Prayer

I saw a comment on a fb post today that bothered me. It had absolutely nothing to do with the post and it was really offensive. I exercised self control and did not comment back like I wanted to. As of tonight, neither had anyone else. Silence can be really loud at times. Later, I saw another comment that had everything to do with the post it was on and I was inspired to blog about the whole thing.

 

Comment #1

 

We just rebuked Hurricane Isaac from Pensacola and it moved west! PTL, I guess we have better prayer warriors than Mississippi or Louisiana does.

 

Really?! I smell the stench of pride and arrogance. I know nothing about the commentor or their personality or sense of humor. Having said that; my opinion is:  what a jerk! I happen to have family in Louisiana - in several places, including New Orleans. I'm praying for them. Instead of commenting back, I prayed for them again. I'm glad Florida will be safe. I have special friends there too. But even if I knew nobody in the path of the storm...I would pray for the safety and protection of the people there. Why on earth would any praying person celebrate victory for one area and doom on others? Not a Jesus attitude or action for sure.

 

Comment #2

 

We're all praying that this will not hit LA, and if it does, that the damage will be minimal. (Not that we want it to bother anyone else!) But if at some point you need a place to stay just slightly north of where you are and can get yourselves to BR, we've got lots of room and do not plan to leave.

 

Thank you. From me...and Jesus.

 

**************************

 

After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans years ago, I read an article about God's judgment on the 'city of sin'. I'm sad to say that at that time in my life, even though I had been surrounded by grace teaching, the article made sense. Some time later, I read another article that set my thinking straight.

 

I'm not going into great detail, but currently, my thoughts are:

 

When Jesus Christ was on this earth, He spoke to storms to calm them and they obeyed. If the storms were God's will, Jesus would not have intervened. God poured out his wrath completely on Jesus on the cross. Jesus paid the price in full for our sin. God is not punishing anyone with the weather. Judgment day will come. It has been prophesied and recorded - and it will happen in God's timing. It was not yesterday, it was not today, and chances are, it won't be tomorrow.

 

Jesus loved on sinners - He saved, delivered, and healed them. He became a curse and died on a tree so that we may be free. In the old testament, God sent messengers to warn people before judgment. He wasn't kill happy. He spared who He could according to His Word and His will.

 

If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you should know that God loves you - so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for your sin, that you might have eternal life. We have all sinned. It's not hard to acknowledge that fact. What a blessing to know that the price has been paid and all we need to do is repent - change our mind and turn to Jesus - believe He died and rose again - and confess Him as Lord. Simple. Life changing. Eternal Life.

 

Jesus is Lord.

 

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you should know that your sin - past, present, and future - was forgiven over 2000 years ago. You have been set free from the law of sin and death. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Praying God's Word and using our God-given authority is powerful. But, before I knew much of God's Word or how to pray - and nothing about authority - God woke me up to pray one night - though I didn't know that at the time. After trying to wake my husband up repeatedly to no avail - checking on the kids and the house several times - and not being able to shake the dread that was so thick all around me - I prayed a simple prayer over and over - something to the effect of 'whatever it is, please take care of it.' I was no prayer warrior...but the dread had to be prayed away...I didn't know what else to do. Months later, a friend called and told me of a horrific accident that claimed the life of his girlfriend, put him in a coma and nearly claimed his life as well. Immediately, I knew what the dread of that night had been about and that as frantic and naive as my prayers had been - God had answered them.

 

God is faithful. Always.