HAVE YOU THROWN IN THE TOWEL ON PRAYER?

Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up.  Luke 18:1 CEV

 I have always been a boxing fan. Without question, boxing is a brutal sport that can get out of hand in a hurry. Sometimes, to protect his fighter from serious harm, a manager has to "throw in the towel" to get the referee to stop the fight.

The phrase "throw in the towel" quickly moved from the boxing world to everyday life. As we all know, when you throw in the towel, you quit ... you give up ... you accept defeat. And people do it all the time. They throw in the towel on their marriage, or their degree, or their dreams, or their very lives. It is easy to throw in the towel. It is much harder to push through and keep going.

Don't Give Up!

MARGARET ENGLISH DE ALMINANA

If you’re accustomed to praying in the power of Holy Spirit, you’ve probably experienced seasons of spiritual warfare. Sometimes it may seem as if all hell is breaking loose—literally.

People may seem to get mad at you for no reason. Others may begin gossip campaigns. Your car breaks down and the kids act up. Your husband says you are spending too much time in prayer. Your friends tell you to back off—that you’re just no fun anymore. In these seasons, problems can feel as though they are pouring into your life from every angle, and you can end up feeling misunderstood, confused, rejected and alone.

But you’re not alone! Seasoned intercessors all experience such problems. In fact, they say they expect them—and rejoice because they believe they are making progress in prayer.

Does God Ever Refuse to Hear Prayers?

Most of us believe that when we “cry out” to God—that is, appeal to Him through prayer—He always hears those prayers. “Ask,” we read in Matthew 7:7, “and it will be given to you.” But what about Bible passages that suggest that sometimes God doesn’t listen to our prayers?

Consider Psalm 66, in which the author gives thanks that God answered his prayer, but suggests that God might not have done so in certain circumstances:

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me! — Psalm 66:16-20 (ESV) (empahsis mine)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

Written by Suzanne Benner

Take today’s next step:  Ask Jesus to be the center of your life.

“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people Israel.”(Nehemiah 1:5-6a)

In these verses Nehemiah’s heart breaks over the state of his beloved people and homeland. In the first chapter of this book, we hear his heartfelt prayer; his words teach us about prayer.

In the verses above, Nehemiah acknowledges God’s greatness and asks for His help. Let’s listen to the rest of his prayer: “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.” (Nehemiah 1:6b-7)

Remembering to Show Gratitude for Answered Prayers

Steve Diggs

Here’s an understatement: Life is busy. If you are like me, the 168 hour week you are presently experiencing is only about half of what you need. Sometimes busyness and tight deadlines cause me to perform in a less than considerate way. I rush out in the morning without kissing Bonnie. I don’t engage in meaningful conversation with friends. I forget to pet the dog.

And, sadly, sometimes I forget to thank God.

There have been so many desperate moments in my life (as I would suspect there have been in yours) when I was left sucker-punched and gasping for air. In the Retooled and Refueled Seminar I speak of the time we learned that our daughter, Megan, had a growth on her spine. The day that we learned that our largest client had filed bankruptcy and the future of our firm was in some question. The doctor’s visit that began with the words, “This isn’t going to be a very pleasant meeting.” Stop for a moment and force your mind back to a similar situation in your own life. Maybe you don’t have to think very hard. Maybe your immediate response is, “Steve, I’m in the middle of one of those moments right now! And, frankly, it doesn’t feel like a moment—it feels like an eternity.”

Name Of Jesus : ALPHA AND OMEGA

The Name

In the last book of the Bible, Jesus reveals himself as "the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." 

Present at the world's beginning, Jesus will also be present at its end, when he and his work are finally and fully revealed. 

When you pray to Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, you are praying to the One who is, who was, and who is to come. He is our all-sufficient Lord, who will not fail to complete the good work he has begun in us.

Key Scripture
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13

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Waiting

by Matt Slick

How many of us have wondered why God doesn't answer some prayers? You know, the ones about getting that new home, or curing a sickness, or saving a person, or getting a job, or whatever it is. I have sometimes found myself bewildered that God doesn't open the eyes of someone lost in a cult, especially when all the evidence and truth are right there in front of him. 

Then there is the time when we have a sick loved one and we ask the Lord to heal and the healing either comes or doesn't come quickly. Sometimes, medicine is needed and much time. In each situation we have to wait to see what happens, to learn how the Lord has worked it out, to find out the method of His answer.

Noah had to wait 120 years while building the ark before the word of the Lord would be fulfilled. Abraham had to wait until old age before Sarah gave birth to Isaac. The Israelites had to wait hundreds of years to be delivered from Egypt. Ruth had to wait patiently for the Lord to provide Boaz to marry her. David had to wait until after Saul had died and the Lord had placed Him as king. 

What Do YOU Pray for During Trials?

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. — If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. – James 1:2-5

Last night I was at my church’s weekly prayer meeting, and God brought this scripture passage back to my heart. Well, let’s back up…

Yesterday morning I had to go to the doctor to have some testing done. Long story short, he did not give me the report that I was hoping for. In fact, he said the issue was worse than he originally thought. He told me I’ll have to have minor surgery for testing and treatment before we would even know the severity of the issue, or if it could be reversed.

God Miraculously Heals Man of Stage 4 Bone Cancer

ELIZABETH SANCHEZ

 

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Rodney Thompson and Glenn Hicks

Doctors gave Glenn Hicks a “death date.” He was diagnosed with stage 3 bone cancer on Dec. 14. Six weeks later, the cancer had spread and advanced to stage 4.

According to the Enneking staging system for bone cancers, stage 3 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body. And according to the TNM staging system of bone cancer, stage 4 bone cancer means the disease has spread to the lungs.

Hicks knew he was dying. He was experiencing severe pain in his joints and bones. But as a resident of Faith Farm, a homeless ministry in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he was not allowed to take narcotics to treat his pain.

Why God Might Not Be Answering Your Prayers

Written by Jonathan Kroeker

Take today’s next step: Do you write? Send in your devos for consideration.

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)

The easiest way for a married man to make his prayers ineffective is to be inconsiderate or disrespectful to his wife. How many of my own prayers have been scuttled simply because I haven’t been nice to my wife? Just to think about it makes me shudder.

God cares deeply about the state of your marriage because it is meant to be a reflection of Christ’s relationship with His church (Ephesians 5:32). God intends for your neighbor, co-worker, family member, and friend to get a glimpse of the gospel through the way you treat your wife. 

Waiting Patiently For God's Perfect Timing

There was a family who had a small Scottish terrier who would go to their back door and bark and bark until someone finally got the message and let it out. One day, a handyman had come to do some work on the house while everyone else was gone. That little dog took up his station at the back door and barked incessantly all day. 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. — 1 John 5:14

When the family returned home to find the handyman finishing up, he told them about how the dog had been barking all day at the door. The homeowner told him that his neighbors had said the same thing. “The sad thing is,” the owner said, “it never occurs to the little guy that all his barking is totally useless when no one’s home to hear!”

Answer Envy

Karen Ehman

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

Devotion:

Do you ever envy God's answers to someone else's prayers?

I remember almost choking on the words, "I am so happy for you!" in response to the breaking news that friends of ours from North Carolina had sold their house after it had been on the market for twenty days.

To them it had been a long twenty days. Houses were normally snatched up quickly in their area. In our shaky Michigan economy, however, it takes a bit longer. In fact, on the day she announced that her home now had a "sold" sign in the front yard, we turned another page on our calendar — marking how long our house had been for sale. Not twenty days, but twenty months to be exact.

Although I was genuinely thrilled for my friend, I was also a tad green with jealousy.

God the Father Does Want to Heal You

All of the above verses are definitely showing us that not only does God the Father have the personality attributes to want to heal us, but that He also has the full divine power to actually be able to heal us – no matter how severe the sickness or illness may be. However, will He actually do it if you properly approach Him in your prayers?

These next set of verses will show you that not only does God actually want to heal us – but that He can and will heal us if certain conditions are met. Not only does the Bible give us knowledge and information on the personality attributes of God and Jesus, but it also shows us how many times in the past God and Jesus have actually healed other people.

Once you read how many times God and Jesus were healing other people back in both the Old and New Testaments, then this will help build up your own faith and belief that just maybe God and Jesus can also do the exact same thing for you.

Take Back What the Devil Has Stolen!

Written by Kenneth E. Hagin   

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 
(John 10:10)

Years ago, while I was holding a meeting in Port Arthur, Texas, a Methodist woman came up to me and said, "Brother Hagin, I don't know much about healing. For seventeen years I haven't been able to do my housework or cook breakfast for my husband. I haven't been able to function as a wife and mother because of bad health.

"And after spending thousands of dollars, doctors have admitted that they just can't help me. I've been in the prayer lines of some of the most outstanding healing evangelists of our day. But I didn't realize how important the Word of God was in receiving healing until I heard you teach today. I'm coming back tomorrow."

Well, she came back the third day and the fourth day. Every day she came, she got stronger. I never even prayed for her. She never got in the healing line. As far as I know, no one prayed for her. We eventually closed out the meeting and left.

How to Get Godly (if You've Got the Guts)

Whitney Hopler, Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Roger Barrier's book, Got Guts? Get Godly! Pray the Prayer God Guarantees to Answer, (Xulon Press, 2011).

God listens carefully to all of your prayers, but you usually can’t predict how He will choose to answer them. There is one prayer that God always answers “yes” to, though: praying for spiritual growth.

Since spiritual growth always reflects God’s will for you, you can count on God helping you when you let Him know that you’re willing to pursue spiritual growth at any price. Your willingness to do whatever it takes to become more spiritually mature invites God to work in your life in powerful ways.

Here’s how you can pray for spiritual growth and work with God to mature in your faith:

A Costly Offering

"But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them." 2 Samuel 24:24

Araunah the Jebusite was just being polite. When he found out that David wanted to purchase his threshing floor to build an altar, he bent over backward and offered his oxen for the sacrificial offering, as well as the wood on which to burn it. David wouldn't hear of it. If it was going to be a true sacrifice, he knew he'd have to "sacrifice" something. Like his hard earned cash.

With us, it doesn't have to be our cash. It could be our time or our prayers, our gifts and talents. I'm thinking right now of Carolyn, a seamstress friend of mine who barely makes ends meet by sewing and tailoring. Carolyn lives alone in her small apartment with her cat and works late into the night, stitching up a storm. Last Christmas she wasn't able to buy the gifts she would have liked; so she went one better - she stayed up extra late, making presents of skirts and vests. Her friends were going to receive the best she could offer, even if it meant missing a deadline on a commission, even if it meant early hours and sore fingers. Those skirts and vests are, to us blessed folks who received them, more valuable than anything you'd purchase at Sax Fifth Avenue.

That Your Prayers May Not Be Hindered

"But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another." (1 John 1:7, The Amplified Bible)

One area of our lives we believers need to particularly guard is the area of our relationships. We simply have to heed the Word of God where they're concerned. Let's not fuss with one another and criticize one another so much that we hinder the forces that God has given us to make us successful in this world.

Strife also causes trouble in the spirit realm. It opens the door to the devil. It keeps our prayers from being answered. It even keeps our angels from moving on our behalf!

MORE THAN JUST SOWING AND REAPING

LUKE 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

LUKE 6:17-49

This verse reveals one of God's cardinal laws that will work in the spiritual realm, as well as the physical world. Just as we "give" seed into the ground to receive back multiple seeds, so it is with everything we give. Whether it's money, possessions, an emotion such as love or hate, prayers, or our time, we will reap a harvest of whatever we give. We reap exactly what we sow and proportional to the same measure that we give (Gal. 6:7-8).

"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully" (2 Cor. 9:6). This law works on positive or negative things that we sow.

Although this is an unchangeable law of God, it can be overcome by a greater law in much the same way that we can escape the law of gravity by using the greater laws of thrust and lift. The negative things we have given don't have to come back to us if we apply the greater law of forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9). Likewise, the good things we have sown can be voided if we don't continue in well doing (Gal. 6:9).

An Acceptable Time

Written by Julie Cosgrove

Does God hear your prayers? Talk to us about that.
“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness” (Psalm 69:13).

I saw a mother in the grocery line. Her small child hovered around her as we waited for our turn to check out. Common scene. The little girl tugged on her mother’s pant leg. The mother bent down and let the girl whisper in her ear. Then she stood and shook her head. “Not, now, honey. You have to wait.”  The little girl was at first satisfied, but her patience grew thin. The scene repeated twice more, each time the mother’s jaw became more set, her retort more firm. “I said, not now.”

Heaven's Economy

"Giving thanks unto the Father .. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Colossians 1:12-13)If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?

Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surrounds them. They wonder, "How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?"