It has been forever since I posted a blog and have really been struggling with (can I be really transparent?) my own personal struggle about what will people think when they read this. I guess that is the Phlegmatic in me...Anyway, this week I am at a F.L.A.M.E. session in Pickens, SC. This is the mechanism for gaining required ministerial education in the Wesleyan Church for older, second-career people coming into the ministry later on in life. The material taught in class is phenomenal and is absolutely relevant to taking the timeless message of the Bible and equipping those called to ministry in today's society. Classes are taught by leading minds in the Wesleyan Church - from HQ staff to Pastoral staff to some of the top minds in Academia. One of the key components of the time at F.L.A.M.E. and the entire F.L.A.M.E. experience is the building of community fellowship. This fellowship is a deep and long-lasting journey that builds a life-time long foundation of support, accountability and friendship.Every morning during the week of each session starts with chapel. This is an intentional period of worship and prayer. Each person is assigned to a prayer group and for the entire week, each prayer group meets to share from each other and to each other and to lift each other up. It is a safe environment for brothers and sisters in Christ to be ministered to.Let me ask you this. Does God still answer prayer? Is God still in the miracle working business? Do you really believe with all your heart and mind that God hears and answers prayers?Yesterday morning, a prayer request was shared in one of these groups. A lifelong friend of one of the students was in a coma following a nasty car accident and wasn't expected to live more than a few days. This small group prayed for a miracle for the person in the accident. Word spread and everybody in the room began to pray for the person in the hospital. This morning, the Director of the F.L.A.M.E. program announced that a miracle had occurred. Early this morning, in the hospital room, with the person's family standing around (remember, this person was in a coma and not expected to live), this person raised his arm and made the sign of a 'thumbs-up'.Does God still listen to prayer and is He still in the miracle working business? Absolutely. More importantly, how do you view prayer? Do you pray at all? Do you believe with all your heart that the prayers you pray are heard by God or do you just go through the motions? Let me tell you, God is very much still in the business of working to miracles and God still hears our prayers. Pray to God and pray believing He will not only hear those prayers but pray expecting Him to act. Don't just go through the motions. Prayer changes things and prayer matters!
Labels: Faith, prayer
