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Topics: Prayer, Works, Responsibility, Running, Answer
"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him (Naaman), saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."- 2 Kings 5:10
Namaan was a leper in need of healing. To make a long story short, God was willing to heal Naaman, but he required something of him. God, through Elisha, instructed Namaan to wash himself seven times in the Jordan river. It took him a while to obey, but he finally did as Elisha told him. The Bible says, "and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (2 Kings 5: 14)
The point I want to make is God often asks us to get involved when we ask something of him. For instance, I remember praying a simple prayer one day, "Father, I ask that you would encourage my pastor today." I immediately sensed God saying back to me (that's what prayer is, you know, a TWO-way conversation), "Son, I am going to grant that request. I am going to encourage your pastor, and I am going to use you to do it." Shortly afterward, I placed a card in the mail to my pastor telling him how much I appreciated him and his work for the Lord.
God answered my prayer, but He asked me to get involved in answering it.
God opened my eyes to a very important truth. While some prayers are out of our hands and completely in need of a special touch from Heaven, many other prayers are answered when God uses us to meet the need. Here are some examples of actual prayers that I have prayed, as well as some responses from God.
. "Father, please save my grandfather." God was willing, but instructed me
to go and share the Gospel with my grandfather. He was saved that very day, just a few months before his unexpected death.
. "God, meet _________'s financial need." What did God do? He instructed me to open my wallet and give.
. "Lord, bless my marriage." "OK, I'll be glad to...just make sure you commit your marriage to me each day and love your wife as I love my church."
. "Oh God, make me more like Jesus!" "I'd love to...just read the Word and Pray!"
There are many, many prayers that we pray that God would love to answer...He just wants us to get personally involved. And you know what?
If we are sincere about our prayers, then we will be willing to do something about them. Let me repeat that. If we are sincere about our prayers, then we will be willing to do something about them.
Let us never pray for God to encourage a brother or sister in Christ without
being willing to be the one to do the encouraging. May we never ask God to bring the lost to His Son without being willing to share the Gospel. May each prayer for revival be backed up with a genuine desire to be revived ourselves. May every prayer for deliverance from sin walk hand in hand with eyes constantly looking for ways to overcome temptation. May every prayer for ministry be met with a personal commitment to be used in ministry. Oh that our prayers would be more than words from our lips, but would be born out of a sincere hunger to see them come to pass, such a hunger that we would do all in our power to be used of God.
The question is, how much do we really want our prayers answered? How much are we willing to give? How far are we willing to go?
A couple of girls were walking to school one morning when it suddenly dawned on them that unless they really hurried they were going to be late. One of them suggested that they stop and pray that they wouldn't be tardy. "No," the other replied, "let's pray while we run as fast as we can."
That's the idea. Pray. But pray while trying to "run as fast as you can" to
do your part. And God will do His.
Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown