Praying for God to SHOW Himself MIGHTY!

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I cannot help myself, I feel I must share!


There's so much! Years of it. How can I? Where can I start? For the moment, I'll only attempt to sum up this day's sequel to it as quickly as possible. And who knows? After then, I may back up to a very lengthy letter written in March of 2006 that shows a greater glimpse of all of this that for years has been building? For after all, pregnancy takes so long, but then there finally comes a time for its birthing and for its deliverance!


A dear friend of mine, Jon, works at a Christian college. He spoke in chapel just recently, and without realizing that he was about to, he quickly caused a roaring stir with those over him. He hadn't planned to say what he did, but felt compelled to once the time came to speak. He told about two miracles that God had done. One, a bulk of years ago. The other, a while back, yet more recent. The first could easily be explained away by those that wanted to, by man's disbelief, as an error on a medical report rather than a miraculous healing. The second was so radical that many a stoic Christian wouldn't even count it as even believable enough to merit any consideration at all of it happening. Jon said something to the affect that he was tired of not living the true Christian life, that he wanted to stop playing and start living the kind of radical Christian life that we're called to. Days later he was called to meet with the school's president. The president admonished him in all that he had said and told Jon that God doesn't do miracles like that anymore and that he didn't want him talking about it as if He did. And though I'm not sure of all that he said, the president has now decided to dismiss Jon and not renew his contract with them after he's taught Bible in their school for eleven years. The president has agreed to meet with him one more time though..... at 9 o'clock in the morning. Jon is understandably upset about his job and is requesting prayers. I'm asking for prayers, too, for him............. but I feel that it is SO MUCH MORE than that! You see, Jon has a daughter............ one with so many physical complications........ one that I've been believing that God is going to heal for years that He hasn't yet. And I feel today that this particular season and time on the calendar is God's prime opportunity to do so! 


Jon knows of my belief in God to heal his daughter. We've been talking about this for years. I'm not the only one that believes. Jon believes it too. So does his wife. And so do many others that God has so strategically placed over the years in Jon's path. Being that this isn't new, and because of all that's happened, earlier today I wrote Jon a letter:


Dear Jon,


It seems that God's latest theme in my life is to teach (by showing) me what a Setter-Upper He is in how He sets His plans in motion to make something happen or to bring something about. I cannot tell you how many times even just lately that I've said with a grin inside my head, "It's a set-up," because I see His hands all over what in my life is currently happening.


It was my first thought when Tim told me about you, and about chapel, and about the president's response, and about the school that, "It's a set up!"


My second thought was to remember 2 Kings 19 and what King Hezekiah did during his opposition and what God Himself had to say about it!


""This is what Hezekiah says;"" starting in verse 3, ""This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the field commander, who his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that HE will rebuke him for the words your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.""


Let me tell you one thing that I know: My God is the same God today that He was yesterday, and He's the same One that will be the same One tomorrow! And He still heals! He still performs miracles! Not only that, He HEARS the ridicule that not only His enemies, but even His own people sometime make against Him that suggest that He does not! There STILL remains a remnant, a remnant still survives, that believes that He's still able and willing to do what He's already shown us in Scripture that He's willing and can. 


Tim told me that the president said to you that God doesn't do those kinds of miracles today. Am I wrong in thinking that that's an "insult" to my Savior, the Great Physician, and His ability to heal? Is that not a "ridicule" of sorts just by the denial of it?


Back to 2 Kings (my favorite part!), starting at verse 14, "Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, Then he went up to the temple of the LORD: "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim. You alone are God over the kingdoms of the earth; You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God."


Woo! I can only picture what you're to do! To take with you the words that were presented to you that "insult" the living God! Those that say He doesn't heal today as He did in the past. To go before your God, the LORD God of Israel, and show Him the words that the president said. To ask HIM, did HE HEAR??? To ask HIM, did HE SEE?? And then, to ask Him what HE'S going to do about it??!!! For, Jon, perhaps it's time for an arising!!!!! And one that we've been waiting, anticipating, and pleading for.... for years! Maybe it's time that God shows His stuff! Shows Who He is by what He does! To show us a Who-is-like-God moment, for those that don't know! so that all can know that no other god is like our God!


Verse 19, "Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from His hand, SO THAT all kingdoms on earth MAY KNOW that YOU ALONE, O LORD are GOD."!!


I cannot help but continue with God's answer to Hezekiah... and perhaps, too, to you?! "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: I have heard your prayer concerning _______."  Because we KNOW He HEARS when we pray!!! And then the LORD's word is spoken against Sennacherib, His insulter, in verse 22 and following as He says, "Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against Whom have you raised your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!... you have heaped insults on the LORD...."!!!!! For, Jon, it is not YOU that the school has talked against. It is not YOU that they've heaped insults toward! It is against the Holy One of Israel Himself! It is against the LORD!


I am taking all of this myself before God, Jon. And I'm asking HIM to DO something about it!!!! Perhaps this all has reason? Perhaps it's time? Perhaps it's a set-up? And I am asking for some action!


I'm praying for you, Jon! And I'm praying for God to show Himself! And in bigger ways than we've ever seen in this lifetime!


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After writing to him I wrote to a friend, petitioning her prayers, as well, She wrote back:


My husband is a miracle!!! My new friend, Tangie, is a miracle! For heaven's sake, my marriage is a miracle!


Really? HE doesn't do miracles still?


Woe!


As I read James this week and all the admonishing of 'judge not lest you be judged'.... the president....May God have mercy!!!


God, You are, as Sharon stated, The SAME yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!!! Oh how I thank YOU! I am a walking breathing miracle!!!


Lord, I pray You SHOW Your servant Jon faith-full before Your accusers!! Jon knows You Lord in a way the president lacks.... May the president live to SEE WHO YOU ARE!!


I believe LORD!


Father, as Jon meets with the president tomorrow at 9.... Lord, I ask for YOU to speak. I thank You in advance for Jon's courage and conviction!! I ask that You proper Jon in ways that cause him to marvel!! He is YOURS, Lord! He knows / realizes that only Your plan ends up prospering!!!


I ask that You allow rest for Jon. That You equip him with words and with silence in proper times.


I boldly ask BELIEVING that You do the UNBELIEVABLE!!!! As only You can! You, who STILL DOES THE MIRACULOUS!!!


In Your Son's Miraculously Risen name~ May it be so.


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Of course, I responded...


"Thank YOU for your prayers! I read again and was reminded (although I so very much believe!) just this week that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective"!!! And what a power full word "powerful" is! And boy, do I ever LOVE the word "effective"!!! That's what I'm talking about! Who, but God Himself, introduced and instigated prayer (for us to pray)?! Basically He tells us to come tell Him!!!!!!!!! Why??? Because HE wants TO DO something about it!!


Following right along with that verse is the reminder (lest we forget) that "Elijah was a man JUST LIKE US. He prayed earnestly...." ............ And woe at the example God gives of the impact of his prayer from a man that He deems no different than we are! It's not the man that prays that has the power, it's the God that he's talking to that does that wants to use it!


I did want to say in my last email, but didn't take the time to, that I am NOT meaning to dog the president here! That's the very least of my focus. My focus is on God doing what God can do.... and often when people say that God 'never does'.... He often in Scripture rebukes that in showing that indeed He really, in fact, really does! The miracle I'm asking for isn't for God to turn the heart of this king to show favor to Jon.... although, it is my request that He does. The miracle I'm asking God for... is for God to HEAL his daughter, Mikayla! For God to show by example! I cannot help but feel in my heart (as I've stated umpteen times today to my husband) that this is prime opportunity! What better "set up" could this be for God to just simply show off and prove Himself by showing Himself bigger to all of us than all of us think He is! I can hear Him say, "You think I don't still heal today? Well then, let me just show You that I still do!" AND THEN, His name renowns to all the nations!!! Because no one would be able to keep themselves from speaking of it!


I know God's heard!!! And I know God sees!!! I'm simply begging Him to show Himself mighty! We all have need (like Hagar) to see Him see us!!! What better way for us to see The One who sees?!!!!


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She wrote again:


Glory!!! Glory!!!


I, neither, was dogging him.... Especially after the verse I quoted!!!


I know the miracle for which you pray! I'm right there with you!!


Love you! Your heart! Your passion! I thank God you are my "iron" !!!


Hugely, hugely, hugely believing Mark 11:23!!!!


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And then me once more:


Oh! I KNEW you didn't mean to dog him! I knew that was why you placed the scripture there. I just wanted to verify that I wasn't at all meaning to either. For my mind had been stolen and focused on MUCH GREATER things!


Because of something else that Jon told Tim I've been "time-traveling." I went back until I found a letter written to Coach Hazelip on March 3, 2006 that told a glimpse of my awe over God giving me Mikayla (Jon's daughter).... and after reading so much of it, I'm awed all over again! I cannot help but see how this thing has been building for so many years. And you know what, after a while, it seems that it comes time for its birthing! My plans for the wee hours of the morning is to seek the Savior and to do some laboring!
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Simply said: I'm praying (me, a man "just like" Elijah) for a miracle... and am believing my prayers to be powerful and effective like his was because I, like him, am taking my request to God Himself and asking Him to let it be so!
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