For the past three weekends my church has had a guest speaker, my former youth pastor, Gary Kinnaman. His message was awesome! He did a three part series called "God's Crazy Amazing Plan For You." Part one was called "Who R U?" Part two was called "What R U doing here?" and this past weekend's sermon title was called "Do Your Prayers Really Matter?"
Each message was awesome. In fact, I would encourage anyone reading this to go to the Vineyard website at http://vineyardnorthphoenix.com and check out these three messages. (While you are at it, listen to some of Brian Anderson's messages as well. He is our senior pastor and his sermons are amazing.)
Anyway, as I said, all three messages were awesome. But this last message touched me in a most profound way. Pastor Gary shared how it doesn't matter how well we pray because before they ever get to God the angels put them in a golden censer (Rev. 8:3), and Jesus has taken them and fixed them up. Or as Pastor Gary said, He deodorizes them so that their fragrance is a sweet aroma (II Cor. 2:15). So by the time God hears them, they are perfect prayers.
When I think of all the times I've prayed (or tried to pray), and worried that my words weren't eloquent enough or meaningful enough, and wondered if God understood what I was asking...but I was worried needlessly! Jesus takes our prayers and delivers them to the Father personally!
I don't have my notes with me so I'm relating most of this from memory. I tried to pull the notes up online but they haven't been posted yet. In all seriousness, Pastor Gary tells it much better than I can!
I am so thankful God hears my perfect prayers!
Lamentations 3:21-23 (KJ)
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness!
Be blessed,
Sue
No comments:
Post a Comment