Over
I wish it didn’t sound so glib, but that’s really it. Over and over again when I mention how much this prayer time means, one of two things hap pens: Everyone really believes it’s the key to the Christian’s life; hardly any body does it. Of many excuses “too busy” is the one most used. Maybe after you re-evaluate your schedule, you will find the hour and the dear friend with whom to meet. Per haps you can arrange a time to present your combined needs to Christ in agree ment as in Matthew 18:10. Then you too will have a Notebook of Miracles! o£U-4LSx/ What do you REALLY want? You pray, “Lord, show me my part in our marriage.” You walk through your small apart ment and see a hundred things to do. The refrigerator needs cleaning. The ironing is piled high. But there’s al ways that television set . . . and the girl next door has problems, too. The hours whirl by over countless cups of coffee. . . . Your husband comes home tired, irritable. You know what it takes: Little signs of affection. A few intelligent questions about his day. A hot dinner, attractively served. A word of encouragement. Just little things! You ask, “ Isn’t it a two-way street?” Of course it is. But when you pray to see your part in your marriage, do you really want what you ask for? You pray, “Lord, help us to manage our money. . . .” It’s a rough month — a dentist bill, an insurance premium due. Not quite enough left to pay all the tithe, some how. Besides, that little black sale hat seemed so perfect for your new suit— too bad it wasn’t right when you got it home. Oh, well, these things happen. After all, money isn’t elastic. But — do you really want what you ask for? You pray, “Lord, help me to witness for You.” Your friendly little beauty operator asks, “ How do you want your hair styled today?” You tell her, and as she handles the rollers you touch on bits of conversation. Nothing really impor tant — chit-chat, mostly. Then quite unexpectedly — she’s never done it before — she begins to talk about her self : her loneliness, her frustrations, her invalid father. You listen without comment. After all, you have problems, too. “ Oh, well,” she finally says, “ I guess it won’t make any difference a hundred years from now.” You say, “ No, I suppose not.” You settle down under the dryer with your magazine. But suppose you had said, “ I’m afraid I can’t agree with you. You see, when God has a plan for our lives, EVERY THING that happens to us will make a difference a hundred years from now.” Only God knows what He could have done with such a twist in con versation. You pray to be a witness. Do you really want what you ask for? REALLY? By Ruth Calkin
A b e a u t if u l young friend of mine (I shall call her Lisa) had been married only a few years when her whole life began to fail in every area. She is a Christian wife and mother but separation or a divorce seemed to be the only solution. I was thinking about Lisa one day and wondered what I could do for her. What could I contribute to her frustrated life? How could I help in such a dreary mess and where would I start? Two other dear Christian friends not only had counselled with her but also loved her as I did. I went to them and talked with them about Lisa and her needs. Here are some of the results of that conversation that day. Some are still coming in and some will come later. We decided that no gift- a car, a babysitter, a big check, or whatever- would count more than our praying, on a regular basis, for Lisa. Nothing would accomplish more than holding her up before the throne of God. Although the three of us live the fullest, busiest kind of lives, we began meeting on Thursday mornings from nine to ten without Lisa’s knowledge. I was put in charge of the notebook (It’s only a little green spiral one . . . we had no idea it would contain such miracles). Each Thursday I, wrote out the short list of requests, starting at the top with Lisa and then a few other personal burdens of our own. When the list was completed we took turns praying short conversational prayers for the first request (Lisa), then went around again on request number two (the house of one of our parents that simply wouldn’t sell) and so on until the list was finished. It was thrilling to hear how each of us would pray about that same subject only from her viewpoint. Often I have had the an swer I was looking for by simply list ening to my friend pray about it. Each of our Thursdays were begun on the promise of Matthew 18:19. We are all familiar with the verse which follows: “ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” The verse just before that says, “Again I tell you, if two of you agree [harmonize together] about anything and every thing . . . whatever they shall ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Am plified New Test, trans.) We agreed on Lisa and were asking for her no matter how long it would take because we knew our Father would answer. One year has now passed since we began our hour for Lisa each week and we have a notebook filled with re quests and miracles. The first miracle began happening to us as friends. The deepening of love toward each other and our Lord was unbelievable. My heartaches were their heartaches, my failures their failures, and my joys their joys. What burdened me, burdened them. The next miracle began in the amaz ing way in which the requests were
Goffee
by Joyce Landorf answered. Some weeks Lisa seemed to hang in the balance between life and death. Disaster all but swallowed her up but clearly we could see the heavy hand of God. The next week her life would even out and God would tender ly show her that He still loved her. At the end of the first year, even as I write this, Lisa and her husband have discovered what you may have known all along, that when we have tried all, reached the end of our rope and ex hausted all human possibilities, the Lord says, “ Be still and know that I am God.” Very slowly He is trans forming Lisa’s marriage. She is still at the top of our list and will be, for what more can we do for her and how else can we really tell her that we love her? Very often I am asked what I con sider the most important activity in my life and my answer is always the same: “ The times of regular prayer.” PUMPKIN BREAD This will make 3 loaves . . . the first one will be gone before you know it. They freeze very well so keep one on hand for unexpected company. Slice very thin and eat plain, buttered or w ith cream ed cheese. Our thanks to Mrs. Ginger Luber of Whittier, California. 3 VS cups flour 2 teas, soda 1 Vi teas, salt 1 teas, cinnamon 3 cups sugar 1 cup salad oil 4 eggs 2 cups pumpkin % cup water 1 cup chopper^ nuts Sift dry ingredients into large bowl. Make a well and add next four in gredients. Beat well, mix until smooth. Add nuts and stir. Pour into 3 loaf pans (9 x Vi) greased and floured. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
3«
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online