Lord, I know you are working on it!

How are your “waiting” skills?  I remember some years ago, when I was in California visiting my sister and her family, we all went to LA to see Bob Barker and the “Price Is Right”. I grew up on that game show and had watched Bob Barker for…let’s just say many (many) years.  I loved Bob Barker and had a lot of fun playing a long. So, when I went to visit my sister she made it possible for us to go to LA to get tickets to a taping of the show.  I didn’t know it at the time but it didn’t take us long to find out that you have to line up along the sidewalk on the street, spend the night, and go through an all day process the next day to get tickets and a good seat for the taping that afternoon.  But, it was worth it to me and I had faith that I was going to be in that audience and be able to see Bob Barker in person.  It took faith, time, and patience but we all got tickets and front row at that.

During the decade my daughter was born natural childbirth was thought to be the best and safest way to have a baby. I did my research, talked with other mothers, and consulted with my doctor. He was ahead of his time back then and believed in supporting the mom in whatever method she chose. From the very beginning I made up my mind that I was not going to have any medication…I was going natural and that was that! The outcome, a healthy baby, was so important to me I was willing to go through whatever I had to and for however long to achieve that outcome.  And on March 17 my beautiful baby girl was laid in my arms…healthy and perfect J. It took faith, time, patience and support but worth all the long labor and pain.

God has been teaching me some lessons on prayer.  God tells us in his word that we should come to him for our needs and wants. We can ask him for guidance, direction, healing of emotional and physical needs, finances, careers…we can come to him about anything and he will always hear us and always gives us an answer (a further explanation of this is for another posting at another time.) Look at the truth in James 1:5…”If anyone lacks wisdom ASK and it will be given to you.” What a promise! Now, let’s look to the next verse…”But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.” James 1:6. We are to ask and then BOLDLY in FAITH BELIEVE! I believed some way, somehow I was going to get my tickets and see Bob Barker. I believed that if I just endured the wait of my labor pains that I could do without meds and I was going to deliver a good healthy baby. And then let’s finish verse 7 and look at verse 8…James 1:7b-8 “because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” If you are praying to God, pray with faith in His power and know that he is working! Why does this seem so easy in other aspects of our lives but not in our spiritual life?

The devil is waiting to plant seeds of doubt…wanting to see you flip flop…”blown and tossed by the wind.” Instead stand firm in his promises, in His word. Throw out those wrong thoughts, the thoughts of doubt and replace them with bold thoughts and words. Tell the devil and yourself…I believe GOD is working and I WILL see the results of what he is doing.” Speaking the word of God is one of the greatest weapons you can use against the devil. Speak his promises…Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Boldly stand in faith…”Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24.

God hears every word we utter. He hears all our prayers. He wants us to be patient and have no doubts that He, the Lord our God, is working and in his time we WILL see and receive!

Truly^] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Mark 11:23