I NEEDED THAT!

 

Stephanie and I are back from our WINTER-BREAK. I NEEDED THAT break! We couldn't have picked a better week to be gone. The temperatures here in good ole' Hoosier Country have been brutal. When I woke up this morning it was a balmy 17 degrees. That might give you some indication of how frigid it has been here in central Indiana. When we were in Florida we had a couple of 80 degree days, a few 75, and many in the 60's. I was in heaven! LOL. 

It is not just the warmth of Florida that I needed. I have found, without apology, that I need a break once in a while. I need a reset. I am surprised by the physically draining nature of ministry. That has been a surprised. Of course, that has nothing to do with me getting older, right? I love being able to READ, NAP, WALK, and PRAY!

I took a book with me called "Availing Prayer" it is one of my Grandpa Lewis's books. It was written in 1929 by Fay C. Martin a pastor from Washington D.C. and it was published by the GOSPEL TRUMPET, the Church of God publishing company. It has been such a wonderful book. In the preface, Martin wrote he had this desire "...that perusing through these pages, mighty flaming revival fires might be kindled in every nation under heaven, in every cold, dead, informal church, in every indifferent local congregation, and in the hearts of thousands of individuals, to the extent the end may be 'the gospel to every creature,' to every town, in every city, 'to every nation in 'all the world.'

That is the power of prayer.

That is what Jesus was saying in the Gospel of Luke,

"One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up." (Luke 18:1, NLT)

My greatest desire as a pastor is that my church would be a HOUSE OF PRAYER and that our prayers would couple with our desires to GROW THE KINGDOM. 

I have heard many pastors rightly say, it is only God who saves people. Yes, it is through this grace, through FAITH ALONE that people are saved. But he has called us to be AMBASSADORS, pleading with people to come back to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)  YES, WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY in bringing people back to God, reconciling them with the Father. AND, that reconciliation starts with prayer. 

THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT than praying for LOST SOULS TO COME TO KNOW and COMMIT THEIR LIVES TO JESUS CHRIST. 

So, when Jesus said that we should always pray and never give up, I immediately thought of the LOST. We cannot bring people to the foot of the cross without the powerful help of the HOLY SPIRIT and that happens through prayer:

"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." (1 John 5:14-15, NLT)

PRAY for the LOST, pray that your church will be filled with a desire to grow GOD'S KINGDOM. The Father in Heaven is pleased by that request and he will answer those PERSISTENT CRIES for the LOST. 

Heavenly Father, I could sense the heart of our congregation for the LOST as they came forward yesterday to place there requests on the cross. Please Lord hear our cry. Here our hearts, help us be the catalyst that softens the hearts of the lost that they may enter into fellowship with you. There is no more important request that we have. Amen!

PRAY FOR THE LOST!

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If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

If you gave your life to Jesus today, text the word "faith" to (765)-896-4302 and we will follow up with material for you and join you in your walk of faith!