"I pulled into my driveway, waving at my neighbor Myriam and her little girl Elizabeth. Over the years, Elizabeth had grown accustomed to our spontaneous chats lasting longer than the promised “few minutes” and morphing into prayer meetings. She climbed the tree planted in the center of their front yard, dangled her legs over a branch, and busied herself while her mother and I spoke. After a while, Elizabeth hopped down from her roost and ran to where we stood. Grabbing our hands, she smiled and almost sang, “It’s time to pray . . . again.” Even at an early age, Elizabeth seemed to understand how important prayer was in our friendship.
After encouraging believers to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10), the apostle Paul offered special insight on the crucial role of continual prayer. He described the necessary armor God’s people would need during their spiritual walk with the Lord, who provides protection, discernment, and confidence in His truth (vv. 11–17). However, the apostle emphasized this God-given strength grew from deliberate immersion in the life-giving gift of prayer (vv. 18–20).
God hears and cares about our concerns, whether they’re spoken boldly, sobbed silently, or secured deep in a hurting heart. He’s always ready to make us strong in His power, as He invites us to pray again and again and again.
How can ongoing prayer change our perspective, relationships, and day-to-day living? What would it mean for you to consider your time in prayer to be as vital as breathing?" - Our Daily Bread
Prayer is everything to a believer in Jesus Christ. It's our lifeline in all situations. It's as necessary as food and water but for our souls. Without it, it's the same as trying to hold your breath, you eventually have to cry out from need.
In this new time of life, that really hasn't been seen in a hundred years, God is waiting and watching for His Church. Watching who is really planted by the waters and who isn't. As Jesus said, you will know them by their fruits.
Really consider your reactions to this life.
Really take a moment, considering that due to this virus God's giving everyone time to, to look at what He is saying right now.
This birth pang that hit this world called the coronavirus has stripped the world of a great deal of social interaction. Shutting down boarders to countries. Shutting down travel. Yet the internet is more alive now than ever. People are looking for hope. People are looking for something or someone to tell them it's going to be alright.
My dear reader it is only found in Christ.
It starts with a right relationship with Jesus. If you aren't a believer in Jesus. If He isn't your Savior. Then there's enmity between you and Him. Meaning there's a score that needs settled. There is a life debt that needs paid that you can't afford to pay. If this is you and you are looking for hope. It's going to cost someone something. You need to make things right between you and Jesus. If this is you. I implore you to take a moment right now to search for Romans Road to Salvation. Settle that debt. Begin that relationship with Jesus today. That will be the beginning of hope for you.
If you are in Christ, hope springs eternal, because of the Holy Spirit within you. Jesus h
Keeps His promises. Look at what kind of Lord we serve. Look at the book of Joshua, Chapter 21. "So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."
Pay special attention to the last verse.
Scripture tells us that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He promised never to leave us nor forsake us. By no means is this current situation showing anything of being forsaken. God is drawing people nearer to Himself.
What this virus has done to society is the same as you see in videos of a lake that was man made by intentional flooding of an area. Every so many decades they have to drain it to clean it. When the water is held back and it goes down to nothing. Everything you couldn't see is revealed. The old buildings that had been hidden by the waters. The evidence of a city nobody had seen in a very long time.
The pollution of sinful behaviors has been radically cut back in society. As those waters recede, people are taking stock in their lives. Truth is being revealed as to what is really important to them. Somehow I doubt that toilet paper is it.
People are craving relationships. People are craving interactions with people. God created us to be relational. Right now my friend, hold onto the most important relationship. That which you have in Christ.
He's pealed back a great many things about our society that He has a problem with. Idolatry is a huge one. It is what it is. God's definition is still what matters.
He's putting the brakes on abortion. Lives matter to Him. He is the Creator of life.
He had stated what kind of worshippers He seeks. Those who worship in Spirit and in truth.
His work at this time is really showing who is a follower of Christ and who isn't. It's a wakeup call of a Spiritual nature. Are you alive in Christ or are you seeing that you are not? This is a global disease, but it's also a purifying agent. It's revealing what's at the heart of people.
He's giving people a chance to reexamine their lives. To make things right. Judgment is coming. God allows nothing without a purpose. He allowed this virus. Look for its purpose. Jesus spoke of birth pangs. Knowing what those are in the physical world, relate it to the Spiritual world. He said that when we see these happening and increasing know that His return is near.
Be in prayer. Be talking with Jesus. Not just about food. About you. Get real with yourself and God. The Disciples had no worries when they were near Jesus.
Pray today, pray throughout the day.
Make sure your evident fruit shows you are a Child of God.
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