6/16/2022 • Desk of Dennis Piller
We pray for a breakthrough and God's plan may be to break us through it.
It is said that if translated the original Greek in Matt 7:7-11 might say; keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking! That certainly describes perseverance, pressing in, or the attitude that I’m not giving up because I don’t get an immediate response. We are such a microwave generation. We want and sadly we want it right now. Often times we’re like a child that just wants his own way and somehow when we pray to God acting like he’s some kind of genie in a bottle. Oh, we’re very sophisticated about it and we can pray some beautiful prayers. But please… give it to me my way and in my time. Please.
I think we often come upon hurdles and or closed doors or windows
that are not big enough
for us to pass through and we pray for a breakthrough.
But I think sometimes God‘s intention is to break us through it.
He’s trying to achieve something in his overall plan that we are part of in some way. I am convinced that prayer helps us get on the same page with God. I’m convinced that prayer isn’t there to override God or even to get him to change his mind. But by being faithful in our prayer we learn to focus on God‘s faithfulness instead of our circumstances.
Which by the way may show no early signs of changing.
Show me, where in our prayers do we lay our problems at the foot of the Cross? Where do we turn our troubles and our woes over to God and trust Him to do what needs to be done? I think oftentimes we pray thinking we know what the correct answer should be or we just want a positive outcome and result. But I think oftentimes God is trying to effect a change in us and maybe even those nearby because whatever our reactions and actions they will create some kind of a ripple effect that will change somebody else.
Praying tenaciously builds up our trust and at the same time teaches us to depend on God instead of rushing in where fools fear to tread.
(I am an expert at this one!)
God’s promise is that in his time he will give us an answer. But a lot of times it doesn’t look the way we expected it to look. In my life, sometimes, it’s just the fact that I survived. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Or that my fear wasn’t realized at all. And isn’t that so often true?
We take on the spirit of “What If’s”. And fear just starts to run rampant within us. It brings up this demon within us that is just angry, unreasonable, completely speculative, and oftentimes unwilling to receive
the godly counsel God has sent our way.
Prayer helps us to lift our eyes to heaven instead of focusing on our troubles. When we place our hopes in this life I am convinced that trials will continue to lead us to despair. And I have always felt that until I learned the lesson to trust in God I just seem to automatically condemn myself to have to repeat the same lesson over and over again until I get it. Groundhog Day.
Trusting in God is not an event it’s a process. It isn’t something that we just received in one large settlement. I believe that we build on it every day by reading God’s word, by praying, and ultimately trusting in his sovereign will for our lives. I also believe that we can walk in the joy of the spirit and we can also walk in victory, even when we may be in the valley at the time.
Look up my friends. Where does your hope come from?
If you are local to us – may I close with an announcement of our upcoming Summer Groups Session
at Grace Family Church.
Tuesday Nights
June 21st thru July 12th
7:00 to 8:30
No childcare.
This is a great opportunity to re-gather your group or join a group for a 4 week Summer Session on Prayer.
I pray you have been staying in touch with your groups, but PLEASE invite them to join you and invite their whole family.
We have 3 powerful speakers including Pastor Mike Moore Teaching on Prayer.
Each week after the teaching, we will break into groups and have questions about the topics for discussion
and then all come together in prayer at the end of each session.
The last night will be a special evening of prayer and praise applying the topics we have learned as we enter into worship together.
This is a great opportunity to invite new people to experience Groups and learn about prayer.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email and ask questions. I would love to know if you and your group might be attending and how many.
Blessing Dennis 813 967 7127
