The Power of Persistent Prayer!

there is power in prayer

Amos 7-9 Amos was just a sheepherder by trade as he shared with Amaziah, the false priest of Israel, but he also had a powerful ministry of prayer. God called him, and he left Judah and his work to follow God. God revealed horrible visions to him about the future of Israel, and with a broken heart, Amos pleaded for God to relent, which He did—not once but twice.

Amos’ persistence with God reminds us of the NT story of the persistence of the man who needed provisions for a visiting friend. He went to his neighbor, who was already in bed, but persisted until the neighbor got up and provided help. Jesus told that story by saying, “because of the first man’s sheer persistence, he will get up and give him whatever he needs.” [Luke 11:8]

What might happen if we pray, not just once but persistently, for our loved ones who are lost and dying or our nation floundering in sin like Israel was?

The power of intercessory prayer is a model for us to follow. Where am I being persistent in prayer?

Sheepherder or Ph.D.?

Amos had a message and he shared it

Amos 1-3 Simple but profound

Two days ago, my childhood friend passed from this earthly life to sit at the feet of Jesus. Her mother washed my diapers, and my mother did the same. That is how long we have been childhood friends. She was not a theologian of the Bible, but her life was a theology lesson in her deeds. She was, in some ways, the Ruth to her Naomi and her mom. Then her Boaz served her when she slipped into Alzheimer’s. It was fitting that God chose him, for he was an undertaker by profession. In some ways, that is sort of ironic, isn’t it? Just like “sort of like” Amos was a sheepherder. Who would have chosen a sheepherder from Tekoa to care for His sheep? But God needs shepherds and God needs us.

We say Amos was “just” a sheepherder, but God chose him out of all the Ph.D.’s and the others to tell the nations of His plans. How often do we feel like Amos because we don’t have a pedigree, or do we feel like Jeremiah thinking some other person will tell them? But, God has chosen what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise and what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. [1Cor 1:27]

So what does that have to do with our study today? Amos shared this truth: the Sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan. [Amos 3:7] And that truth is: God is not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. [2Peter 3:9] God uses sheepherders and those who have a Ph.D. God uses ALL of us to be His conduit to a lost and dying generation. God had a simple warning message: For three things…no make that four was his repeated refrain.

What simple message has God given you to share? And more importantly, are you going and telling?

Storing up God’s Word

ImageThe idea of “storing up” is found both in Prov vs 1 “ My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you,” and in Prov vs 7 “He stores up effective counsel for the upright,”

What might be some reasons that we would need to store up God’s Word and when would God take from his storehouse to counsel his own?  Some ideas come to mind: keeping us in strong in times of spiritual famine, keeping us alert and ready to fend off the evil one just as Jesus did in his temptation.

David wrote: Psa 119:11 In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.

God prepared Amos for such a time of spiritual famine: Amo 8:11 Be certain of this, the time is coming,” says the sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land – not a shortage of food or water but an end to divine revelation!

Joseph is a prime example of someone who faced a “famine” of the Word. Sold into slavery, unjustly imprisoned all Joseph had to glean was his faith in God at a time when he had nothing else. Listen to his words: “So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” It was then that Joseph drew out of his storehouse of knowledge, his understanding of God, the words he had been taught and was able to withstand the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. Joseph drew out of his storehouse of counsel that he had learned in a time of plenty at the feet of Jacob.

Think of Daniel and his three friends, taken captive to Babylon. Surely the words of Amos were true. There was no temple, no priests to teach them, and it was a time of spiritual famine. But, listen to Daniel: “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself” and “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is in connection with the law of his God.” Both times Daniel drew out of God’s storehouse the counsel he needed because he had stored it up in a time of plenty.

Both Joseph and Daniel are examples of men who stored up God’s Word and when the trial came God took from his storehouse and brought it to their minds just as Jesus promised Mat 10:19 Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time. And Joh 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, …will cause you to remember everything I said to you

This would be a perfect time as we are just 17 days into the New Year to start memorizing God’s Word so that you are prepared. We never know when we may enter a time of spiritual famine, or be tempted by the evil one. We need to store up God’s Word so we are armored for the battle: “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” [Eph 6]

 

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