Sunday, May 18, 2014

Pray and Surrender

This past week Steven and I attended the CEF International Conference in North Carolina. It was a wonderful week of encouragement and spiritual enrichment. I have come home a truly changed person as I have just spent a week listening to God speak through several great men, spent time in fellowship with others who share my passion for children, and prayed out loud with people from over 80 nations.I get chills down my back as I think back to how strongly God's spirit was moving among us.

During one of the messages we were told to give all we have to God just as the boy with the five loaves of bread and two fish did. I know as Christians we have heard this over and over again: "Surrender all to God yada yada yada" and so often we follow that up with giving God an extra hour of our time or a little extra sum of money and think that will suffice. However, God does not need our money or our time for he can do whatever He wants by simply speaking a word, but He wants it. It is not for His benefit or anyone else's, but for yours. It is hard to remember on a daily basis that this life is so short. It is hard to remember that eternity is at stake. It is hard to remember that everything we do matters to God. If you are rich, give until you have nothing because God will bless you and make sure that you have all you need and your faith in Him will grow exponentially. If your time is all divided up cancel appointments and ask God what He wants you to do with the time He has given you, because if you are alive and reading this right now, then it is only because He still has a plan for your life here on earth -don't miss out! If you are living your life in selfishness by keeping to yourself, please stop! Most of the people you see everyday are going to hell and you could make a difference!

This week I have been challenged to work harder than ever because when I get to heaven I don't want to find out that many children have gone to hell because I chose to watch a movie instead of call a church. I have also been challenged to pray. Many of the people at the conference were from sensitive countries and they have so much that they could complain about, but instead they pray. They pray loud and long and I know that God hears their prayers. God answers prayers that are prayed with sincere hearts and prayers that are prayed often. I have access to the most powerful weapon on earth and often times I choose not to use it and who knows how many have died without Christ because of it. Prayer is powerful and I am excited to use it because I know that with it, many will live and become part of God's family. Can you think of a better way to use this life?

Surrender all you have and become poor for Christ. "Do you not know that God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom to which he has promised to those who love him?" James 2:5

Pray with me for the children who are lost. Pray long and pray hard! "Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17