GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS

The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries comes to you this week with a very special request. I mentioned in the audio portion of last week's message how important it is for our online church to be a praying church. We have received an urgent prayer request from Margaret “Mo” Swenson.

Mo and her husband, Chuck, have been close friends of ours for many years. She informed me this week that her sister has Stage IV cancer and is being attended to at home by Hospice. When Mo's ninety-year-old mother was told of this situation she also was hospitalized. Mo's simple request to us and other friends is to pray for herself and her family as they travel through this journey. I am now passing this request onto you, our loving and praying online church. Please, pray for God's strength and comfort for this family in need. Mo said she knows that her God, who sits on the throne, is the Almighty One who can get them through the days ahead. And you know what? She is absolutely correct.

God will be with her and the family, but most of all, he will be with Mo's sister. So pray church, pray. We are counting on you. God will honor your sincere prayers, he always does. God bless you, Mo and your family. This online family of believers is standing with you.

Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service, all are welcome in this place. You know folks, all of us have times when we need comfort and strength, don't we? The truth is, there are many times of despair and grief on this earth. We see it all around us. Poverty, sickness, unequal justice and so much more. We soon find out our own strength in many situations is not enough. The impending loss of life of someone close to us, whether it be family or friends can be and often is too much to bear, isn't it? That's just the human element at work. But, thank God, we are not alone.

God created us and he knows what we can endure and what we cannot. God says to believe in him, draw on his strength, he will not let you down. Psalms 28:6-7 tells us how faithful God is to us who believe on him. Psalms 28:6-7 states:

“Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

What a great passage of scripture. It tells us so much. It starts out by saying God has heard our prayers. So many times we question that, don't we? Well, let that matter be settled once and for all. God's Word is true or it isn't. Which do you believe? This Psalm tells us God will not only give you the strength to overcome these ordeals of life, but even more than that, he (God) is our strength. Let's repeat that!! God is our strength. Now, who or what is stronger than our heavenly Father? The answer – no one or anything!! The Bible says in this scripture. Because your heart trusts in him, he will and in fact, has already helped you. Now, my friends, we can rejoice and sing songs of praise toward him.

I often pray that God gives his peace and joy to those that I lift up to him. But, does he really do that? Psalms 29:11 gives us the answer.

“The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”

My friends, God desires to be your strength. Now, I want you to get this. God is our strength and he gives us strength. Clearly, God is saying if you are my people, I will share myself with you completely. How do we become his people? By giving ourselves completely to him. By accepting the way he gave us to come to him. There is only one way. Receive his Son Jesus into your heart and confess him as your Lord and Savior. Remember Jesus? The one who died on the cross so you might be saved and have eternal life with him and his Father.

Oh church, do you get this? Mo is right. Because she has received Jesus into her heart, she can truthfully say that her God sits on the throne and he will get her through the days ahead with peace, comfort and even joy. Can you say the same? Believers, it is more important than ever to not let go of what you have in God. Draw on the strength that he is in every situation. You might say “Brother Bob, how can you have joy at such a time as this?” Here is what God does for you in times of sadness and mourning. Turn with me to Isaiah 61:3. Isaiah is talking about those who were mourning in Zion. But God is no respecter of persons, is he? So, if you are sad, in despair and mourning, no matter where you are, this applies to you. Isaiah 61:3 states:

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness. The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

What a great God we serve. God gives us the oil of joy to replace mourning. He gives us the garment of praise and drives out the spirit of heaviness. God is glorified by our steadfastness in him. I know there are times when we wonder “God, where are you? Please hurry!” Isaiah 40:31 addresses that.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

In other words, church, wait on the Lord. He will see you to victory in every situation of life. He will see to it that you will regain your spiritual strength and walk through to the end, which is only the beginning.

God Bless you,
Bro. Bob

Prayer Request Update: I heard from Margaret "Mo" Swenson this past Friday. Her sister has passed away and gone home to be with the Lord. It is more urgent than ever to pray for Mo and her family. Pray for peace and comfort that passes all understanding. Thank you for joining with us in prayer for this family.