BEFORE AMEN (Lucado) - They Need Help

Post based on Max Lucado's book, BEFORE AMEN: The Power of a Simple Prayer, 2014.
Abba-Daddy. You are good.  I need help. Heal and forgive me.  They need help.  Thank you. Amen.

THEY NEED HELP

Chapter 7 highlights:

• Jesus never refused an intercessory request.  Ever!
• Intercessory prayer at its purest form is the confluence of paucity and audacity.
• Intercessory prayer gets God's attention quickly.
• Unbelief attempts to help others without calling on Jesus; Belief pounds on the door at midnight doing whatever it takes to present people to Jesus. 
• We do not change God's intention, but we can influence his actions.
• Intercessory prayer isn't rocket science.  It acknowledges our inability and God's ability. 
• Nothing pleases Jesus as much as being audaciously trusted. 
• The quickest way to douse the fire of anger is with a bucket of prayer. 
• You are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. 

1.17.18 Be Audacious
Luke 11:10, 13  MSG   
Don't bargain with God.  Be direct.  Ask for what you need.....Don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?
     This well known passage (Seek and find; Knock and open; Ask and given) follows the story of a neighbor who was audacious to ask for food at midnight when he had guests who were hungry.  The point doesn't focus on the sleepy food-giver.  The point is in the boldness of the one who goes knocking ON BEHALF on someone in need.  
     When we intercede on the behalf of friends, family, or even strangers, we cannot go half-way with a limp 'They need a little help, God, do what you can.'  We have to remember that WE are often the answer to our own prayers.  God might just reply, 'What are YOU doing about it?' first. 'I want YOU to go knock and ask on their behalf.'  It is easy to pray and leave the details up to God.  But what if WE are part of the details?  Be audacious in our requests - both to God and in response to God's solution.  

UPCOMING....
1.18.15  Prayer Can Create Change
Exodus 32:11-12 GNT  
But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God and said, "Lord, why should you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might and power? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on them."
      The people of Israel have sinned.  Big time sinned.  God is angry.  REALLY angry.  God is probably just a little fed up with them.  But Moses (again, audaciously) challenges God to change his mind.  Moses pleads for compassion from God on behalf of the people.  This is prayer intercession at its boldest when we ask God to rethink actions of the Almighty. 
      How many times have we responded in anger, however, and wished someone had pleaded with us to stop and think; to change our mind.  I recently was frustrated with a situation and wrote a rather sarcastic response.  I was glad to have an even-tempered son who cautioned me to STOP! and respond with compassion.  I appreciated having a Moses ready to challenge me in prayer.  
      Our prayers can be powerful agents of change.  God listens.  But always consider, 'Thy will be done.'

1.19.15   Ambassador-Secret Agent
2 Corinthians 5:20 MSG  
We are Christ's representatives.  God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them.

     When we intercede in prayer for others, we are acting as representatives in the kingdom of God.  We are a Christ ambassador in our realm of the kingdom.  That realm might include our family and friends, acquaintances and strangers who we encounter in our daily actions.  We have a responsibility to pray on behalf of all in our little part of the kingdom; that responsibility comes with being a good representative.  Just ask anyone serving in the government!  
     Or maybe we can think of this as agents....secret agents for Christ!  Our mission, should we choose to accept, is to PRAY!  Pray for healing, pray for encouragement, pray for reconciliation, pray for forgiveness! I'm putting on my Secret Agent Prayer glasses!!   

1.20.15     Love THEM?
Matthew 5:44 GNT  
But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you....
     It is easy to pray on behalf of friends and family, loved ones and those close to us.  It is even easy to pray for strangers we have never met.  But pray for people who hurt us?  Who anger us with their ideology that is so opposed to our own?  Pray for those who have slandered or lied to us?  Pray for those who are so different from ourselves that we can't even imagine how they can be a part of our world?  Yes.  Nothing breaks down walls faster than prayer.  Nothing can create community stronger than prayer.  Nothing can make a church stronger and more alive than to pray for one another.  Nothing can turn those enemies into friends more completely than a simple prayer.