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Listen while you read: "In The Sweet By And By"1 (Lyrics) |
A simple gift from a seven-year-old boy prompted this devotional. When I visited his home, Jacob presented me with a braid. He had made it by untwisting blue nylon rope, then reworking the strands. Singed knots fused the fibres at the ends. The braid reminded me:
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (NIV)
Jesus said, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20 NIV)
Jesus told us the key that unlocks His resources in heaven: where two or three of us harmoniously agree in His name, He is there, and our Father in heaven will do for us what we ask.
The sticking point in the promise is Christ's name. In the culture of the time, "name" referred to character, attributes, and nature. Christ revealed His name by declaring the true good news that God always loves us and is kind, by demonstrating God's presence and blessing to reverse every manner of disease and human misery, by caring for everyone He met, by inviting people to enter into a trust relationship with God, and then by securing humanity's right to follow in His footsteps. For our prayers to be effective, our motives and understanding must line up with those of God's Son.
Where two or three of us agree in harmony and fellowship about what Jesus would do, we may ask the Father to bless the situation in the name of Christ. While in harmony, we have fellowship. An immediate benefit of Prayer in Agreement is the transfer of worry to the Lord. We can rest assured and remind each other, "It's in good hands now." The company of other believers eases our times of waiting when there is a heavy burden.
Please join me in saying a Prayer in Agreement to ask our Father, in the name of Christ, to bless, heal, and be present with Jacob's mother, who has been bedfast with cancer for two years.
Also, may I encourage the habit of praying in agreement? When we see a need, let's find one or two others who share Christ's name and ask together for God's best. I believe that all the resources of the kingdom of God are marshalled and ready to respond to requests made in harmony by members of Christ's body, the church, and in His name. Why hesitate?
Prayer: Father, may the eyes of our understanding be flooded with light. May we know and use the hope to which You call us in Christ Jesus our Lord. We ask in His name. Amen!
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Wonderful reminder Pat.
Dear Pat: Oh the power of prayer!
Thanks for the reminder to pray together. Blessings.
Thank you Pat, wonderful, encouraging and just a powerful message!
What can I say — you are right on with your devotional. It seems the more we praise the more we are blessed.
A lovely devotional Pat. Thank you.
May your week ahead be a good one.
Great message on Christian fellowship! It is so true that prayers help ease our burdens while waiting on the Lord for His response. Thanks Pat for all your prayers, encouragement and support.
Dear Pat,
Thank you for a pure theology of prayer, and for the encouragement of prayers to go with it.
Keep writing.
Pat you’re right. This is powerful stuff. When those with a thirst for goodness, compassion and peace join together earnestly in prayer, for a common cause, God’s power is indeed magnified. Thank you Pat for sharing these gems with us.
Good Morning and God’s Blessing upon you:
Yes, you are so very correct. I have not heard your theory expressed as “Prayer in Agreement”, but your thesis is very real.
Our son-in-law suffered a very severe stroke while on holiday several months ago. His insurance company flew him home to where he did receive excellent medical care. However, within hours of receiving the news, hundreds of believers were lifting him up to our Heavenly Father, Jehovah, in hourly prayers. In four weeks he walked out of the hospital, with no signs of the stroke remaining. His Neurosurgeon said to him, “I have no idea how this has happened, but it has; you are well again. It defies medical science.”
Although the surgeon does not know, we know, are are eternally thankful! Amen.
May The Lord, Jehovah bless your Devotional Ministry. Thank you for writing.
Dear Pat,
A very informative and encouraging devotional. But if one who believes in prayer as the means to obtaining all we need one has just to take a tour of the declining churches. He/she will discover places where the prayer meeting is either extinct and has been for years or attended by the pastor and one or two…even three. And the excuses as to why people do NOT attend have mostly to do with their fear of making fools of themselves.
Back in the 1950’s I visited with a pastor where his church was full every Sunday. Attendance was regular as were offerings and Prayer meeting attendance. (Oh some of those people could pray sooo beautifully.) The church of 500+- supported the pastor and his manse, an orphanage, a home for the elderly and some missionaries abroad. Fundraising was not heard of much…tithes of the churches did it all. And the weekly prayer meetings were well attended.
“He is there, and our Father in heaven will do for us what we ask”, you wrote. But too many churches don’t ask. It is becoming no longer “teach us how to pray” but why to pray.
Dear Pat: Love your insights!