If you have witnessed miracles like I have or even just listened to others recount miraculous stories – one common thread will emerge. There will be one person in the story or listening to the story who is amazed or stunned by the hand of God.
My dad told a true story about a church who was devastated to learn that a bar would be built just one block from their church property. The bar planned to have exotic dancers and other events that would change the street environment and possibly bother children and congregants after services. As the bar was being built the church held special prayer meetings asking God to prevent the bar from opening.
The bar opened on time. Unfortunately after just one week, it caught fire and burned to the ground. Since the owner didn’t have adequate insurance he immediately sued the church claiming that their prayers had caused his bar to burn. The church members brought a counter suit stating that they had nothing to do with the bar’s demise.
The judge in the case threw it out of court because he couldn’t locate the co-defendant “God Almighty” in order to summon him to testify. Before dismissing the suit the Judge made the obvious conclusion. “I find this case very strange. It is extremely sad yet obvious that the bar owner – a confirmed atheist – believes in the power of prayer while the church – confirmed believers in God – refuse to believe that God has the power to carry out his will.”
How sad that this is where we are as a nation. Atheist and non-believers are so afraid of “Prayer” that they will go to court to stop Christians from talking to a God that they believe doesn’t exist. They use ridiculous arguments to hurt and stop Christians from living their faith or calling on God in Prayer. These same protesters of public expressions of faith have no problem if a Muslim, Buddist or sect prays. Christians however are apparently so powerful that even seeing the smallest cross on a necklace or the open Bible will influence an entire room to immediately change or become horribly uncomfortable. Muslims can blow loud horns from the tops of a Mosque three times a day with no problem but a Christian quietly wearing a t-shirt must go to jail for offending someone passing by. Burkas that promote the Muslim faith can crowd our streets with no problem but a simple cross on a grave will change the world as we know it.
This overwhelming fear of the Christian faith is rooted in the sub-conscious admission that Prayer works and Christians are powerful when they reach out to their God. If atheist groups really believed that God doesn’t exist – they wouldn’t care what Christians do.
At the same time, Christians have so little faith in God that they rarely pray and subconsciously believe all God can do is tap his foot to their praise music on Sunday morning.
Dorothy Sayers, a renown English writer said, “The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused him of being a bore – on the contrary, they thought him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround him with an atmosphere of tedium…..We have effectively pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him meek and mild, and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.”
If Christians captured a true vision of the power of God and believed that He can change all things when we pray – God’s will on earth would dramatically change our lives!
Do you believe in the power of Almighty God?
Dear God please help us to see and grasp the power you want to have in our lives.
Help us to live compassionate lives, caring for others yet powerful lives in the impact we can make on this world. May we live in the constant knowledge that there is nothing in this world that can ever escape the power of your will and your love for us.
Please calm this nation. Please give us peace.
Because we all must work and live together, please give us wisdom about the “truth” and “motive” of every situation and every person we know. May we be walking illustrations of your love and your power over the things we encounter in this life.
Please have your will in this election. Please promote and defend those you know will help us defend our freedoms and continue to be a wonderful place to live. Root out those people who would do America harm and deliver us from their evil plans.
Help each one of us to become stronger Christians and to give our very best to this wonderful country.
Amen