Does Prayer Make a DIfference?

Encouraging prayer, God offers open imitation for his people to talk with him anytime about anything encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and now been out encouraging work talk about whether makes any difference.

James a listers and you're probably all thinking the same thing on the show.

The encouraging prayer meeting.

We know where you get a say so you say it does where we going with this thing. Yeah, I'm just I absolutely believe it makes it different. There are so many places we could go to look at that, but what I really want to do is look at what's going on in our hearts right now because honestly that's where so many people are there wondering what I see others around me, succumbing to this thing and I pray about it.

Pray that it won't happen to me. You are to someone I love this descent really have in fact I'm so glad you going there because you're right, there are stories all around us of people who are being super conscious cautious and others who aren't in churches that are on meeting and others that are in the ones that are saying we need to have more faith than the ones that aren't say we need to listen to the authorities right I mean and it's easy to be a little skeptical alerted give into a spirit of fear to be critical of those who are overly fearful so one of the best equipment and explanations that I've heard about this is that God created electricity in the world and we've learned that it's wise not to touch it and we need to regard this virus the same way. It's wise to keep our distance, but but the real struggle that's going on in our hearts right now that the hearts of many sincere believing people.

He is a wrestling match between fear and faith because when we pray we we know we need to have faith but all the while the practical circumstances of this virus are troubling and we know that we we need to take care of ourselves and you know be careful as well.

So when you say that the person is thinking, to pray today for I get out of the car and walked to the supermarket. I still could. But I still could get this. I mean, what would you say would you say that's a lack of faith, no, I really what I mean. For such a couple of things one I think were less likely to get it if we do pray for really making that sincere effort. But secondly, I'd say that that's a pretty realistic person. The thing is going on here is we have to understand what faith really is. Faith isn't the belief that nothing bad is ever going to happen to us if things are always going to go our way.

Look at how much self focus areas in that it makes it all about us right in real faith doesn't do that.

It doesn't focus on ourselves and don't get me wrong were not left out of it but but real faith is, is faith in the person of Jesus Christ. It's trusting that God knows what is best for us.

Think of the words of Job really slay me, yet will I trust him. Why, because our lives are in his hands. Jesus said that the sparrow can't fall to the ground without God knowing it and end were worth more than many sparrows. So I think the right response of faith is to say I'm gonna be as careful as I can father my life is in your hands and I'm going to ask that I don't get this going to be consumed with worry I'm I'm going to rest in you and trust you and I think when the disciples were in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus was asleep in the stern and the storm came up and they walked in and actually woke him up and said don't you care if we drown.

But Jesus was in the same boat with them. He was right there in the fact that he was awake or asleep didn't make any difference you know mean, obviously he wasn't worried about it, but the danger was revealed to the disciples. Jesus didn't say storm, what storm you know he rebuked it. He said he speaks well and I have to wonder if he was talking to more than just the ways in that moment that a message for our hearts right now. Peace be still. Or think about Peter walking on the way for soon as he takes his eyes off Jesus and on another occasion when Peter the rock sink like a stone. But if we run to him. Better put it if we rest in him. You know if you theaters analogy, we keep our eyes on him, he will give us what we need in the moment step-by-step. By day's that that's a real challenge here for all of us to just rest in him.

Yes it is but we can do think we should have that mind mindset which is all that so hard like I can't do it. You know what we can do it in one of the things I found to be really helpful with that is to just think of the number of times that God has been there for me in the past.

There are so many really are really start with day one. I mean how many of us remember being born probably on too many but God.

God is true that if you think about the times that we are powerless to do something about our circumstances but God help this time and time again. I mean, it all starts to add up. It really does go back over my life I see it again and again frightening times, dangerous times times. I wasn't even aware of the danger. Each time he brought me through so soon. My heart and my mind and I really want to camp out there that's a good place to be. Think I'll join you dance beside you with proper social distancing. We could all sit around the campfire tell stories about you know about the governor time God has come through even when we least expected it.

I think the Scripture versus is when we are faithless, he will mean faithful for he cannot disown himself, you know, doesn't mean that we don't go through hard.

It just like you said about the boat.

Jesus is right there. Even if we think that he isn't true that he doesn't hear. He chose to be in the same boat with us share the same humanity.

He understands us, God us, even in this especially in in in knowing that trusting, trusting him to make a real difference when we pray because even though the circumstances are bigger than we are. He is greater in all of James's. I think as we wrap up today would be a good thing to pray with our listeners about this, that they would have faith, and that we can trust God and rest in him. I like to start that and if you would join in on the Jesus I am so grateful that I have you in this and and like Peter, I just pray that you continue to help me to lift my eyes up above the storm, get them on you and see really what what you would have me doing this how you would help me delist my shield of faith, that it would lock shields with others that would encourage people that are scared right now. I pray that you would help us to stay there in prayer with you as we look up that we we would be close and in the vine that we could bear much fruit. This it seems this to be an opportunity to do that so much that's going on and I assess and yes his name.

Yes, Lord, help us to walk with you to keep our eyes on use By step we can't do this unless you help us but although you are so good we think of those times. Help us to remember so many times you've got us through and an even more that this is no there is that we have so much more to look forward to you thank you thank you that you are our Savior. You are our strength.

You are our peace and we rest in you today worship you, help us to stay right there in Jesus name on hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray