Saturday, June 1, 2019

Because You Prayed 17 - 6/1-4/19

01-04 June 2019 - Building Character 17 – Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies
Theme: Prayer Builds Character - Series 17
                 Emphasis: Because You Prayed.

Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything . . . . presents your requests to God” (NIV).

In another word, do not worry about anything, just present your needs to God.  That really impressed me.  It takes practice “not to worry.”  I like the devotion when it says: “Because you prayed.”  God spoke, “Because you prayed …” So what happened that cause God to say this?  Let’s look into the history from the Old Testament in Isaiah. 

*When the brutal Assyrian King Sennacherib was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, he sent a message to King Hezekiah saying that Judah would be no different from all the other nations he had conquered.  Hezekiah took this message to the temple in Jerusalem, and “spread it out before the Lord” (Isaiah 37:14).  He then prayed and asked for help from Almighty God.

*Soon afterward Isaiah the prophet delivered this message to Hezekiah from the Lord: “Because you prayed about King Sennacherib of Assyria, the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 37:21-22 NLT).  Scripture tells us that Hezekiah’s prayer was answered that very night.  God intervened miraculously, conquering the enemy forces outside the city gates.  The Assyrian army didn’t even “shoot an arrow” (v. 33).  Sennacherib would leave Jerusalem, never to return.

*Three words in God’s message to Hezekiah—“Because you prayed”—show us the best place to go with our worries.  Because Hezekiah turned to God, He rescued him and his people.  When we turn our worries into prayer, we discover that God is faithful in unexpected ways!  [*Devotion from James Banks, Our Daily Bread].

Song: Expect a Miracle
Expect a miracle when you pray,
Expect a miracle every day.
If you expect it, God will find a way
To perform a miracle for you each day.
(Inspiring Choruses)

Let’s turn our worries to God and let Him be our God in our lives!

Dorothy

PS. June 3rd will be our 52 years of anniversary.  Tony is much better. Thank to your prayers.  I am doing well. And happy first month of June 2019. 

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