VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2
JULY 2021
Lighter color theme
STAND IN THE GAP: PRAY ne of the first strategies in caring for ourselves is to seek the Lord in all we do. How do we do that. We Pray. Such a simple answer pray. Prayer can be a very perplexing puzzle. Why do we have to ask God to help us? If God is on the throne, then why can’t He take care of us? Jeremiah 33:3 states “Call unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things which you know not.” Matthew 7:7 states “Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” If we really believe that God is on the throne, John Courson states, “we need to hear what He says from the throne. And He invites, exhorts, commands us to pray”. In Ezekiel ‘s day the people fell into idolatry and all kinds of wickedness and immorality. God sought a man to “stand in the gap” through him He could show mercy, Psalm 106:19-23 states. While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving God’s law, the Israelites made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged God, for an image of a bull. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So, He said “He would destroy them”— had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach (gap) before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them. They were so rebellious and impatient they forgot who saved them from the Egyptians. Moses could have said, go ahead God, wipe them out instead he said “Lord, you have made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that their seed would number the stars in the heaven, you cannot go back on your word now”. If you destroy them, destroy me along with them. Moses stood in the gap for them. God did not need Moses, but He used him to stand in the gap and was merciful and just to them. God wants us to pray and intercede for others. When we prepare for war and we are being attacked, does one man push the button to set off a nuclear weapon? No, there is a safeguard built in place in case someone wanted to play a trick on the world, it takes two people separated by a distance of 12 feet to punch in their numbers and simultaneously turn the key in tandem to set off the nuclear weapon. God says we cannot turn the key alone. When we do it in tandem with Him, His power is unleashed. That is the power of intercessory prayer. God wants us to pray alongside him. So, seek the Lord in all you do. Pray and ask God to help us in our trials and tribulations. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”, Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV).
There is comfort in knowing that we can go straight to God with all our needs.
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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