Chapter 18:
Girls, it has been much too long since we have gotten
together as a group. I am so thankful for this blog and for your participation
in it. I have so enjoyed reading your summaries for each chapter and also
getting to hear about your various experiences this summer. Thanks for the
entries and sharing your heart.
Today’s chapter pretty much asks the question “how much do
you trust the Lord?” Even if you have the tiniest of faith, the Lord can use
that. Even if you are like the woman who barely touched the robe of Jesus, just
so she could get a part of him, it is enough to start with and then grow. But,
the key is that we have to act on that faith. We have to be willing to follow
what the Lord asks of us and to trust that He will work on our behalf. And THEN
He will actually increase our faith.
He actually allows us to go thru some trials just for the
sake of growing us in our faith. Pg. 182 says…”it is in those times, when we
are forced to pray in greater faith, that our faith grows stronger.
Two ways to increase your faith: Read your Bible and Pray.
This really is beginning to sound like a broken record. Don’t we hear that all
the time? Well, we do. But guess what? That is really what the Lord is asking
of us.
Think about this question. It was asked of us on page 183.
What would you like to have happen in your life, or in
the life of someone you know, that would require a prayer of great faith?
Think about that now. Really think about it. And once you
have an answer, say a prayer right away, asking the Lord to answer that prayer
and then keep that in mind and try to keep praying about that this week.
Here is another question. What do you need to be set free
from? Think about that for a second. We all have something we need to be
relieved of, some burden we carry, some sin we keep falling back into. The
enemy wants to keep you in that sin. The Lord wants to relieve us of that
burden so give it to Him! Have the faith that it takes to ask the Lord for what
you want and the faith to believe it will happen. But, here is the clincher. In
His Time. I hate that part but it is really so. He sometimes says yes, he
sometimes says no, and he sometimes says “wait a little while” The waiting is
the hardest.
I loved it when the author said : “Whenever the enemy tries
to tell you that you will never get free of something, drown him out with
praise.” Thank Him! I love that.
In summary:
1.
Nothing is impossible with God
2.
When you find yourself in a situation that seems
impossible, go to God and Pray about it
3.
Tell Him the problem
4.
Thank Him
5.
Ask Him for a faith that will stay strong even
in the midst of challenges
6.
Ask the Lord to increase your faith and not
allow you to be in doubt about what he can do.
At the end of the chapter are 3 questions. The first
question is asking what we need to have faith for in our life right now and
what obstacle would you like to see moved? In my case, it revolves around a
financial issue. It is an issue I have been praying about for around 4 years.
The obstacle has not moved. God has not changed anything or answered my prayer.
In spite of that, I have not stopped praying. I continue to pray, with faith,
knowing that the Lord can do anything, in His time. I do trust Him and my faith
is increasing! And I do believe that He has us in this situation for a reason
and we are already seeing the benefits associated with a burden. Now, that is
faith. Faith that God is in it, for our good, for His glory, yet not answering
our prayer. It is hard, it is challenging, but He does know best.
Matthew 17:20 If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will
say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing
will be impossible for you”
Thank you Ms. Jeanne! While reading this God brought to my mind an uncle who walked away from the faith a LONG time ago. For probably 6+ years my family has been praying that he will return to God but sometimes it feels like it is a lost cause because we've been praying for so long and seeing no change in his attitude. This reminded me to have faith and to keep praying for my uncle and for his family (which he is no longer living with). thanks :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful! God can do anything! And He has this perfectly laid out plan for our lives that we can't even comprehend. But we must rejoice in the fact that He is so much bigger than us, and HE is in control... Thank goodness we're not (:
ReplyDeleteThank you Miss Jeanne! Sometimes I pray for a day or two about something HUGE that I want to happen yet do not keep praying. Some of your comments helped remind me that I must CONTINUE praying, seeking Him, and keeping Him in mind at all times because I know He will answer our prayers. It was great to be reminded to keep praying and WAIT! It is amazing to look back and see how much we've prayed and then see God moving, sometimes a LONG while later. He is True and in control, sometimes its hard to sit back and wait. I will be praying for you with your financial situation. God IS moving and WILL answer and IS hearing y'all's voices. Our prayers are never in vain.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs. Jeanne! Echoing Abi, thank goodness we aren't in control! Who better to be in control than the one who created it all and is big enough to see the whole picture?
ReplyDeleteI can personally vouch for the fact that God answers prayers. :) as well as the fact that it takes some waiting almost always. Patience? Really? Yes, but His timing is perfect. He's the ultimate carpenter, who carved our paths before the world was conceived. He's got everything covered. Even the tiniest details. :)