Making Disciples As We Go

In Priscilla Shirer's book, Jonah, she calls us to make disciples. Here is a good article to help you share the Good News. It's short and uses Jesus' method of evangelizing, asking questions!
https://www.thegoodbook.com/blog/usefulresources/2016/09/20/four-steps-to-turning-conversations-to-christ/

God is Not a Genie in a Bottle

People often think of God as a genie in a bottle ready to grant us all our wishes. They go to God in prayer with their shopping list of wants. Many people read the scriptures below and take the meaning literally, out of context.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. John 14:13

Matthew Henry, the great British theologian explained that the words in these passages of scripture above. It is assumed that we ask for good gifts, and that we ask as Christ has taught us, in His name and according to His spirit. Otherwise we may ask and not receive, because what we ask for is unsuitable, not quite right, or out of place, or out of order. Every one who asks does receive, that is, everyone who asks correctly, who prays in faith and in submission to the will of God. A parent will seek the welfare of the child, and give what he thinks will be most for its good. Whatever we ask in Christ's name, that would be for our good, God will give to us. To ask in Christ's name, is to make an emotional appeal for his goodness on our behalf.

I recently spoke to someone who has recently experienced a tragedy. I was telling him how I've been praying for their family, and the response was, "yeah well it's not doing much good." I ached to hear that and thought of how we are to be Ambassadors for Christ. We need to share the fact that we have troubles too, and they're not all going to go away when we pray. We must pray for God's will, not expect Him to answer the way we want them answered, when we want.

How do we respond when God doesn't answer our prayers? Does our faith waver if He doesn't give us what we've asked for in the way and time that we expected? Charles Stanley says that we need to understand what God is doing in our lives. Sometimes God doesn't immediately give the relief we are asking for because He's using that particular trial to produce something good in us. God wants us to come to Him with our requests, trusting that He hears us. If he doesn't answer them immediately, it's not because He doesn't care. His purposes are always accomplished according to His timing, not ours. He may answer in a different way or later than we expect. That's why we must wait and trust Him even when we see no evidence of an answer. Stanley says that “whenever God delays in responding to our petitions, He's teaching us to consistently trust and believe Him, not because we see the answer, but because He's promised to hear and answer our prayers. When doubts arise because God delays, it's due to our lack of trust in Him, not a lack of care or ability on the Lord's part.”

Human reasoning and faith are not always compatible. We may have all kinds of good reasons for asking for something, but God sees more of the situation than we do. God is Omnipotent, He knows so much more than we can even fathom. Charles Stanley explained it perfectly when he said, “If God delays in answering a prayer, He has divine reason that is good, legitimate, and helpful. His primary purpose is not to give us everything we desire but to shape us into the image of His Son, and He knows the perfect way to accomplish this.”

God is not a Genie who grants wishes, but we must still pray constantly while remembering to ask for God's will and time, and have faith. God loved us so much that He gave His only son for our sins. 

Prayer changes things.

Breakup With Fear

Sick and tired of being sick and tired
Had as much of you as I can take
I'm so done, so over being afraid

I've gone through the motions
I've been back and forth
I know that you're thinking you've heard this before
I don't know how to say it
So I'm just gonna say it, yeah

Fear, you don't own me
There ain't no room in this story
And I ain't got time for you
Telling me what I'm not
Like you know me well guess what?
I know who I am
I know I'm strong
And I am free
Got my own identity
So fear, you will never be welcome here

Take a minute, let it settle in
You probably never saw it coming
Something's gotta give so I give up you, oh
There's no room for you here
Yeah, I've had enough
The "No Vacancy" sign on my heart is lit up
In case you didn't hear it
Here it is again,

Oh, fear, you don't own me
There ain't no room in this story
And I ain't got time for you
Telling me what I'm not
Like you know me well guess what?
I know who I am
I know I'm strong
And I am free
Got my own identity
So fear, you will never be welcome here

Is there anybody out there just like me?
Anybody needing fear to leave?
If you don't know how to say it
Sing along with me

Sing fear, you don't own me
There ain't no room in this story
And I ain't got time for you
Telling me what I'm not
Like you know me well guess what?
I know who I am
I know I'm strong, brave
And I am free
Got my own identity
So fear, you will never be welcome here
Whoa, goodbye, goodbye fear
Whoa, you will never be welcome here

Woman and A Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the Pastor's reply. "This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor. The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork, the best is yet to come." The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

Praying For Persecuted Christians

In our first session of Jonah Navigating a Life Interrupted, Shirer asked us to think about those in a hopeless situation., Tracey shared about the CSW, a website for writing letters to persecuted Christians Worldwide, Judy told us of a lovely speech given by an African Bishop, and I found the guide to praying for Christian persecution. All three sites are listed below.

CSW website for writing letters to persecuted Christians worldwide:

https://www.csw.org.uk/connectencourage

Here is the link to J.Johns interview with Mervyn Thomas, founder of CSW.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=STcFoPL-vk4

It is inspiring to watch!

Dr. Jerry P. Kulah, Dean of Gbarnga School of Theology, United Methodist University in Liberia.

https://juicyecumenism.com/2019/02/23/african-united-methodists-wont-trade-bible-for-dollars/

These are the six biblical ways to pray about global Christian persecution:

1. Pray for a bold witness of the Gospel in the midst of persecution. (Acts 4: 20)
2. Pray for supernatural miracles to confirm the Gospel. (Acts 4: 29-30)
3. Pray that the seed of the martyrs will produce a harvest of converts. (Acts 7: 60)
4. Pray for heavy conviction to fall on those who persecute the church. (Acts 9: 3-4)
5. Pray for angelic protection and intervention. (Acts 12: 7, 23) Remember, angels are warriors!
6. Pray that the global Christian community will work for peace and justice in the Middle East.