Will You Pray?

I received an email from a brother pastor of mine in the Akron area. he had just returned from the Philippines where he was teaching other pastors and training leaders. He was amazed at ho God moved in his trip. This is a small part of what he wrote:

"I learned an important truth that will remain with me always. And that is the simple, yet profound privilege of bringing one's needs and concerns before the Father."

It is indeed a privilege! He continues:

"My brothers and sisters there showed me that with expectant faith a child of God can just tell Him about their need and He will supply it. A woman asked the Lord to give them rice for her family's next meal and that very day He prompted me to slip some pesos into her hand – she wept with joy. A pastor places his hands on his children's heads and prays for them before they leave for school – they do well and are protected as he expected. A young teen asked God for a guitar so that he could play it for Him in worship and the next day a generous woman calls and says that she has money to buy a guitar for the church. A lonely pastor cries out to God for his ministry to bear more fruit and God gives him the means to relocate the church near the highway and it is growing each week. I was taken to a place called Touch of Glory Prayer Mountain and I prayed alone at length in a very small cell with only a stool and small stand. It was then that I had a sweet encounter with the Lord unlike ever before and found out how weak my prayer life had become.

We need the power and encouragement found at the throne of grace, but we have settled for much less and then wonder why God does not intervene in our small world. He is far bigger than we ever imagined and He is ready and willing to bless us over and over again!"

I'm ashamed of myself over the times I haven't prayed with such conviction!

Tonight, the steering committee of The Grove is meeting to pray for each of you by name and for those concerns you have made known. We encourage you to also be praying for us as we discern God's direction for the church as we pursue our mission to know, go, show and sow.

We look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the pancake breakfast and easter egg hunt and on Sunday at the Sunrise Service at 8:30am.

Pastor Jeff