TAKE EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER

Coming back from vacation for me is worse than all the preparation to go. It seems like every time we go away, we come back to some major crisis or event. Coming back from our trip to Minnesota was no different. I came back with several major things that needed to be addressed, and quite frankly, I started to stress out big time. But I decided to get alone with the Lord and talk with Him about the matters that were of concern to me. He didn't take away the situations that I needed to address, but He sure gave me wisdom, strength, peace, and all the necessary things that I needed for handling them.

At just the right time yesterday, the Lord sent me to a devotional book and I believe led me to a particular passage that I needed to read. Hear these words from Dr. John Piper . . .

"Prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world. It calls on God for courage (Ephesians 6:19). It calls in for troop deployment (Acts 13:1-3). It calls for protection and air cover (Matthew 6:13; Luke 21:36). It calls in for fire power to blast open a way for the Word of God (Colossians 4:3). It calls in for the miracle of healing for the wounded soldiers (James 5:16). It calls in for the supplies for the forces (Matthew 6:11; Philippians 4:6) And it calls in for needed
reinforcements (Matthew 9:38). This is the place of prayer -- on the battlefield of the world. It is a war-time walk talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom to increase the comforts of the saints. And one of the reasons it malfunctions in the hands of many Christian soldiers is that they have gone AWOL!"

(from Magnificent Prayer by Nick Harrison published by Zondervan) Thank you in advance for not leaving your post. Please don't go AWOL!

Reminds me of a familiar hymn:

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief's to bear.
What a privilege to carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer.
Oh, what peace we OFTEN forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble everywhere?
We should never be discouraged, TAKE IT TO THE LORD IN PRAYER!
Can we find a friend so faithful -- Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our Refuge -- take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He'll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.

I needed those words this morning. Maybe you did too!