NEED A CHANGE?

Story By: Lisa Petrarca

I think most people feel that they know how to pray, I know I did. But lately I've learned that prayer needs to be accompanied by faith. The two together enable the Lord to answer & bless your life.

I often refer back to Peter, recklessly stepping out of the boat. Focusing solely on Jesus Christ. He took the steps of faith. Not fearing, thinking, worrying or doubting...he went for it! He trusted as an innocent child and walked on water. But we all know what happened, He took his eyes off of Jesus & started focusing on his surroundings. First his eyes wandered, then quickly his mind followed...he rapidly began to sink.

Now if we relate this example to our prayer life, we see how quickly we also let go of faith. We pray & in the moment think, "This is actually possible, the Lord can heal, repair, fix and accomplish all things, (our eyes are on him), all things are possible."

We finish praying, so full of hope, slowly we open our eyes, and start to look around, our mind follows; "How is He going to fix this mess? I'm sure He could but nothings changed in the past. I'm too old to change my ways. That person will never change. My financial problems are so bad that nothing can help me. My illness is too bad, it's just too late for me.

I think you get the picture, just fill in your lines. We all have them, they may as well be on a never ending recorder that plays over & over again in our minds. This is exactly what needs to change. If you want to have a real break through, you need to re-train your mind. Replace those old "recordings."

I Can't = HE CAN
It Never = HE WILL
There's No Hope = THERE'S HOPE IN THE LORD
I Give Up = HE WONT GIVE UP ON ME
Why Me = HE HAS A PURPOSE FOR ME
My Problems Too Big = NOTHING'S TO BIG FOR GOD
Why Would He Help Me = WHY WOULDN'T HE HELP ME!

You know your phrases, fill in yours.

Be conscious of what your saying to yourself. Post the positive versions of your normal "recordings" on your mirrors, fridge, car, everywhere until you start to change your negative thoughts to FAITH THOUGHTS.

Prayer is Powerful
Faith is Life Changing

Put the two together and you have "A POWERFUL LIFE CHANGING GIFT FROM GOD!"

"For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help."
Psalm 22:24

"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes."
Psalm 17:6-7

THE FIGHT

By: Lisa Petrarca

“Here we go again! I’m so tired of the same argument over and over again,” she shouted at her husband. “Why can’t you just leave me alone and mind your own business!” He replied, “You never listen to a word I say. I know what I’m talking about. Why can’t you just listen? Then we wouldn’t have to always have the same fight.”

She took in a deep breath, ready to let him have it again. But then something hit her…as if someone was speaking inside of her.

“Haven’t you been praying for help with your mouth? You thought you were doing so much better and that HE was the problem. But wait, aren’t you the problem too. You have lashed out and now you both have said very mean and hurtful things to each other.”

She felt as if the air had been sucked out of her. She had been praying and asking for help in this area. She thought she had gotten better and overcome the issue, only to be confronted with it once again. Had she really overcome it or was she back at square one? Heading around the same mountain that she had been going around for years.

“Why does this keep happening to me? I want to be a better person and just when I think I am, I blow it again. I get sucked into situations that make me explode,” she whispered.

Then the answer came to her. “You have cleaned the outside, but inside you still harbor bitterness, anger and resentment. You will now need to work on the things INSIDE that cause you to react this way. All of the painful issues from the past that you are still hanging on to. They are controlling you and you need to let all of it go. You need to realize who you are in Christ. You are a new person. Let His peace fill your emptiness. There is much work to do, but I’m here for you, trust Me enough to let go, I’ll carry your pain and burdens.”

With that, she began to weep, knowing that she needed to give up everything that was buried deep within her to Heavenly Father. She needed to learn to trust again.

Instead of looking at the person you have problems with, take time to search yourself. What do you need to work on? Are you going around the same mountain? Do you have issues that you need to lay at the Lord’s feet? You can’t change someone else, but you can change yourself. Ask the Lord to help you…he will carry your pain. Remember, until we let go of the past, we can never truly move on to the blessings and peace that is waiting for each of us.

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11

“To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” Acts 3:26

Does God Still Speak To Us?

Author Unknown

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said "God, is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, turn down that street. "This is crazy", he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street.

At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will." He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either.

The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something. "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again he felt like he should go and give the milk.

Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell, He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation.
PSALMS 106:1-5