It Is A Necessity
Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“But know that the Lord
has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.” (Psalm
4:3 NASU
Usually if one writes a
message on prayer, many won’t read too much further than the first paragraph,
or even sentence. I think it is because we have heard many sermons already on
the subject; have read more than one book about it over our adult life as we
try to walk the talk; or we carry a guilt complex because we know we should.
But don’t. Or not enough.
My sentiments exactly.
Taking the time to pray
requires just that – taking the time to pray. But we get up 5 minutes late
after hitting the doze button; rush out of the house with coffee and donut in
hand; do the normal daily grind; drive the commute to and from work in traffic that
grows in numbers daily; watch four hours of TV “to relax”; and then fall into
bed hoping for a good night sleep. Maybe throw up a weak word to the Lord. Right?
There are several
methods in praying. Some work for others. Some don’t. As for me, I have kept
lists so I don’t forget those I really did promise to pray for. But they
eventually get lost or forgotten about. My best friend Kevin diligently keeps with
a prayer list. How do I know? He tells me, but also faithfully asks me six
months later if a prayer request I had told him about was answered yet. And I have seen his spiral notebooks he
has saved for decades. Now that is a commitment to pray!
In at least two churches
that Laurie and I have been members with, New Covenant Christian Church in East
Lansing, Michigan and also All Nations Church in Charlotte, North Carolina
area, we have been on a 24/7 prayer team rotation (I got the 3 am shift on a
Wednesday morning), and were founding members of a Friday night, 10 pm – 6 am “Watch
of the Lord” for almost six years. The amount of literal hours spent in worship
with a full team during those eight hours was the best part!
My current customary method
of prayer is to take time in the early morning, when others are sleeping - when
it is really quiet. That didn’t happen overnight (pun intended). It was a gradual
intent and commitment on my part, knowing the necessity of doing it. Too much
was happening in family and friends’ lives, the friends of the ministry of Love
For His People who gave us prayer requests, the people of Israel, and beyond. I
couldn’t honestly look my Lord in the face and say, “Yes, I pray” until I now
actually do.
Because the Lord Jesus
baptized me with His Holy Spirit, when I asked in 1973 as a senior in high
school, praying in tongues is the way to go for me. As I think of those people
and situations He reminds me of and leads me in, the prayer language gives me
confidence that the best prayers are being said aloud. In several verses of
Scripture, the apostle Paul says that he would pray in tongues often. After
these many years of experiencing that truth, I see he was right as prayers are answered.
Some responses to see evidence may take years to happen, but faith keeps me
going.
Throughout the day, when
I have a quiet moment at lunch, or as I walk the streets during a break, I pray
in tongues. I may not see all that results now because of it, but I expect later
to know the effect it was having. When I am in heaven and witness the testimony
of those who were saved, healed, or had a supernatural move of the Lord in their
life, as a result of my prayer, it will have been worth it.
If you are not baptized in
the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord for His power to be given to you. He will give it.
Others who know of this gift can help if needed to exercise the prayer language
that will come.
We will need more of the
Lord’s power in our life in the coming days. As evil becomes more abundant, the
necessity of prayer will be more known. His people will pray. He will empower
us through prayer, and we will see victory in our lives, and those He has given
us the heart for.
Something to think
about. And then do.
Love you,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People,
Inc.
P.S. I would
be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and
friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below.
Thanks! Steve
We sure could use your
help to bless the families we do in Israel, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the
hurting ones here in the USA. Please give out of the abundance you have been
given.
In May, 2016, my wife
Laurie and I will be traveling to Israel to spend time with our friends. We
support them in word and deed. We have our plane tickets in hand. We love
Israel.
Love For His People,
Inc. is a charitable,
not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love
of the Father in the nations.
If these messages
minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and
maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we
consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible
contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.
Contribution checks can
be sent to:
Love For His People,
Inc. P.O. Box414 Pineville, NC 28134
Todah rabah! (Hebrew
– Thank you very much.)
Please share Now
Think On This with your friends.
Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com
martinlighthouse@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve
Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous,
LovingHisPeople
Now Think On This #207 “It
Is A Necessity” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our
Lord 2015 (11.16.15) Monday at 6:00 pm in Charlotte, NC
All previous editions
of Now Think On This can be found on this
Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This
Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word
with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below.
Thanks! Steve
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