Contents

Internet Edition

Contents
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter #i$ Chapter #even Chapter 'ight Chapter +ine Chapter Ten Chapter 'leven Pray in Faith Believing Pray Big Ask to Pray Pray for Wisdo Pray with Flee!es Pray Constantly Pray for 'verything Pray )*ight +ow) Pray at the Beginning of *ope -earn To A.ide #urrender All 3 11 21 32 3" %& (" ,1 ,, /3 10 0

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Chapter One

Pray in Faith Believing

"And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." 12atthew 213224 )5od answers the du .est prayers for you6 .e!ause you pray the du .est prayers in faith .elieving7) This is e$a!tly what y pastor said to e one day as 8 was e$!itedly telling hi how 5od had answered another prayer9 And do you know what: ;e was right9 8 was telling hi how 8 had asked 5od to deliver a gooey6 whipped !rea !herry pie for e fro 2ia i to Colu .us6 Ohio6 to strengthen the .onds of Christian love9 8< sure that 5od understood that whipped !rea !an spoil rapidly6 and that so ething had to ove =ui!kly6 so ;e >ust si ply !hartered a .ig 'astern Airlines >et to transport the pie for e even .efore it had a !han!e to get war 9 8 happen to .e a real nut where prayer is !on!erned6 .e!ause so ewhere along the line 8 dis!overed that 5od really answers prayer if we will only .elieve7 There are literally hundreds of pro ises in the Bi.le !on!erning prayer and yet why we fail to !lai these pro ises 8<ll never .e a.le to understand9 5od pro ises us that if we seek first the kingdo of 5od and ;is righteousness6 all

things will .e ours9 And how do we get what 5od has to offer us: By asking 5od9 And how do we go a.out asking 5od: By prayer9 8 have heard any people say6 )5od never an? swers y prayers so 8 =uit praying9) 8 wonder how u!h faith they really have9 8 often ask a #unday s!hool !lass on #unday orning to share their prayer answers during the week9 And do you know what: 8f 8 eet a solid .ri!k wall and no one has had a prayer answered6 then 8 tell the flat out that they >ust haven<t prayed this week6 .e!ause if they had prayed6 there would have .een so e prayer answers9 And if you don<t .elieve this is true6 try praying yourself9 Ask yourself honestly3 @o 8 really pray: @o 8 really .elieve that 5od will answer prayer: @o 8 really pray in faith .elieving: 8 want to share with you so ething 8 learned early in y Christian life9 8t ade a very great i pression upon e and 8 have shared it all over the Anited #tates in various !hur!hes where 8<ve .een privileged to speak9 And .e!ause so any people have told e how this has affe!ted their prayer life6 8 want to share it with you9 *ight now 8 want you to do a physi!al thing6 .e? !ause this is the only way 8 know of to ake it effe!tive9 And in the event you<re not alone right now and think you ight feel foolish trying this with other people wat!hing6 go >u p in the .athtu. 1whi!h is where 8 learned to pray4 or hide in a !loset6 or lo!k yourself in your .edroo 6 .ut go any pla!e where you !an have priva!y >ust to try a little e$peri ent9

8f you de!ided to >u p in the .athtu.6 8 hope you took the .ook with you so you !an follow the ne$t instru!tions9

19 Put your hand sy .oli!ally out toward 5od9 29 #traighten out your ar and rea!h out as far as you possi.ly !an9 This will ake sure that your hand is as far fro yourself as you !an physi!ally ake it9 39 Turn your pal so that it is right side up9 &9 +ow in your hand with the pal turned up6 give 5od the prayer re=uest on your heart9 18f it<s a big prayer re=uest6 you ight want to !up both of your hands together6 stret!hing the as far as you possi.ly !an94 +ow !o es the !ru!ial period of the prayer9 What are you going to do with your hand: Bou have a !hoi!e of two things9 Bou !an either !len!h your hand and return your prayer .urden to your own heart6 or you !an very si ply follow the ne$t step9 %9 #i ply turn your hand upside down so that nothing !an possi.ly stay in your hand9 2ake sure that your fist isn<t !len!hed to hold so ething6 .ut stret!h your fingers as far apart as possi.le9
(9 @rop your ar to your side9

Bou !an<t .ring anything .a!k that way6 !an you: This is the only way to pray6 .ut would you like to know that the average person prays and asks 5od to do so ething for hi 6 and then !lut!hes the prayer .urden right .a!k to his own heart9 And in his own strength he atte pts to answer his own prayer9 5od says6 )And whatever you ask in prayer6 you will re!eive6 8f you have faith9 ) ;ow u!h faith do you have when you !lut!h the .urden .a!k to your own .oso : ;ow u!h faith do you have when you take .a!k the pro.le and try to do so ething a.out it yourself: Give it to 5od9 @on<t >ust loan ;i your prayer re=uestC give it to ;i and then see what happens7 8t<s so e$!iting to give so ething to 5od so !o pletely that when ;e answers it6 you !an say6 )-ord6 8 even forgot 8 asked you for that .e!ause 8 .elieved so !o pletely7) #o eti es 8 feel a great urge to !hoke when 8 listen to the way so e people pray6 .e!ause their words really .etray how little faith they have9 8 have heard people pray for all the people in their !ity6 all the people in their state6 all the people in this great !ountry of ours6 all the people in the world7 And do you know what: They didn<t .elieve for one inute that their prayer was going to .e answered9 ;ow !an you possi.ly pray for everyone in the world: Bou don<t know what their needs are9 5od knows6 to .e sure6 .ut why pray for so ething when you don<t know what you<re talking a.out: @id it ever dawn on you it ight .e .etter to pray for your neigh.or<s third toe whi!h ight .e sore or .roken6 than to >ust generally pray for the whole world:

@on<t you >ust love the .eautiful?language prayer who prays to i press individuals6 .ut who 8< sure doesn<t think a.out talking to 5od: 2atthew (3% says DAnd when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men." Again in 2atthew (3"6 Eesus says6 "But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. " 8< sure that 5od doesn<t ind how we put our words togetherC it<s only the !ondition of our heart that !ounts with ;i 9 -ater on 8 will share with you one of the si plest6 yet ost elo=uent6 prayers 8 ever heard9 8t was dyna ite6 .e!ause it was sin!ere7 Another thing 8< sure 5od doesn<t en>oy are the )spiritual !hi!kens9) These are the ones who prefa!e everything with6 or end with )if it .e thy will9) 8 have y own pet theory !on!erning this6 and 8 hope you understand that 8 a not a theologian or anything of the sort9 When 8 finally =uit running fro 5od6 8 !a e to Christ with the faith of a little !hild6 and that<s all9 Agree with e or not6 this is how 8 feel9 The day 8 .e!a e a Christian6 8 asked Christ to live ;is life through e9 8 asked to .e nothing e$!ept a !hannel through whi!h ;is ighty love !ould flow to rea!h out and tou!h a lost and dying world9 8 prayed and asked ;i to re ove anything of y )self< or )ego) that would prevent y .eing the wo an ;e wanted e to .e9 +ow if 8 .elieve what the Bi.le saysC and it spe? !ifi!ally says in *evelation 33206 "Behold, I stand at

the door and knock. If anyone hears y voice and opens the door, I will come in to him," then 8 ust .elieve as 8 write6 as 8 speak6 as 8 a!tually live y life6 that Christ is living ;is life through e9 8 know this to .e a fa!t6 .e!ause the Word of 5od says so9 8 also stand on 5alatians 23206 using the words of the great apostle Paul3 11 have been crucified with !hrist" it is no longer I who live, but !hrist lives in me" and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the #on of God, who loved me and gave $imself for me. " Therefore6 if 8 was really sin!ere in asking Christ into y life6 then 86 too6 have .een !ru!ified with ChristC it is no longer 8 who lives6 .ut Christ who lives in e9 Therefore6 .e!ause 8 .elieve this with y heart and soul6 8 do not feel that a genuine Christian !an pray outside of 5od<s will9 Would Christ pray against ;i self: +o6 ;e ost !ertainly would not6 and if Christ is at the very !ore of your .eing6 !an you pray for things that are outside of 5od<s will: 5od doesn<t always answer our prayers as =ui!kly as we think ;e should6 .ut 8 have dis!overed that living y life stri!tly on prayer and in faith6 has given e the ost e$!iting life in the world9 AnalyFe your own personal prayers right now9 -et e ask you a =uestion whi!h ay see frivolous at first6 .ut sear!h your very heart and soul for a truthful answer to this =uestion3 %o you really pray& Are your prayers >ust routine words you say to ease your !ons!ien!e6 or do you honestly and sin!erely lay your life .efore 5od:

;ow u!h ti e do you honestly spend in prayer ea!h day: 8< sure you pro.a.ly take ti e out to say a real =ui!k .lessing at the dinner ta.le6 a thank? you -ord?for?the?food prayerC .ut how u!h ti e do you really take to a!tually pray during ea!h day: As the daily pro.le s arise in your life6 do you try to solve the yourself6 or do you take ti e out to send up a real =ui!kie prayer to 5od: 8f you really want to learn to pray and have prayers answered6 take ti e out right now for so e real self?evaluation9 @o you pray .e!ause you have a .urden for so eone or so ething: @o you really have a .urden for the things of 5od6 or do you take ti e to pray only when things .egin to !lose in on you: Before 8 .e!a e a Christian6 8 knew that 5od answered prayer6 .ut that was all 8 knew6 and when 8 really got into a >a 6 8<d s!rea 6 )Oh6 5od6 you do this for e9) And then 8<d never think a.out praying again until 8 got into another >a or ess and really needed help to get e out9 8 wonder how any ti es this a!tually e$presses our honest prayer life9 And 8 say honest6 .e!ause if we are ever going to grow as Christians6 we have to .e honest with ourselves9 #o ask yourself6 @o 8 pray only when 8< in a >a 6 or are y prayers >ust words that 8 pray all the ti e6 or are they honest .urdens on y heart: A 8 genuinely !on!erned a.out y fellow an: Or a 8 >ust saying words 8<ve said so any ti es that they don<t ean a single thing9 8n y various travels there are ti es when 8< privileged to spend a great deal of ti e in !ertain areas or in !ertain ho es9 8 often dis!over that .y

the ti e 8 leave 8 !an say their prayers the sa e as they !an6 .e!ause they never vary the 9 8<ve heard6 )Thank you6 -ord for the .lessings you .estow upon our fa ily) and haven<t even heard the first .lessing they<re talking a.out One ti e 8 =uestioned so eone on this and said6 <Tell e what you ean .y the .lessings 5od .estows on your fa ily9) The answer !a e .a!k6 )Oh6 you know6 >ust .lessings9 8 !an<t really put the into words9) Bou !an<t: Well6 it see s to e that people have no trou.le putting everything else into words6 so why not to 5od: Bou know why: Be!ause you really don<t know what you<re talking a.out6 and .e!ause you really haven<t prayed and asked 5od for spe!ifi! .lessings9 #o how !an you share what ;e<s done: The prayers 8 like to hear fro people are the ones prayed in thanksgiving6 su!h as6 )-ord6 how !an 8 thank you enough for sending that !ar along yesterday with a five gallon !an of gas when 8 had >ust run out of gas9 #o ehow you<re always there when we need you6 so thank you -ord for letting that an !o e .y at >ust the right ti e .e!ause you knew 8 had to get to that !hur!h eeting on ti e7) 8 know that person prayed for so ething spe!ifi!6 and 8 know that 5od really answered that spe!ifi! prayer9 Co e with e on an e$!iting prayer voyage as 8 share how 5od has answered prayers in y life9 As we go along 8<ll share with you so e of the reasons why 5od answers prayer9

Chapter Two

Pray Big
If you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done". ( atthew )*+)*,

2y life is so full of answers to prayer6 it<s always hard to know whi!h answers to share in a li ited ti e6 or a li ited spa!e9 But one of the ost thrilling to e and one of the ost powerful6 8 want to share with you now9 8f you have read the story of how 8 .e!a e a Christian6 you know that 8 lost the sight of one eye due to an auto o.ile a!!ident6 the .low loosening the lens of y eye whi!h then grew .a!k with a !atara!t9 The ophthal ologist told e at the ti e that pro.a.ly within a year 8 would lose the sight of the other eye9 When the se!ond operation was i inent6 8 was told 8 would have a totally .lind period for several onths9 By the ti e this o!!urred6 8 had found Christ in a ost e$!iting way9

As a result6 8 resolved to spend the ti e6 when neither eye would .e fun!tioning and 8 would .e .ed?.ound6 .y listening to tapes of ser ons6 or Bi.le lessons or even the +ew Testa ent9 8 even fan!ied e oriFing the entire +ew Testa ent while 8 was waiting for y eyes to return to a point where !onta!t lens !ould .e used along with y glasses to allow e to see again9 ;ow the -ord took !are of this pro.le in y life is what 8 wanted to write for this !hapter6 and as 8 started6 8 re e .ered a letter 8 had written to y pastor !on!erning what a!tually happened9 'ven though the date of the letter is ore than three years old as of this writing6 it pro.a.ly tells the story .etter than 8 !ould retell it today9 #o if you<d like6 8< going to >ust =uote parts of the letter whi!h !a e dire!tly fro y heart6 and it e$plains why 8 wrote the letter instead of telling the story firsthand9 The only additions 8 have ade are the things 8 felt were ne!essary so you would understand the !o plete eaning of the letter9 Eune (61/(( (really -une "6 because it's 2 A , @ear *ev9 #lagle3

8 >ust finished !utting the sten!ils for your ser on6 )8t 8s -eaven6) whi!h will .e in!luded with the !hur!h news to orrow9 While 8 was typing it6 8 had to write you e$a!tly what happened the night 8 heard this ser on 12ay 1%6 1/((49 Bou re e .er in Fe.ruary 8 went to the ophthal ologist .e!ause 8 realiFed 8 was having a pro.le with y right eye6 and 8 heard hi say what al ost sounded to e like a death senten!e ? that 8 was going to lose the sight of y other eye9 'ven though 8 !a e through the first operation su!!essfully6 as you well know6 it was an e$tre ely diffi!ult ti e for e6 and 8 !ertainly didn<t relish having to go through it a se!ond ti e9 'spe!ially sin!e 8 was told there would .e a period of ti e6 possi.ly two onths or ore6 when 8 would .e una.le to use either eye9 As 8 drove fro his offi!e to your house6 8 de.ated whether to ask 5od to heal y eye6 or whether to !o it the situation to ;i wholly and a.ide .y whatever ;is wishes were9 By the ti e 8 got to your house6 8 had de!ided to !o it the entire pro.le to 5od with no selfish re=uest of y own 1although 8 pro.a.ly !heated a little .it .e!ause 8 re inded ;i that this would

hinder y work in the )5O) progra 46 and 8 asked you to get so e tapes for e to listen to while 8 was in the hospital and !onfined at ho e6 sin!e 8 !ouldn<t see to read9 As the weeks went .y and y sight .e!a e worse6 8 told you 8 didn<t think 8 would .e a.le to drive u!h longer .e!ause 8 !ouldn<t see well in the daylight hours6 and a.solutely nothing at night7 By 2ay 1%6 8 was .eginning to feel like a nervous wre!k9 8t was su!h a pro.le to drive to #unday s!hool that orning .e!ause 8 !ouldn<t get anything in fo!us with either eye 1or was it a solution:49 8 !ouldn<t even read the lesson6 nor !ould 8 read the words on the pages of the song .ook that orning in !hur!h9 so it was a good thing you sang songs 8 know ).y heart9) 8 often wonder how 8 got to !hur!h that night6 y sight was so poor9 8 prayed as 8 pi!ked up those 8 .ring to !hur!h and asked 5od to please see that 8 got the there safely9 And then you prea!hed on )8t 8s -eaven9) 8 really felt you had a ha er and were personally delivering a real hard wallop on y head with every senten!e6 and long .efore you finished 8 knew 8 was going to go to the altar and pray that 5od would heal y

eye9 +o longer did 8 want to >ust !o it it to ;i 6 8 wanted to ask ;i to please tou!h y eye9 And then !a e your altar !all6 and as 8 took the first step to go6 Eani!e @oe stepped out to a!!ept Christ as her personal -ord and #avior9 8 stepped .a!k6 .e!ause 8 !ould not detra!t fro her #hining ;our9 8 would wait for the se!ond altar !all9 Bou ade the se!ond altar !all6 and as 8 stepped out that first step6 8 heard the rustle that eans so eone has answered a !all9 8 stepped .a!k again .e!ause 8 saw that 'sther F9 had ade her de!ision6 and 8 !ould not detra!t fro her #hining ;our9 8 would wait for the third altar !all9 But you didn<t ake a third altar !all that night6 and when 8 realiFed that you were not going to ake the third !all6 8 al ost pani!ked .e!ause 8 didn<t know what to do6 so 8 !losed y eyes as the last verse was sung6 and said6 )@ear 5od6 you know what a lousy prayer 8 a 6 so don<t listen to ;OW 8 pray6 .ut please6 please dear 5od sin!e you apparently didn<t want e to go to the altar tonight6 will you rea!h down and heal y eye:) 8 also re inded ;i that 8 !an never re e .er at !ru!ial o ents like this the

proper order of things in prayer6 like worship6 adoration6 suppli!ation6 et!9 8 told ;i 8 was sure ;e knows what a !o plete .lank 8 draw at ti es like this6 .ut 8 told ;i 8 hoped ;e knew what was in y heart6 even though y head was .lank9

8<ll never know how 8 got ho e that night9 Eoan 1 y daughter4 gave e dire!tions6 .ut 8 !ouldn<t even tell where 8 was and 8 was so !on!erned for the lives whi!h were in the !ar with e9 ;owever6 you will re e .er 8 !alled you that night and told you that .y the ti e 8 rea!hed #uniland 8 !ould see .etter than 8 had for days6 even though 8 knew y eye had not .een tou!hed9 All week long 8 asked 5od if ;e wanted e to !ontinue praying that sa e re=uest6 or would that indi!ate a la!k of faith on y part9 Was on!e enough6 8 wondered6 or should 8 ask again and again and again: 8 really didn<t know what to do6 so 8 read everything 8 !ould find in the Bi.le6 knowing so ehow that 5od would send e an answer9 @uring this week6 there were two separate o!!asions when 8 felt 5od<s hand !lose6 .ut not !lose enough to tou!h y eye9 On #aturday orning6 2ay 21 1and as 8 write this 8 realiFe for the first ti e that this was the date y other eye had .een operated on >ust one year ago4 8 went to the .eauty parlor as 8 do every week6 and took along the .iving .etters to read while y hair dried9 The -iving -etters opened that orning to 'phesians (3 1,9 8f you don<t know offhand

what it says6 you !an guess9 8t says3 )Pray all the ti e9 Ask 5od for anything in line with the ;oly #pirit<s wishes9 Plead with ;i 6 re inding ;i of your needs9 )8 !losed that .ook and6 under a dryer in a .eauty parlor told 5od if ;e wanted e to plead with ;i 6 re inding ;i of y needs6 then 8 was pleading with y heart and y soul to heal this eye9 +ever have 8 pleaded as hard as 8 did this orning6 and never have 8 prayed so fervently9 And so eti e .etween ,330 and ,3&%6 I saw the hand of God come down and touch my eye. +ow 8 don<t really know how 8 !ould have seen it6 .e!ause 8 had y eyes !losed and .efore 8 ever opened y eyes again 8 said6 <Thank you6 5od6) .e!ause 8 knew 8 didn<t have to open y eyes to know what had happened9 And 8 wondered if you had .een praying for e6 too9 8 wanted to fly .y and tell you what had happened6 .e!ause in so e of the words of your ser on6 you triggered whatever was ne!essary for y pleading with 5od9 8 know what happened6 .ut 8<ll never know why, .ut who a 8 to ever =uestion 5od: But the thing that 8 think is so fantasti! is that 5od knew e$a!tly who was pleading with ;i 6 and knew e$a!tly what .eauty

parlor ;e<d find e in6 and what dryer ;e<d find e under9 The very sa e 5od who hangs out all those stars that 8 look at through y window at night when 8 pray in y .edroo .efore 8 go to sleep6 took ti e out fro the .ig >o. ;e has of wat!hing over the entire universe6 to show ;is love for e9 ;ow !ould anyone dou.t there is a 5od: And how !ould people not want ;is #on in their hearts: 8 feel .etter having said this and it !o es to you e$a!tly as 8 felt !o pelled to write it6 with no revisions6 no nothing6 e$!ept a grateful heart9 Frances
8 never will forget how one ti e a inister said to e6 <<Bou don<t .elieve in that stuff like divine healing6 do you:) 8 very si ply answered6 )8 only .elieve what the Bi.le says9) And the Bi.le says if we will ask in the na e of Eesus of +aFareth6 it shall .e done9 With y heart and soul 1 .elieve that Christ perfor s as any ira!les today as ;e did two thousand years ago9 We are pro.a.ly ore relu!tant to talk a.out the 6 ore relu!tant to ask for the and this6 1 .elieve6 is the reason for the pro.le 9 The power of

5od has not lessened one iota ? it<s there6 and availa.le for those who will .elieve7 8f you<re wondering what was in the ser on 1 entioned in this !hapter6 pro.a.ly the things that hit e were the following senten!es3 <<Bou have not6 .e!ause you ask not9 Bou ask for little things6 and you get little thingsC if you want big things6 ask 5od for big thingsC if you want 5od to ove a ountain6 ask ;i to ove a ountain9) 5od<s ;oly #pirit had spoken to e through those few words and so .e!ause of this6 1 learned to pray )Big9)

Chapter Three

Ask to Pray
"$e was praying in a certain place, when $e ceased, that one of $is disciples said to $im, '.ord, teach us to pray'" (.uke 11:1). 8 shall .e eternally grateful to *osalind *inker for her inspiring .ook6 /rayer ? !onversing with God0 .e!ause this .ook really revolutioniFed y prayer life9 8n fa!t it started y prayer life9 8 had always thought of prayer as so e for aliFed !olle!tion of words whi!h 8 didn<t really understand 1when 8 listened to a lot of people pray46 and it had a lot of #hakespearean ter s su!h as thee, thou, and wilt. This really wilted e .e!ause 8 don<t talk in those ter s6 and !onse=uently 8 don<t understand in those ter s6 either9 #o 8 read this .ook whi!h 8 .elieve all new Christians should read9 for it akes praying really easy9 And the kind of praying 8 ean is the )out loud) kind where you !an .e heard6 not only .y 5od6 .ut .y others who want to pray with you9 8 think the -ord ade y Christian road easy for e in any respe!ts6 .e!ause ;e gave e a .urden for souls9 And al ost fro the start of y Christian life 8 have .een really .lessed .e!ause ;e has used e as a soul winner9 But this !an also !reate a pro.le 6 or furnish the answer6 whi!hever way you want to look at it9 2ost people look to the

person who is their spiritual DparentG as so eone they ask for help in their Christian life9 #o .efore 8 knew it6 8 was involved in all sorts of re=uests for prayer6 therefore 8 was really Dfor!edG to learn how to pray9 8f you have read or heard the story of how 8 .e!a e a Christian6 you know 8 spent any hours in the .athtu. learning to pray9 1And 8 still think itHs an e$!ellent pla!e to get !lean inside and out74 Be!ause the -ord has pla!ed e in so any e$!iting situations sin!e 8 have .e!o e a Christian 8 have really had to learn how to pray for any different reasons9 8Hd like to share with you how 8 often tea!h people to pray9 First of all6 there are any different kinds of prayer9 There are prayers said fro the pulpit6 whi!h6 of ne!essityC involve an entire !hur!h9 Then there are prayers whi!h involve prayer groups whi!h pray for spe!ifi! needs in a !hur!h or in the lives of individuals9 But 8 think the easiest way to learn to pray is >ust plain talking to 5od9 8Hd like to relate to you how 8 used this little plan to start so eone on an e$!iting prayer life9 8n West Iirginia 8 et a !ouple whose Christian status was =uite different fro ost 8 have et9 The an had .een a Christian for any years6 while his wife had .een a Christian for >ust a few onths9 The great .ond of Christian love was there i ediately and .efore 8 had .een with this !ouple ten inutes6 the wife said6 )8 want to learn how to pray7) And then 5od laid upon e the .urden of tea!hing her how to pray9

#he had offered to drive e to y speaking engage ents while 1 was in West Iirginia6 so 8 had the opportunity of sharing with her how 1 felt a.out prayer6 the need for prayer6 the privilege of prayer6 the power of prayer6 and the !onstant urge 8 have for prayer at all ti es9 8t<s always e$!iting to see a new Christian with an un=uen!ha.le thirst for the things of 5od6 .ut it see s that prayer is one of the things that really stu ps any9 Well6 nearly everywhere that wo an drove e6 our !onversation !entered around prayer9 Then one day as we were driving6 8 sensed the nudging of the ;oly #pirit9 1 said to her6 )'loise6 the Bi.le says to <wat!h and pray< so while you<re wat!hing the !ars on the freeway6 >ust say6 Thank you6 -ord9< And if you !an<t get that u!h out6 >ust say6 Thank you7< And if you !an<t get that u!h out6 >ust say Thanks7<) There was a o ent of silen!e6 and then she said6 )Okay ? 8<ll do that9) 1 waited6 and nothing happened6 so 1 said6 )Okay go ahead7) Another o ent of silen!e 1and do you know how l?o?n?g a o ent of !o plete silen!e !an .e:46 and then she said6 )*ight now:) 8 said6 <<Bes6 a<a 9 *ight now7) Another long pause9 <<With you in the !ar:) 8 said6 <<With e in the !ar9) 8 e$plained to her that the ost diffi!ult )out loud) prayer words you ever say will .e the first ones you a!tually say audi.ly .e!ause the .iggest stu .ling .lo!k of all is opening your outh that very first ti e9 8 said6 DThere are only the two of us in the !ar6 and in !ase

you<re worried that anyone else will think you<re !raFy talking to yourself6 they !an see e6 and they will think you<re talking to e9) 8 really don<t know how far we drove with the !onversation repeating itself6 .ut all of a sudden 8 saw a flush !o e on her fa!e and she said in a very e otional voi!e6 <Thank you6 -ord7) 8 had .een doing y instant praying and y heart really >u ped for >oy and 8 said6 )5od6 did you hear that: #he a!tually prayed out loud7) Bou know6 this was an e1citing thing for her6 too9 We talked all the rest of the way to our destination as 8 shared with her how 8 pray e$a!tly what is on y heart9 5od doesn<t e$pe!t us to .e geniuses and re e .er all the e!hani!s of praying9 ;e only wants to know that we have a sin!ere heart9 When we returned to the parsonage where 8 was staying6 the pastor<s wife .rought out a .eautiful !ake so eone had .rought over6 and asked us to have so e9 We said we would6 and when we sat down6 8 said6 )'loise6 you did so well in the !ar today6 8< going to ask you to say the .lessing now9) Poor 'loise looked as though she wished light? ning would strike either her or e6 and 8 think she would have preferred it to have stru!k e6 and she really wilted and said in a !o pletely horrified voi!e6 )8n front of the pastor<s wife:) And 8 said6 )8n front of the pastor<s wife7) #he said6 )Oh6 no0" And 8 said6 )Oh6 yes0"

The e$!iting thing is when youHre dealing with so eone who is really desirous of growing in Christ6 they will do anything .e!ause of the ;oly #pirit working in their life9 And even though she al ost e otionally fell apart6 'loise said6 DThank you6 -ord6 for this !ake7G 8 knew the angels in heaven ust have .een re>oi!ing with the -ord to see su!h eagerness and e$!ite ent fro so eone so willing to learn how to pray9 The ne$t day as 8 was getting ready to go downtown to .e on a radio progra 6 'loise !alled to say she would like to drive e down9 #he said so e other wo en who wanted to learn how to pray would .e there too and would like to take e to lun!h9 Of !ourse 8 said6 D5reat7G At lun!h 8 said6 DThereHs no ti e like the present to learn to pray9 WeHll let everyone say either one little word or phrase6 or one little senten!e as a .lessing for the food9G And do you know what happened: 'loise .lurted out6 D8Hll pray first6 .e!ause 8Hve learned how7G 2y heart really al ost .anged out of its wall as 8 realiFed what an e$!ellent student 8 had9 And6 .y the way6 everyone there got into the prayer a!t9 8tHs wonderful when several persons a!!ept Christ at the sa e ti e .e!ause then they !an have the fun of growing in gra!e together9 2any individuals have learned to pray around y dinner ta.le .e!ause ea!h one was allowed 1or for!ed4 to say one senten!e6 and itHs a aFing how easy it is to get into the swing of praying6 if you will >ust pra!ti!e praying6 .e!ause in prayer6 like anything else6 pra!ti!e akes perfe!t9 True6 8 still havenHt

dis!overed what the perfe!t prayer is like9 8 donHt know what 5od !alls a perfe!t prayerC 8 only know ;e hears ine and answers the in ;is perfe!t way9 #o e young people 8 know6 who give u!h of their ti e to prayer and are so e of the ost e$!iting Christians 8 know6 learned to pray around y dinner ta.le in a ost unorthodo$ way9 While young people really have an adventureso e spirit for the ost part6 the idea of praying out loud is a hard thing for a new Christian to do9 #o .efore we would a!tually start the prayer !ir!le around the ta.le6 8 would ask ea!h one to sele!t the one thing he or she wanted to pray a.out9 Asually a.out five of the spoke up at one ti e and the !onversation sounded like this3 D@i..ies on praying for the pastor9G D@i..ies on praying for tonightHs servi!e9G D@i..ies on praying for the youth eeting ne$t weekend7G And it was interesting to see how the ;oly #pirit guided the into asking for the thing they wanted ost to pray for9 When youHre .eginning to learn to pray aloud6 it will ake your prayer road so u!h easier and =ui!ker to travel if you will sele!t the things you sin!erely want to pray a.out9 @onHt think 8H !onfining anyone to >ust praying si ple little things he wants to pray6 .ut re e .er the new Christian needs ilk and not steak to !hew on in the .eginning9 8 pro.a.ly will .e !onsidered a re.el .y any .e!ause 8 also donHt feel itHs essential to .e on your physi!al knees when praying9 BouHd .etter .elieve 8H on y spiritual knees6 .ut the .ulk of y

praying is not on y physi!al knees9 Please donHt isunderstand e J 8 have knelt at the altars in any !hur!hes6 and had su!h e$!iting talks with 5od6 and thereHs so ething a.out an altar that really does so ething for e9 But 5od has answered as any of y prayers when 8Hve .een standing6 or lying in .ed6 or driving y !ar6 as any other ti e9 The 5od who loves e hears y prayers so long as they !o e fro y heart9 Wherever you are right now6 >ust lay down this .ook for a inute6 will you6 and say out loud6 KThank you6 -ord9G 8f youHd prefer to .e where no one !an hear you the first ti e 1and thatHs the way 8 wanted it46 go take a ride in your !ar6 take a walk6 >u p in the .ath tu.6 or go anypla!e where you will have priva!y6 .ut say out loud those three little words9 Are you .a!k now: @id it al ost !hoke you the first ti e: But .elieve e6 if you really ean .usiness6 the ne$t ti e wonHt .e nearly as .ad9 And .efore you know it6 it will .e!o e one of the ost e$!iting things in your life9 +ow youHre ready for the se!ond step9 BouHve said6 KThank you6 -ord6G .ut you didnHt really say what for6 did you: Okay6 >ust think of one little thing the -ord has done for you9 8f you !anHt think of anything6 let e help you a little .it9 @id ;e die on a !ross for you and e: Could you thank ;i for that: 18 ean out loud.2, All right6 letHs try it9 Bou think thatHs too hard: Well6 letHs see6 howHs the weather where you are: Could you thank ;i for the kind of day it is: And you know6 we should really thank ;i whatever the day is .e!ause so e

e$!iting thing will !o e of it6 regardless of what the weather is like9 Or !ould you thank ;i for a good nightHs rest: Or !ould you thank ;i for the privilege of .eing alive: Or !ould you thank ;i for the privilege ;eHs given you of knowing how to read a .ook: Well6 if you donHt have a !ase of e otional >itters .y now6 youHre ready for the ne$t step9 8f 8 were your .est friend and you were having a pro.le 6 say6 with your hus.and6 you would pro.a.ly !onfide in e and tell e what your hus.and had .een doing to ake your arriage unhappy 1or what your wife had .een doing to ake your arriage unhappy if youHre the hus.and49 #o youHd pro.a.ly say so ething like this3 DBou know6 Eoe drives e out of y ind9 8 work so hard trying to keep this house !lean and every night when he !o es ho e6 itHs the sa e thing9 D;e leaves his shoes for e to fall over or pi!k up9 And every orning 8 find heHs left the top off the toothpaste9 ;e knows how irritated this akes e6 .ut he does it all the ti e9 Then when 8 ask hi to take out the gar.age6 or wash the dishes6 he says6 KWhat do you think 8 a : ThatHs a wo anHs work6 not a anHs work7H Bou know 8 >ust go through this day after day until 8H a.solutely a nervous wre!k9G +ow the funny thing is we !an tell all these little faults a.out our hus.ands to our friends6 and it gets us nowhere6 .ut would you really like to know a u!h .etter solution: Bou would: Well6 youHve pro.a.ly guessed it .y now J >ust get on that $ot .ine to $eaven and use it9

Bour !onversation with 5od ight sound so ething like this3 D5ood orning6 5od6 here 8 a again9 Bou know6 8Hve got a real pro.le and 8Hd like you to show e how to handle it9 Bou know 8 !anHt get y #unday s!hool lesson studied .e!ause every day itHs the sa e old thing9 8 !lean this house over and over and then when Eoe !o es ho e6 he leaves his shoes in the living roo 6 and 8 have to keep pi!king the up9 And -ord6 you know how it aggravates e when he leaves the top off the toothpaste6 and when 8 fight with hi over the gar.age 8 get so upset 8 !ould >ust die9 -ord6 please either straighten Eoe out6 or tea!h e to have ore patien!e6 love6 and understanding9G Bou know6 if you really prayed like that6 youHd have pea!e flood your soul6 .e!ause instead of >ust i .edding a situation into your ind6 you would have really done so ething !onstru!tive a.out it Bou would have asked for 5odHs guidan!e9 +ow donHt laugh6 if 5od knows how any hairs are on your head6 donHt you think ;e !ares a.out everything where youHre !on!erned: And donHt you think ;eHs glad you give ;i the opportunity of helping you: Bou know Christ will never for!e ;i self upon you6 .ut ;e patiently waits for you to ask9 Bou see6 whether we daily take advantage of the power of prayer or not6 Christ patiently waits for the first word fro us6 so itHs never a =uestion of no one answering when we use that $ot .ine to $eaven. Bou never get the .usy signal6 .e!ause 5od is never too .usy9 ;e waits to hear what you have to say and wants to answer your prayers9

8f youHre a hus.and with a isera.le wife 1and you know no wo an is a isera.le wife6 donHt you:4 you !an ake up your own i aginary !onversation a.out her sloppy ha.its6 and then visualiFe and ver.aliFe what you would say to 5od a.out the sa e situation9 And then6 ost i portant of all6 listen to what 5od has to say to you9 That last senten!e has a lot in it9 @o you realiFe that one of the ost i portant things in prayer is waiting to hear what 5od has to say to you: #o any ti es we i patiently pray and then6 .e!ause we donHt feel that 5od at that o ent is going to do anything a.out it6 we take our little pro.le .a!k and try to solve it all .y ourselves9 As a atter of fa!t6 so any ti es we are so .usy asking everyoneHs advi!e a.out our pro.le s6 that we arenHt still long enough to dis!over what 5od has to say to us9 *e e .er what 8 said at the .eginning of the .ook a.out giving your prayer re=uest to 5od6 and then turning your hand over and dropping your ar down to your side9 #o part of the se!ret of prayer6 then6 is to take ti e to listen to 5odHs answers9 As a nor al rule 8 donHt tell people to ask 5od to DtellG the so ething6 .e!ause so e e$pe!t a loud .oo ing voi!e to !o e out of the woodwork or so e other pla!e6 giving the e$pli!it instru!tions9 5od will give you e$pli!it instru!tions6 .ut you ust know how to re!ogniFe ;is answers9 8 would suggest that you ask 5od to reveal to you what ;e wants you to do in a !ertain situation9 2any ti es the answer will !o e to us through another person9 5od so eti es uses others to

!onvey to us what ;e wants fro our life9 5odHs Word is so helpful for answers to prayer6 and often the -ord of y life will lead e to a s!ripture whi!h answers y prayer >ust as though ;e had written a personal letter to e9 2any ti es through a series of situations6 5od will reveal ;is plan for you6 or the answer to your prayer9 8 do hope youHll re e .er one thing6 though9 5od doesnHt always answer our prayers as we think they ought to .e answered9 Why: 5od is a lot s arter than any of us6 and 8Hve learned to a!!ept ;is answers6 knowing that whatever ;e has planned for e is far .etter than anything 8 !ould ever hope to plan yself9 #o even if you get an answer that see s not =uite what you want6 trust 5od for the needs of your life6 and youHll .e a aFed how u!h .etter your life turns out to .e9

Chapter Four

Pray for Wisdom

3If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.4 (-ames 1:5-6) The a.ove s!ripture is one whi!h ore people ought to re e .er and use9 8n y own life6 it .e!a e real when 5od laid the .urden on e to write the story of how 8 .e!a e a Christian9 8 was not fortunate enough to attend !ollege6 and so 8 have only a high s!hool edu!ation6 and had never written a single arti!le in y life6 not even a !olu n for the high s!hool paper9 At the age of fifty 8 realiFed itHs hard to Dtea!h an old dog new tri!ks9G But new tri!ks 8 did learn J to .e ore spe!ifi!6 8 asked for wisdo 6 in faith .elieving6 and hereHs the way it happened9 8 .elieve one of the strongest .urdens the -ord has ever laid upon e was to write the story of y life9 8 !ouldnHt understand it at all6 .e!ause 8 felt how 8 .e!a e a Christian was pro.a.ly a lot like everyone else6 .ut 8 !onstantly had the nagging6 gnawing feeling that 8 had to write the story of how 8 .e!a e a Christian9 Be!ause 8H always eager to o.ey 5od and do whatever ;e !alls e to do6 8 sat

down at y typewriter after work one night and started to write the story of how 8 found Christ9 +ight after night 8 would do the sa e thing9 8 would wait until everyone left the offi!e6 then 8 would roll a sheet of paper into the typewriter and start out6 D8 .e!a e a Christian at the ripe old age of forty?nine9G And then y inspiration would !o pletely stop9 8 would .egin another senten!e with DAt the age of forty?nine 8 .e!a e a Christian9G Then 8 would de!ide that wasnHt su!h a good start6 insert another sheet and type6 DForty? nine was y age when 8 .e!a e a Christian9G Then 8 would .e stu!k again9 8 would ake another sta. at it9 8 would write a few senten!es and then say to yself6 DThat really stinks7G And then 8Hd re ind 5od that 8 wasnHt a writer6 and that 8 never would .e a writer9 But 5odHs ;oly #pirit was !o pletely relentless with e 1as ;e always is6 PT-49 8 knew that 8 would never rest until 8 had done what 5od wanted e to do6 and yet 8 felt so !o pletely inade=uate for the task9 8 was talking on the phone to a pastor one night6 and told hi that 5od had really laid on e su!h a .urden to write the story of y life6 and yet 8 >ust !ouldnHt see to do it9 ;e gave e so e of the greatest words of advi!e anyone has ever given to e9 ;e said6 DFran!es6 go .a!k to your typewriter and pray6 and give 5od your fingers and your .rains and ask ;i to use the to write the story ;e wants written9G 8 hung up and went over to y typewriter and prayed6 >ust a very si ple6 short prayer9 8 held out y hands and said6 D-ord6 these are y fingers9G

Pointing to y head 8 said6 DAnd this is y .rain9 TheyHre yours9 -et your ;oly #pirit use the to write the story you want written9G 8 put a pie!e of paper into y typewriter6 and y fingers flew9 The words >ust !a e out so fast 8 !ould hardly keep up with the 1and 8 happen to .e an unusually fast typist49 Thirty hours after 8 started6 the .ook6 y first6 God Is Fabulous, was !o pleted9 8 never rewrote itC 8 never edited itC and y pu.lisher !hanged only a few words in it9 And 8Hve never .een a.le to take any !redit for it6 either9 With y heart and soul 8 .elieve that 5odHs ;oly #pirit dire!ted the writing of it6 and when the inspiration ended6 it ended9 There was no ore to that parti!ular .ook9 Prayer had done it again7 8 had asked for wisdo and knowledge to write a .ook6 and 5od6 hearing y si ple prayer6 had i ediately answered9 Before long6 another urge welled up in e6 and that was to write a .ook in whi!h 8 would share how easy it is to tell the si ple story of Eesus Christ to every.ody9 Again 8 prayed for wisdo 6 and again y fingers and y .rain were given to the -ord as 8 prayed to .e nothing .ut an open !hannel through whi!h ;is ;oly #pirit !ould work9 Again another .ook flew out of y finger tips9 8 never rewrote this one6 or edited it6 and the !o pleted anus!ript was soon pu.lished9 But6 again6 8 feel the !redit .elongs to so eone else6 not to e9 And then y pastorHs wife was talking one day to so eone who ade the !o ent6 DFran!es ust have a hot line to heaven .e!ause 5od answers so any of her prayers9G And with this little tid.it

!a e the inspiration for this third .ook9 Again6 as 8 prayed for wisdo and guidan!e6 giving y fingers and .rains to the -ord6 the story you are reading welled up within e and 8 felt it would >ust run all over the pla!e if 8 didnHt put it on paper9 8 have .een una.le to !ontain yself as the !hapters of this .ook unfold9 The things that 8H sharing with you are inti ate things whi!h personally !on!ern e6 and yet as 8 write the 8H fas!inated with how they are .rought to y ind9 One !o ent 8 would like to ake a.out this .ook6 though6 is the fa!t that the devil tre .les where prayer is !on!erned .e!ause he knows the power of prayer9 And .e!ause this .ook deals with prayer6 he has thrown every road.lo!k in the way you !ould possi.ly i agine to keep e fro !o pleting it on s!hedule9 2y offi!e has .een too .usy6 personnel pro.le s have .ogged us down6 !ausing e to work night after night until early orning >ust to keep the offi!e going6 without any =uiet ti e to put on paper the thoughts 8 have !on!erning prayer9 +ever have 8 ever seen the devil so deter ined to stop anything as he has .een to stop this .ook9 +ever have 8 prayed so u!h over any .ook6 and never have 8 ever realiFed the strength and power of the devil as 8 have where this .ook is !on!erned9 Finally6 in !o plete helplessness6 8 !ried out to 5od through the power of ;is ;oly #pirit to .ind the hands of #atan and allow e to finish the .ook on s!hedule9 5od heard y !ry and even though the devil fought every in!h of the way he went down to defeat9

As 8 think of the title of this .ook6 $ot .ine to $eaven, 8 !anHt help .ut think how true that state ent really is9 8 have often said6 D5od is as !lose as your telephone9G We all have a private or Dhot lineG to heaven6 .ut the only pro.le we have is that we donHt all use it the sa e9 *ight now 8H looking at y telephone on y desk9 What a arvelous little instru ent it is9 8 have only to pi!k it up6 push so e little .uttons !orre!tly6 and within a atter of se!onds 8 !an .e talking to so eone in California6 or ;onolulu6 or any pla!e in the whole world9 But as long as that little instru ent sits there and 8 donHt pi!k it up6 it isnHt going to .e worth very u!h in y life6 is it: The sa e thing is true of prayer6 our hot line to heaven9 There it is6 a dire!t line6 no other parties on the sa e line youHre on6 so you never get the .usy signal when you dial 5O@9 But how often do you really dial ;i : ;ow often do you !all upon ;i to answer even your s allest needs9 8 have learned fro personal e$perien!e that 8 !an stand upon the pro ises of the Bi.le and let y entire life .e guided .y a hot line to heaven9 8 used to wonder if 5od got tired of y saying6 D;ere 8 a again6 -ord6G .ut ;e !ontinued to answer y prayers to su!h a fa.ulous degree that 8 finally =uit asking ;i that and >ust prayed !onstantly for every single little area in y life9

Chapter Five

Pray with Fleeces

8 a a great Dflee!eG thrower9 And if you donHt know what 8H talking a.out6 8Hd like to =uote five long6 .ut very interesting6 verses fro the Old Testa ent9 Eudges (33(?&09 8f you donHt know the story6 let e share with you y understanding of this Bi.le story9 5od had !alled 5ideon to deliver 8srael6 .ut 5ideon was afraid6 so he asked 5od to give hi an answer so there !ould .e no dou.t in his ind9 *ead these verses right now with this in ind3 35hen Gideon said to God, 6If 7ou will save Israel by my hand, as 7ou have said L look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor" if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that 7ou will save Israel by my hand, as 7ou have said.2 And it was so. 8hen he rose early the ne1t morning and s9uee:ed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water 5hen Gideon said to God, 6%o not be angry with me, and let me speak ;ust once more+ .et me test, I pray, ;ust once more with the fleece" let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew. 6And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.4 Bou see6 5ideon so dou.ted what 5od had told hi 6 that he asked for visi.le proof of 5odHs will for his life9 Was it really dou.ting6 or did 5ideon

want a.solute and positive dire!tion: 8 honestly feel he wanted positive dire!tion6 .e!ause in y own life there have .een ti es when 8 !ould not !learly understand what 5od wanted for y life6 and so that there !ould .e no dou.t6 8 have thrown out a flee!e9 8f you !arefully read 5ideonHs prayers6 you will note that 5od answered .oth ti es6 even though the se!ond re=uest was e$a!tly the opposite of the first9 8 re e .er the first flee!e 8 ever threw out9 After y first .ook was pu.lished6 8 re!eived any invitations to speak in !hur!hes9 8 felt that 5od had pla!ed a spe!ial !all on y life6 and 8 !ouldnHt e$a!tly figure out what it was9 8 knew it would .e e$!iting6 whatever it was6 .ut 8 !ouldnHt see how 8 !ould still run a .usiness and a!!ept speaking dates9 Bet 8 knew 8 had to do what 5od had !alled e to do9 2y =uestion3 how !ould 8 .e sure what that was: Then6 re e .ering the story of 5ideon6 8 de!ided to throw out a flee!e9 ;ere is what 8 prayed3 D-ord6 8 donHt !are what you want fro y life6 all 8 want to know is definitely and positively what it is you want e to do9 8f you want e to share the e$!ite ent 8 feel a.out your son Eesus Christ with all these !hur!hes inviting e to visit the 6 will you (I was going to make the fleece a really difficult one for $im, or so I thought.,4 Continuing y prayer6 8 said6 DWill you get e an invitation to speak in the MMMMMMMMMM Chur!hG and 8 sele!ted a very large6 well?known !hur!h9 8 knew 8 didnHt have a !han!e in a illion to ever .e

asked to speak there6 so 8 knew that 8 would .e safe and se!ure in y little printing .usiness9 Well6 it was on 2onday that 8 prayed6 and Tuesday 8 Foo ed through y workC Wednesday nothing happened6 Thursday6 nothing happened J y ail wasnHt flooded with invitations to speak in this parti!ular !hur!h6 and then came Friday. As 8 was sitting at y desk in the offi!e6 the door opened6 and in walked the pastor of this parti!ular !hur!h9 ;e said6 DFran!es6 we were va!ationing in West Pal Bea!h6 and 8 wanted to !all you6 .ut 8 was afraid you ight say no6 so we de!ided instead to drive down so you !ouldnHt tell us no6 .e!ause 8e want to e1tend an invitation to you to speak in...4 and he na ed the parti!ular !hur!h9 8 was a!tually froFen to y !hair .e!ause 8 felt as if a .olt of lightning had gone down y soggy spaghetti spine6 and youHd .etter .elieve that 8 said6 DBesG9 5od had so powerfully answered y prayer and had pi!ked up the flee!e that it left no dou.t in y ind what ;e wanted for e9 One of the ost interesting things a.out this parti!ular invitation is that it has not .een !onsu ated to date9 But noti!e how 8 worded y prayer re=uest9 8 asked only to re!eive an invitation to speak9 8 did not ask to speak6 and 5od pi!ked up the flee!e e1actly as I had asked" ;e saw to it that 8 re!eived an invitation to speak9 This is another reason we should .e !areful how we pray6 .e!ause 5od answers prayer7 8n !on>un!tion with y .usiness 8 have thrown out any flee!es9 When 5od first put the !all on y life6 8 thought ;e wanted e to sell y .usiness

and devote yself to full?ti e Christian servi!e9 But 8Hve dis!overed you !an .e in full?ti e Christian servi!e and still .e in .usiness as well9 8 was so positive ;e wanted e to sell y .usiness 8 al ost put it up for sale9 Then 8 re e .ered 5ideon6 so 8 threw out the flee!e again9 But this ti e it lay right there. 8 !ouldnHt understand it6 .e!ause 8 had felt so positive this was the -ordHs will 1or was it really ine:4 and yet as 8 look .a!k on it now6 8 realiFe the reason .ehind it9 Over the years6 8 have re!eived any e$!ellent offers for y .usiness6 and yet when 8 threw out the flee!e6 all offers stopped !o ing6 so 8 said6 DWell6 -ord6 if thatHs the way you want it6 you ust have a reason6 so thatHs all right with e9G #in!e that ti e ;e has revealed to e that y greatest leverage in talking to en is .e!ause 8H a .usinesswo an and !an talk to the on their own level9 8 a not talking to the as so eone who doesnHt know anything a.out the .usiness world6 .ut 8 deal with en every day in a anHs !o petitive world9 #o 8 !an understand L and shoot holes in L their reasons for not .e!o ing a Christian9 And .y the way6 en6 in !ase youHre wondering6 8 own a printing !o pany6 and while we sell printing6 we give Eesus Christ with every order9 And 8 have not yet lost the first !usto er .e!ause of sharing Eesus Christ9 A sti ulus is y otto6 whi!h is DWherever 8 go6 5od goes with e6 and that akes e a a>ority9G And as 8 naturally share Christ6 itHs a aFing what 5odHs power will do even in a .usiness offi!e7

Another very thrilling prayer e$perien!e !on!erns 5ene Cotton6 re!ipient of the gooey6 whipped !rea 6 !herry pie the -ord delivered via a huge >et9 5ene and 8 .e!a e a!=uainted through AlphaNO ega6 a Christian youth ove ent 8 founded6 and it was e$!iting how our paths !ontinued to !ross9 5ene is a ost outstanding Christian young an6 a very eaningful folk singer9 8t see ed every ti e 8 turned around there was an opportunity for 5ene to sing in the 2ia i area instead of around his ho e town of Colu .us6 Ohio9 #o 8 would !all 5ene and he would fly down9 While he was in 2ia i for his singing engage ents6 we spent any hours around y dining roo ta.le having the ost e$!iting prayer !ir!les9 The Christian love whi!h a.ounded around that ta.le was >ust fa.ulous7 2any ti es there would .e fifteen or twenty of us around the ta.le6 listening to the guidan!e of the ;oly #pirit as we learned to pray ore and ore all the ti e9 After 5ene had ade several trips to the 2ia i area6 he was going to +ew Bork where 8 ade arrange ents for hi to audition with one of the larger re!ord !o panies9 As he was leaving his ho e in Colu .us6 Ohio6 to drive to +ew Bork6 he !alled e and after a .rief !onversation said6 DFran!es6 8 wish youHd .e y anager9G 8 said6 DWhat did you say:G ;e repeated very si ply6 D8 wish youHd .e y anager9G 8 said6 D;ow !ould 8 ever .e your anager: 8 donHt know the first thing a.out singingC 8 donHt know the first thing a.out usi!C 8 donHt know the

first thing a.out show .usinessC 8 donHt know the first thing a.out .ooking6 or anything else9G 5eneHs answer was very si ple6 .ut very profound9 ;e said6 D8 donHt !are a.out that6 8 only know that when you pray with e6 it gives e spiritual strength9G 8 really didnHt know what to say6 so 8 said6 DWell6 you pray a.out it6 and 8Hll pray a.out it6 and you !all e to orrow when you get to +ew Bork and weHll see9G 8 hung up the telephone that #unday afternoon and said6 D-ord6 what would you have e do:G 8 really .egan praying earnestly6 .e!ause had 8 used D!o on senseG y answer would have .een D5o find yourself a anager who knows so ething a.out show .usiness9G But 5od was dealing in the situation6 so 8 >ust !ouldnHt say no9 8 e$a ined yself6 asking yself any =uestions that #unday afternoon9 8 said6 DA 8 getting so old and senile that 8 think it would .e fun to run around the !ountry after a young folk singer:G Then 8 thought6 DOr a 8 afraid of getting old so 8 want to run after youth:G 8 talked to y pastor6 and to another pastor who knew .oth of us6 and they see ed in agree ent that 5od had spoken6 .ut 8 was still not !onvin!ed9 8 prayed and prayed6 and when 8 fervently pray for an answer6 8 a a!tually in anguish until 5odHs answer !o es9 8 never stop praying until 8 know what 5od wants e to do9 8 was still praying five hours later when it was ti e to go to evening worship9

Arriving a little early6 8 was sitting alone6 holding y .eloved Bi.le9 All of a sudden6 8 threw a flee!e9 8 said6 D-ord6 you know how du . 8 a 6 .e!ause 8 >ust donHt see to .e a.le to get your answer6 and you know it doesnHt ake any differen!e to e what you answer6 whether you want e to go to +ew Bork6 or stay here6 or whether you want e to .e his anager or not9 8 only want to ake sure that your will is done in this atter9 #o6 -ord6 8 know there is an answer in your Word9 Whatever the answer is6 reveal it to e in the pages of y Bi.le9 Whatever your answer is6 8Hll .e happy9G With that 8 opened the Bi.le6 and it was upside down9 8 turned the Bi.le up the right way6 and two verses !a e into sharp fo!us9 Before 8 =uote you *o ans 1311?126 8 want you to stop and re!all the only reason 5ene gave for wanting e to .e his anager6 then listen to what 5od gave e as an answer3 3For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift6 so that you may be established L that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.4 5odHs love so !o pletely enveloped e after 8 had tortuously sear!hed for ;is will6 that 8 felt a pea!e and !al that was indes!ri.a.le9 Bou ight .e interested in knowing that 8 took the ne$t plane to +ew Bork9 The prayer angle of this story ight have ended right here .ut it didnHt6 .e!ause one of the ost outstanding prayer nights 8 have ever spent was a result of this whole day of prayer9

8 flew to +ew Bork with a !ontra!t to sign as 5eneHs anager and 5ene and a friend of his et e at the plane9 They had ade reservations for e at the sa e hotel where they were staying6 and this was an e$perien!e fro the word D5o9G +estled in the heart of 5reenwi!h Iillage was this un.elieva.le hotel9 8 al ost pani!ked at the thought of staying in a pla!e like this6 .ut sin!e we were !lose to where the auditions were held6 it was the ost feasi.le pla!e to stay9 +ot only that6 5ene and his friend were really short on oney6 and 8 didnHt want to stay uptown .y yself so de!ided to Drough it9G With u!h prayer6 in the dingiest hotel roo 8Hve ever .een in y entire life6 we signed the !ontra!t with #tar 2!Clendon wat!hing9 +o !ontra!t was really ne!essary6 .e!ause we ade an agree ent with 5od !on!erning the kind of !areer 5ene was to have6 and one of the !ovenants was that 5ene would never give any kind of perfor an!e without at least one Christian song to .ear witness to the fa!t that he was a Christian9 The .ig audition was the following night6 and the three of us prayed all day long a.out whi!h four songs 5ene should sing9 After all6 an audition with a .ig re!ord !o pany6 and only four songs to show a variety of talent6 left us in a =uandary9 #hould it .e a fast one6 then a slow one: #hould 5ene play the .an>o or not: We finally de!ided on the four songs6 .ut forgot our !ovenant with 5od9 On the first opportunity the -ord had provided for us6 we sele!ted four se!ular songs9

We left the hotel early to arrive in plenty of ti e at the !offee house where the auditions were held9 8 had never .efore .een in a !offee house and was intrigued .e!ause it was so dark9 The !onta!t 8 wear to give e sight in the one eye had gotten a rough edge and irritated y eye9 8 re oved the lens6 whi!h resulted in y not seeing too well9 5ene and #tar went to where the perfor ers were lining up6 and 8 went to the ladies roo to powder y nose9 8t was so dark J the only light .eing the gas fla e under the huge !offee pot J that 8 didnHt see a .ig step?down6 and 8 fell flat as a pan!ake7 8 fell so hard 8 really saw stars and re e .er thinking6 D;ow !o e 8 thought it was so dark in here J >ust look at all those .eautiful lights7G And then .efore 8 knew it6 a whole ar y of people had !o e to pi!k e up off the floor9 8 very !al ly said6 D2y foot is .roken7G What a!tually happened was y heel had !aught on the edge of the step and violently thrown y foot over the edge7 The waiters 1or so e one4 finally got e up and sat e down at a ta.le9 8 didnHt want the to !all a do!tor6 .e!ause 8 felt 5ene would get upset if he knew 8 had fallen6 so 8 sat there until he had finished singing his four songs 1without a religious one4 and we stayed for a little while longer6 then 8 finally told the guys what had happened and we de!ided 8Hd .etter get to a do!tor or so ething .e!ause .y this ti e 8 was .eginning to .e in a lot of pain9 The rest of the night was a horri.le !o edy9 We took the !a. .a!k to the hotel and 8 tried soaking y foot6 first in !old water and then hot9 The pain

kept getting worse until finally we de!ided 8 had .etter get to a hospital9 We were on a.out the fifth floor in this old run?down hotel6 a.out a .lo!k fro the elevator9 8t see s to e there ust have .een two .uildings whi!h were separate at one ti e6 and they >oined the .y going through the fire wall on ea!h floor6 and the part we were in was on the far side fro the elevators9 To go fro one .uilding to the ne$t it was ne!essary to go single file up two stairs through the opening and then you were in the other .uilding9 While so e of the DguestsG of this hotel were si ply Dout of this world6G 8 have often wondered sin!e then if we didnHt look DOut of this world6G too9 By this ti e the pain was so great 8 !ouldnHt put any pressure on y foot9 #o 5ene and #tar ade a seat .y gra..ing ea!h otherHs wrists so they !ould !arry e 1.e!ause 8H too u!h of a load for any one person to !arry49 We started down the long hotel !orridor6 around the .end6 up the stairs6 then they had to let e go and >ust let e hang onto the wall6 .e!ause the narrow opening .etween the two .uildings wasnHt .ig enough for the to !arry e through9 'ven though 8 !ould have !ried fro the pain6 we had to laugh at the ridi!ulous situation9 They finally got e down to the lo..y 1if it !ould .e !alled that4 of the hotel and the night !lerk said weHd have to stand on the street and he would !all an a .ulan!e9 8t see s there had .een a su.way a!!ident and all the a .ulan!es were at the s!ene of the a!!ident6 so the hospital said they !ouldnHt send one6 .ut suggested we !all a ta$i9 8 donHt know e$a!tly what

ti e it was6 .ut it was pro.a.ly around idnight6 and we !ouldnHt see a !a. anywhere9 #tar and 5ene !ouldnHt go looking for a !a. .e!ause 8 !ouldnHt stand on y foot at all9 ;owever6 finally de!iding they would have to go looking for a !a.6 they draped e around a la p post on the !orner and went in sear!h of a !a.9 All 8 !ould think of was what a pi!ture we ust have presented3 two young en6 one white6 one .la!k6 and a wo an older than their others6 and 8 was draped around a la p post on a street !orner in +ew Bork with no shoe on y one foot9 8H sure 8 ust have looked like a drunk to anyone who passed .y9 A poli!e !ar stopped6 .ut .e!ause 8 was fro out of state6 they wouldnHt take e in a poli!e !ar9 But they did get a !a.9 #o with the poli!e !ar leading and the light flashing6 we went to a hospital in downtown +ew Bork9 The poli!e radioed ahead so 8 was et with a wheel!hair6 wheeled into the e ergen!y roo 6 and left waiting9 5ene and #tar were left out in the waiting roo 9 2y foot was O? rayed6 and while 8 was waiting for the verdi!t6 8 sat there several hours wat!hing the dregs of hu anity !o e through the e ergen!y roo door9 8 saw a wo an who had .een !arved into ri..ons .y her lover9 8 saw a dope addi!t s!rea ing for help9 8 saw al ost every kind of hu an isery as 8 sat there through the long night9 Finally 8 was told that y foot was .roken in three pla!es and they were trying to get an orthopedi! surgeon to set it6 an espe!ially i portant pro!edure .e!ause of y age9 8 had al ost prayed yself out and then 8 got to the point where 8 was in

su!h agony 8 !ouldnHt even pray any ore9 8 had .een given nothing for pain6 and even though 8 have a very high pain toleran!e6 8 felt 8 had taken a.out all 8 !ould stand9 8 was figuratively !li .ing the walls9 Finally6 at % A2 the nurse told e they were una.le to get the orthopedi! an6 so they put a pressure dressing on y foot6 and gave e a pair of !rut!hes9 8 was advised to go to the City ;ospital the ne$t day to have the !ast put on y foot9 8n the eanti e 8 !ould go .a!k to the hotel9 8 finally asked if they !ould give e so ething for the pain6 so they gave e so e kind of pill to take6 wheeled e down the hall6 and deposited e with 5ene and #tar9 8 !ould take pages telling you how the fellows had to !arry e up the stairs to the lo..y of the hotel6 around to the elevator6 and then down the .lo!k long !orridor .efore they finally got e .a!k to y roo 9 By this ti e there were so e good argu ents going on in the hotel and 8 de!ided it was a.out the last pla!e in the world 8 wanted to .e9 When they finally deposited e in the roo 6 8 looked at 5ene and said6 DThe very first night we had a !ontra!t and ade the !ovenant with 5od6 what did we do: We .lew it7 Bou didnHt sing a religious song9G 8 never felt so !onvi!ted of sin in y entire life as 8 did that night9 8 said6 D5od6 8H sorry6 .ut 8 pro ise you this6 as long as 8 have anything to do with 5eneHs !areer6 he will never fail to sing a Christian song6 regardless of where he is9G A verse in ;e.rews !a e to e3 DFor the .ord

disciplines him whom $e loves, and chastises every son whom $e receives.4 8 took y Bi.le to .ed9 The ne$t day #tar and 5ene ade the rounds of agen!ies6 .ut 8 spent the entire ti e in .ed6 >ust talking to 5od9 ;e knew y !ontrite heartC ;e knew the depth of y sorrow at having .roken a pro ise9 And 5od !ertainly knew 8 would never do it again9 Be!ause 8 knew what 8 had done6 and .e!ause 8 had D5odly sorrowG 8 prayed and prayed and prayed6 and .egged 5od for ;is great er!y and love and asked ;i to heal the .reaks in y foot6 .e!ause 8 knew what this would do to hinder the work 8 had to do for ;i 9 +othing has ever done so u!h for y spiritual life as this 5ethse ane9 8 did nothing .ut pray until it was ti e to go to the hospital in the late afternoon6 and yet so ehow 8 knew that 5odHs ighty power had worked in a s elly6 dirty hotel roo whi!h was a.out as DunspiritualG a pla!e as 8Hve ever seen9 8 anaged to get dressed6 and as we left to go to the hospital6 8 said to 5ene3 D8 know 5od has healed y foot7G We went to the hospital6 and after going through all kinds of red tape 8 finally got to a do!tor9 Then 8 ade the si ple state ent6 D8H going ho e6 .e!ause 8 want y foot set .y a do!tor who will .e !lose to e if 8 run into trou.le9G #o 8 signed yself out6 went .a!k to the hotel6 and ade a reservation to go ho e9 We took a !a. to the airport6 !rut!hes6 pressure dressing and all6 and it looked for a o ent as if we would iss the plane9 But 5ene finally ran ahead6 and 8 threw !aution to the winds6 and with y

!rut!hes flying6 8 ran down the ramp to the airplane, li ping as 8 went9 As 8 got to the stairs 1they were holding the plane for e46 8 leaned over to kiss 5ene and #tar good.ye6 and 5ene very slyly said to e6 DBouHre li ping on the wrong foot7G 8 said6 D8 know it9 8 told you that the right physi!ian had treated y foot9G 2y fa ily in 2ia i had .een alerted to the .roken foot6 so they were at the airport6 and 'astern furnished a wheel!hair to take e off the plane and into the !ar9 All the while inside of e 8 knew that y foot had .een healed9 8tHs a pe!uliar thing6 .ut when youHre new in Christ6 you feel like an idiot telling people things like this9 8 knew everyone would think 8 was a real oron .e!ause in the twentieth !entury 5od >ust does not heal any ore9 Oh6 no: Well6 8 played real invalid that night6 and the ne$t day 8 went to work on !rut!hes6 .ut when no one was looking6 8 walked without the 6 and then that afternoon 8 went to y own do!tor for O?rays9 8 didnHt have to go6 .e!ause 8 already knew the answer9 5he breaks were no longer there. And to .e real honest6 8 said6 D-ord6 8 donHt !are if people think 8H !raFy or not6 youHve done it again6 and 8Hve got to tell the 8H on!e again whole9G 8 threw the !rut!hes away6 .ut you know what: +o one laughed at y story9 There 8 stood with visi.le proof9 8 !ouldnHt even have sprained y ankle and two days later thrown away the !rut!hes6 let alone have three .reaks and not even have one

s all pain two days later9 +ot in the nor al !ourse of events9 The power of prayer had again .een revealed to e7 5odHs love6 ;is gra!e and ;is er!y had again .een shown to e9 There are any people who ight wonder why 8 spend every availa.le o ent running around for 5od9 ;ow !ould 8 do anything else: ;ow !ould 8 ever hope to repay ;i for all ;eHs done for e: 8 !ouldnHt9 ;ow !ould 8 ever dou.t the power of prayer: 8 !ouldnHt9 On a re!ent tour 8 had .een on a radio progra in a s all id?western town6 and as 8 was leaving the station6 the pastor asked e if 8 would ind seeing a wo an of .ad reputation9 ;er na e had .een given to hi .y a parole offi!er9 ;er !ri inal re!ord was long9 All of her five !hildren had .een taken away fro her9 One of the 6 a fifteen?year? old girl6 was in a ho e for unwed others6 e$pe!ting her first .a.y9 Two .oys were in >ail6 and the two youngest !hildren were in a ho e for delin=uents9 #o e !hur!h people had de!ided it would .e wonderful if 8 !ould D!onvertG her9 8 often wonder why people fail to realiFe that only 5od !an ake the in!rease6 !ertainly none of us9 As always .efore speaking on radio6 8 had prayed6 asking 5od to prepare so e spe!ial person to hear the essage ;e wanted e to share that orning9 And then 8 prayed that ;e would give e the right words to say9 8 shared for a.out thirty inutes of the things of 5od that 8 find so agnifi!ent9 -eaving the station6 8 prayed again6 this ti e for the wo an 8 had .een asked to see9

#o eti es people e$pe!t so u!h6 .ut this is one of the things that akes e so totally dependent upon 5od6 .e!ause 8 realiFe I can2t do it. 8 really sent up a stor of prayer asking 5od to use e in dealing with this wo anHs eternal destiny9 We kno!ked on her door6 8 introdu!ed yself6 and she looked at e a.solutely stunned9 #he sta ered6 DAre L are you the one who was >ust on the radio:G and pointed to a radio high on a kit!hen shelf9 8 nodded yes and then she said an a aFing thing3 D8 started to turn that progra off .e!ause 8 donHt listen to that religious stuff9 But when 8 put y hand up to turn the dial6 y hand froFe right in id?air9 8 had to listen to what you were saying6 and when you finished6 8 said to that radio3 K8 wish 8 !ould eet so eone like that7H And here you are9 8 >ust donHt .elieve it9G ;ow =ui!kly 5od had .egun to work in her life7 #he asked us to sit down9 8 had to ove ashtrays full of !igarette and !igar .utts and push away several glasses whi!h !ontained the re nants of drinks9 8 pla!ed y pre!ious Bi.le down on the ta.le9 8 prayed that 5od would really under gird e6 and 8 .elieve that for every word 8 said to her 8 ust have prayed a.out twenty to 5od6 for 8 really needed help in this situation9 5odHs ;oly #pirit really enveloped that dirty6 filthy roo and after 8 had read the four spiritual laws to the wo an6 8 asked her if there was any reason she wouldnHt like to re!eive Christ right now. #he said6 D+o6 there isnHt any reason at all9G The three of us prayed right there with heads

.owed9 When 8 looked up at the end of the prayer6 5od had transfor ed so eone right in front of y eyes9 The wo an who had .owed her head as a sinner was not the sa e wo an 8 saw >ust a few inutes later9 'verything a.out her see ed different and she s iled a .eautiful s ile and said6 DBou know what: 8 like you folks7G What she was really saying was that she had seen 5odHs love through two hu an .eings9 And then she said6 D8 .elieve 5odHs going to give e .a!k y !hildren7G 8 was thrilled to see su!h a radi!al !hange in her so =ui!kly9 'ven her features looked so u!h softer than they had previously9 Prayer had .een the forerunner L and prayer had done the work even .efore 8 knew who was the target of 5odHs essage that day9

Chapter Six

Pray Constantly
3<e;oice evermore. /ray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks+ for this is the will of God in !hrist -esus concerning you.4 (I 5hessalonians =+*>?*@ A-B, ;ow l pray that 8 ay !o uni!ate to every single reader the i portan!e of praying constantly. 8 wish 8 knew e$a!tly how 8 learned to pray all the ti e9 'ven when 8H working in the offi!e6 or talking to a person6 or talking on the telephone6 or doing any of the tasks 8 have to perfor during a day6 8 a in !onstant !onversation with 5od9 Perhaps thereHs the a.ility to divide yourself in half6 and do what 5od says3 work and pray9 When 8 first learned to pray6 8 felt that prayer had to .e at !ertain ti es only9 But as 8 grew and Christ .e!a e ore real in y life6 8 learned to depend ore and ore on ;i 9 Perhaps the reason 5od has given e this faith is the fa!t that 8 pro.a.ly tested ;i >ust a tiny little .it in the .eginning9 And ;e answered y prayer9 And then 8 asked for a little .igger re=uest And ;e answered that prayer9 And then 8 asked for a little .igger re=uest9 And ;e again answered y prayer9 -ike !li .ing a ladder a step at a ti e6 8 learned how to pray !onstantly9 8 pray !onstantly when 8H driving

the !ar6 or wherever 8 a 9 5od gives us the a.ility to stay in !onstant fellowship with ;i 9 Pro.a.ly the reason 8 see so any e$!iting prayer answers is .e!ause 8 pray !onstantly6 knowing and .elieving that 5od will answer in an e$!iting way7 On one of y speaking trips6 8 had to fly on a very s all airplane over ountainous !ountry9 8t had .een years sin!e 8 had .een in su!h a s all !raft6 so when 8 got on 8 said to the attendant6 D@o you pass out goggles and hel ets:G ThatHs what 8 felt 8 needed6 although6 honestly6 it wasnHt an open !o!kpit plane9 ;owever6 when these s aller planes fly low over the ountains and get !aught in the tur.ulen!e6 they are really rough to ride9 8 got greener and greener L and here 8 was on y way to a speaking engage ent9 The greener 8 got6 the si!ker 8 felt9 The stewardess kept asking if 8 felt all right6 and 8 kept insisting 8 was fine9 But 8 really knew that things were happening that shouldnHt .e happening9 8 was so !on!erned with the sudden way the plane dipped and .o..ed6 8 prayed that the -ord would see to it we got safely to our destination9 We did6 .ut when 8 got off6 8H sure 8 was the greenest speaker that pastor had ever et9 @id you ever try to feel dignified and DspiritualG when you knew you were going to throw up: @onHt try L itHs i possi.le9 As 8 staggered off the plane and was et .y the pastor of y host !hur!h6 y first words were6 DBouHd .etter pray that 8 donHt get si!k6 right now04 And .e!ause he was the kind of inister who saw

that 8 really eant it6 he didnHt !ross e off as a real nut9 ;e held y hands and we prayed standing there at the airport that 5odHs healing tou!h would .e on y si!k sto a!h and grant e pea!e9 -ike a strea of !ool water6 the power of 5od .e!a e evident6 and the power of prayer .e!a e known6 .e!ause as 8 was .athed in answered prayer6 all signs of sto a!h si!kness left e9 @o 8 .elieve this was !oin!iden!e: +o6 8 do not9 8 know .eyond a shadow of dou.t it was an i ediate answer to prayer9 Before 8 .e!a e a Christian6 8 had gotten airsi!k any ti es6 and in great deter ination 8 would ake up y ind 8 wasnHt going to get si!k9 But in spite of all y deter ination 8Hve .een in .ed for two days afterward trying to get over otion si!kness so 8 know this was not a !oin!iden!e in any way9 5od loves for us to put our re=uests .efore ;i 6 .e!ause ;e loves us so u!h ;e wants to answer the 9 A little while later6 as 8 left this town to !o e out of the ountains6 8 had to fly the sa e line9 This ti e .efore 8 got on 8 prayed that the -ord would keep y sto a!h fro feeling so =ueasy9 And sure enough 8 aintained y e=uili.riu and didnHt get si!k at all6 but..9 y ears plugged up9 And as anyone who has ear pro.le s in the air knows6 this !an really hurt and .e un!o forta.le9 8 wouldnHt have inded at all6 e$!ept 8 knew 8 was s!heduled to .e on a TI progra 6 and when y ears are plugged up6 it definitely affe!ts y voi!e9 Well6 8 held y earsC 8 .lew y noseC 8 !hewed a.out ten pie!es of gu L 8 sat on a !hair and hung y head over the side9 8 tried all the suggested

re edies as 8 was getting dressed to go to the TI station6 and then 8 suddenly realiFed what a nut 8 was9 All 5od wanted e to do was to ask ;i to alleviate the pro.le 6 so 8 >ust =ui!kly prayed and said D-ord 8H really a nut .e!ause 8 know all 8 have to do is to ask and 8 will re!eive9 8 donHt really understand how you do it6 -ord6 8 only know and .elieve that you !an and will6 so please6 -ord6 would you unplug y ears:G 8H sure 8 donHt have to tell you what happened6 do 8: Be!ause you know the answer9 Again L !oin!iden!e: Co, only answered prayer9 8n y house we pray !onstantly for all kinds of e$!iting things L and also dull things6 depending on how you want to look at it9 8f there isnHt an urgent need at the o ent6 we >ust thank 5od for so e of the fa.ulous things ;eHs done for us9 And so eti es6 >ust .e!ause itHs like a dip in a !ool ountain strea on a hot day6 we >ust say6 DPraise the -ord9G 'ven as 8 tea!h y #unday s!hool !lass 8H led to have so eone say DPraise the -ord6G .e!ause no one !an s!owl and say DPraise the -ord9G #o eti es our prayers should .e >ust to praise the -ord for ;is goodness to us9 One night while we were eating dinner6 y daughter said6 D2other6 8 really need so e oney in a hurry6 .e!ause 8 havenHt had any .a.ysitting >o.s re!ently9 8 wonHt have any oney to give to 5od #unday if 8 donHt get a >o. .efore this week is out9G 8 said6 KWell6 honey6 letHs >ust pray right now and ask 5od to see that you get a .a.ysitting >o. .efore the weekend so you !an have your oney for

!hur!h9G We stopped right in the iddle of our dinner 1we pray >ust any old ti e4 and asked 5od to nudge so eone needing a .a.ysitter and re ind the of EoanHs !apa.ility We thanked 5od for answering prayer and !ouldnHt wait to see who would !all9 Before the eal was finished6 the telephone rang6 and ? youHre right ? it was a fa ily !alling for Eoan to .a.y sit over the weekend9 As 8 stated previously in this .ook6 our !o ent any ti es is6 D#o soon6 -ord:G But you see6 5od knows when a need is desperate and when the prayer needs to .e answered right now. 8 hope6 in the re=uests listed in this !hapter on the Dpraying !onstantlyG kind of prayer6 you will noti!e the underlying reason in ea!h !ase9 8n ea!h !ase the re=uest is ade in order that we ight serve 5od in a pleasing anner9 8H re inded of a ho e 8 had .een invited to in one of the !ities 8 visited6 and 8 didnHt know why 8 had .een invited until after 8 arrived9 A group of people present6 o.viously sear!hing6 had .een .rought there .y the hostess for e to share what Christ had done in y life9 2y own personal testi ony is a story 8 see repeated over and over again in every !ity 8 visit9 People have sat in !hur!h all their life and are virtual prisoners of religion6 .ut any donHt know Christ6 or the freedo ;e .rings9 8t wasnHt long .efore 8 realiFed whi!h one the -ord had !alled e to inister to3 a very lovely wo an6 talented6 faithful in her !hur!hgoing6 .ut without a personal relationship to Christ9 8 i ediately .egan praying .e!ause 8 knew this was going to .e a diffi!ult situation9 #he was very

haughty and was deter ined to knife e into little ri..ons 1so she thought49 But she didnHt know that 5od with e akes a a>ority #he very nastily said to e6 DAre you saying you donHt think 8H a Christian:G *ealiFing how ne!essary it is to pray for 5odHs gra!e while talking to an individual like this6 8 was .o .arding the gates of heaven6 asking that 5odHs ;oly #pirit reveal to e the !orre!t answers9 8 asked Christ to let ;is love shine through e to rea!h this wo an who so needed to know Christ in a personal way9 #he asked e all kinds of =uestions and 8 had to !ontinue to ask for guidan!e and knowledge in this instan!e9 8 !ould sense her hostility and6 oh6 how 8 prayed that 5odHs love would .reak through her .arriers6 and 8 prayed !onstantly that y natural instin!ts6 or self6 or ego6 or whatever you want to !all it6 would not !o e through with a desire to ver.ally Dlay her outG for .eing so !utting and !ruel9 5odHs ;oly #pirit so enveloped e that no evil !ould har e6 and y !onstant stor ing heavenHs gates for al ost three hours .rought a ost a aFing ending to the evening9 As we stood to leave6 8 suggested we for a prayer !ir!le and pray9 +ow .y a prayer !ir!le 8 ean a holding of hands6 .e!ause 8 fir ly .elieve 5odHs power !an ele!trify a roo 9 Fro one strong Christian warrior this power !an pass through and strengthen so e weak ones in the !ir!le9 There is so ething a.out !onta!t in prayer that does so ething to a group9 8 always pray as 8 feel led .y the ;oly #pirit6 and while it ight upon o!!asion go right around the roo in a !ir!le6 ost of the ti e it will go fro

one to another without any parti!ular order or se=uen!e9 We started praying6 and all of a sudden we heard the voi!e of the wo an with the re.ellion6 and she said6 D8f false pride is keeping e fro .e!o ing a Christian6 forgive e9 8 donHt know if 8H a Christian or not9 Christ6 8 want to invite you into y life right now9 8 ask you to forgive y sins6 .ut ost of all to forgive the sins 8 have !o itted this night to so eone who was trying to show e your love9G 8 donHt .elieve there was a dry eye in the house9 +aturally6 8 didnHt have to forgive her6 .e!ause Christ had already done that for e9 But 8 wonder what ight have happened had 8 not .een praying !onstantly9 #ee what !an happen as you ask for the guidan!e of the ;oly #pirit as you talk to an individual: One Friday 8 prepared to leave y offi!e for a weekend speaking date in a near.y Florida !ity9 The heavens opened up and we really had a !loud.urst9 As a atter of fa!t6 there were tornado warnings for the southern part of the state and 8 .egan to dou.t the airlines would .e flying9 This parti!ular weekend 8 was s!heduled on a s all independent airline9 2any ti es they have the odd?hour flights that are ne!essary for e9 But the ore 8 listened to the thunder and wat!hed the lightning flash through y offi!e window6 the ore 8 wondered if the -ord wanted e up there in one of those little planes9 #o 8 prayed and said6 DPraise the -ord6 give thanks for all things6 .e!ause all things work together for good for those that love the -ord9 But6 -ord6 are you sure you want e in one of those little

planes: 8f you do6 thatHs all right with e6 .e!ause 8 trust you to get e there safely and 8 know you want e in Bradenton this weekend9G The rain !ontinued to pour down and we heard that the highway to the airport was under eight to twelve in!hes of water9 8 !alled the airline to dis!over that 8 had .een .u ped off the s all plane for so e reason or other and there was no other way to get where 8 was going e$!ept to !at!h an earlier flight on 'astern9 8 said6 3/raise the .ord, give thanks for all things, because 6all things work together for good to those who love God4 1*o ans ,32,49 8 really .elieve this s!ripture9 5lan!ing at the !lo!k6 8 asked y son6 To 6 to drive e to the airport9 8t was raining so hard 8 knew 8Hd never .e a.le to ake it9 8 had to run a.out ten feet fro the offi!e door to get into his !ar and in those few se!onds 8 was soaked to the skin9 #in!e 8 was trying to !at!h an earlier flight than 8 had anti!ipated6 8 knew 8 wouldnHt have ti e to !hange y !lothes9 2y son drove to y ho e a few .lo!ks away where 8 >u ped out to pi!k up y suit !ase9 Between the first soaking and the few feet of downpour 8 endured to get into y house6 8 was !o pletely dren!hed9 2y hair6 whi!h had >ut .een fi$ed for the trip6 was hanging down in a gu y ess9 2y suit was !o pletely soaked L did you ever have on a .ou!le suit when you were really soaked to the skin: 1What a ess74 And did you ever start out on a speaking engage ent with ink on your hands 1if youHre in the printing .usiness as 8 a 4 .e!ause you hadnHt had ti e to wash the sin!e you dis!overed the only

way you !ould ake a speaking engage ent was to !at!h an earlier plane than you had planned to take: @id you ever go sailing off on a speaking tour with runners in your sto!kings and your work shoes on .e!ause you didnHt have ti e to !hange: Well6 8 did6 and 8 kept saying6 KThank you6 -ord9 8 donHt understand all this6 .ut 8 know that all things work together for good for those who love the -ord and who are !alled a!!ording to your purpose9G We were so slowed down .e!ause of the rain6 in spite of y sonHs driving6 8 realiFed we were never going to ake the early plane9 8 >ust si ply prayed6 D-ord6 you know there is no other way for e to get to Bradenton9 Please hold that plane on the ground until we get to the airport9 And you know itHs su!h .ad driving .e!ause of the weather we !anHt possi.ly ake it on ti e9G Well6 8H fir ly !onvin!ed that 5od !ontrols the airlines6 too6 .e!ause when we finally got to the 2ia i 8nternational Airport eleven inutes after takeoff ti e6 youHd never guess what7 Or would you: The plane was still on the ground6 and the takeoff ti e had .een oved to &3307 8 ra!ed to the !ounter and was told there were no availa.le seats6 only stand.y9 And K8 was the forty?first stand.y9 8 said6 KThank you6 -ord9 All things work together for good for those who love the -ord9G Then 8 !ontinued6 DBut you know the only way 8 !an get to Bradenton now is to take this plane to a near.y airport6 1 so youHd .etter figure out a way to get e around all these stand.ys9G #oggy ess that 8 was6 8 stood there .elieving that 5od wanted e to get to a speaking

engage ent for a !hur!h that had !alled e9 8 >ust knew L having prayed in faith .elieving6 and !onstantly re>oi!ing and giving thanks for all things L that they were going to !all e9 Why6 .e!ause 8 donHt really understand how 5od works6 8 >ust believe that ;e does9 8 was the first stand.y !alled9 There were only a few of us !alled6 and 8 was the first of those !alled9 This really e$!ited e6 and 8 got on the plane in great anti!ipation6 .e!ause 8 knew that 5od wanted e on this plane for a very good reason9 #urely6 8 thought6 there ust .e so eone on this parti!ular plane 5od has prepared >ust for e to talk to9 8 sat down and !ouldnHt wait to start the !onversation9 8 happened to have the seat in .etween two en and 8 wondered whi!h one it was9 8 said6 D-ord6 whi!h one is it whose heart youHve prepared:G Although 8 didnHt get an answer6 8 tried to start a !onversation with a an on y right9 Talk a.out a .ri!k wall7 8 really ran into one 1and for those who think 8 never do6 .elieve e when 8 tell you that 8 do94 Well6 after a few inutes6 8 knew it wasnHt that one6 so 8 de!ided to atta!k for the ar y of Eesus Christ on the left side of e9 8f 8 had run into a .ri!k wall on the right side of e6 the left side was a solid stone wall9 8 said6 DWell6 -ord6 now what:G 8 was really a wrinkled ess with gu y hair .y the ti e 8 got to y destination6 so 8 !alled the pastor of the !hur!h where 8 was to speak9 ;e told e 8 was over an hour and a half away .y li ousine9 ;e told e to take one as =ui!kly as possi.le9 8 ran outside and was told the li ousine had >ust left9 8 said6 DPraise the -ord6G and

dis!overed 8Hd have to wait thirty inutes for the ne$t li ousine to leave9 Then 8 de!ided 8Hd .etter !all the pastor in Bradenton to tell hi not to worry .e!ause 8 was really on y way9 #o 8 got out of the li ousine6 ade the !all and returned to find three young en in the li ousine9 We left for Bradenton and .efore we had driven five .lo!ks 8 knew why all the things had happened to e that afternoon to keep e fro .eing on y s!heduled trip9 And it was not the heart of anyone on the plane that 5od had prepared6 .ut ;e had put three young en fro three different walks of life together in a li ousine with a real Christian fanati!7 The very first senten!e spoken gave e an opportunity to share y faith with a young Eewish lawyer6 a soldier >ust returning fro Iiet +a 6 and a student at a Christian s!hool who was really Dturned offG on Christ9 8 .egan praying as 8 talked .e!ause 8 knew that 5od had done a arvelous >o. .efore 8 arrived on the s!ene6 and all ;e wanted was an availa.le outh ;e !ould use9 8 shared what Christ had done in y life6 and it was al ost eerie how the spirit of 5od so enveloped that li ousine9 8 was praying and sharing6 and sharing and praying6 .e!ause 8 !ould see here were three young en who really needed the -ord9 They asked =uestion after =uestion and the -ord provided the ne!essary answers9 #uddenly the driver of the li ousine said6 D2rs9 5ardner6 youHve got five inutes .efore the first passenger gets out7G

8 said6 DThank you6 y brother4 .e!ause 8 knew that 5od had sent e a .rother in Christ to .a!k e up as a prayer warrior for these souls6 and now he was telling e if 8 was going to ask the to pray 8 needed to do it soon9 8 really redou.led y hot line to heaven6 and asked the all to .ow their heads .e!ause 8 was going to pray a very si ple6 sinnerHs prayer6 asking 5od to forgive their sins and asking Christ to !o e into their hearts and to live ;is life through ea!h one of the 9 8 said if this was the desire of their heart6 to pray the prayer silently after e as 8 prayed9 The at osphere in that li ousine was so 5od?filled6 none of us !ould deny ;is presen!e9 Then as we finished praying6 fro the lips of the driver !a e the entire third !hapter of Eohn in the ost .eautiful and Christ like anner 8Hve ever heard9 The ;oly #pirit of 5od so filled everyone there that no one ade a sound until the driver finished9 Then he said6 D8H a retired inister9 8 was in the inistry for forty?seven years6 and 8 never heard anyone get in a li ousine and start talking a.out Christ the very first senten!e and never stop7G 8 al ost !ra!ked up .e!ause here was an ordained inister of 5od6 .ut you know what: 5od had sent ;i to .a!k up the >o. ;e had assigned to e9 And would you .elieve that one of the young en had .een .u ped off the sa e airline 8 had9 ;e said now he understood why9 The young soldier >ust returning fro Iiet +a said he realiFed now why 5od had spared hi in !o .at9 The Eewish lawyer did not pray to re!eive Christ6 .ut the ;oly #pirit

was really dealing with hi .e!ause the tears were strea ing down his !heeks9 +eed 8 tell you what happened in the !hur!h where 8 was s!heduled to speak: 8n spite of all y essy !lothes6 y gu y hair6 y hands full of ink6 y everything that wasnHt the way it should have .een6 8 prayed6 D-ord6 donHt let the see me. -et the see only Christ living ;is life through e so they wonHt noti!e any of these little details9G 5od answered that prayer6 too9 The e$!ite ent of what had happened to e .e!ause 8 had trusted 5od and .elieved ;is word ru..ed off all over that !ongregation7 *ead that verse in 8 Thessalonians again and see if it doesnHt take on a different eaning9 3<e;oice evermore. /ray without ceasing In every thing give thanks+ for this is the will of God in !hrist -esus concerning you.4 #ee what happens when you do7

Chapter Seven

Pray for Everything

3Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.4 ( atthew *@+*D, Pro.a.ly one of the ost e$!iting proofs of this verse took pla!e on a tour 8 ade to California9 This entire trip was the result of prayer6 and 5od guided every step of the way9 5od is so !o pletely interested in every area of our lives6 8 often wonder why we donHt invite ;i to give us the !orre!t answers to every pro.le we have9 As 8 told you previously6 8 used to think we had to reserve 5od for the B85 things9 And then 8 dis!overed that .e!ause 5od is interested in our !o plete life6 we !an ask ;i for help with the s allest details9 8 didnHt know why 8 felt !alled to California6 .ut 8 never =uestion why either9 8 >ust knew that 5od !alled e to go to California6 so 8 ade plans to go9 First6 8 go at a tre endous pa!e all the ti e9 Between speaking engage ents6 running a printing !o pany6 trying to anage a ho e6 plus having an a!tive part in y own !hur!h6 8 really a on the 5O7 8 serve a Ping6 and 8 .elieve6 as an a .assador to a Ping6 8 should look as u!h like a =ueen as possi.le9

8n the .a!k of y ind 8 had hidden the thought that 8 would get so e new !lothes .efore 8 went west9 8 never see to have enough ti e to go !lothes shopping9 +ot only that6 8 really despise shopping .e!ause it see s su!h a waste of ti e to e9 To further !o pli!ate atters6 at this writing 8 happen to .e a siFe eighteen and itHs not the easiest thing in the world to get sharp looking !lothes for anyone who wears that .ig a siFe9 8 really think ost !lothes anufa!turers hate the .ig wo an9 They either ake us look dowdy or so atronly itHs awful9 Well6 a.out a week .efore 8 was to leave for California 8 still didnHt have any new !lothes9 @id 8 pani!: +o6 8 did not9 8 >ust prayed9 And would you honestly like to know how 8 prayed: 8 said6 D-ord6 you donHt want e to go to California looking like a slo.6 do you: As your personal representative do you want e to wear y worn out !lothes: And you know 8 >ust donHt have ti e to go shopping .efore 8 go9 #o6 -ord6 would you please solve this pro.le and see that 8 get so e new !lothes:G Would you honestly pray for new !lothes: Would you honestly .elieve that 5od would answer a re=uest of this kind: 8 hope you will look .a!k at the paragraph a.ove and see y reason for asking for the new !lothes9 8H sure if 8 had said6 D-ord6 you know how u!h 8 love !lothes and how u!h they ean to e6G the -ord would have ignored y re=uest9 But y only desire was to look like an a .assador to a Ping9 And safe and se!ure in the knowledge that ;e would answer y re=uest6 8 tore .a!k through the ountain of work on y desk6

knowing that 8 had nothing to worry a.out9 The ne$t orning 8 got a !all fro a friend who said6 DFran!es6 do you have your new !lothes for your trip to California:G 8 silently said6 DThank you6 -ord6G .e!ause 8 knew here was the answer9 To her 8 said6 D+o6 8 havenHt had ti e to get the yet9G And she said6 DWell6 8 >ust started to work at a new dress shop and they had a fashion show last #aturday 1what good does a siFe % or " do e: 8 wondered4 and the odels were siFe eighteen9 The dresses used in the fashion show are arked down %0 per!ent .e!ause they were worn9G 8 tore out of the offi!e6 got into y !ar6 and while saying6 DThank you6 -ord6 for working out even the s allest of details6G 8 drove over to the store9 Within an hour and a half 8 had sele!ted not >ust one outfit6 .ut ten stunning outfits L enough for an entire speaking year L and ost of the half pri!e6 too7 Bou ight think it e$travagant to .uy ten outfits at one ti e6 .ut 8 have learned first hand that traveling and speaking are a.out the hardest things 8 know of on !lothes9 8tHs thrilling to e to know 5od !ares what 8 look like7 8 had a speaking engage ent the night 8 left for California6 so y son went with e and drove e dire!tly to the airport afterward9 8 then started one of the ost e$!iting6 prayerful trips of y life9 The a!tual plane trip to California was uneventful9 The only passengers on the plane were three other en6 so we all slept on the flight9 When we landed in California6 it was at an unearthly hour L around 3 A2 L so 8 went to a otel for the .alan!e of the

night 1or orning49 8 was due at noon that day in Fullerton6 California9 8 had never .een to the -os Angeles Airport6 so had no idea how .ig and how !onfusing it was to a real stranger9 8 had lived .riefly in California during the war years 1 y !hildren say it was the Civil War6 .ut it was really World War 8846 .ut things !hange a lot in twenty?five years6 so 8 was really a stranger9 8 was to .e the guest of ;elen Pooi an6 author of !ameos, 8omen Fashioned by God, that first day at the Fullerton Christian Wo anHs Clu.9 +ot knowing anything a.out the !o uter plane servi!e in -os Angeles 8 de!ided to go to the airport6 find out what ti e the plane was leaving6 and then !all ;elen and tell her when and where she !ould eet e9 After getting lost in the huge airport .e!ause the !a. driver let e off at the wrong !o uter airline6 8 .oarded a little >itney .us with five suit!ases6 et!9 and after arriving at the !orre!t airline asked what ti e the ne$t plane left for Fullerton9 The answer3 D8n three inutes9 8f youHll run6 weHll hold the plane for you9G A porter gra..ed y luggage6 and we started running as fast as 8 !ould 1and thatHs not very fast49 8 said6 D-ord6 please donHt let e have a heart atta!k .efore 8 get to share what Christ has done in y life9G 8 pro ptly slowed down and ade it safely to the little !o uter plane9 8 had arrived in California during what 8H sure was the onsoon season6 .e!ause 8 never saw so u!h rain in y entire life9 The !o uter planes are =uite s all and when we got up in the air6 8

realiFed how hard it was raining and how little the plane was9 Then 8 peeked out the window and saw the Pa!ifi! O!ean .elow e 1and not very far .elow e at that4 and the lightning and the rain9 8 said6 D-ord6 if you want e DsplaaaatG all over the pla!e6 thatHs all right with e6 .ut if itHs all the sa e to you6 would you please get this little plane safely to Fullerton:G And then 8 rela$ed6 knowing that 5od was in !ontrol of the situation9 8t takes a.out twenty inutes to fly fro -os Angeles to Fullerton9 And a.out halfway through the trip6 8 realiFed that in y haste 8 had not !alled ;elen9 8 also knew if she didnHt eet e 8Hd have no way of getting to the Christian Wo anHs Clu. on ti e9 Again 8 !alled on the power of 5od6 and 8 prayed3 D-ord6 ;elenHs got to know that 8 have arrived in California6 and that 8H on this plane9 8n the way that only you !an do6 will you please let y sister in Christ know that 8 a on this plane9G +ow go with e to ;elenHs house9 #he had .een taking !are of last inute details6 knowing 8 would .e in so eti e that day9 Then she sat down to eat her .reakfast9 Being a great prayer warrior6 she asked 5od to give e a safe trip to California9 But .efore she !ould .egin to eat her .reakfast6 5odHs ;oly #pirit !o uni!ated with her9 #he pushed .a!k her grapefruit6 saying she was !o pelled to go to the telephone and !all Catalina Airlines to find out when their ne$t plane was due in9 They said Din e$a!tly ten inutes9G ;elen said6 DThank you6 -ord for letting e know Fran!es is on that plane9G #he slipped on a

rain!oat6 took an u .rella6 ran to her !ar6 and drove to the airport where we greeted ea!h other as if we .oth had known e$a!tly all the details9 After we loaded the !ar and were driving to her ho e6 she said6 D@id you pray a.out ten inutes .efore the plane landed that 8 would eet you:G 5oosepi ples !overed e as 8 realiFed that 5odHs ;oly #pirit had rendeFvoused as our spirits had witnessed with ea!h other9 Could this .e ere !oin!iden!e: 8 hope you .elieve 5od answered prayer7 And while 5od was .usy answering prayers up and down the !oast of California6 ;e was also taking !are of y personal affairs in Florida9 For any years 8 had lived in a .ig ho e3 eight roo s6 three .aths6 swi ing poolC and for y first three Christian years6 the -ord had used y ho e as a halfway house9 8 was privileged to have any young people share the hospitality and Christian love in y ho e9 There were ti es when we had four or five e$tra people living with us6 .ut now it see ed the -ord was indi!ating the ti e for the .ig house was past9 8 was spending ore and ore of y ti e on speaking trips6 and y real fa ily at ho e !onsisted of one teenage daughter who goes with e whenever possi.le6 so 8 guess the -ord de!ided we didnHt need the e$pense or worry of a .ig house6 so ;e laid on y heart the desire to sell it9 8f anyone had ever told e 8 would ever sell this house6 8 would have said6 D+ever7G This was the ho e where y daughter was .rought fro the hospitalC the house where the or!hids fro y wedding

.ou=uet are e .edded in !on!rete under the windowC the ho e where 8 lived when Christ .e!a e a reality in y lifeC the ho e where hundreds had .een introdu!ed to ChristC where new Christians had learned to prayC where lives had .een transfor ed .e!ause of the way the -ord was using e9 But 8 guess as we grow in Christ ;e advan!es us or says6 D+ow youHre ready for this6G or6 D8 want to use you in this area9G 8 never =uestion what 5od has for e9 8 only know that ;eHs u!h s arter than 86 and anything ;e has planned for e is far .etter than anything 8 !an !on!o!t9 Eust as 8 left for California6 8 listed the house with a real estate .roker6 and prayed6 D-ord6 if you want e to sell this house6 sell it while 8H in California so 8 wonHt .e hurt if so eone says6 K8 donHt like this9 8 donHt like that7H The se!ond day 8 was in California 8 re!eived a !all with an offer on the house9 Two days later 8 had two .onafide offers for the house6 .oth of whi!h were for the pri!e 8 had asked9 8 .elieve that 5od is also in the real estate .usiness7 ;ow !ould 8 dou.t it: 8 signed the papers in California6 and returned ho e at the end of three weeks to dis!over 8 had e$a!tly si$teen days in whi!h to relo!ate9 @o you realiFe how u!h you !an a!!u ulate after living in the sa e house for si$teen years: And to .e told you have si$teen days to get out6 knowing how u!h you have to do6 would pani! even the ost self?suffi!ient person6 .ut 8H so glad 8H not self? suffi!ient9 When 8 heard this e$!iting news6 8 said6 D-ord6 you know the housing situation in 2ia i ?

there >ust arenHt enough apart ents to rent J and yet 8 know this is what you wanted9 #o now6 -ord6 8Hll have to lay all y needs .efore you9G 2y needs were several3 8 had to !onsider .eing near the high s!hool y daughter attends9 8 have6 as a working other6 always felt y ho e had to .e within walking distan!e of y offi!e6 so that y !hildren !ould get to e any ti e they needed e9 Along with these !onsiderations6 8 had enlarged y offi!e and was in the pro!ess of oving an esta.lished .usiness6 so the new ho e had to .e !lose to y new offi!e lo!ation9 8 hope you donHt think 8 pushed the pani! .utton6 .e!ause 8 didnHt9 When 8 put that re=uest to 5od6 8 turned y hand over with the pal down6 and dropped y ar to y side9 8 went out and got in the !ar and said6 D-ord6 you know 8H swa ped with responsi.ilities and serving you6 so please dire!t y !ar to where you want us to live9G With !o plete !onfiden!e that the fa.ulous 5od 8 serve had the situation !o pletely under !ontrol6 8 started out9 Again you ay say itHs !oin!iden!e6 .ut the -ord dire!ted y !ar to a street where they were .uilding so e new duple$es9 8 had not felt led to .uy another ho e6 .ut felt the te porary answer was an apart ent9 8 got out of the !ar and asked if there were any availa.le and what the pri!e was9 The rent was e$a!tly what 8 had figured 8 !ould afford6 .ut the duple$es were all rentedC however6 there was one a.out !o pleted and whi!h was not rented yet9 And do you know the !o pletion date: The !o pletion date on the new apart ent was the

day 8 had to va!ate y house9 5od is even in the apart ent rental .usiness7 "( Well6 .a!k to California now6 to share so e ore prayer e$perien!es out there7 8t had rained every day 8 was in California L and 8 ean it really poured7 Beautiful ho es were !aught in ud slides and went into the !anyons6 disaster was ra pant9 8 !ouldnHt help .ut feel the raindrops were 5odHs tears spilling .e!ause of the spiritual state of ;is people9 +evertheless 5od was granting harvest after harvest as 8 shared ;is e$!iting word9 8 had .een s!heduled to go to #an @iego .ut6 .e!ause of the flood waters6 all the freeways e$!ept one were !losed9 Travel on that one wasnHt advisa.le .e!ause it was !overed in pla!es with water9 But y pu.lisherHs sales an6 his wife6 and 8 prayed6 asking 5od to see that the road was safe for us to travel to #an @iego9 As we drove along the freeway6 we sang D;eavenly #unshine6 flooding y soul with glory divine9G And then we really !ra!ked up6 .e!ause as we sang DFlooding4 all we !ould see was water6 with >ust a ri..on of highway down the iddle9 2any people had asked e if 8 had prayed that the rains would stop6 .ut6 strangely6 8 !ouldnHt pray this re=uest9 8t >ust wasnHt a .urden on y heart6 so 8 had truthfully answered ea!h ti e D+o7G We got to #an @iego in id?afternoon and after speaking that night6 8 retired sensing a great .urden to pray that the rain would stop9 8t had rained so e

si$ty days in a row6 .ut 8 felt now was the ti e to pray for the sun6 and so 8 asked 5od for >ust a little of natureHs sunshine sin!e ;e had .een so .ountiful with ;is heavenly sunshine9 And 8 went to .ed L eager to fa!e the sunrise9 8 was s!heduled to .e on television the ne$t orning6 so 8 got up early and went over to the TI station9 8 talked for a few inutes to the perfor ers on the progra 9 Before leaving the hotel roo 8 had asked 5od to ake e a .lessing to so eone that day and to really prepare a heart ;e wanted e to talk to9 The e$!iting thing is 8 never know whose heart itHs going to .e7 And 8 !ertainly wasnHt prepared for what the -ord did that day with y prayer re=uest9 8 talked to the star of the show6 to the weather girl6 and to the news!aster9 One thing 8Hve learned is that a Christian rarely fares well on a se!ular progra 6 espe!ially a Dsilly old Christian lady9G Christians usually !o e on when the pea!o!k is preening so you !an get your !olor set tuned in !orre!tly9 And .y the ti e the host asks6 DWhat is your na e:G and DWhat in the world are you doing here:G the Christian is off the progra 6 and thatHs the end9 But this parti!ular orning as 8 talked to the star 8 !ould sense 5od at work6 .e!ause the an turned and said to the produ!tion anager6 DPut her on last7G -ast spot is the star spot6 8 thought9 And 8 prayed6 D-ord6 you really take !are of things in a great way6 donHt you:G 8nterestingly enough6 as 8 talked to the host of the show6 8 .e!a e aware that in his life there was a 5od?shaped va!uu that had not yet .een filled .y

a personal relationship with Eesus Christ9 ;e had asked e a.out the weather6 and with !o plete faith6 8 replied6 D8 donHt think itHs going to rain today6 .e!ause for the first ti e sin!e 8Hve .een in California 8 felt led to pray that the rain would stop9G +ow noti!e what happened7 The show started6 and the weather girl said the weather an predi!ted rain9 Then the 2C said a ost surprising thing9 ;e said6 DWe have this orning a guest who wrote a .ook !alled God Is Fabulous. #he has >ust told e she asked 5od to let us have a little sunshine9 What do you think a.out that:G The weather girl said6 D2r9 Weather an says KrainH today and heHs never wrong9G The 2C asked the news!aster what he thought a.out y prayer6 and he said6 D8Hll reserve y opinion9G 8 thought6 5od is using people today to .ring ho e a point9 The entire show was e$!iting6 and 8 wat!hed and en>oyed all the guests on the progra 6 all the while entally visualiFing how 8 was really going to ha it up9 8 !ould >ust see all the produ!ers in ;ollywood running after e to fil the story of y life J .ut 5od had other plans9 When it !a e y turn to .e on the show6 8 looked at the 2C and all 8 !ould see was a gaping hole in his life that needed to .e filled9 Fro that o ent 8 !ould not have !ared less what anyone on television thought a.out e9 8 only knew a soul needed spiritual help9 8t was pro.a.ly the ost pe!uliar interview ever on television3 a sear!hing

heart 5od had prepared talking to the one sent to .e the harvester9 As 8 talked 8 was also earnestly praying6 and >ust .efore the progra was over6 the star said to e6 DWhat do 8 have to do to get what youHve got:G Again spiritual goosepi ples !rawled up and down y .a!k6 and y heart leaped9 Ti e was up6 so 8 >ust .lurted out6 DPray and ask Christ to !o e into your heart and ask 5od to forgive your sins7G The weather girl !a e .a!k on for the final weather report6 and 8 noti!ed she had !hanged the fore!ast fro DrainG to Dfair9G #he !o ented she had looked out the window and it looked !lear9 8 was s!heduled to speak at the Christian Business 2enHs Clu. at lun!h that day6 so as soon as the TI progra was over6 8 said6 D8 want you at the CB2 lun!heon today9G The 2C replied6 DCanHt ake it6 sorry7G 8 said6 DOh6 yes you !an7G 1All the while 8 was silently praying94 And then 8 had to leave .e!ause 8 was s!heduled to .e on a radio progra 9 8t >ust so happened this was a Christian Broad!asting #tation and6 after an e$!iting hour?long progra 6 8 told the young an who interviewed e a.out the TI progra 9 8 said6 DPray that heHll ake it to the lun!heon9G *oger said6 D-etHs pray right now9G There were three of us there3 the radio station anager6 a Christian .ookstore owner6 and 89 We for ed a prayer !ir!le and first the radio station anager prayed3 D-ord6 see that Bo. gets to that lun!heon today9 2ake whatever !hanges are ne!essary in his s!hedule to see that he akes it to

that lun!heon9 We thank you right now for answered prayer and we >ust !anHt wait to see hi there9G Then it was y turn9 And sin!e the Bi.le says6 D8f two of you agree on earth a.out anything they ask6 it will .e done for the .y y Father in heaven6G and sin!e 5od knew 8 was agreeing with y prayer partner6 8 didnHt have to repeat the re=uest9 #o 8 prayed like this3 D-ord6 thank you for sending Bo. to the lun!heon6 and this day we !lai his soul for the kingdo of 5od9 #end your ;oly #pirit to !onvi!t hi so that he !an >oin the royal fa ily of 5od9 And -ord6 how we thank you .e!ause of what you pro ise9G We al ost ran to the lun!heon after that9 And !an you guess who was the se!ond one there: BouHre right6 Bo. was9 #o 8 prayed6 DThank you6 -ord6 for sending Bo. to the lun!heon9G 8 donHt .elieve 8 ever ate or talked so fast as 8 did that day9 At the end 8 gave everyone there an opportunity to pray and re!eive Christ9 As 8 finished6 8 walked over to Bo. and said6 D@id you pray to re!eive Christ when 8 said the prayer at the end:G ;e said6 D8 think 8 did when you prayed on TI this orning9G D+ot good enough6G 8 said6 DBouHve got to know that you asked Christ into your life9G Then 8 said6 DWhere is Christ right now:G ;e replied6 D8 think ;eHs in y heart7G 8 said6 D+ot good enough9 BouHve got to know ;eHs in your heart7G #eeing y prayer partner6 *oger6 fro the radio station6 8 said6 D-etHs pray that 5od will give Bo. the assuran!e he needs9G

We prayed6 and after 8 had prayed6 8 heard Bo.Hs voi!e say one of the si plest prayers 8Hve ever heard6 .ut never have 8 heard one with so u!h feeling9 ;e very si ply said in tones that tore y heart into pie!es6 D0 Christ6 I want you in my life7G Tears welled up and rolled down his !heeks and splattered on the floor as 5odHs ;oly #pirit elted hi and took hi Three of us prayed specifically in faith .elieving6 and see what happened: Try it7

Chapter Eight

Pray Right Now

3It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer" and while they are still speaking, I will hear4 (Isaiah >=+)E,. @o you have an urgen!y for praying: One of the greatest istakes in anyoneHs prayer life is to not pray when the need6 desire6 urge6 or whatever?you? want?to?!all?it is there9 When so eone asks you to pray for hi 6 do you slough hi off with D8Hll pray for youG: This is grossly unfair to the person6 who apparently has a great need or he wouldnHt ask you to pray9 And6 really6 it isnHt fair to 5od6 who hears while you are yet speaking9 ;is Word says so9 *ight now 8H thinking of any ti es when 8Hve .een asked to pray for various individuals9 8f 5odHs ;oly #pirit says6 DPray right now6G 8 stop whatever 8H doing6 wherever 8 a 6 and say6 D-etHs pray right now7G 8 .elieve when a person is desperate enough to ask so eone else to pray for hi 6 itHs an urgent need and 8H re inded that 5od wants to answer .efore we finish speaking9 But how !an ;e answer when we fail to even get started .e!ause we arenHt willing to pray right now: 8 was weekending in a !hur!h in northern Ohio where one of the great .urdens of the !hur!h was for a young an who for years had !o e !lose to 5od6 then .a!ked off9 ;e attended a enHs

.reakfast the !hur!h gave6 and then at lun!h I et his fian!Q9 #he shared with e the great !on!ern for his soul and 8 !ould feel the earnestness and sin!erity of her desire as she asked e to pray that 5odHs ;oly #pirit would speak to hi at the #unday servi!e9 #o 8 said6 D-etHs pray right now04 We were at a .uffet lun!heon6 so we .oth put our trays down right there, !lasped hands6 were >oined .y a third wo an who had overheard her re=uest6 and the three of us stood right there and fervently prayed that 5od would redee her fian!Q in the #unday orning servi!e9 #piritual goosepi ples flew up and down the spines of all of us .e!ause of the e$tre e ferven!y of the o ent9 8 !ould hardly wait for the #unday orning servi!e9 When the invitation was given6 this wo anHs fian!Q was the first one to !o e forward to give his heart to the -ord9 8 have often wondered what would have happened if we had not stopped right at the o ent of re=uest to pray as we did9 Would 8 have re e .ered to pray that night when 8 went to .ed: Or ight 8 have forgotten: Would the ferven!y of the prayer have .een as great had 8 prayed alone hours later as it was when we prayed Dright nowG: Would 8 have prayed as sin!erely as 8 did at the o ent when 8 felt the great urgen!y: 2ight 8 have not forgotten all a.out the re=uest and not even given 5od an opportunity to answer that prayer: 8 .elieve so9 And do you have any idea what happened to the prayer of the wo en who attended that lun!heon and who overheard the prayers we ade: 8 agine what

happened to the as they saw proof positive that 5od answers prayers7 8 visited for a weekend in another !hur!h6 where attendan!e had .een e$tre ely poor9 The few who attended were not very e$!iting Christians and were positive they !ouldnHt get anyone to !o e to !hur!h with the 9 One wo an said6 D8H lu!ky 8 get yself here6 let alone so eone else7G The pastor and 8 felt the situation re=uired so e real fast praying6 so we prayed6 and asked 5od to lead us to ho es where the people would .e re!eptive to our visit and would !o e to !hur!h as a result of the visit9 After praying right on the spot6 we took off on an uns!heduled tour of ho es6 stopping .riefly to share a little of 5odHs love6 and then on to the ne$t house9 8n the last ho e where we stopped there was an al!oholi! other9 The daughter !alled e into her .edroo to look at so ething9 When 8 went in6 she .e!a e al ost hysteri!al and said6 DPlease pray that y other will get to !hur!h so that she !an .e saved7G We prayed right on the spot9 9 9 only a very short6 .ut very earnest and fervent6 prayer .e!ause we knew we !ouldnHt .e gone too long9 #hortly after that6 the pastor and 8 left9 When it was ti e for the !hur!h servi!e to start6 the pastor and 8 looked into the san!tuary and this parti!ular fa ily was not there9 We had prayed at the dinner ta.le and asked 5od to .e sure they were there6 .ut sin!e they werenHt6 we withdrew into a side roo and prayed spe!ifi!ally for this fa ily9 When we went out the @oor6 we saw the .eing seated in the san!tuary99

Well6 8 know what youHre going to say3 ;ow !ould 5od have answered that prayer when they ust have already .een in the !hur!h parking lot: Bou know how: 5od knew we were going to pray fervently and spe!ifi!ally for the and so ;e said6 D.efore they !all6 8 will answer9G ;is ;oly #pirit had oved on this fa ily even .efore we had !alled out6 therefore ;e answered our prayer9 Over and over 8 have prayed with people o ents after they have asked e to pray for so ething6 little realiFing 8 would say6 D-etHs pray right now04 8 have had the thrill of seeing 5od answer these prayers in a atter of hours9 8e have not, because we ask not. And one of the reasons we ask not is .e!ause ost of us are pro!rastinators9 We keep putting things off9 As a result of this6 any prayers never get answered .e!ause they never get prayed9 We get too .usy and too involved in other things and >ust donHt take ti e out to pray9 On a trip to California 8 was privileged to .e the guest of 2ary Ann 2ooney6 a great Christian leader9 #he gave a !offee for e while 8 was there9 We had prayed fervently for the results of this !offee6 asking that 5od would .ring any who needed Christ9 The orning of the !offee we .egan to hear of great nu .ers of persons who were !o ing9 At first we were fearful of having too any for the siFe of the house6 .ut then we yielded our fears and 2ary Ann and 8 went into the !loset 1literally4 and prayed that 5od would send so any there would .e standing roo only7 5od heard6 and answered6 Dwhile they are yet speaking6 8 will hear9G

*e!ently at a weekend visit to a 2idwestern !hur!h 8 was asked to talk to a real drunkard6 hus.and of one of the e .ers9 8 knew nothing a.out the situation e$!ept that everyone had .een praying for this an9 As we parked the !ar6 8 asked the inister to pray with e9 8n >ust two or three short senten!es we !lai ed the anHs soul for the kingdo of 5od9 When we had finished6 8 sent up y own spe!ial prayer and said6 D-ord6 8 !anHt do it6 and you know it6 so >ust prepare his heart right now9 Then give e the words youHd have e to say9G #in!e people see to think an author or speaker has a agi! wand or so ething to wave6 this very fa!t6 perhaps ore than anything else6 has !aused e to pray ost fervently6 asking the -ordHs help .e!ause of the responsi.ility pla!ed on e9 A verse whi!h !o es to e over and over tells the whole story9 6Cot by might nor by power, but by y #pirit, says the .ord of hosts4 1Re!hariah &3(49

Chapter Nine

Pray at the Beginning of the Ro e

65he eyes of the .ord are on the righteous, and $is ears are open to their cry. 5he face of the .ord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 5he righteous cry out, and the .ord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.4 (/salm FE+*=? *G, #o e of the ost rewarding6 thrilling verses in the Bi.le are found in the Psal s9 They are also the ost soothing L the kind you need to read when youHve had a .ad day and things >ust arenHt going right9 ThereHs so ething a.out the .eauty of the Psal s that !o fort like nothing else does9 8 often think of Psal 3&31"6 whi!h reads6 38hen the righteous cry for help, the .ord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.4 8t is wonderful to know that to those who love the -ord6 ;e is faithful to deliver the fro all their trou.les9 But this verse also .rings to y ind a =uestion3 Why do we always wait until we get to the Dend of our rope:G 8 was listening to a testi ony servi!e one night in a !hur!h 8 visited9 Al ost everyone who testified told of a great prayer

answer6 .ut al ost every testi ony !ontained the sa e words9 DWhen 8 got to the end of y rope6 8 said6 K-ord6 8 !anHt do it9 ;elp e7 ;elp e7H And the -ord delivered e9G 5od wants us to know that we are totally dependent upon ;i 9 65rust in the .ord with all your heart" and lean not on your own understanding4 1Prover.s 33%49 ;e wants us to love ;i and trust ;i so u!h we rely upon ;i for every need of life9 8 often wonder why ego or self always tries to do it first without 5od9 Then when we get to the end of the rope we s!rea and !ry out for 5od to deliver us9 Eust think of the fa!t that all the ti e we are struggling to do it ourselves6 5od patiently waits to hear us !ry out to ;i to help us9 8 wonder how often ;e ust .e saddened when ;e sees us aking su!h a ess of our lives6 refusing to !all upon ;i 6 when ;e wants to do so u!h for us9 2y daughter went on a va!ation where she found she was !o pletely without Christian fellowship9 #he i ediately turned to her Bi.le and .egan reading and studying ore than she ever had .efore9 And she .egan to pray ore than she ever had .efore9 Being loneso e6 she !alled e long distan!e and said6 D2other6 8 !anHt stand it without Christian fellowship6 so would you please >ust have a prayer ti e with e over the telephone9G We prayed for a.out twenty inutes over long distan!e telephone9 @o you think 8 !o plained a.out the !ost of that prayer: 8 did not, .e!ause she was s art enough to want to do so ething at the .eginning of the rope

instead of waiting until she was desperate and at the end of the rope9 One of the greatest ways to i prove your prayer life is to .e the D.eginning of the ropeG for others9 @o you ever take on the prayer .urdens of other people: BouHd .e surprised to dis!over how this will turn your thoughts away fro yourself6 and how u!h stronger your prayer life will .e .e!ause you are pi!king up that rope for others9 While weHre thinking a.out pi!king up the rope for others6 8Hd like to ake a suggestion you ay want to try9 8 re e .er how when 8 first .e!a e a Christian6 y pastor suggested 8 ake out a prayer list9 8 thought he was insane .e!ause to read the prayer list 8 knew 8Hd have to peek9 Of !ourse6 8 didnHt think it was fair if you opened your eyes while praying9 And anyway6 8 !ouldnHt i agine anyone having so any things to pray a.out they had to .e written down in a .ook6 .ut finally 8 learned9 8f you really want to dis!over the power of prayer6 and dis!over how 5od really answers prayer6 8Hd like to suggest that you develop a prayer group9 #in!e a group is any nu .er ore than two6 you !an regulate the siFe of your group9 8 think five or si$ are enough persons to have in a prayer !ell9 8f youHre a new Christian6 or youHre not too strong in your faith6 8Hd suggest you get a !ouple of good prayer warriors in the group with you9 ;ow often you eet depends upon your needs and your personalities9 #o e people like to go to a prayer warrior eeting every Thursday orning at 10 A29 8 like

to have a prayer eeting whenever there is a need9 But in the .eginning it ight .e worthwhile to have a !ertain designated ti e to eet ea!h week9 The only pro.le 8 find with this is either the devil !o es in and tries to give every.ody u pteen reasons for not attending6 or people get frustrated .y .eing tied down every week at the sa e ti e for the sa e purpose9 Be!ause there is a need to start so ewhere6 suppose you have a prayer eeting every Thursday orning9 8f you have a!!ess to ine$pensive printing6 you ight have so e prayer re=uest .ooks ade up9 8f not6 >ust .uy so e regular ,S O 11 in!h paper and have everyone ake his own prayer .ook9 ;ave the paper !ut lengthwise down the iddle to ake 4 1/4 O 11 in!h strips9 Take perhaps ten of these pie!es6 fold the in half to ake the &HN& O %S in!hes and then staple in the iddle9 Bou ight want to put a little heavier paper on the outside to strengthen the .ook9 Then a!ross ea!h page ake these headings3 @ate Prayer *e=uest @ate Answered 1+ote3 @o not write the entire re=uest down6 .ut >ust enough so that you re e .er what to pray for94 Bour re=uests ight .e so ething like this3 %N22 Patien!e for 2ary in dealing with her !hildren9 Prepare heart of #ueHs hus.and9 Eoe not walking !lose to 5od9 ;ealing tou!h for Aunt *ose9 5ive ore love to Ann in dealing with people9 Cur. the !riti!al spirit in Eane9 5et 5eneHs son off dope9 #oul of Bo.9

Fourteen ore workers for IB#9 +ew organist for !hur!h sin!e ours is .eing transferred9 %N2/ Pray for transportation for ;oward to s!hool9 @esperate9 Argent9 Argently need people for visitation progra 9 'nthusiasti! youth leaders 1prefera.ly a !ouple49 Pastor9

+ow the fun and e$!ite ent really .egin9 After you ask around the !ir!le what the prayer re=uests are6 then ask ea!h person in the !ir!le to pray for ea!h re=uest9 Bou will noti!e that ea!h of the re=uests 8 have listed tells only a s all portion of the story9 Bou have no idea what this will do to people in opening up avenues of prayer6 .e!ause ea!h will see a different need and a different way to pray for ea!h of these different su.>e!ts9 'a!h of the different prayers will .e of help to the individual .eing prayed for6 and will !ertainly .e enri!h ent to all who are sitting there in a!!ord with the one who is praying9 +e$t week6 as soon as your group eets6 get out your prayer re=uest?and?answer .ooks and ask who had a prayer answered9 -et e assure you they wonHt all .e answered in one week6 .ut you ight find under the D@ate AnsweredG !olu n this notation the first week9 #ueHs hus.and a!!epted Christ (N(9 Or (N/ J -ast of the fourteen volunteers for Ia!ation Bi.le #!hool !a e forth9

After this6 if no ore prayers were answered this week6 ask for new re=uests for the ne$t week9 As you add the to the list6 e$press gratitude and praise to 5od for the two definite prayer answers this week9 +e$t week you ight find that 5eneHs son has .een ira!ulously delivered fro the dope ha.it6 a new organist !a e to !hur!h and asked if he !ould .e of servi!e6 or Eoe really took sto!k of hi self and is .a!k in !lose fellowship with 5od again9 At the end of three onths6 review your prayer .ook9 Bou will .e a.solutely a aFed at the nu .er of definite and positive answers to prayer that you have re!eived9 @onHt ever throw out an old prayer .ook6 though6 .e!ause three years fro the ti e you put a prayer re=uest in your .ook6 you ight dis!over that 5od answered your prayer9 The reason 8 say this is .e!ause ore than three years ago 8 wrote in the prayer .ook of a 5ideon a re=uest !on!erning the soul of a loved one9 Three years later 8 had the fun of dropping hi a note and telling hi the date that re=uest had .een answered9 Bou !an i agine what that did for hi to know that 5od had answered a prayer re=uest even if it was three years old7 Bou ight even .e!o e a Dre=uest !olle!tor9G There are any people who have great .urdens and would love to have so eone earnestly pray for the 9 Peep your prayer .ook handy in your auto o.ile6 purse 1if youHre a wo an4 or suit po!ket 1if youHre a an49

Anyti e you see so eone who ight .egin !asually dis!ussing a pro.le with you6 ask if you !an pray for hi 9 Bou donHt know what it will do for that person to know that you are interested9 And you donHt know what it will do for your prayer life either9 @id you ever realiFe that 5od is >ust waiting with ;is ar s outstret!hed and hands filled with prayer answers for you: ;e says6 3!all to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know4 Eere iah 333349 Call to ;i 6 right now7 Another advantage of this type of prayer6 as opposed to praying alone all the ti e6 is that it gives you love and !on!ern for those who are praying with you9 This will really enri!h your life9 There springs up .etween people who pray together a .ond of Christian love une=ualed .y anything 8 know9 There is genuine !loseness .etween people who pray together6 and if6 for so e reason6 you have a rather D.lahG feeling toward prayer so e orning6 you will .e !aught up in the ferven!y of so eone elseHs prayers9 8 re!all several wo en in y !hur!h who have .een in the sa e prayer !ir!le with e and who have prayer .ooks with the sa e re=uests as ine9 8 have for ea!h one of the a spe!ial feeling whi!h 8 know is the result of our praying and re>oi!ing together as we have seen the hot line to heaven really work7

Chapter Ten

!earn to A"ide
6But if you live your life in me, and my words live in your hearts, you can ask for whatever you like and it will come true for you.4 (-ohn *=+G,

/hillips,
3But if you abide in e, and y words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.4 (John *=+G, 8f there is a se!ret to Dsu!!essfulG prayer6 it is found in Eohn 1%3"9 As 8 have studied various s!riptures !on!erning prayer 8 have .e!o e aware of one outstanding fa!t9 Al ost all of the have a re=uire ent7 3If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,4 68hatever you ask in prayer.. if you have faith.4 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.4 3If two of you agree on earth about anything...4 35ake delight in the .ord.4 -ook at ea!h one of these verses and think of the re=uire ent i posed upon you9 8 espe!ially like 3%elight yourself also in the .ord, and $e shall give you the desires of your heart4 1Psal 3"3&49 What a arvelous thought6 .ut the !ondition or re=uire ent is a steep one .e!ause it says we ust first eet ;is re=uire ent of taking

delight in the -ord9 Taking delight in the -ord6 to e6 is to share ;i with everyone 8 eet6 saying6 GPraise the -ord6G .asking in ;is great and ighty love6 and letting people know 8H loving every inute of it9 ThatHs Dtaking delightG in the -ord7 +ow hereHs the true test9 8f your prayer life has .een unsatisfa!tory and you feel 5od doesnHt really answer your prayers6 think honestly a.out Eohn 1%3"9 @oes 3if you abide in e, and y words abide in you,4 apply to you: @o you really a.ide in the -ord: @o ;is words really abide in you: We.ster says a.ide eans to rest6 to dwell6 to !ontinue per anently6 or in the sa e stateC to be firm and immovable. DAnd then going on to the word abiding, there are any interesting synony s su!h as D!ontinuing6 lasting6 enduring6 dura.le6 steadfast6 !hangeless6 re aining6 awaiting9G Think of 5odHs Da.idingG love9 -etHs su.stitute ea!h of the a.ove ad>e!tives9 5odHs D!ontinuingG loveC 5odHs DlastingG loveC 5odHs DenduringG loveC 5odHs Ddura.leG loveC 5odHs DsteadfastG loveC 5odHs D!hangelessG loveC 5odHs Dre ainingG loveC 5odHs DawaitingG love9 'very one of these words in !on>un!tion with 5odHs love !auses !hills to run up and down y spine9 8f you want to use the sa e words in a little different order6 try the this way3 Are you D!ontinuingG in 5odC are you DsteadfastG in 5odHs loveC are you D!hangelessG in 5odHs loveC are you Dre ainingG in 5odHs love6 are you DawaitingG 5odHs love: #itting right where you are6 >ust i agine that you are Dawaiting 5odHs love9 What a

tre endous thought9 Eust think a.out the possi.ilities .ehind that little state ent9 And so to e it see s the door to 5odHs prayer answers hinges on our Da.idingG in Christ9 8t really see s so si ple6 .e!ause Christ doesnHt really leave u!h to i agination9 ;e spe!ifi!ally says6 3if you abide in e, and y words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.4 What in the world is the atter with the Christian world today: @o we really .elieve what 5od says: 8f we really .elieve what 5od says in ;is word6 then why donHt we !lai ;is pro ises to us: Why donHt we take advantage of the fa!t that ;e says6 3Ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you4& 2any people are really afraid to step out in faith and !lai this pro ise9 8tHs so e$!iting to e to realiFe that 5od is here6 right now6 >ust waiting for a prayer re=uest to answer9 The Phillips translation ight ake it easier to understand9 8n todayHs language it says6 DBut if you live your life in e6 and y words live in your hearts6 you !an ask for whatever you like and it will !o e true for you9G All Christ asks is that we live our lives in ;i 6 and let ;is words live in our hearts6 or let ;is words .e alive in our hearts9 ;e doesnHt say a word a.out living >ust a tiny little .it of your life for ;i 6 ;e si ply says to live your entire life for ;i 9 Again We.ster .rings an interesting fa!t to ind in the definition of the word life L Dthat property of plants and ani als whi!h akes it possi.le for the to take in food6 get energy fro it6 grow6 adapt the selves to their surroundings6 and

reprodu!e their kind3 it is the 9uality that distinguishes a living animal or plant from inorganic matter or a dead organism.4 Pro.a.ly the .iggest se!ret anyone !ould share on prayer is >ust that we should earn to Da.ideG in Christ and then see what happens to your prayer life9 -ook at 8 Eohn 33229 DAnd whatsoever we ask6 we re!eive of hi 6 .e!ause we keep his !o and ents6 and do those things that are pleasing in his sight9G ;ow !an we .e pleasing in ;is sight unless we Da.ideG in ;i at all ti es9 8 wonder why we work so hard for all the aterial things that !an keep us fro doing the things that are pleasing in ;is sight9 This keeps us fro !lai ing ;is pro ise that whatsoever we ask6 we re!eive of ;i 9 Why do we run after oney6 fa e6 e$!ite ent6 thrills6 when it would .e so u!h si pler to >ust .elieve in 5od6 a.ide in ;i 6 and whatsoever we ask6 we shall re!eive9 8f we all really .elieved this with all our hearts and souls6 we wouldnHt have worry and frustrations6 .e!ause ;e would grant us whatever we asked9 Of !ourse6 this goes .a!k to a previous thought whi!h says if we really allow Christ to live ;is life through us6 we will not desire or ask for things other than what ;e wants us to have9 And thatHs the very .est6 .e!ause 5od wants only the .est for ;is !hildren9 ;e loves us so u!h9 -ook at your own !hildren L if youHre a parent9 ArenHt we u!h ore likely to give the good gifts if they are o.edient to us: Certainly we are9 And when son or daughter says6 D8 love you6G what do

parents do: 8t akes us want to give the everything that is best for the 9 This ust .e the way 5od feels a.out us when we lift our voi!es in prayer6 telling ;i how u!h we love ;i 9 ;e wants us to have our heartHs desires9 This leads e to in=uire into the eaning of prayer9 What is prayer: 8f you asked e this =uestion6 8 ight list the following3 Prayer is an ad ission that we .elieve there is a 5od9 Prayer is talking to 5od9 Prayer is praising 5od for what ;e has done for you9 Prayer is listening to 5od to find out ;is will for your life9 Prayer is the way 5od talks to you9 Prayer is a two?way street .etween you and 5od9 Prayer is a heavenly !o uni!ation syste 9 Prayer is that whi!h re oves you fro the DworldlyG world and transports you to a spiritual world9 Prayer is asking 5od to show you what ;e wants you to do9 Prayer is how we rea!h 5od and how 5od rea!hes us9 Prayer is the way we ask for ira!les for others9 8f we did not .elieve in the reality of 5od6 would we pray to >ust thin air: 8 donHt .elieve so9 Whether you are a Christian or not6 when you pray6 you are a!tually ad itting that 5od e$ists and you .elieve ;e e$ists9 Otherwise you would

not .e taking ti e out to pray to a none$istent thing or .eing9 Prayer is a great !leansing !o pound for our inds9 Take ti e out to pray and see if you have ti e for evil thoughts when youHve .een o!!upied with thoughts of6 and for6 and fro 5od9 There >ust isnHt any roo 9 Prayer is a great sour!e of power9 @id you ever see an entire !hur!h pray fervently in unity for so ething: Bou !an al ost physi!ally feel the power of prayer9 Prayer gives you the a.ility to stand alone with 5od9 Bou !an .e physi!ally alone anywhere in the whole world yet6 through prayer6 i ediately dis!over that you are no longer alone9 5od6 through ;is #on6 Eesus Christ6 is right there with you9 ;ave you ever felt ore alone than when you were on an operating ta.le awaiting surgery: And yet6 have you ever felt !loser to 5od6 as you .egan to pray in a situation like this: Prayer is the re over of guilt9 Perhaps6 .efore you .e!a e a Christian6 the pro.le of guilt was real in your life9 8n so e people the feeling of guilt is greater than in others6 .ut it is present in every life until we ask Christ to !leanse us and forgive our sins9 Prayer re oves guilt fro your life .e!ause 5odHs Word says6 3$e is faithful and ;ust to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness4 18 Eohn 13/49 Prayer is the answer to loneliness9 ;ave you ever .een all alone in a strange !ity6 or even in your own ho e town and .e over!o e with

loneliness: 8 re e .er years ago the strange feeling of loneliness when 8 was alone9 Bet no longer a 8 alone6 .e!ause 8 know through prayer 8 !an always eli inate any feeling of loneliness .y inviting Christ to .e near e9 8 have often .een asked if it shows la!k of faith to pray over and over for the sa e re=uest9 There have .een ti es in y life 1and this is ost of the ti e4 when 8 pray only on!e for a !ertain thing6 .e!ause if 8 a in tune with 5od6 8 >ust know y prayer has .een answered9 #tand on the pro ise of Eesus in -uke 113/6 3Ask, and it will be given to you.4 On the other hand we ust !onsider the apostle Paul who prayed three ti es !on!erning the Dthorn in the flesh9G +o pat answer !an .e given here9 8H also re inded of Eesus in the 5arden of 5ethse ane9 8H sure ;e repeated over and over ;is prayer re=uests that night9 And in 'phesians (31,6 Paul writes6 3...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the #pirit... DOther versions say6 DPray !onstantly9G The only advi!e 8 offer in this situation is3 if you feel that on!e is enough6 great9 8f you feel a need6 or an urge to pray ore than on!e for the sa e thing6 then >ust keep on praying until you feel in your heart there is no further need to pray9

Chapter Eleven

#$rrender All
5od has the ost uni=ue way of dealing in situations long .efore we are aware of ;is plan9 All of this .ook was !o pleted e$!ept the last !hapter6 and for so e .ewildering reason 8 !ould not pi!k up 5odHs essage for the final !hapter9 ThatHs .e!ause it hadnHt yet .een written6 and 8 had to .e patient6 knowing that 5od would reveal what ;e wanted e to in!lude in this !hapter9 8 wondered as ea!h !hapter unfolded why 8 had dedi!ated the .ook to y son6 To 9 Bet 8 had ade little ention of hi throughout the .ook9 But now 8 know why9 This final !hapter !ontains ore prayer than any other !hapter in the .ook sin!e it !on!erns y own flesh and .lood9 2ay.e 8 had .etter tell you a little a.out e .efore 8 .e!a e a Christian to help you .etter understand the nature of the prayers whi!h ake this !hapter possi.le9 Bears ago 8 was left with two !hildren to support9 At that ti e the do!tors had pronoun!ed a death senten!e upon e6 saying 8 !ouldnHt live over two onths9 'ven though 8 wasnHt a Christian6 8 knew 5od answered prayer6 so 8 prayed and asked 5od to let e live long enough to raise y two !hildren9 For!ed .y the ne!essity of providing a living for yself and y two !hildren6 8 started a se!retarial servi!e with fifteen dollars9 8 ade arrange ents with the owner of a shopping !enter to a!!ept offi!e

rent in the for of se!retarial servi!e fro e9 Thus started another under!apitaliFed6 DoverageG owner .usiness9 'verything in the .ooks said 8 was destined to fail3 8 had very poor health6 8 was over forty6 8 had s all !hildren with no one to !are for the 9 There wasnHt a reason in the world why 8 should have su!!eeded ? e$!ept that 5od was working in y life9 2any people have asked e what 8 used the T1%900 for9 8 spent T%900 for a rea of .ond paper6 T%900 for a rea of onionskin6 and T&9/% for a .o$ of !ar.on paper9 8 .orrowed a typewriter and started y .usiness9 An.elieva.ly6 the .usiness prospered in spite of y under!harging9 To ake up for under!harging6 8 started working si$teen to eighteen hours daily6 sitting at a typewriter9 ;auling a typewriter ho e at night so 8 !ould .e with y !hildren6 8 would spend half of the night typing so 8 !ould earn a few e$tra dollars to feed y !hildren6 !lothe the 6 and send y little girl to a private s!hool where she !ould .e taken !are of during the day9 The .usiness grew and grew6 eventually turning into a printing !o pany9 When 8 first .e!a e a Christian 8 always told y pastor that 8 was so .usy 8 !ouldnHt !o e to !hur!h on #unday evenings or Wednesday evenings9 ;e said6 DFran!es6 you !an do whatever you want to do9 But the day you learn to put first things first in your life6 youHll .e a lot .etter off9G All 8 !an say is PT- .e!ause fro that state ent6 8 learned at least partially how to put first things first in y life6 and 8 never again issed a idweek servi!e6 or a #unday night servi!e9 But 8

still had the great pro.le of working four or five nights a week until 3 or & A2 trying to !at!h up on .usiness that had to .e done9 8 see now it was .e!ause so ething drove e to want the .usiness to .e a .ig su!!ess7 One of y spiritual !hildren6 *i!h6 often said to e6 DFran!es6 8 donHt .elieve the -ord intends for you to work yourself to death in the offi!e the way youHre doing7G 8 told hi 8 had to ake a living6 and there was nothing 8 !ould do a.out it9 @uring the last year6 8 developed phle.itis in y legs6 ore a!ute in the left leg than the right6 .ut 8 still !ontinued to work9 8 had gone to the do!tor after 8 dis!overed 8 was not praying through for 5odHs healing9 8 !ouldnHt understand why9 The do!tor told e to not spend so u!h ti e in the offi!e6 and to elevate y feet9 8 still insisted the work had to go on9 +ow6 and only now6 do 8 see how 5od was dealing with e9 Please hold this part of the story in your ind as 8 !ontinue to another part of the puFFle whi!h slowly .egan to fit together9 2y only son6 To 6 to who this .ook is dedi!ated with u!h love6 arried an adora.le girl when they were .oth nineteen9 To was not raised in a Christian ho e and had a.solutely no Christian training9 8 was a DgoodG person and tried to tea!h hi to .e Dgood6G .ut this isnHt worth u!h without .eing a Christian9 ;is daddy had died when To was only five6 and 8 had tried to .e .oth other and father9 +o atter how !apa.le we think we are6 this is a nearly i possi.le >o. for any wo an to a!!o plish6 espe!ially without Christ9

To has .een re.ellious throughout the years and 8 have !ried .itter tears over y only son9 When the pro.le s with To .e!a e so great6 8 took hi to a psy!hiatrist6 who said6 D8f you were an undependa.le al!oholi! To would rise up and .e a an9G And 8 always replied3 DWhat !an 8 do: 8 have to ake a living for us and itHs too late for e to !hange9 ;eHll >ust have to learn to get along with the world6 in!luding e9G ;ow stupid !an a other .e: Pretty stupid6 8 say6 espe!ially when you donHt know 5od well enough to !all on ;i to solve your pro.le s9 8n spite of the fa!t that To also is a leader6 and in spite of the fa!t we !ould really fight with ea!h other6 we have an unusual love for ea!h other as well9 And even though we have gone through periods of not .eing a.le to stand ea!h other6 the great love .etween other and !hild was there9 While To was in high s!hool6 he learned to operate the printing presses and all the e=uip ent in the offi!e6 .ut de!ided he !ouldnHt work for e .e!ause 8 !ouldnHt let a fifteen?year?old .e .oss9 ;e went to work for another !o pany .efore he was arried9 But eventually he wanted to !o e .a!k and work for y !o pany whi!h had grown rapidly and whi!h 8 had always planned to leave to y two !hildren when 8 died9 -ater he !a e .a!k to work for e9 And in spite of loving ea!h other6 we anaged to ruffle ea!h otherHs feathers endlessly9 Be!ause 8 had .e!o e a Christian6 8 tried to win hi with 5odHs love6 .ut did not su!!eed9

We had !onstant .i!kering and dissension in the offi!e9 8 !ontinued to work ridi!ulous hours .e!ause he !ontinued to goof off and the situation see ed to get worse and worse9 8 fired hi innu era.le ti es .ut he always !a e .a!k to work saying he D!ouldnHt do that to e7G To and his wife have had diffi!ulties through the years .ut so ehow they see ed deter ined to stay together9 After four years the -ord .lessed the with an adora.le son6 .ut even this wasnHt enough to keep the arriage on an even keel9 8 .e!a e involved in this situation and .e!ause 8 wouldnHt lie for hi 6 To .e!a e enraged at e and !a e to the apart ent where y daughter and 8 live9 ;e de!lared 8 wasnHt his other6 that he was disowning e6 that he !ouldnHt stand either his sister or e6 and that he was never going to forgive e as long as he lived9 While this went on all 8 did was sit there and pray for hi 9 The situation was so tense y daughter was !rying9 2y heart a!hed6 .ut it see ed 5od >ust wanted e to keep still6 and so 8 did9 After To left that night6 y daughter and 8 prayed so e of the ost anguished prayers of our lives9 8 have prayed !ontinually for y son ever sin!e 8 .e!a e a Christian9 'a!h ti e he has !o e so !lose y heart has thrilled6 and then 8 have seen hi .a!k away9 Perhaps 8 never really gave hi totally to 5od6 .e!ause ea!h ti e 8 took y prayer .urden .a!k to y own heart and tried to solve it yself9 Well6 that night 8 guess for the first ti e 8 !o pletely surrendered y son to 5od9 8 !ried out

in the greatest agony 8 had ever e$perien!ed and said6 D5od6 8 donHt !are what the pri!e is6 8Hll pay it9 But ake a an out of y son9 -ord6 so ehow reveal to e what ust .e done in this situation9 8 donHt !are what it is9G 8 .egged6 8 pleaded6 8 !ried and then 8 was e$hausted9 But in the e$haustion !a e the pea!e of 5od .e!ause 8 knew that 8 had at last released y son to 5od9 When 8 .egan a!!epting speaking engage ents6 8 ade a pra!ti!e of !alling ho e daily to solve all the pro.le s in the offi!e6 to iron out the little details9 *ight at the ti e of this great other?son .attle 8 had s!heduled three .ig trips right in su!!ession9 The first trip 8 went on ight have !reated so e apprehension on y part6 .ut it didnHt .e!ause 8 was se!ure in the knowledge that 8 had given y son to 5od6 and so 8 left on y tour9 +ow see what 5od did7 This trip was to a !hur!h where the pastor is an outstanding Christian psy!hologist9 At the ti e 8 a!!epted the invitation to his !hur!h6 8 was not aware of this fa!t9 But 5od knew9 8 had gone to the !hur!h on #aturday night for a .an=uet6 and after we went to the pastorHs ho e for the night6 this pastor ade ention of his Christian arriage !ounseling9 8 i ediately took note and >ust .riefly told hi a.out y son and his wife9 8 had prayed less than one week .efore this for the -ord to send e the answer and here a an of 5od was ready to listen and help e with this pro.le 9 We sat up until a.out 3 A2 as he e$plained in language a lay an !ould understand why a pro.le

e$isted in our fa ily9 But it ended up with a !lear !ut de!ision when he said3 DFran!es6 youHre not a do ineering other6 .ut youHre an overwhel ing other6 and thatHs the whole pro.le 7G 8 felt like 8 had .een ki!ked in the sto a!h9 8 had wanted to find out what was wrong with y son9 8nstead 8 learned he only wanted to .e a man, .ut .e!ause of an overwhel ing other6 he !ouldnHt .e9 #o he had to fight .a!k at e L in spite of loving e L .y .eing re.ellious and doing things he knew 8 didnHt approve of9 8 had prayed that 5od would give e the answer or show e the pro.le 6 and ;e did6 .ut it !ertainly wasnHt what 8 e$pe!ted9 8 asked the inister psy!hologist what 8 !ould do a.out the situation6 and he said6 D-etHs talk to 5od and see what ;e says9G 8 went to .ed that night and prayed that 5od would reveal to e through this an the answer to y pro.le 9 And he did7 The ne$t orning we all got up early for .reakfast9 As we sat down to eat6 the pastorHs words seared into y very soul9 ;e said6 DFran!es6 5od spoke to e last night and told e what to tell you to do9G We for ed a prayer !ir!le around his kit!hen ta.le9 ;e said6 37ou2re To Hs whole pro.le 9 ;e wants to .e a an6 and he !anHt .e until you walk out of that .usiness and leave it to hi with no strings atta!hed9G 8 said6 DBut everything 8 own is in that .usiness6 even the oney fro y house whi!h 8 sold9 And years of hard6 hard work9 8 have a.solutely nothing else7G 1We had >ust enlarged and 8 had put all y house oney into the .usiness94

;e said6 DFran!es6 do you really trust 5od: @o you really .elieve ;e will supply your every need: @o you have faith to .elieve that you have nothing to fear:G 8 ad itted that 8 do trust 5od6 and 8 .elieve with all the strength in y .ody that ;e will supply y every need6 and .elieve that 8 have nothing to fear9 And then 8 started !rying9 All the e otion 8 had felt !on!erning the pro.le >ust spilled over9 That !ry lasted al ost until we were due at the orning !hur!h servi!e9 The pastor told e6 DBouHve got to go .a!k and tell To you want out to do the things 5od has !alled you to do9 Tell hi youHre giving hi the .usiness and if it goes .ankrupt6 it will >ust have to go .ankrupt6 .e!ause 5od has !alled you for a spe!ial purpose9G For one .rief o ent 8 swallowed real hard6 then turned y .a!k on everything 8 had worked to a!!o plish9 Finally 8 said6 DPraise the -ord9G 8 knew that in the total surrender of y pro.le 5od had furnished its solution9 We prayed that orning that 5od would supply y needs as 8 ade the de!ision to turn y .a!k on everything 8 possessed9 8 now was at the age of fifty?three6 the owner of only one thing6 an auto o.ile9 8 ediately .efore the !hur!h servi!e6 the pastor asked e if 8 really .elieved 5od would supply y every need9 8 assured hi that 8 did6 and he said6 DWell6 weHre going to test your faith this orning9 WeHre going to ask the !ongregation for a T300 love offering for you9G This6 8 knew6 was a tre endous a ount for a love offering6 .ut 8

swallowed hard and said yes when he asked e if 8 .elieved that 5od would supply it9 The servi!e was .eautiful9 Possi.ly .e!ause we had all .een under su!h a deep e otional strain6 we were totally su. issive to 5od9 When the servi!e was over6 the ushers !a e up and reported the love offering a ounted to T30090%9 5od had very deli.erately and very !arefully honored faith and had proven ;i self9 8 thought of the words in 2ala!hi6 3/rove me... if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.4 We had proven 5od9 Or had 5od proven ;i self to us: 8 flew ho e and the first words 8 said to y son were3 D8H tired of this .usiness6 do you want it: 8f so6 you !an have it9 8H too old for all this6 and 8 want to do what 5od has !alled e to do9G 8 havenHt .een to work on ti e sin!e6 and 8 donHt go in very often9 The day To hired the last person needed to repla!e e6 y heart slightly skipped a .eat6 .ut 8 knew 8 had listened as 5od had spoken9 The -ord knows how diffi!ult it is for a leader to no longer .e the leader6 so he pro ptly sent e on another tour9 8nstead of !alling the offi!e ea!h day to solve all the pro.le s6 8 !arefully refrained fro !alling even on!e9 'very ti e 8 was te pted6 5od re inded e not to forget ;is answer and to stop trying to !lut!h the pro.le .a!k to yself9 Finally6 after ten days6 y son !aught up with e .y phone and told e a.out a pro.le and asked y advi!e9 8 knew the answer i ediately6 .ut 5odHs ;oly #pirit nudged e6 and instead of giving

hi a solution 8 said6 D8 donHt know6 honey6 8H here and youHre there9 #o youHll have to solve it yourself9G 8 !ontinued on one of the ost fa.ulous trips of y life with no ore !on!ern for y offi!e9 8 knew 5od was handling the situation far .etter than 8 !ould or had ever handled it9 Following this trip 8 went .a!k to the offi!e for a few days6 trying only to pi!k up so e loose ends of the .usiness9 Finally aware how u!h s arter 5od is than 8 a 6 off 8 went on another tour6 and6 with >ut a few days in .etween6 still another tour9 8 !an only share with you that the ost interesting things have happened7 All of a sudden6 y Dgoof? offH son is working half the night >ust like his other used to6 to keep !usto ers happy9 All of a sudden the irresponsi.le young an has .e!o e a dependa.le young an9 As 8 wat!h this interesting puFFle with all its pie!es fitted into pla!e6 8 !an only arvel at how any prayers 5od has answered all at one ti e9 But how long it took for all these pie!es to go together6 all .e!ause 8 wouldnHt listen when 5od said6 D-et e do it y way9G First of all6 in a previous !hapter 8 entioned the fa!t that 8 thought 5od wanted e to sell y .usiness6 .e!ause ;e had put su!h a great !all on y life9 8 knew that ;e wanted all of y energy for ;is work6 and yet 8 had not heard what ;e was telling e L that ;e wanted e totally dependent upon ;i 9 ;e didnHt respond to the flee!e 8 threw out6 .e!ause ;e didnHt want e to sell y .usiness9

And you ay re!all y saying 8 knew 5od had a spe!ial reason for y selling y house9 8 didnHt know why at the ti e6 .ut now 8 do9 First of all6 so that 8 wouldnHt .e tied to a worldly possession9 And6 se!ond6 so that the oney would .e put into enlarging y .usiness6 again aking e totally dependent upon 5od9 A year ago6 fro too any working hours6 y left leg was so full of fire and pain and fever 8 was ready for anything9 1 think 8 even would have !onsented to letting it .e a putated9 Finally on Thanksgiving 've y do!tor ade arrange ents to put e in the hospital6 .e!ause the pain was un.eara.le9 #in!e 8 was s!heduled to speak at a Bouth Convention on Thanksgiving @ay6 8 !alled and said 8 wouldnHt .e a.le to .e there9 After the Thanksgiving 've servi!e at our !hur!h6 three pastors !a e to see e at ho e6 all standing at the foot of y .ed9 8nstead of pla!ing their hands on y head as they usually do6 y own pastor held onto y .ig toe while they prayed that 5od would not send e to the hospital6 .ut to the Bouth Convention where 8 .elonged9 At si$ oH!lo!k the ne$t orning 8 got a !all fro y do!tor 1who is also y spiritual son49 ;e wanted to know how y leg felt9 5he fever was gone and so was the pain0 Then he told e he had slipped out of his .ed at idnight and prayed that 5od would give hi the wisdo to know what to do !on!erning y leg pro.le 9 ;e prayed that 5od would ake it unne!essary for e to go to the hospital9

8 told hi there was no ore fever and no ore pain 1and to this day the fever and pain have never returned46 so he told e not to go to the hospital9 8nstead6 he put e on a daily re!all .asis to the hospital9 ;e said he would !all e .a!k at noonti e to see how 8 was doing9 8 prayed the entire orning asking 5od to let e go to the Bouth Convention9 By noonti e 8 felt u!h .etter and when he !alled6 8 got real .rave and asked hi if 8 !ould go to the Bouth Convention9 ;e al ost went through the roof7 Finally he said6 DWell6 all right9 8f you have a private roo and .ath at the Bouth Convention6 you !an go7G Well6 now6 thatHs an i possi.le situation6 isnHt it: A Bouth Convention is where you always get put in a roo with thirty other kids7 2y daughter had gone on ahead in the orning .e!ause she was afraid 8 wouldnHt .e a.le to ake it9 But she !alled e .a!k a.out three in the afternoon to say6 D2other6 8 donHt know how you rate6 .ut they have a private roo for you9G 8 said6 DThank you6 -ord6G .e!ause 8 knew where 5od wanted e9 8 got up and dressed and went to the Bouth Convention9 2any people >ust donHt .elieve in the power of 5od6 donHt .elieve what the Bi.le says6 donHt .elieve that 5od !an heal today >ust like Christ did 26000 years ago9 8 know that ;e !an6 .ut to please y fa ily 8 went to a !ardiovas!ular spe!ialist to have tests ade to find out the !ause of the pro.le 9 After running the ga ut in tests6 the spe!ialist !alled e .a!k personally to tell e that y tests were fa.ulous for a person y age9 ;e sent

the report to y do!tor and a !opy to e9 8t said3 DCause L unknown9 Treat ent L nothing9G Bou see6 5od gave e the assuran!e that this would not .e a !riti!al pro.le in y life6 although 8 !ould not understand why 8 had .een una.le to pray through on this pro.le 9 +ow6 and only now6 do 8 know9 5od was telling e to !ut out the long hours of work and to get out of a .usiness that !ould !reate pro.le s9 Bet ;e assured e ;e was wat!hing over e9 While y leg is not entirely healed as of the writing of this final !hapter6 it is so i proved itHs al ost un.elieva.le9 And every orning when 8 awaken and look at y legs 8 say6 DWell6 praise the -ord6 for all things work together for good for those who love the -ord9 And6 -ord6 8 >ust !anHt wait to see the ira!le whi!h will !o e a.out as a result of this leg pro.le 9G One of the ira!les is that 5od was telling e to do it ;is way6 to leave .ehind a .usiness that sapped y energy6 y strength6 y very .eing9 'ven now as 8 write this6 ost of y friends do not know the de!ision 8 have ade9 Bet 8 didnHt ake it9 8 asked 5od to reveal to e ;is Perfe!t Will for y life and ;e did6 so there was no =uestion of a de!ision6 only a =uestion of .eing o.edient to ;is will9 *ight now 8 donHt know e$a!tly what 5od wants for y life9 8 do know that as long as 8 stay in tune with ;is ;oly #pirit6 ;e will lead e day .y day6 o ent .y o ent9 8f anyone had told e four years ago L or even one short year ago L that 8 would leave this .usiness into whi!h 8 poured y

very soul6 8 would have never .elieved it9 Bet6 .e!ause 8 have learned to Da.ide6G 5od has prepared y heart with never a desire to look .a!k6 .ut to anti!ipate the e$!iting future ;e has for e9 As for y son6 To 6 8 donHt know what 5od has planned for his life9 8 only know that in surrendering hi !o pletely to 5odHs !are6 y worry is gone9 +ever have 8 .een so free as 8 a right now9 +ever have 8 ever anti!ipated the future with as u!h e$!ite ent as 8 do right now9 8H sure 5od knows what ;e wants fro y life6 and 8H e=ually sure that .e!ause ;e plans it6 it will .e the ost fa.ulous part of y life9 A 8 worried or !on!erned over the future: +o7 5odHs Word says not to worry a.out a thing9 @o 8 .elieve it: Bes6 8 do9 Of the few persons who know of the de!ision6 one said6 DArenHt you afraid or nervous .e!ause of your age:G +o6 8H not afraid6 .e!ause God knows how old I am. 8 re inded this friend of a agnifi!ent verse in 2ark &3&06 where the great stor of wind arose6 and the dis!iples got shook up9 But ;e said to the 6 DWhy are you so fearful& $ow is it that you have no faith&4 8H not afraid .e!ause 8 have faith to .elieve in 5odHs holy word9 And 8 have faith to .elieve that 5od answers prayer and in answering one little prayer6 ;e answered a lot of great .ig prayers9 And 8 also know that now 8 a F*''9 And so this .ook is dedi!ated to To with all of his otherHs love6 .e!ause it was through y hearta!he over hi that 5od gave e the greatest vi!tory of y life9 8 shed the snake?skin of holding on to hi and6 in so doing6 learned the real eaning

of total surrender9 Thank you6 y son6 for .eing the one 5od used to ake e know un istaka.ly that6 for any Christian6 prayer is a hot line to heaven9