By Faith Enterprises

Did I Really Mean what I had Asked for Or was I Just Trying to Impress God with Words: Part 1

Tip! So when we ask Christ to carry out His works in our hearts we are fervently praying that our Father may be glorified in His Son.

While praying during the quiet hours of the morning in my bedroom room a few years ago, I was burdened to pray that I would be available for God to use me anyway He saw fit to use me. The church I was attending set one evening a week to go out and visit the people who were sick or could not get out because of physical problems, most were older people. This was also a time we visited people who had not been to church for awhile and new members; this was the group I was comfortable visiting. However, this night the pastor assigned my team to visit an 84 year old man in a nursing home.

I was about to sound my protest when the Holy Spirit reminded me of my prayer earlier that day. Did I really mean what I had asked for or was I just trying to impress God with words. On my way to the car I asked the Holy Spirit to show me what Scripture from God's Word to read to this man, because I did not know this man at all.

I had met him several years earlier, I knew he had played the piano beautifully for many years at the church and I knew he loved our Lord. I also could see he was crippled by polio and had been told that was why he had to stop playing the piano at church. His mind was like a child's mind now as well.

Tip! “Supplication” is the very soul of prayer in the way of pleading for some one thing, very much needed, and the need intensely felt.

I was unhappy about the choice that God had made for me. Of all the people to visit tonight why would you send me to this one? Why are You taking me out of my comfort zone? Why?

The Holy Spirit in His loving and fatherly way led my team to this saint of God's bed side for a time of worship and praise. The two other people on my team know Mr. North quite well and he was very happy to see them. After the small talk I asked him if I could read from God's Word and pray with him before we left. He consented, so I went to the passage the Holy Spirit had put in my heart.

Tip! 1 Timothy 2:1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." -- Jeremiah 29:11-14 RSV

Mr. North, with tears running down his cheeks, said that I had read his favorite passage from the Holy Bible. He then asked me a question; how did I know? This time with tears in my eyes all I could say was the Holy Spirit led me to it.

We prayed and thanked God for answering our prayers and gave Him all the glory and honor and praise, because if the Holy Spirit had left us alone, we would have never experienced His presents in that room.

The Holy Spirit was not finished using me yet that night. I could feel in my heart that Mr. North wanted to talk to me alone another time. So I gave him my phone number and made sure he would call me if he needed me.

Lord willing I will tell you the second part in tomorrow's blog entry. God loves you and wants to hear you, so pray to Him. He has something for you.

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Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? explores the mysterious intersection where you and God meet and relate. Writing as a fellow pilgrim, Yancey explores the questions surrounding prayer that you may wonder about but not know how to express. Above all, Yancey shows you how to pray to a God who sees what lies ahead of you, knows what lies within you, and who invites you into an eternal partnership with Him---through prayer.

Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey

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