You've Got A Friend...Right?

Do you have a prayer partner and/or group, a church, or maybe even an online buddy that you go to when the chips are down and you are out of dip?  Or maybe you call on this/these soul(s) when you really need someone to speak to God on your behalf.  Even though you may not have had contact with this one for a while, when the help is needed, you know just where to go to find assistance.

Last week in the Bible Study Class I go to, Susan asked at the end if there were comments, questions, or maybe a challenge anyone wanted to make.  Without much hesitation--and because I am so in need of it--I challenged my girls to write me a prayer.  “Write,” I said, “because when you take the time to put it on paper, it gives you the opportunity to really think about what and whom you are praying for.  Write,” I said, “because when you just type it, it doesn’t take the effort to show you are giving this more than just a quick thought.  Write,” I said, “because--even though your handwriting may be awfully hard to read and your words may not be discernible--it makes you slow down and focus.”  I can’t wait to see what they come up with!

I later mentioned this to my hubby and challenged him to do the same.  Imagine my delight when the very next day, he wrote me a prayer!  Of course, being the grammar Nazi that I am, he cautioned me that it hadn’t been edited too closely.  Twirp!  Anyways, he handed it to me and I asked that instead, he read it to me.  Talk about getting personal!  But, there’s just something about hearing as well as reading something that can be quite effective.

As the (at first) sweet words came from Steve’s mouth, my heart warmed and I was humbled at how much this man still loves me.  I noted how he used one of my favorite passages in his prayer and was tickled that he took this into consideration for his prayer for me.  And then…

And then the next words.  “And Lord help her to think before she speaks and consider before she acts.”  I beg your pardon, Steve?!  My flesh was just about to get itself in a dander when my soul flooded with gratitude.  Yes!  Yes!  This man gets me!  This man loves me enough to call me out on what I need most to implement into my life!  This man cares enough about my spiritual condition to address the fault and the admitted flaws I have confessed to him.  Even if it might hurt my feelings a smidge, my husband cares enough about my eternal testimony and witness to pray for one of my most obvious needs.

Then, did you see the last part he wrote?  He asked God to be kind to me in His dealings with me not if but when I mess up.  Ouch and aww.  Steve knows me well enough to know that I am human and will indeed falter in my actions.  And he knows our Jesus well enough to know that His mercy will be there when we cry out for it.

In conclusion, I did send my gals out a prayer this week.  But, I copped out.  I researched some scriptures and found passages where I replaced “you” with their name, as I love to do for myself.  I printed them on some pretty stationery, jotted down a quick note at the bottom, and put them in the mailbox yesterday.  Yes, this took some work but no:  no I didn’t handwrite them.  I can use the excuse of my awful handwriting til the cows come home but the truth of the matter is that I didn’t do what I asked someone else to do for me.  

Faithful, fervent, righteous prayer, Stef?  

Umm...Sort of?  Mostly?

Ahem.

Okay, okay.  I will do it over.  I will take the time to write down a prayer for my fellow studiers.  I may not get to each one before we meet again but I purpose to.  

I don’t want to just write something to write something, you know what I mean?  I don’t want to be quick and careless with my words.  Instead, I want to consider and deliberate on whom each woman in my class is and address her individually and thoughtfully lift her up to my Father.  The notes I sent out did this but they used another’s words.  This time I shall,  with the Lord’s help, use my own.  

Which reminds me, I made this promise to my husband as well.  I may need extra paper and pencil for his!

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord, what a blessing it is to get to talk to You anytime, anywhere, with any method available!  Whether it’s a whisper, a time spent on my knees, a quick thought as a song or snippet of a conversation brings a certain someone to mind, or whether it’s a collective prayer for many or a note written, song sung, or genuine heart-to-heart with You, prayer is my avenue to getting help to clear up the fog.  Sigh.  

We are a needy bunch, we children of Yours.  May I take--make!-- the time to speak to You about the desires of my loved ones’ hearts is my hope today.  Even when it hurts and the issue may need You to be firm with them, I ask--as my beloved Steve did--that Your mercy flows as You refine them into the gold they are destined to be.

How I love You, Father, and again thank You for letting me talk to You.  What a Friend!  Thank You for being mine.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

I've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'

"God bless America!"
"God have mercy on America!"
"Surely the Second Coming is near."
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
"Don't judge."
"God loves everyone."
"When you've done all you can do, stand."

Oh, how my mind is buzzing this morning as I ponder the condition of my world--my world that has once again been invaded by the perverseness of souls who have been blinded to what is true, right, and pure. Last night, Charlotte's City Council voted for legislation that allows males to use female bathrooms and females to use male bathrooms. Transgenders and homosexuals pushed for this and guess what? They won. This "non-discrimination" ordinance now puts regulars Joes and Sallys at risk of their rights, their privacies being invaded because...

...because a few people chose to make a stand. A few people let their voices be heard. They used their platforms and demanded to be listened to. Their rights were being infringed upon and they weren't going to sit down and take it any longer.While some politicians quickly jumped on the bandwagon in support of this, a few others were opposed to it and vowed to fight to make sure this didn't become law.

As Steve and I heard this news right before bed last night, our souls were...not grieved. Not saddened. They were mad! Furious! Righteous indignation fueled our thoughts and we prayed--oh yes we prayed for these ones who made this possible. We prayed not for mercy for their souls. Un unh. We prayed for God to step in and destroy, to plague, to vindicate His children.

Let that seep in a moment. In case you ever thought Steve and I were just the "sweetest things" who could wish no harm on anyone, think again. Not only do we wish it, we actively pray for God to show Himself mighty and to put the force on them.

"Oh, you shouldn't judge people. They can't help the way they are."

I beg your pardon? Have they no will, no self-control, no self-respect? Have they no knowledge of Biblical truths? Have they never heard that while God is indeed a God of love, He also set His standards before the foundations of the world were laid? Did they ever read Genesis where one day, God had enough and destroyed those evil people in Sodom? And why was it again that Noah had to build an ark?

I am no politician and do not plan to get on a soapbox to explain my position on this. I have some friends who declare themselves to be homosexuals and while I love them, I fear for them. I fear they are so blinded by the lies of Satan that the truth of God's Word will not permeate their hearts before their final breath has been breathed. If they read these words of mine and are offended, I pray that they will repent of their willful mockery of my God's love and mercies.

For right now, I have a voice. I have a platform. And I am taking my stand. I will not turn a blind eye to this decision by elected officials near me. I will not vote for politicians who turn blinded eyes against such atrocities that I just wrote about. I will not pray for mercy for them but instead for judgment. I will not pray for God to bless America when Americans continue to sit by and let this happen. Stand up, friends! Don't wring your hands and wonder why this could be. Open your eyes, get up on your feet, use your voices, and speak. Look what happens when we try to not get involved, to mind our own business, and to pray for peace. Read in your Bibles how Jesus came not to bring peace but a sword. And when you pray? Pray fervently. Judge righteous judgment. Love your neighbor, of course, but love as Christ did. Love your neighbors enough to tell them the truth.

Again?

I just got home from seeing a good movie, "Bridge of Spies."  The major thing I will carry from it is the fact that one man makes a difference when he goes above and beyond what is asked of him in his own "line of duty" regardless of what his job title is.

As I pondered James Donovan's heroic deeds, it reminded me of the verse Steve and I are studying this week:  "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." Hebrews 12:1.

After we did our journaling, I mournfully noted that we just don't have such great men and women that we personally know to be the "great cloud of witnesses" to incite us to great deeds.  Sad, but true.  Neither of us could name a soul that we had been impacted by who had accomplished great deeds in the name of Jesus.  Oh sure:  there were lots of folks we could name as being good examples but none that stood out as having been through the fire and coming out still standing tall.

So, as I blunder about here (keep in mind it's after 7:00 pm and all bets on me having a sound mind are off after this time), I was checking my Facebook notes and messages a few moments ago and saw this one person whose name keeps popping up on our prayer list.  She is a lovely lady and has had so many problems in her life that it just doesn't seem fair.  But--at the same time--I wondered: how long can we keep praying for her before our prayers just become rote, that they just are muttered words of "Help her, Jesus" of "Thy will be done" rather than earnest, heartfelt pleas to God for her healing, for her deliverance?  Does that make sense?  Seems like there are some folks who are constantly needing a touch from the Lord and even though I consider myself to be quite the word smith, I often find myself at a loss when talking to God on their behalf and unable to pray fervently for them.

Back to the movie.  There was a blurb at the end that spoke of the fates of the main characters in it.  The Bay of Pigs negotiations allowed for over 1100 CIA trained soldiers to be released by way of James B. Donovan his works and he later returned to Cuba in April 1963 and was able to secure the release of an additional 8,000-plus people.

One man who did what he felt in his soul was right.  One man who persevered until the deed was accomplished.  Effectual?  Yes?  Fervent?  Definitely!  Righteous?  His tombstone bears the opening line of the Prayer of Saint Francis: "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace."  So, yes, I'd like to think so.  Mr. Donovan wasn't satisfied with one when so many more lives were at stake.

In conclusion, one man made a difference.  He campaigned for the freedom of so many that probably never even knew his name or that he fought so valiantly for them.  May you and I emulate his perseverance when we get tired of repeating the same old prayers.  May we model his longsuffering over the many rejections and mostly?  Mostly will we keep praying for God to intervene and do what He does best!  Let's get fervent, friends!  Imagine what God could do in us if we don't quit now.