Speak With Boldness
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Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits
Acts 4:29-30
29. And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, 30. while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."
Apparently Duke University has published the results of a study that “proves” that prayer has no significant impact on the long-term recovery of those who are ill. I didn’t read the report, but a dear friend who is a nurse apologized in church yesterday for the entire medical profession! What is even more distressing to me than this report, is that Duke has a Divinity School where our own pastor attended! Just so we’re very clear: Prayer is powerful. Prayer makes a difference. No report, “study” or anything else will ever convince me otherwise.
I’ve witnessed miracles as the result of prayer. I’ve had prayer burdens placed on my heart, and I didn’t know why, but I knew without question or doubt that God wanted me to pray and I prayed, and kept praying until I had the “burden” removed. Did it make a difference? I believe it did. Do I know what that difference was? Nope. God wants us to pray. Jesus prayed all the time! Since he is our “ultimate role model” on a relationship with God, how can we do anything else?!
These are dangerous times for the souls of Christians, and for everyone else for that matter. The powers of evil are roaming this earth, seeking out those who they can use for their purposes. Want to save lives and bring an earlier end to the war in Iraq? Let’s try praying! Want to end world hunger or the AIDS epidemic in Africa? Turn it over to God. Ask Him what we are to do. Ask for His guidance and wisdom and direction. More importantly: ask that His outstretched hand allows us to speak with boldness the truth of the Risen Christ! Of course we need to act in tangible ways, too!
There are many tangible things we can do to make this world a better place. There are many tangible ways to ease the pain of someone who has lost a loved one, or to comfort a starving child. But none of those ways have power without prayer behind them. They’re “short-term fixes” for a long-term problem. If we want this world to be a better place we had better get on our knees and cry out to the God who made the world.
Prayer unleashes the power of heaven. Prayer is the “missing link” between God and us. He is ever ready and willing to act, but he requires us to ask. Jesus told us that, he said: If you ask the Father for anything in my name it will be granted. I’m pretty worked up about this and am not feeling very articulate this morning! I guess that’s because nothing I say will probably convince you one way or the other. Faith is like that--it’s personal. And this morning God has laid on my heart that I need to spend my time praying. So I’ll end now to allow myself time to obey my generous, loving, unspeakably wonderful God who pours out his blessings beyond measure to those who believe.
Pray today. Even if you don’t know what to say. Just ask God to use your prayers as He desires. And read the bible to weigh the truth of what is reported in the media.
Mary
