Knowing we learn by example, Jesus was sent to be a living example for all mankind. He spent time teaching his disciples to pray.
When asked, He gave them The Model Prayer that we all know today, Matthew 6:9-13
I didn't understand the importance of it as a child, but now as an adult, I see this prayer puts us in a place of thanksgiving, it instructs us to lean on and trust our Heavenly Father for ALL our needs, to forgive others of any debts and my favorite part is of course, praying to bring heaven to earth.
"Thy will be done on this earth as it is in heaven."
While praying this prayer I like to think about all that heaven encompasses; no sadness, depression, fear, anxiety, poverty, sickness and most importantly NO death.
Just the other day I was reminded of my grandmother praying this prayer.
My grandmother was a mighty prayer warrior.
She was the kind of prayer warrior that put up a fight!
She was one of those elderly women that Satan was afraid of.
She was one of those elderly women that Satan was afraid of.
When she prayed all hell shook and angels awaited her orders.
But her prayers were never for herself, she lived her life for others.
Always, my memories will be my grandmother sitting at the small wooden kitchen table as a beam of sunlight reflected off her silver hair and the old, worn-out pages of HER Bible.
She always had HER Bible within reach.
And, she always had her prayer list of friends, family and anyone in need. Her beautiful cursive handwriting is still imprinted in my memory.
I didn't understand it as much then, but as I'm growing and learning, I am beginning to SEE.
See, that I shouldn't be here. I should have died about 10 near-death experiences ago. In fact, no one in our family would still be here, if it weren't for my grandmother's prayers.
We often stand in awe of the hedge of protection that she prayed around us to keep us safe.
Always, my memories will be my grandmother sitting at the small wooden kitchen table as a beam of sunlight reflected off her silver hair and the old, worn-out pages of HER Bible.
She always had HER Bible within reach.
And, she always had her prayer list of friends, family and anyone in need. Her beautiful cursive handwriting is still imprinted in my memory.
I didn't understand it as much then, but as I'm growing and learning, I am beginning to SEE.
See, that I shouldn't be here. I should have died about 10 near-death experiences ago. In fact, no one in our family would still be here, if it weren't for my grandmother's prayers.
We often stand in awe of the hedge of protection that she prayed around us to keep us safe.
And we're not the only ones...
Any ONE and I mean Any ONE that came in contact with my grandmother has not NOR will not taste death until they come to know the kingdom of God.
Just the other day I bumped into her neighbor, an old family friend. A hardened man, a man who refuses to give God a thought and even curses His name if you mention it. This man will tell you he is damned! He even brags about it.
We all thought that would change when he was diagnosed with lung cancer but even as he lay lifeless, emaciated and just a bag of bones with no one left to love him, we thought for sure he would soften. But he didn't. With hardly a breath left, He cursed God and laughed.
Oh this made me furious. I thought to myself, "who does he think he is?
This man deserves to die all alone, miserable, wasting away!!!"
But my grandmother knew something so many of us don't understand,
NO man deserves hell.
So when I unexpectedly crossed his path again, I was amazed. He was out of bed, gaining weight, completely recovering from a miraculous remission of lung cancer. His life was a miracle!
But how? why? As I stood there looking into his hardened face, the skin of leather stretched across his cheek bones, I saw my grandmother!
And it all came back to me. All the prayers she prayed for his soul! All the laboring she did was NOT in vain.
Who was I to not finish her work?
Who was I to make a judgment on this man?
It was not her concern if he cursed God or not. She always had an open heart, the most forgiving heart I've ever known.
She knew the importance of her role and she took it very seriously.
The prayer warrior must never get offended.
The prayer warrior must be heavenly minded, praying always for eternity.
The prayer warrior canNOT judge.
The prayer warrior must always forgive!
I cried out, "Lord, teach me to love like my grandmother. Teach me to put others before myself. Teach me to show the compassion of Christ, for every one is your creation."
The prayer warrior only plants a seed, The Lord is the only one who can make it grow.
His timing is never our timing.
As I came back to my thoughts, I just laughed. In fact, I stretched my arm out, and patted this man on his shoulder, and thought, Oh Lord, how great it will be when that grumpy old neighbor walks up to my grandmother in eternity and says, "I knew not what I was doing, but you did!!"
How can this possible?
All things are possible, if we'll only believe.
My grandmother believed and she knew and understood that she could hold The Lord to His Word.
She knew that His Word would NOT return to Him void.
She knew that she would see God's promises come to pass. The promise that He would keep all of her family and friends safe for generations to come.
She knew that His Word would NOT return to Him void.
She knew that she would see God's promises come to pass. The promise that He would keep all of her family and friends safe for generations to come.
So many people put emphasis on Faith. But you can't have faith if you don't believe. Faith comes from believing and trusting in God and His Word.
God is not a man that He should or could lie. Numbers 23:19
So if He said it, then it's true.
And He said, "ALL things are possible if you only believe!" Mark 9:23
He also said, "Have faith in God!" Mark 11:22
Now if He said it, we should do it.
That's all my grandmother did. And I am a living testimony that what she did worked!
She did her part and God did His.
She did her part and God did His.
Jesus was her example. Just as He asked of His Father, She asked of hers:
"During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost.."(John 17:12 NLT)
There are no words to describe my gratefulness for her prayers. I can never explain how her prayers held me up in my darkest hour, even years after she left this life to begin anew in heaven.
So I ask you again:
In this dark and dying world,
who is praying?
For those in need, the fatherless, the widows, the poor,
For those in need, the fatherless, the widows, the poor,
who is praying?
For the neighbor, best friend, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, mother, father, who is praying?
Do you have a list?
If not, make one.
If so, keep it always before you.
Guard it with your life.
Those are Your sheep.
Protect them by the power of the only name that can, Jesus Christ.
Oh, if we could all pray as my grandmother did.
If we could practice the selfless act of putting others' needs before our own.
Then, we could bring heaven to earth.
Dear Heavenly Father, may Your WILL be done (through us) on this earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
For the neighbor, best friend, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, mother, father, who is praying?
Do you have a list?
If not, make one.
If so, keep it always before you.
Guard it with your life.
Those are Your sheep.
Protect them by the power of the only name that can, Jesus Christ.
Oh, if we could all pray as my grandmother did.
If we could practice the selfless act of putting others' needs before our own.
Then, we could bring heaven to earth.
The Lord gave a word to Kenneth Copeland on October 28,2010. It exemplifies my grandmother's life.
"For all of you who will take My Word and stand on it," saith the Lord, "the kingdom is for you, the angels are for you, all of heaven's reserves are at your call. Rise up and be counted among those who carry faith, live by faith, walk in Love and declare that God so loved the world that He gave. Relax and rest and rejoice because everything is going to be ALL-right!"
Yes, everything is going to be ALL- RIGHT.
"For all of you who will take My Word and stand on it," saith the Lord, "the kingdom is for you, the angels are for you, all of heaven's reserves are at your call. Rise up and be counted among those who carry faith, live by faith, walk in Love and declare that God so loved the world that He gave. Relax and rest and rejoice because everything is going to be ALL-right!"
Yes, everything is going to be ALL- RIGHT.
Dear Heavenly Father, may Your WILL be done (through us) on this earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
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