tidslorePatience and Prayer

Patience and Prayer: Pastor Micky

This Sunday, last day of 2006, we had our own Pastor Micky fittingly giving us the closing message from James 5, Patience and Prayer.

Firstly speaking on the subject of patience, Pastor Micky referred us to three important examples in James.

(A)  The Farmer –

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. The farmer waits long and patiently for his crop, and so too sometimes, we need to wait long and patiently for God to work in our lives and those we love.

(B)   The Prophets –

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. The prophets were ridiculed, despised, rejected, abused, but they remained faithful through their suffering and they were vindicated by God in the end when their words proved true! Sometimes, we face trials and sufferings in life, but we need to be patient like the Prophets. 

(C)   Job –

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The most incredible example of seemingly unreasonable suffering was that suffered by Job. Yet, he persevered through it all, and received great blessing from God.

It was quite incredible how several testimonies given by CDC members themselves proved powerful examples on the very same day. Sister Soo Li shared how God’s love especially shown by her parents helps her battle against lupus. Sister Siew Yong shared how by God’s strength, she continues to fight bravely against cancer and even continues working in her school despite medical doctors having given up on her. Brother Keng Kiang shared how he learned to be patient before God and listen as he sought employment opportunity at an advanced age in a difficult environment. The verse that spoke most to him at this time was from Proverbs: Trust in the Lord with all Your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  

Pastor Micky then proceeded to speak on the power of prayer, giving us three main important points:-

(A)  Prayer covers all circumstances

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

We should pray at all times. In times of trouble, pour your heart to God. In times of   happiness, praise God! In times of sickness, ask for prayer and healing! When troubled by sin, confess and ask for prayer! Prayer encompasses every part of our lives and is the lifeblood of our spiritual lives. Like a car cannot move without petrol, so too, a Christian can not move spiritually without prayer! Prayer is relating to God in all circumstances of life!

(B)  Prayer is for people just like us.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Elijah was a man just like us. God is interested in each one of us. Sometimes we may think God only has time for the spiritual giants of the world, but Jesus showed us the true heart of God. He loved little children, cared for the poor and sick, and touched those nobody else wanted to touch. Prayer is definitely for all of us, both you and me.

(C)  Prayer is powerful

 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

“For resources, to move men, through God, by prayer alone. Hudson Taylor.

The righteous man is in right relationship with God, and his prayer is powerful and effective. If we have an ongoing relationship with God, our prayers will indeed be powerful. That is why it is so important for us to spend time with God and get to know Him.

Amazingly, several other testimonies by CDC members also supported the message perfectly in regard to the power of prayer. Sister Karen Phoo shared how prayers by caring CDC brothers and sisters helped her husband recover very quickly from his operation. Brother Derek shared how only prayer to God was able to cure him from his physical pain. Sister Kun Han also shared with us very important lesson that she learned about praying for the sick. No longer does she just pray: Lord, please heal this person or that person. Instead, she prays: Lord, what is Your purpose? If we can learn to pray like that, it could certainly change our lives!

May the Lord indeed give us the strength and perseverance to seek time to spend with Him in prayer that we may live life according to His will and not ours.

God bless,

Jason