's request noble, beautiful, authentic, or praiseworthy? Of course not!!!! Clearly, she was confused, and all the other women who were there praying for their men, a few of whom were making stupid choices outside their marriage, really let her have it.

The important thing to keep in mind is that God is in control. Each of you could pray until you were blue in the face for me to stop loving Jorge, and God would never answer. We should all be relieved that we don't have that kind of power or else the world would be considerably more dangerous. God is, however, in the business of answering prayers that fulfill the requirements of the verses above. That's excellent news!

PRAYERS: Dear Lord, How wonderful that You and You alone are in control. And You are trustworthy. You will never ever answer a prayer that goes against Your Word. Thank You that You are all about displacing the worry in our lives with peace. Teach us to pray that we may receive the answers we seek. In Jesus' name, Amen~