Are Your Cupboards Full?

Greetings,
Luke 11:1-13 gives us an insight into Jesus' perspective of prayer. Maybe He gave this teaching the day after an election was just held; when people around him were upset because "their guy or gal wasn't elected", or something like that. It would be a good time for us to focus on what's really going on in this world and what will it take to change things for good...
1. And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.''
2. So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
3. Give us day by day our daily bread.
4. and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.''
5. And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves;
6. `for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';
7. "and he will answer from within and say, `Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?
8. "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
9. "And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
11. "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12. "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!''

The last couple of Sunday nights we've gathered to worship and seek the Lord and not only ask about our individual needs but also to find out what Father has on His heart. We've approached it like the person who is going grocery shopping and wants to stock up the cupboards for anyone who may come "calling at midnight". What a powerful time, though not a "spectacular" time, we had in the Lord. Please understand the difference. God's power can be present without people running around the room, screaming at the top of their lungs, dancing up and down the aisles, or even "falling under the power". Now all those things CAN be a sign that the supernatural God is doing His work, but they don't have to be present for God to be working. If God is working, then that is what matters.

Anyway, God DID show up and I know of at least 3 people that received God's touch and answer to their needs that evening. One person wasn't even there and someone prayed for their situation and the person called me the next day with a testimony that showed that God answered in a way that was even "exceedingly, abundant, above what we asked or even thought", yet it was clearly God.

Another situation was supernatural in that someone requested prayer for his dad's siblings. He asked that people from the congregation come forward and stand in "proxy" for them. He said his dad had 7 siblings so he asked for 7 people to come and stand in as someone prayed the prayer of faith over them. He didn't tell us anymore until after the prayer time was done, but the people that came forward MATCHED his dad's siblings in that there were 4 ladies and 3 men that came forward for prayer. No one other than the person who requested prayer, his wife, AND GOD knew the dad's siblings...it was very obvious to us all that God was much involved.

How about you? Is your cupboard well stocked? Can people "tap into" what you have and are you in the right frame of mind to give? Maybe you're a little put out as to how the elections turned out. Maybe it seems to you like it's no use praying or seeking after God; He seems too far away. Well, He may SEEM far away, but the scripture says, "draw near to God and He will draw near to you." What are you doing? Drawing near or running away? Asking, seeking, knocking? As Jesus said, EVERYONE who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks, to that person the door is opened.

God is near. God, through Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, is as near as He can be. He's as near as He needs to be. Ask, seek, knock...and experience the supernatural Presence, Power, and Provision of Almighty God.

Democrats and Republicans will come and go. But God's Kingdom shall prevail. Those who "seek first the Kingdom of God" and the way God runs things (His righteousness) shall have more than enough to meet their needs and those who come at midnight. We've got a whole world to reach. And it is just about the "midnight hour". Stock up and touch the life of those around you. May you and those around you experience the Ever Present God!

Pastor Jan