Our prayer Answering God…

I couldn’t sleep and I sat in front of the TV it was four in the morning. It wasn’t like I had a lot of choice of what I could watch. Living in 1978 Madison, Indiana, my antenna only received three channels on good days and today wasn’t a good day. Two channels and both had TV preachers. I sat on the couch, watching a slick haired man, it seemed he was extolling the virtues of God. I got up and switched to the other channel where once again a preacher was talking about God and how He answers prayers. I thought to myself, “How gullible can people be? I mean there are billions of people in the world, and this invisible God answers them all! There is no way.” So, I thought for many years.
But you know what, one of the miracles that God has done in my life is that now I know that is exactly what He does! I can’t say during my conversion that it happened instantly. Our God meets you where you are and leads you down a path that is meant just for you. In my case, years of doubt and skepticism were not washed away in the waters of baptism. Like a good Missouri citizen, even one born in Illinois, I asked God to “Show Me” and He did! I have testified on these pages and in direct testimony that prayer after prayer in my life and those around me have been answered. And it is through every one of these my faith and trust in our God has grown.
I look back now and see that prayers were being answered way before I ever lift one word to Him. Others were doing that for me and I see THEIR prayers being answered in me. Is that awesome or what? I see a grandma on her knees on a cold tile floor in her bathroom opening the doors of heaven to a man she barely knew who just married her beloved granddaughter. I see I young girl who worked for me in my office in California praying on her break for the profane boss that could not stop swearing and using the Lord’s name in vain. I see a wife, though she herself was struggling in her walk with God, lying in bed praying for her husband who was drunk again and swearing he hadn’t touched a drop. Our God heard every one of these prayers and so many more and in His time, He answered each one
I have come to see that their prayers, your prayers, and my prayers do not change God, they change us. They take us out of ourselves. They lead us to see God’s great love, to feel the working of the Holy Spirit, to surrender at the foot of the cross in love of Jesus Christ. They protect us from Satan’s wiles and open us to praise our awesome God. The Apostle Paul assures us this, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,” (Philippians 4:6) A promise we can trust.
So please never be discouraged, pray for you kids, your friends, your enemies, and yourselves. Our God is a mighty God! Our God is a pray answering God! If you don’t believe it, 6 years ago I would have agreed but now I am the one praying for you that God will change your heart and your life. How cool is that?
Blessings John
7/21/