Some thoughts on prayer...

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."
1Peter 3:12

The Lord has been so faithful during these past fews months. He has used many different circumstances to demonstrate to me that He not only hears my prayers, but that He also answers them! I can trust Him and stand firm in His promises. Not like I didn't know this before, but all this year it has been a constant REALITY in my life--I've seen Him accomplish both supernatural and seemingly ordinary things as answers to prayer.

(Among some of the "ordinary" things, He has provided me with a new digital camera, which means I'll be able to post more pictures up soon.)

Lately He has been filling me with an ever-increasing passion for Him--to KNOW Him more, and that my Lord and Savior be exalted and glorified. One of the verses that He has been showing me is Philippians 3:10:

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death"

I'm getting more and more of a holy desperation for His presence and power to be REAL in my life. I've been spending much more time with Him in adoration, prayer, and intercession. One of the things He does not allow me to forget is that the most important thing we can do as believers is pray. And not just pray, but really pray: to come to Christ, absolutely surrendered, and draw close enough to Him to become a partaker in the "fellowship of His sufferings." To feel what He feels. To pray the prayers of His heart. To come into His holy presence, boldly before His throne, and agonize in intercession, wrestling with Him until we have received the blessing. That is true prayer.

Oh, but there is a high price to pay for such a type of prayer, as God has shown me. It'll mean loss of food, of sleep, our reputation, our time...it will cost us our very lives.

But can we afford not do this in such a wicked and perverse generation as this? In the light of eternity, what will our petty little necessities matter? Souls are being damned to eternal torment by the minute; the name of God is being blasphemed daily by the heathen; Jesus is not receiving the glory He so rightfully deserves; most of the Church in the west is limping; and multitudes in Christendom today are in danger of being spewed out of the very mouth of Christ!

Brothers and sisters, the time is urgent! We need to pray!