Why Pray for Israel?

Let's see what the Bible says about the importance of praying for the Jews and Israel; (God's chosen people and His Holy land).

As more and more Christians are becoming familiar with the Bible, they are realizing they have a Biblical mandate to share their faith with the Jewish people and to pray for them.

Genesis 12:2-3 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Psalm 121:1-4 "I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."

Romans 11:11-12 "Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!"

Based on the above, we can say that we are reaping God's blessings due to Israel's unbelief and denial of her Messiah. This is God's way of provoking the Jews to jealousy so they will envy us and desire what we have; 'the blessings of the new convenant through Jesus'. However, our God is a good God and He keeps His promises! He has not forgotten His chosen people! He wants us to pray for the Jews daily so they'll turn away from their sinful ways and accept Yeshua as their Messiah.

Unfortunately, our actions in the past and even now have not made us trusthworty in the eyes of the Jews. Israel has suffered persecution after persecution under the hands of many, including Christians. Therefore, we need to pray for Israeil and re-introduce them to Christ by showing them love and compassion so we can win their trust.

When we study the Bible diligently, we gain knowledge and realize the importance of defending Israel and praying for her. God says "I'll bless those who bless you". As we truly pray for the Jews, God will intervene and create in them a spiritual awakening like never before.

The Bible says: "all peoples on earth will be blessed through Israel".

Romans 11:21-24 " And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Romans 11:25 "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

Ezekiel 39:22 "From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God.

Ezekial 39:29 " I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD."

Zechariah 2:8-9 "For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you - for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye. I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.

Some scholars argue that the contents of the Bible are not applicable to the present times and they chose to ignore the prophecies. The Bible is God's Word and we should not twist its meaning. It is what it is! God is the same yesterday, today and forever!

When we hear about the persecutions of Christains and Jews just like the prophecies have predicted, we should not get overwhelmed. Instead we should pray and ask the Lord to give us strength and courage so we can face anything that comes against us. The Bible prophecies are not meant to scare us, but to prepare us. Although the media may be one-sided in reporting only the bad news, there are a lot of good things happening around the world that we don't hear about. God is raising up a whole new generation of radical Christians who are winning souls everywhere and who are making a difference for God's Kingdom.

God's chosen people, His holy land and all His believers will live through it all no matter what. Even if Israel's enemies claim they will wipe her off of the face of the map, Israel's future is in God's hands and no one can snatch her out of God's hand. What Israel's enemies do not realize is that the war they plan to have against Israel will be a war against the Mighty God of Israel and God will win that war!

The United States has prospered and has been blessed because of the support and prayer she has been providing Israel in the past. However, if we keep trying to negotiate with Israel's enemies for the sake of politics, peace and safety, and try to divide her land, we will anger the Lord and His curse will come upon us. We are already seeing some of the consequences of those negotiations that the U.S., UN and EU are making with the corrupt Palestenian and Jewish officials for the sake of peace and safety.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 "While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Joel 3:1-2 "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Mount of Meggido). There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

Ezekiel 24-26 "No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God."

Jeremiah 16:14-16 "However, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when men will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.' For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers." But now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks."

Ezekiel 37:21 "and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.God will gather the remnant of His chosen people to the Holy land again. He will breathe new life into them and the whole world will recognize who the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is once and for all!

Ezekiel 37:3 "He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live? I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

Ezekiel 37:5-6 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

Ezekiel 37:6-8 "So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them."

Jesus gave us lots of hints to prepare us for end times. Most of the Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled. The greatest one that amazes theologians is Israel is back in the land and Jerusalem is once again under the rule of the nation of Israel, just like the prophets had foretold! A thing of impossibility with men, but possibility with our great God!

Luke 21:28 "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Luke 21:32-33 "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

Although we may not know the exact day or time of our Lord's coming, the Bible clearly states that what we are going through now is "labor pains". When Noah started building the ark out of obedience to the Lord, people were teasing him and labeled him as 'crazy' - they saw it as foolishness. Noah chose to ingnore the critizism and remained obedient to the Lord. When finally Noah had finished building the ark and the animals started coming, Noah and his family knew that the time of the deadly rains was nearing. For the other folks, it was business as usual. They were too busy with their worldy things and were not concerned about anything else. The flood took them by surprise and they all perished. God is not a mean God, He gave them plenty of warnings to turn away from their wicked ways and to repent, but they chose not to. In the end, we are responsible for our actions and we reap what we sow because of our disobedience.

Matthew 24:36-37 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

Thesselonians 5:2-3 "For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape".

Other major signs, which are rampant in the U.S. and throughout the world are self-centerdness, materialism, addictions of all sorts, hatred, pride, anger, divorce, persecutions, self-righteousness, etc. Natural disasters are on the rise as well. This is what the Bible says:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 and John 17:21-23 "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

In addition to all the above, multi-belief system is growing too (i.e. new age, scientology, universalism, etc.). These folks claim to be 'open-minded' and 'free-thinking'. They cling to any belief system that would make them feel good. They pick whatever quinches the fleshly desires and feeds the inner cravings.

Idols such as money, material possessions, friends, status, etc., are all temporary and short-lived. No matter how much of these things we have, we will still feel empty, lonely and unhappy if we don't have Jesus. Jesus is the Living Water and only He can quinch our thirst. True joy and contentment comes only through Jesus Christ!

Exodus 20:3-7 "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."

Matthew 5:19 "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

When we pray, we are showing God that we are obedient and we are totally depending on Him. God will do wonders when we pray. The Bible predicts that during the latter days, a lot of unbelievers will turn to Jesus in alarming numbers through visions, dreams and other venues. A major revival is taking place as we speak all around the world and the Lord is lifting off the veils from the eyes of many so they can see "Truth". All this is happening because of the prayers and obedience of God's warriors throughout the world. Prayer is a powerful tool and it works!

The gospel is being preached to a lot more people and at a lot faster rate than ever before due to high-tech systems. God is raising up a new generation of young, radical warriors who are hungry and thirsty for God and who are willing to go the extra mile without intimidation and despite satan's efforts to stop them. At the same time, God and His army are busy in the spiritual realm helping people to come to Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

For instance, with all the attacks that Israel has encountered, Israel should not even exist! Consider her size; approximately the size of New Jersey with a population of less than 6 million, also, she is surrounded by enemies from left and right whose population exceeds 300 million, but Israel still stands and stronger than ever! God has supernaturally protected her.

It is amazing to me that not only Israel exists, but Israel is reborn and thriving! Israel is a wealthy nation and has some of the highest technologies in the world. Israel has also given birth to numerous Nobel Prize winners for their inventions. This is not a coincidence, it's the hand of God, fulfilling what the prophets have foretold us. So let's stay encouraged because God is still in control and He will never leave or forsake us.

Yes, days of persecutions are still ahead for Jesus' followers, but He will be right there with us to give us strength, courage and wisdom to do what's right. We just need to pray daily to strengthen our faith so we don't grow weary and give up.

The Bible says: "...and you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved".

So why does the world hate Israel? Why do the Arab nations want to wipe Israel off of the map? There is real evil in this world! Satan is well and alive and he knows that the promises of God will not be accomplished if Israel is destroyed and annhiliated. Satan also knows that his time in this world is almost up and God will come to take over and reign forever. The devil is fighting with all that he's got to destroy God's people and God's plan!

No matter what the devil and his followers do, we should not lose hope because the glory of Zion and the glory of all God's children is drawing near! Jesus has aleady won the battle and we have the victory, but because of God's mercy and grace, He is willing to give us a chance after chance after chance to repent and to turn away from our sinful ways while we're still alive, but once we die without accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then there would be no more chances. We will be in eternal darkness, separated from God (the Light of the world). God wants 'all' His children to be saved, not just some. However, the choice is up to us; we can follow the world's way or Jesus' way.

Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (the Old Testament is talking about Jesus long before His birth... but Israel didn't see it - they chose to be blind to the truth)

Revealtion 12:12 "Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."

Isreal will come to the realization of what she's done to her prophets and Messiah and she will repent. The restoration of Israel is near! The Jews are regathering in Israel from every corner of the world just like the Bible has prophesized. The Jews have an undying desire to return to their homeland without realizing that their actions are fullfilling Bible prophecy.

Acts 3:19-21 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus - He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets."

Isaiah 60:1-3 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brigthness of your dawn."

Zechariah 12:3 "On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves."

Those nations who vow to annhiliate Israel are not aware that their war will be against the God of Israel. Israel's enemies will be the ones who will be wiped off the face of the map while the whole world will watch in amazement, and because of that, a lot of people will come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Zechariah 14:2-3 "I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle."

As we near to the Lord's second coming, our troubles will escalate for sure. Believers in Jesus will be faced with tribulations, anguish, afflictions, sufferings and persecution. It will become clear that the battle is between "good" and "evil". Satan and his army will be fighting ferociously, but they'll lose and harvest will come for God's people.

The future is bright even if it seems dim right now. We should not waste our time and energy on the temporary things of this world, instead we should focus on what is unseen; the promised eternal life in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, where there will be no tears or suffering! But in the meantime, we need to continue to be responsible, hard working, honest, kind, and compassionate Christians so we can win more souls for God's Kingdom!

Hebrews 12:1 “Let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back.”

1 Corinthians 7:31 "Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.”

2 Corinthians 4:18 "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn."

1 Thessolonians 4:13-18 "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."

The blindness is coming off of the eyes of Jewish people in greater numbers since the first century. If we want Jesus' return, we need to do our part to reach out and spread the gospel to as many people as we can and that should include the Jewish people!

Isaiah 1:18-19 "though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient,you will eat the best from the land."

Isaiah 11:10-13 "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth."

Matthew 23:39 "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

If end-time prophecies interest you, you may also want to read Psalm 83, Ezekiel 37 and 38, the book of Zachariah, and Daniel, etc.

God Bless,
Lucine

The Power of Prayer...

Matthew 18:20

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Mark 11:24

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

If we truly understood the power of prayer, we would be on our knees 24/7 praying and reaping the consequences. We can pray to the Father anywhere and anytime, and as long as we are sincere and we are not asking for things out of selfishness, God will give us the desires of our hearts.

James 4:2-3 "You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

Matthew 6:5-8 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Jeremiah 33:2-3 "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it - the LORD is his name: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

After we pray, we need to trust God and wait patiently for His response. God's timing is not the same as ours; His timing is always perfect! See what the angel told Daniel after he prayed:

Daniel 10:10-12 "... then a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."

Satan wants us to believe that God does not hear our prayers, does not care or love us. But it's Satan who wants to steal our joy, kill our hope and destroy our relationship with Jesus. When we wait long enough and our prayers do not get answered, we start doubting God and we distance ourselves from Him. Precisely what the devil wants! He wants to destroy our trust in God! During that period of delay, we should not get angry with God; instead, we should continue to pray and we should rebuke doubt and unbelief in Jesus name.

God knows what we need before even we ask Him, but when we ask Him through prayers, He rejoices to know that we are fully depending on Him. Our faith, obedience and trust in God always brings Him honor and glory.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

John 14:12-14 "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If we truly believe in Jesus with all our heart, mind and soul, what's to stop us from doing the miracles that Jesus and His disciples did in the Bible days? All we need is a little bit of faith! Jesus said, if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains.

With true faith and obedience, we can carry on His mission until His glorious return. God wants us to go to Him with all our needs. Wouldn't we want the same from our children? We want them to come to us whenever they need something because they know they can trust us and they can depend on us, but most of all they know we love them.

Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"'

Don't let the enemy, who comes in the form of many different things, deceive you into unbelief. Our afflictions in this world are for a short period. We need to look above and beyond our earthly circumstances. God says to store up our treasures in heaven. We only see the things of this world which are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We need to build a strong and honest relationship with the Lord before it's too late. We cannot say "I'll start praying tomorrow" or "I'll give my life to Jesus when I get older." Today should be the day of our salvation because we don't know how long we have on this earth and tomorrow belongs to the Lord!

Matthew 25:13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "...therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For momentary light troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

God has not changed. God of the Bible is the same yesterday and today! We focus too much on earthly success and status and become arrogant or self-righteous. Our fame, financial security and material possessions give us false sense of security and we somehow forget about our Maker; the Creator of all good things.

When we pray and we don't hear from God, we give up too quick and turn to worldly sources for quick answers and we start losing our faith and give up on God althogether. Some turn to horoscopes, visit physics or get involved in witchcraft. The devil is not stupid! As a matter of fact, he knows very well who God is and that Jesus is the only way to God. He also knows about us to give just enough information to these entities so they can mislead us and destroy our faith.

These entities may give us instant answers to make us believe they know the future. Slowly, we start depending more and more on these sources and denounce our God. However, we need to remind ourselves that only God knows our future and only God should be our source. And in order to do that, we need to be praying constantly so we can strengthen our relationship with God. God's silence to our prayers does not mean He doesn't care or doesn't love us. Of course sometimes His delay could be because we are still sinning and we are not aligned with His will, but if that's not the case, then God is waiting for the 'perfect time' to answer our prayers because He loves us and knows what's best for us. God's timing never fails!

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you."

Isaiah 45:6 "I am the Lord and there is no other".

We need to rely on God at all times. He is Jehovah Jireh; our Provider! Prayer refreshes, restores and energizes us. Prayer also keeps us in close relationship with God. Prayer gives us confidence to face anything that comes our way and it takes away our anxieties and fears.

Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will and He assumes full responsibility for our needs as long as we are obedient to Him. Here's a story about what God does when we pray:

It was a week before Christmas when I decided to drive to the mall during my lunch hour to buy a couple of presents. After I finished shopping and was trying to get out of the parking lot, I found myself stuck behind a line of non-moving cars. People were honking, gesturing obscenities with their hands and getting real impatient. We watched 3 green lights come and go and still not moving. It was obvious that there was either a car accident or some construction work ahead of us. Instead of getting frustrated, I decided to turn on a contemporary Christian radio station to listen to uplifting songs. I also mumbled a prayer "Please God, let me get to work safe and sound and don't let me be too late."

Finally at the 4th geen light, the cars started moving slowly at which time it had also started raining and traffic was turning to a big mess. I was trying to make a U-turn under a very busy overpass when my car started skidding. I got very scared and said a quick prayer "Jesus, please help me", then I let go of the steering wheel and took my foot off the brake. My car made 360 degree turn and stopped facing in the direction I wanted to go. I was very shaken and my heart was beating so fast that I thought I was going to pass out. I was wondering how much damage I had caused. However, when I looked around, I noticed I was the only car under there and had not hit anything. I was expecting the worst and here I was sitting in my car without a single scratch. It puzzled me as I thought "this is lunch time and this road gets very busy, how come there are no other cars here?" I looked around again just to make sure, but there were no damages.

On my way back to work is when it dawned on me that this was the hand of God. He knew what was ahead and He delayed my exit at the mall to create the perfect timing so no one would be under the overpass when my car started skidding. My little prayers made the difference! Heaven reacts when we pray! My God had turned what would have been an ugly, messy and even fatal situation to a minor incident. What a great God we serve! I took a moment to thank my God and give Him all the glory and honor. I had never been so scared, but my Father was right there with me protecting and watching over me. Some people may read this and say "it was just a coincidence", but I know better! I don't believe in coincidence - I believe in devine interventions!

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Isaiah 55:6-9 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

We need to pray constantly. No matter how busy we are, we need to make time to pray! God should be our #1 focus throughout the day! When we have a genuine relationship with the Lord, we will wake up thinking about Jesus and we will go to bed thinking about Jesus. And when we do that, we will experience the most restful and peaceful sleep we've ever had.

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Jesus said "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart - I have overcome the world." Jesus has the Victory already! Therefore, until that glorious day of His second coming, we need to stand vigilant in the fight for Truth by being obedient to His Word and by praying constantly - not just praying for ourselves and our loved ones, but also for our country, government officials, our soldiers, neighbors, friends, co-workers and even our enemies! And when we pray and do it in Christ-like love, then God will do His part to bless us above and beyond our expectations!

God Bless,
Lucine

Small act, Big impact

Sometimes what we see as major, impressive or important is not as significant as we think. It is the little things that we so often ignore or consider unimportant that would leave a lasting impression on people. A genuine smile, a sincere compliment, a hug, good listening, forgiving and praying for those who do us wrong, etc., are some of the little things we can do on a daily basis to make a difference. What we may consider little and insignificant can impact others in a major way!

Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

If we are Jesus' representatives in this world, we should set good examples wherever we go and in whatever we do.

Isn't it amazing how our children try to do and say things to impress and please us? Or as grown ups, how we try to do our best at work to impress our boss in order to be liked, get a promotion or a raise? So why do we think differently when it comes to our Father in heaven? We need to be busy and productive for His Kingdom so we can receive His abundant blessings so we can bless others.

Going to mission trips, giving money to charities, helping the homeless, tithing are all good and pleasing to the Lord, but we need to have a Christ like mentality, wherever we go. Whether we are at work, home, on the road, or at the store; we need to practice love, patience and compassion with everyone! Sometimes, it is easier said than done, but we must do it regardless of how we feel in order to please the Lord. The Bible commands us to sow seeds wherever we go. When we stay obedient and sow seeds (action), then God will do His part to help us reap the blessings (impact).

Proverbs 25:15 "Through patience a ruler can be persuaded and a gentle tongue can break a bone."

I would like to share a short story with you. A couple of years ago when I got hired at the place that I'm working now, there was an employee who was rude and mean to me. I didn't know why she was that way. I had not done or said anything bad to her. Each time I heard a hurtful comment or sarcastic gesture, I mumbled a prayer under my breath "God forgive her and help me understand why she is this way and most of all, please help me keep my mouth shut so I won't say anything I'll regret later".

After several months of working there, I got to know her a little better and one day she opened up to me. She said that she had a tough childhood. She grew up without a dad and her mother was not a nurturing person. Very often, her mother would spank her for no reason she said. After listening to her story, I knew now where her bitterness and hate was coming from.

Then I shared a little bit about my childhood. I told her that my dad had passed away when I was only two. After he passed away, my mom abandoned me and my two brothers. Luckily my aunt (my dad's sister) adopted the three of us even though she had 7 children of her own. Two were married and living on their own, but the other 5 still lived at home. I continued telling her that I could have easily dwelt on my past and become a very bitter person blaming God for taking away my parents and for not having them around to love me, to read books to me and to tuck me in every night, and so on and on...

As children we don't understand why certain things happen to us, however, as we get older, we need to understand things from God's perspective. God did what was best for me and my two brothers. While God sees the whole picture, we cannot. He is God and we are not! My aunt had a big heart and was a God fearing woman. She read her Bible twice a day; in the morning and before she went to bed. She took us to church every Sunday. She instilled in us the love of God from day one and taught us how to be grateful for the little things we had. She told us not to dwell on the past. If God didn't use my aunt to come to our rescue, who knows where we would be today.

Everyone has a story to tell ; some good and some not so good. However, it's how we deal with our circumstances that paves the road. We can direct our path toward a positive and productive lifestyle and reap God's blessings or we can take the destructive path and be miserable forever. Either way, it's our choice and we cannot continue to live blaming others! If we trust God and lean on Him, He will guide and help us make the right decisions. He can wipe our past and give us a new beginning. Always remember that God's ways are higher and better than ours and His timing is always perfect!

After that day, I started giving my co-worker some inspirational notes, CD's and books on forgiveness, patience, and how to become intimate with the Lord. Several months later, she quit her job and I didn't hear from her for awhile. Then one day, I received a phone call from her. She said that she had a new job and she really liked it, also she didn't have to work on weekends and she was now able to attend church on Sundays.

Then she continued: "you taught me how to forgive and how to be patient and most of all how to keep my mouth shut. Although it's hard at times, it sure feels good to be able to do it. But most of all, I feel this 'joy' inside that I've never felt before."

When I heard that, I told her that the joy she felt was 'Jesus'. The Bible states that the peace and joy that comes from Jesus is above and beyond human understanding.

I was a bit teary when I heard her testimony and felt gratified. However, this was not about me or my emotions; all the glory and honor belongs to my God! I was merely a tool, just like my aunt, who God used for His purpose. When God sees a willing and obedient heart, He rejoices and instructs us to do our small part. We just need to be willing and ready for His use to see the big impact for His Kingdom!

Matthew 25:30-43 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"Then the King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

God Bless,
Lucine