POWER OF PRAYER

Everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (MATTHEW 7:8).

Atwelve year old Cambodian boy named Lem Cheong began to question his family’s religion. He had been taught that anyone needing guidance should go to a temple and shake a box of numbered bamboo sticks until one fell out. The priest would then interpret the meaning of the number. But this didn’t satisfy Cheong’s need for clear answers. It still left him feeling like something was missing in his life.

According to Harold Sala in his book Touching God, Cheong asked his uncle, a priest, if he had ever had a prayer answered. The man was shocked by the boldness of his nephew’s question, but he admitted that he couldn’t remember a single time one of his prayers had been answered.

Later Cheong asked a Christian if God had ever answered his prayers. The man retold many stories where God had clearly heard and answered his prayers. Cheong was so impressed that he accepted Jesus as his Saviour that day. Since then, prayer has become central to his life.

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (MATTHEW 7:7). Christian prayer is powerful because God is the living and true God who hears and answers. Nothing can stop Him! VG

To pray about . . .

Thank You, Father, for giving me what I need. Help me to trust that You will provide, even when Your answer seems long in coming.

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.