Simple Prayer.... Big Results

Sometimes as believers, we try to find God in BIG ways.  We look to see miracles, signs and wonders to prove that He is moving.  There is definitely nothing wrong with signs and wonders, the bible tells us that they will follow the word.  But for many of us, if we don't see something that moves our emotions, we think God is not in it.  For those of you who are discouraged, I hope this blog helps you.

 

 SIMPLE PRAYER

I love when God reveals Himself to my kids.  I can recall years ago when my daughter (very young at the time) ran to me with fear in her eyes.   She jumped in my day and said "Mommy Zoe has  a bump on her side!"   My first emotion was concern, then it waned when I realized we were talking about a dog.  "Mommy, it is not a little bump, I think something is wrong with Zoe."   When I reached for the spot that she showed me, my heart sank a bit. 

 

 

 

"I don't know what that is, but you know where I stand right?  If I don't have insurance on you and your brother, I will not spend a lot on the dog."  She looked at me kind of scared, but we have had that conversation many times.  Taylor looked at me and I told her, "We will have to pray for Zoe".   Taylor shook her head in agreement and walked away with Zoe behind her wagging her tail.   The next morning, Taylor ran into my room.. "Mommy!  The Bump is Gone!"  My daughter said a simple prayer from a place where need and faith connected, and God answered her.

 WIND!  EARTHQUAKE!  FIRE! 

"The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

1 Kings 19:11-12

 

 

We often looks for answers to prayer in the obvious.  The things that we can't miss if we tried.  But sometimes God bypasses all of those things and speaks in a gentle whisper.  He reveals Himself to us in a simple way.  If we are always caught up in the boisterous world we live in, we could easily miss Him.  When Jesus was born the Jews were looking for their Messiah, they didn't expect Him to show up in a manger, born of a young girl.  They expected fan fare and theatre.  But sometimes if God uses those means to reach you, it is easier to believe, so it calls for less faith.  Take Naaman, when he asked Elijah about healing- he expected something grand something big.  But the prophet's response and instruction was so simple that Naaman almost missed it.   Don't miss God when He speaks to you in a simple manner.

SIMPLE SALVATION

 

Have you ever thought about how simple salvation is?  Yes, it is complex, His plan was divine, the end result powerful...but to receive, it is simple.  Confessing with your mouth- Jesus, believing in your hearts that God raised Him from the dead, and there you go.  It is simple, but has such huge results!  Life changes forever after salvation!  We have a guarantee that God who has begun work in us will continue it.  He will never leave you or forsake you and He is available to us 24/7. 

 

Many of us have been messed up by looking for God in only BIG things.  He is with us every day.  While washing dishes, while driving in Houston traffic.  I appreciate a God who can handle the world and still pay attention to a simple cry of my heart.  Some of my greatest answers to prayer came when I was simply 'talking' to God.  I didn't really think of it as prayer, just a small chat.  Who I am today is because He heard my heart and answered. Love God and trust Him with the big things and the small ones.  A simple, genuine relationship can produce more than our hearts can imagine! 

 

Snapped! Facing Life's Breaking Points

 

 

I am by nature a curious person.  I can sit for a long time in an airport and just observe people.  I am intrigued by how people think, why we think the way we do,  and the results of our thinking.  Some call that analytical, but either term, that is me. So when things happen that makes no sense to me, it makes me THINK.

 

Along with this thinking issue, I also day dream and have conversations with people, when they are no where around.  I often have to remind myself that I am talking to myself and not to a person.  I have apologized to people, encouraged them, told them off and a lot more, all in the privacy of my own mind.   They used to say 'you are crazy if you talk to yourself', I have found you can remain sane if you have the right talk.

 

The other day I had a daydream/conversation with Cleveland Shooter.  It was reminiscent of conversations I have had with some of the 40 pen pals I visited when I worked in prison ministry years ago.  I was guarded but not scared as I spoke.   I imagined seeing him on the streets of Houston. In my mind, he entered a fast food joint and I followed him.  Here is my private account of how it went:  

 

 THE ENCOUNTER

 

"I approached him knowing he was the man.  I tried to be inconspicuous so no one else would panic and call the cops.  There was a  hat on and his head and his beard seemed a bit shorter, but I knew it was him.  I slid onto the bench in the back of the restaurant where he was about to eat his sandwich.  As I sat down I said. "Hey, how are you...do you mind if I sit here?" Without waiting for an answer, I put my purse down and sat. As he looked up at me, he also reached  towards his side pocket.  I was scared, but  acted like he expected me, I knew if there was a hint of recognition in my face, I would miss the opportunity I came for.   After I sat and began munching on my sandwich, he eased off his side.  For a moment, he didn't say anything and neither did I.  Eventually I looked at him and said  "Can I ask you a question?"  Staring at me from tired eyes, he nodded his head.   I continued.  "So, I know  who you are... that is not why I am here, I just have to ask you one simple question... what on earth did they do that caused you to snap?" 

 

 That is about where my story ends.  It has to, because I can't answer what I don't know.  Society and our news media will try, but the man who can answer is no longer here to give insight.  An innocent life is already lost, fear has had it's day, hurt has already grown, forgiveness already given, questions... never answered.   If this Daydream encounter actually  happened, I think there are a number of answers I could have heard.  Answers I hear everyday, things you probably hear every day too.  

 

BROKENNESS

 

 My finances are jacked up, my love life is over, SNAP! I have done something that is now exposed, I don't know what I am going to do about tomorrow, I am angry,  SNAP!  I have been a victim of abuse, verbal, physical, mental.  My heart hurts for losses I have experienced, SNAP! I was raised without one or both or my parents, I still have pain from an encounter years ago. SNAP!   I am just MAD today. This world has less to offer me, I don't trust people, someone I loved betrayed me, this keeps happening to me, What is wrong with me? with them? SNAP! I was laid off my job after working my butt off for an ungrateful employer, now  I'm facing homelessness. Too many people need me, I am spent. If one more person calls me for help,  SNAP!  This world has gotten more racist, full of fear and terrorism, I am angry, get them before they get me, SNAP!  God is not hearing my prayers, life holds nothing for me, so why should anyone else be happy?  SNAP!

 

 BREAKING POINTS

I really can't imagine what the answer would be that could justify killing or hurting someone.  In this same week I also heard the story of a young mother who filmed herself abusing her baby in his car seat.  She recorded it to send to his father- who she was mad at.  The cries of the baby was heart retching.  In another incident a young man threatening to kill his girlfriend's family because she wouldn't leave him alone.  This is normal news now.  Life seems to be getting harder, more people are reaching breaking points and they BREAK.  What is it that causes people to get to the point that they snap?  There are others who have endured similar situations, and they are still here; fighting to survive every day, trying to be their best even though things may be stack against them. There has to be an inward resolve that helps people keep trying without hurting others.  There is hope that can be given to someone who is near their breaking point.

 

NOTHING NEW

First of all, we have to understand that there is nothing new under the sun.  The bible tells us that there is also no temptation or trial that you go through that is uncommon.  Meaning, someone else is, or has dealt with what you are experiencing.   When we are in it, that seems impossible to believe because our trials are personal to us.  We feel it, it is not the plot to a movie or a good book, it is REAL.  We cry real tears, feel real anxiety, suffer real hurt or loss, and have real thoughts of ending it one way or the other.  

 

If you are hurting, there is help out there.  Someone has gone through what you are experiencing and help is near by.  There are organizations that specialize in hurting people, churches that have a hand out to hurting people.  God will not allow you to go through more than you can bear.  So as bad as it sounds, as bad as it feels, you can make it.  It does not mean that God is putting stuff on you to see if you can handle it, you have an enemy who is TRYING to break you.  If he succeeds, the world loses someone who can help others past their breaking point, someone who has yet to fulfill the very reason they were born. 

You owe yourself the chance to get help. Not every one can sit in a group to get help, but help is out there.  Not every one will go to a rehab.  With the same resolve that can be used to hurt yourself or others, resolve to get help for yourself or those hurting around you.

 

 

 

 

 

DON'T BREAK, BEND

When we don't get help with life's issues, we are subject to break.  When we get help, what could have been a bad break, is a bend.  The difference in breaking and bending is being able to move with the things that hit you.   It also involves having a strong connection with others and with God.

 

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."   Ecc 4:12

If you are hurting to the breaking point, Don't SNAP!  You may be pulled by the cares of this world, but you are not alone.  There really is strength in numbers.  Connect with God and with others who can hold on with you, who can help you; don't try to do it alone.  If you find your circle of friends is to frayed to help, find help outside of it.   In the midst of it all, be sure God has been invited to that circle.  That is where the ability to bend comes, the grace to move with what happens in life, the ability to have joy even when things are not the best.... and He promises to work all your pain and struggle for good.  Don't let life break you, not just because of the lives that are hurt by your brokenness, but because you too are worth it. 

 

1-800-273-8255

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

Prosper Where You're Planted

Some people are naturally gifted with plants.  They have what we call 'A green thumb'.  It seems like whatever they touch grows.  That is not my testimony,  I don't pretend to have a gift with plants, but I do okay if they are not finicky or fussy. I have taken  some plants that were almost dead,  and worked to bring life again. 

 

 

I have a standing rule for my plants.  While talking to them,  I remind them that I will do my part to care for them, but I am subject to forget to water them, I may not pay close attention to the soil or notice pests chewing at their leaves. So in my attempt to have an understanding with my plants, I remind them to connect with their Creator.  (I really have this talk with my plants).  See I realize even though I have taken on the responsibility to care for them, only God can really ensure they grow to their full potential.  Outside food and water, He is the only one that knows what they need, when they need it.  Needless to say... I have lost a few plants over the years; as a result, I have learned to pay better attention to which plants I place under my care. 

 

WE ARE GROWING PEOPLE NOT PLANTS

 

After hearing how I deal with plants, it should give you an idea of how I probably help people.  People who know me don't normally ask for my help when they are still crying too hard to talk, or when they are deciding IF they want help.  I get the ones that really want change and have given up on just getting pity for the problem.  Most people quickly realize I am not effective if we can't talk straight, or if they are not ready to hear.  Anyone can hug you, maybe shed a tear... But my purpose is to grab you when you want to live, help you understand some of what it takes for you to live, then connect you with YOUR Creator.  I will walk with you for moments, but not for life. At some point we all need to understand that we are made to live under HIS direction, not the direction of people.  

 

 

RAIN WATER V/S TAP

So when dealing with plants, there are other similarities with people.  People require care and room to grow much like our plants do.  When it comes to watering plants, it is harder for me to remember those inside the house.  When working outside, we have so many automatic ways to water; sprinkler systems are the norm, especially in Texas.  People have gotten used to using them to do all the watering, but it basically benefits the grass and any plants in the ground, the ones that ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.  But like a plant, if you are a person that has more PURPOSE than staying on the ground, or if you have much fruit inside you....it is going to require special watering techniques or better yet, rain!  A sprinkler system is like showing up to church on occasion, or on automatic, you will still grow, but not like the growth that natural rain brings.   I have watched my plants flourish in the past few days, just from the rain. Spiritual rain is the word and instruction we receive straight from God, it is not filtered, it is not full of chemicals or things that can harm you.   Even though churches are there to do their job and to water you every week, that is good, you will grow  but don't miss out on the fresh rain from heaven.

 

 

REPOTTING/REPOSITIONING  

 

I recall recently trying to repot a plant that I wanted to put in the ground.  It was beautiful in the pot, but it was not blooming as well because it was restricted.  Repotting it was a hard process.  The plant was root bound in a large pot on my patio and it didn't want to come out! The pot was heavy, the dirt was heavy and there were other little plants that had conjoined themselves to it.

Being a plant, it didn't know the great plans I had for it's growth, so it seemed to fight me!  The roots were intertwined  with some of the conjoined plants roots, and even when I removed the dirt from around them, they somehow held on in a pattern that caused me to have to break some off just to get the plant out.  After finally freeing it, I noticed the broken pieces and blooms that didn't make it.  I also noticed all the pricks and thorns that were on my arms- showing the extent of our fight.  Even today, I still have the scars.
 

 

Some of us have been planted in temporary ground and  God wants to move us to a better place, a bigger place, a place where we can grow beyond where we have been.  We have done well where we are, but we are root bound.  We may be tempted to fight the process because where we are is familiar.  We forget that God always has a good plan, a bigger plan for us!  The process of repotting or repositioning may cause us to lose some of who we were, might even cause us to lose some around us who have conjoined their roots to our roots, but let God reposition you.  When you are tempted to fight the changes God is making in you, remember the thorns and the scars that He took to pay for your repositioning,  He still bears those scars.  Allow Him to remove dirt and things that have you bound so you can go further than you ever thought possible.  Until you allow the change, you will only produce a portion of the potential in you. 

 

Once my plant was out of the pot and placed in a better spot and a bigger hole, in just one week's time, it has grown far beyond the confines of the pot.  It has brand new blossoms and the branches are reaching much further than before- they look like they are reaching upwards. (praise)  Sometimes in the evening, I go to my window and look at it and smile.  I know the pain was worth it, the process was worth it and I am pleased with the results.   Oh, as for the cojoined pieces that were broken from the plant during the fight, they are now in their own pot.....growing.  God has plans for all of us, not one is left behind.
 

 NOTE: Many assume moving means from their church or job, but sometimes it is just  from our current platform or from our circle of comfort.  Don't over spiritualize what God may simply be doing just to get you to grow.  You may need to move UP in a position at church, or move into a position of serving.  Either way it will require movement that may not be comfortable, and for some it may require much more.

 

STAYING WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

Some of us are doing the opposite of the plant described above.  We have not grown much but have looked at the prosperous land around us and want to get out of the pot!  We have very few roots and it is so much easier to move us.  Only problem is: we are not ready.  We think we are, but we are not.  Time has not proven us, God has not proven us and the seasons of life have not proven us. We have not been faithful over the 'little pot' but we want to be ruler over a 'big pot'.  (Matt 25:21)
 

My sister has a 'green thumb'.  She has a plant that was given to her by a mutual friend.  That plant was grown in a pot in his apartment.  She received one of the broken pieces off his plant and took it home to nurture it.  She has cared for that plant over more than 20 years from place to place, house to house... in a pot. 

 

My Sister's Plant

When she purchased her home, she took it from the pot and planted it in the ground.  That plant has seen hurricanes, it has been through floods, drought and freezing temperatures.  At times it looked completely DEAD.  I thought at one time she was going to have to dig it up and get another plant, but guess what?  It has grown great roots.  Deep roots. Strong roots.  That plant has come back with a force after every challenge.  It survives more than we think and does not look like what it has been through.  That is what good roots do for you.  If you are tempted to move around from church to church, relationship to relationship, job to job or house to house.... find some roots and stay where you are planted.  Allow the experience of every season to show you how strong you are, to make you stronger than you are, and prepare you for future storms.   God's word holds nourishment for us, but the best nourishment goes to the roots.  We are destined for greatness  and we are made to be a blessing to others, we can't do that if we are not planted in Him. 

 

 

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers, but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and His law they  meditate on day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do will prosper.  Psalms 1:1-3

 

 

"Do What I Say....." (can you finish this phrase?)

All of us have a ministry.  There are people that you can reach that will not give me the time of day.  That is not a problem, it is actually a solution and it explains why we are so different.   Since we are all part of one body, each one of us is necessary.   Every one of us has a specific DNA that give us an edge in the world to make a change in one way or another.  Finding out where we fit is the challenge.

Sometimes we look around and think we have nothing to offer when it comes to ministry.  We may feel our purpose is only to go to church, give and support another's vineyard.  That is good, but you are created for a purpose, YOUR purpose, finding it and working it is necessary for a full life.  

WHO YOU CAN REACH

I speak to many people who think that they are not needed or that they cannot reach someone for the glory of God.  They may cite their previous lifestyle, their inability to quote or find specific scriptures or the fact that there are many in their circles that are doing so much better than they are.  I want to encourage you today.  There are two ways that determine how great your reach is.

 

                                        1.  How well you match what you say you believe with what you do

                                        2.  How well you yield to the Holy Spirit's nudging

 

 

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Do what I say, not what I do.."? 

Those are the words of someone who does not want a great reach.  People don't pay as much attention to what you say, when they see what you do is contrary.   So keeping your words in sync with your actions is a must.    If your lifestyle says the opposite of what your faith says, you will struggle because your reach is only as far as where your words and actions connect. If your actions fall short, your words will too. Our actions are seen more than our words  are heard and  they speak much louder.

 

Along with that, realize you will not be able to reach further than the impact of your 'own' words on your OWN life.  If I don't benefit from my own 'ministry',  others may not either.  The crowd I reach best looks like ME.  My experiences, my struggles, my victories and my beliefs add to my audience. My experiences and my lessons increase my reach, if I don't believe it, others won't either, if I don't benefit from it, others think they won't either.  If I don't believe in healing, I am limited in talking faith to those who need it.   If I don't think it is possible to live a life before God, then I will be limited when faced with someone else's struggle. I show that I believe it by living it and benefiting from it.  

 

"But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."  James 2:18

 

 

REACHING BEYOND MY EXPERIENCES

 

But in contrast, even if we have never lived a life of drug abuse, or physical abuse,  if we've never needed healing or had relationship struggles in a marriage, if we believe that God's word holds answers.... we will always be able to minister outside our experience!  You will be able to speak to someone you have NOTHING in common with and help them.  That is why it is necessary to respond to the nudging of the Holy Spirit, He is hearing prayers and answering them and will use us!  Any day, any time, any place for any one.

One reason we can minister effectively is that our lives are not the standard, God's word is.  Even if you can't find the verse and chapter, if you have gained faith in what you have heard in the word of God, if you are yielded to the Holy Spirit, you have already expanded your reach. God can bring things to your remembrance that you forgot you heard, just so He can touch one that He is reaching for through you.   So even without the personal experience, God's word allows us to minister in a ripe field without experience.

 

 

  

PURPOSE FULFILLED OUTSIDE GOD?

What about those who are progressing without God?  If you look over your social media accounts, you can find so many life coaches, people who are motivational speakers and help others become better versions of themselves.  All of this is done and they make it happen sometimes opposite a relationship with God.   Knowing and working your purpose is not limited to church talk.  People on your job are looking for it, neighbors may have found it and others may be depressed because their purpose seems to elude them.

 

Whether we admit it or not, there is a REASON we are all here, everybody fits in, we just have to figure out where. Many people can find their niche outside being a Christian, but know that they may miss the "God factor"  As Creator, He is the one who gives purpose, so working it outside His direction may look good, people may benefit from it,  but it will never reach full potential without God. 

 

Think of someone today who is not a believer but is working their purpose and it really looks GREAT! They may be rolling in money, donating to many charities and employing many people.  Some of those same people find themselves unfulfilled and searching for more, even while impacting the world.  Now...imagine what they could do connected to God.

 

Final thought:

Whether you think so or not, you are needed.  God has gifted you purposefully for such a time as this.  You were born during this time to meet a need that no one else can meet.  Yes, you will find people who do what you do, but they will never do it with your history, your thoughts or your relationship with God.  If you spend your time trying to fit in and do what others have done, who will do YOU?  I encourage you to find and work your purpose.  Grow in God and believe God further than your experiences to expand your reach.  This world needs you, the body can't function to its fullest without you.

 

  We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.  ~Mother Teresa