STRETCHING OUT OUR PRAYER INFLUENCE

This past Sunday, a fire started in Sonoma County California. The winds were whirling up sparks and sending them off to start more fires, playing an evil game of leapfrog over the land. I got word that 38 separate fires were raging, and they were getting closer to where my family and friends live. I was urged by the Holy Spirit to alert my Christian friends to pray. After I sent out messages, my niece reported that the winds had died down and the humid ocean air came in. They were safe. I figured I was done with my part and I sent the good news to the friends who prayed. I was pretty satisfied with everything, but God was not!

 

I’m sure we’ve all done this: We feel like we’re finished with what we want to pray about, and we say Amen, and we’re done. But the Lord may not be finished with what He wants us to pray about. I think I need to start asking, “Is there anything more, Lord?”

 

Today, Wednesday, there are still fires raging. My family is safe, but many others are not. There are still 21 separate fires raging in the area, and I need to pump up my prayer until God says it’s finished. Yes, I’m guilty of figuring since my family’s safe, I’m done and can go on to other things. But it’s not over til it’s over with the Lord.

 

For a long time, Jane and I have been praying this prayer of Jabez: “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!’ And God granted him that which he requested.” (1 Chron. 4:10)

 

Today God granted my request in the form of enlarging my coast in the form of prayer coverage. God isn’t satisfied with me stopping with my immediate family and friends in this situation. He wants me to go further, as a warrior for His people.

 

The Bible also says: “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes” (Is. 54:2). Now I believe this also includes our prayer coverage.

 

So please join me in stretching our prayer out over more space, more lives. James 5:16 tells us: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” “Effectual fervent” means it’s operative and has outward success. Outward success is what God will give us.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, every knee must bow, according to Philippians 2:10: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” Wind is a thing here on earth. Jesus told the wind to be still. In His name, we do the same.

 

I command the wind to stop, and I pray for great wisdom to come upon the men and women fighting the fire. God give them the grace to prevail. Refresh their souls and provide insight. I call miracles upon your people now in Jesus’ mighty name, Christians and non-Christians alike. I ask You, God, to show yourself mighty, forgiving, loving, full of mercy and grace toward your people, their pets, their livestock, and their land. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. And I know You will do it.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

And thanks everyone for your prayers.

 

3 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WE’RE SERIOUS ABOUT HELPING A LOVED ONE

When we pray for close friends or family, we sometimes miss the mark. We think we know them and think we know exactly what they should be doing to have a better life. But I listened to a talk the other day that gave me some new insight about seriously helping people close to us. Three steps were mentioned. The first is to ask, “What is their biggest challenge?”  Notice, it’s not “What’s our biggest challenge with them?”

 

Too often we look at other people’s problems from our own point of view and say things like, “I wish they would just do so and so and such and such and they would be just fine and get over that problem.” We think we have the perfect solutions for those we love. But what if we start looking at a problem from their point of view? Step into their shoes for a while. What is the biggest challenge they are facing? Is it that they are afraid of something? Is it that they aren’t mature enough to really understand a situation? Is it that they are overloaded with too many decisions to make? Is it that they’re not sure who they should trust?

 

There could be any number of reasons a person isn’t getting blessed results in their lives. The Bible tells us in Luke 6:31: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” When we want someone to help us with a problem, we want them to first try to understand our side, what we’re going through. We want them to lovingly help us, not just blast us with some rote simplistic answer and be gone. (I have to admit I’ve done this a time or two and been sorry after). So let’s think about how we would want to be talked to, how we would want to be treated if we had a challenge like theirs.

 

Often it’s just a matter of asking the person what they think their biggest challenge is. But sometimes people aren’t so transparent; they’d rather keep their problems private. Depending on how well we know the person, some things we could probably figure out, but if we don’t really know, the Lord can help us. “For thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men” (1 Kings 8:39).

 

The second question is: “What do they need?” Do they need money? Do they need a friend? Do they need a peaceful heart to figure out the situation? Once we have a pretty good idea of what their biggest challenge is, find out what they need.

 

Then the third question is one we ask the Lord: “What are You telling me to do?” Maybe He’ll just tell us to pray. Maybe He’ll tell us to do something in the physical. Personally, I think He often tells us to do something in the physical realm and we just don’t act fast enough and it slips by us, or we think it’s just our imagination. If we think He’s telling us to do something we’re uncomfortable with we can always ask Him about it. He’ll be glad to find a way to let us know it was really Him.

 

These three questions will help us, when we’re serious about helping someone else:

1. What is their biggest challenge?
2. What do they need?
3. What is the Lord telling me to do?

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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MOTHERS WHO PRAY

I know my mom prays for us kids. If it wasn’t for her prayer and believing, we probably wouldn’t have made it this far. She told me that when I was little I once followed a dog down the street and she had to call the police to help find me. Then another time I drank a bottle of her perfume and she had to rush me to the hospital. When I was older I put my mom through even more drama. I remember a time when I was freaking out in an old downtown building in Chicago and my mom drove her VW Beetle forty miles in a snow and ice storm to come get me. My mom has always been a big one for prayer and trusting God.

I want to relate another story about a mother who trusted God. Her name is Hagar. We find her story in Genesis 16, 20 and 21. Abraham was married to Sarah and Hagar was Sarah’s maid. When Sarah couldn’t conceive she came up with the idea that if Abraham could impregnate Hagar, somehow the child would be considered hers. I don’t get it, but that’s what they decided and it caused big problems. As soon as Hagar got pregnant, Sarah was jealous and outraged and treated Hagar horribly. Hagar fled, but on God’s urging, she went back and submitted herself to Sarah’s domination. Relationships may have improved slightly, but there was still bitterness and strife in the household.

Abraham’s entourage travelled through the deserts together as a group for the next thirteen years. By this time Sarah had conceived and given birth to Isaac. All of them lived together in the same group of tents: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Hagar and Ishmael. (Do we really think our “complicated” family dynamics are so modern?) As we’d expect, there was more drama brewing.

One day when Ishmael was fourteen Sarah overheard him making fun of her son Isaac. It must have been the last straw because she threw him and his mother out. Hagar was devastated. Back then if you were thrown out it wasn’t like you could just go to stay with a friend. These people were nomads. They lived in a tent city, travelling from place to place according to the water supply. There was harsh desert all around them. So when Sarah threw them out, they had to find a way to survive in the wilderness or they’d die. Abraham was able to sneak them one bottle of water and some bread but when that was gone life was over. Hagar wandered in the desert desperately looking for help. But a person can only last about three days without water and there were two of them. They’d come to the end.

“When the water was gone she left the youth in the shade of a bush and went off and sat down a hundred yards or so away. ‘I don’t want to watch him die,’ she said, and burst into tears, sobbing wildly.
Then God heard the boy crying, and the Angel of God called to Hagar from the sky, ‘Hagar, what’s wrong? Don’t be afraid! For God has heard the lad’s cries as he is lying there. Go and get him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.’
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well; so she refilled the canteen and gave the lad a drink. And God blessed the boy and he grew up” (Gen 21:15-20).

Hagar knew God. She prayed to Him and cried out to Him. She taught her son to do likewise. God “heard the lad’s cries” and saved them both. To mothers this should be a great comfort. When you’ve done your best, you don’t have to be afraid that you haven’t done enough. God thinks you have and He will be there to step in directly for your children when you can’t. GOD IS THERE FOR THEM.

God has given special abilities to mothers and we’re thankful for all of you. Have a great Mother’s Day.

Love, Carolyn

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