Saturday, August 30, 2014

Get Serious


In the book of The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 12, when the disciples "got serious" about praying for a Christian in danger, he who was in danger, (in this case it was Peter) was delivered.

(OK now, I am limiting my discussion to the Bible accounts.  I am aware that there have been Christian martyrs throughout the last 2000 years.  That's not the point.  What the Lord has deemed worthy to include in His book is the point.  It's His story, His lesson.)

OK, really?  Did they only "get serious" about praying for Peter?  Were they not serious about praying for Stephen or James?

Well, maybe they were, but there was no prayer meeting recorded in scripture for these two men.

In the book of Esther, when the queen (and let me emphasize that she was the king's BRIDE) pleaded for her people, the king listened, granted her request, and saved her people.

Can we not also plead for our people who are in danger?  Do we not have a special relationship, as the bride of Christ, to the King (the King of Kings)?  Is He not compassionate, gracious, and merciful?

Yes, we can plead for our people.  We do have a special relationship with the King.  And He is compassionate, gracious, and merciful.

OK, so what do we have to do to "get serious"?  Let's start with repentance.  If I am too busy, or too apathetic, to pay attention to the desperate situation people are in, I need to repent.

If I don't believe my intercession with Father God will "avail much", I need to repent of my unbelief.  For it says in James 5:16, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man/person avails much".

Get serious.  Pray.

Larry Carroll

Touch Works Both Ways


My youngest granddaughter sat right next to me for a half hour yesterday.  I was blessed.

In the evening I realized that Touch, as a love language, works both ways (assuming a good functional relationship).

And that made me realize that both John and Jesus felt loved and blessed when John leaned against Jesus' breast during the Last Supper.  Yes, Jesus felt it, too.

OK, since Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever, He will feel your love too, as you press in and get close to Him, or try to get close to Him.

Hey, try.  He knows your heart.  You will bless Him just by trying to press in to Him.

Larry Carroll

Just Ask, It's That Easy


Recently I was talking with my neighbor, and he told me about his cancer treatment and recovery from the treatment.

Chris said it took him only three weeks for him to recover what commonly takes others four to six months.

People remarked about this difference and he told them that "he has God".  He asked Father God for healing and substantially received it in the aforementioned three weeks.

Then he said something which I found very profound, "Ask.  Just ask.  It's that easy!"

Thank you, Chris.  Ask.  Just ask.  It's that easy.

OK, is this documented?

Well, I believe you're asking about his rapid recovery.  I can say I saw him a few months ago, after he started his radiation treatments, and I saw the mark they have made on his neck.

But I will give you some other documentation.

Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

John 14:13,14
13 whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 16:23,24
23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Aren't you taking these promises out of context?

OK, read them in context.  It won't change the essence.

Are there any conditions on these promises?

Well, there is this matter of believing the Lord God's promises.
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

And there is this thing about forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14,15
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

OK, this last condition concerning unforgiveness needs to be expanded a bit.  Unforgiveness turns a person's attention inward, towards himself/herself.  One would never say it, but one is then acting as if he/she is the most important person of all.  What the world system claims, "I'm number one!" then becomes true in his/her life.  Very unhealthy.

Larry Carroll

All scripture quoted is from the New King James Version.