Daily devotion – Miracles and answered prayer
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
God still answers prayer and He still is the God of miracles! I continue to be overwhelmed here in Calvary Chapel Secret Harbour with the ongoing miraculous answers to people’s prayers. I struggle with why Church prayer meetings remain in most Churches the least attended.
We often reflect the behaviour of the children of Israel as recorded in the Book of Judges. When times were good, no praying or seeking closeness to God. But when things went wrong, all of a sudden prayer was important and God was ‘expected’ to respond!
Jdg 2:18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the LORD took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering.
Jdg 2:19 But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
I am so thankful for the prayer warriors here at Calvary, each Wednesday, and Sunday mornings, people call upon the name and power of the Lord, and we give all our struggles and needs unto Him.
The wonder of prayer is that as we pray, we receive the blessing of God at the same time in our own lives. A praying believer, is one who God continues to use, He continues to soften their hearts to the things He desires us to know and do. A saint who prays earnestly, is given a heart of kindness and gentleness. Not weakness, but a heart that is strong enough, has faith in God in such a way that God can place a ‘burden’ of prayer upon them.
God seeks out those who He can give the mission to pray!
Daniel was such a man! Our Lord was and is our model. Even though He was and is the Son of God, He prayed every early morning and evening.
Remember the disciples asked Jesus to teach them one thing and one thing only.
Luk 11:1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
People today are often seeking to serve the Lord in some ‘great’ capacity, often just to be seen of men. But if you follow Daniel’s example, the disciples quest, you will do far more in the kingdom of God than you could ever imagine or think.
Ephesians 3:14 – 14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.