TRANSFORMING OUR PRAYER LIVES

Let’s Pray For Our Children  

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,

intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men

Timothy 2:1.

As I knelt this morning to pray, I asked the Lord what He would like for me to write in my Blog today. He said to pray for children. After praying, my husband and I got ready to go to the Fitness Center. As we drove there, I was playing back in my mind, “Pray for children today, and this thought came: “my son starts school in two weeks, so I’ll write a blog about praying for children the day before he goes back to school.”

 I got to the aerobics class and my Instructor shared that her children are returning to school today, so I decided that, today instead of two weeks from today, I will write a blog and ask for others to pray for children as they return to school.

I got home, walked our dog, took my shower and turned the television on to watch a Re-run of the Let’s Pray program on the Hope Channel, while I prepared breakfast. For the first time I was hearing about the shooting of the Jewish children and teacher that took place at a French school six days ago. This further solidifies the fact that I do need to write this blog expeditiously.

“It is PRAYER that unites hearts. It is PRAYER to the Great Physician to heal the soul that will bring the blessing of God. PRAYER unites us with one another and with God. PRAYER brings Jesus to our side, and gives new strength and fresh grace to the fainting, perplexed soul to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. PRAYER turns aside the attacks of Satan” (Our High Calling, p. 177).

Day by day we are bombarded with news of the evil acts that are taking place in this world. But our Creator says: If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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 (2 Chronicles 7:14).

This is a promise that we need to act upon. We must believe that God means what He says and trust that He will do it. So would you please join me as I pray for our children?

Dearest Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving our children so very much, that you want the best for them, as we do. As they return to school, please protect them and keep them safe in their travelling to and from school, on the school compounds and in the school buildings. I ask that You forgive them of their sins and help them to draw close to You, knowing that they can find everything they need is in You. Let them understand that Jesus died for them and He will wash their sins away, fill them with His Holy Spirit, give them freedom to choose every day and hope to live for tomorrow. Help them to make the right choices and make learning their priority. Inspire their parents to teach them in the way they should go, with correct example, discipline and love. Bless the teachers, protect and empower them with wisdom as they provide instruction to the children. Thank you for answering this prayer as I pray it in Jesus’ name-Amen.

Would you like to experience the life changing power of prayer? Log onto www.facebook.com/let’sprayand engage in the community that is praying for the world twenty-four seven.

Copyright © July 2012, Pauline Lewinson

A Different Path to Healing

For more than twenty years I suffered from severe pain. For several months, I couldn’t stand long enough to prepare a meal, do laundry, bathe and dress my baby, or even comb my hair. I barely managed to crawl out of bed each morning, and I struggled through my work each day.

The doctors’ orders were always the same: more medication, which always caused adverse reactions. Finally, my family physician referred me to a rheumatologist, who informed me that I had a condition that caused sleep deprivation, chronic headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, tingling and numbing sensations, chronic muscular skeletal pain, and chronic fatigue: fibromyalgia!

My heart felt as though it were in my throat. With all the symptoms, I knew I fit the criteria of fibromyalgia. In response to my questions, the doctor said, “The cause is unknown. There is no cure, and it is degenerative.” Tears ran down my face. I wanted to scream, Why me Lord? I had no idea what to think or where to look for answers. Driving home, all I could think about was my family and how I would tell my husband and children. How would I ever take care of my three-year-old son? I didn’t want him to grow up without his mother, as I had.

My pain management specialist prescribed aqua exercise, physical therapy, and sleeping pills. All gave temporary relief, but frustration mounted because I wanted complete healing. I had always dreamed of a great life with endless possibilities, but now the future seemed bleak. Pondering all the things I could not do if this condition worsened, I scrambled for answers.

Then I began to remember Jesus’ words regarding health and healing: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, KJV).

To me, this meant faith, hope, trust, and life. My prayers started increasing as I asked God daily for a miracle. I asked Him to send resources that would give divine healing. In remarkable awakenings, the Holy Spirit reminded me that He was there to help, teach, and guide. With more Bible readings, a process of spiritual, mental, and physical transformation began. I found the unlimited resources I’d asked for.

I considered this verse: “ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself” (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT), I also remembered these words from Hippocrates, the Greek physician: “Let food be your medicine.”

Stumbling onto Romans 8:28, I began to see life in an entirely different way. I became confident that all my sufferings are not meant to harm me, but to help me accomplish my assignment of fulfilling God’s plan for my destiny.

As I ventured on a journey of renewal to health and total well-being, my husband was stunned by the changes. One day he said, “I am going to do some of the things you are doing.” I told him that my main change was in my way of thinking. We have committed to daily lifestyle changes for ourselves that have led to transformations in others as well.

Wellness is not about regularly seeing a doctor. It is about preventive measures, like the right foods, common sense, and spiritual wisdom. It is about trusting and obeying God’s Word: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2, KJV).

For me to achieve optimal health, it is my responsibility to take care of my body. Consciously and consistently, I take measures to prevent illnesses. Thomas Edison once said, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of diseases.”

I have followed biblical principles, combined with modern wisdom and technology. I have researched, read, studied, and applied God’s eight health laws, plus the teachings of several experts on health and well-being, and I have surrounded myself with people who have the same desires and aspirations as I do.

I thank God for transforming my life, giving me divine health, and helping me dream again. My body is now free from fibromyalgia! “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, KJV).

Pauline Lewinson

HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR PRAYER LIFE

First I would like to say, I am back! I have not blogged in a few months, but I hope to bring you some valuable information as I resume writing.

To transform the prayer life, one first has to recognize and admit that transformation is needed. This can be done by asking relevant questions: Am praying every day- when I first wake up throughout the day, before eating my meals, making decisions, speaking or other actions. If you answer yes to these questions, you are doing great, if no, evidently your prayer life could use some improvement.

In order to transform any area of one’s life, one must know why, and then take action. When the reason for transformation has been established a desire to develop in this area will be inevitable and as the effort is made to accomplish this goal, you will find that it becomes easier to pray.   Find a quite place to spend time with the Lord in prayer, even when you do not feel like praying.

As you work on transforming your prayer life, you will discover that there will be times when you feel so beaten down by the enemy that you cannot find words to pray, except for a merely one sentence prayer or worse yet- your spirit is so crushed, you cannot even find one word; just groans. Never mind if this happens to you sometimes, it is okay because the Holy Spirit will help you.  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 8:26). Read also, John 14:26 and Zechariah 12:10. 

Many people are petrified about praying, especially publicly, but you should believe that you can pray often through the grace of God. Some people have the gift of prayer and are able to pray fluently, but you should not let that intimidate or keep you from praying when you are in the company of such individuals. I like the way Jack Hayford says it -“Prayer is not the mystical experience of a few special people, but an aggressive act: an act that may be performed by anyone who will accept the challenge to learn to pray.”

The more you pray the more comfortable you will become with praying and it will bring you to a closer relationship with your Creator.  Prayer will strengthen you; spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially and socially. Do not underestimate the power of prayer.

I encourage you to stop what you are doing now and say a prayer. It is not a big deal, just talk to God as you would to a friend. Pray often, silently; if that is more comfortable for you or out loud, whichever way, wherever you are, just pray. I firmly believe that prayer is the foundation of the Christian’s life, and a life built on prayer cannot be easily shaken. 

To transform your prayer life talk to God and listen to what He has to say to you. If you make reading the Bible, praying and meditating the first thing you do when you wake up in the mornings you will find that your day goes smoother. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). Make prayer a habit.

I am assuming that my Christian brothers and sisters understand what I have written here and know that prayer matters and it does make a difference.  My prayer is that you would join me and pray for our brothers and sisters who have not yet accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You know they are missing out on a lot, and they do not know that. That is the reason we must pray for their salvation.

Copyright © July 2012, Pauline Lewinson