National Call to Prayer

Today's Proclamation 09-02-2024

Sep 2, 2024
Michael Blank
Category: Prayer Alerts

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Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, Max Lucado recently gave a teaching on Prayer at Gateway Church in Southlake Texas. Starting at the 41-minute mark in this LINK = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mreRL5iL-Rk

Treat Your Problems with Prayer!

AS IT IS WRITTEN IN John 2:1-10

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His Disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, they have no more wine. Jesus said to her,

[Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? My time [to act and to be revealed] has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants,

Whatever He says to you, do it.

Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing), containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to the servants,

Fill the waterpots with water.

So they filled them up to the brim. Then He said to them,

Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter [of the banquet].

So they took it to him. And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had turned into wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew) he called the bridegroom, and said to him, Everyone else serves his best wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves that which is not so good; but you have kept back the best wine until now.

Highlights of this passage:

Jesus and His Disciples were INVITED to the wedding! Jesus goes wherever He is invited. Jesus knows how to have fun during a seven-day wedding feast.

On the first day, there was a problem – more guests than expected – more consumption than expected. They ran out of wine!

Have you ever run out of energy? Have you ever run out of cash?

Mother Mary took her problem to JESUS immediately! She did not try to fix the crisis herself. She did NOT beg Jesus, she implored Him knowing He would work a Miracle!

This is a PRAYER telling JESUS that the Bride & Groom and their families are about to be embarrassed beyond belief!

Mary had a problem and Mary presented that problem to Christ!

Mary’s Prayer was Specific! No blame & No reasons given & No justification!

Children ask for specific requests – Dad can I have some money? How much?

One sentence – she gave no details of how He might FIX the problem just TRUST He would DO IT! She turns to the servants and proclaims by Faith –

DO whatever He tells you TO DO!

Mary might feel the hesitation of Jesus, but she knows Him better than anyone else! She smiles, turns and walks away in Peace without worry in quiet confidence.

Mary’s Faith was explicit! Total Trust that He would DO the Right Thing!

Prayer is NOT trying to convince GOD TO DO what we want!

Prayer is TRUSTING GO TO DO what is RIGHT!

Prayer is an honest expression as we come to Christ as a member of His Family and LEAVE that request with Him!

Mary’s response – WHATEVER He says DO THAT! If He says nothing, then DO nothing! Even though there was a problem – Christ was still KING of the Wedding! Jesus was in CHARGE and she was NOT! She had DONE her part & left it with Him!

Jesus alters His agenda because of a specific explicit PRAYER and orders the servants to FILL the 6 stone waterpots to the BRIM – completely FULL! Master of Feast knows the quality of wine – John tells us about the quantity of wine. IF you do the math = 903 bottles of Wine or almost 200 gallons of wine.

Fill the waterpots with water.

So, they filled them up to the brim. Then He said to them,

Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter [of the banquet].

So, they took it to him. Everyone else serves his best wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves that which is not so good; but you have kept back the best wine until now.

The Prayer was specific! Mary’s Faith was explicit!

The Miracle was exquisite! H2O to Bordeaux

Simple request resulted in a Divine Response!

There are times in our lives when we have a problem, and we take-it out on OTHERS! We even blame others, and we don’t receive His Grace!

How many disasters would be avoided IF we quickly went first in FAITH to JESUS with a specific request? As the songs Take It to The Lord In Prayer!

Temper tantrums and angry outbursts NEVER make a problem go away!

LINK = Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in EVERYTHING [every circumstance and situation] by PRAYER and petition with THANKSGIVING, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.

And the Peace of God [that Peace which reassures the heart, that Peace] which transcends all understanding, [that Peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

The Chosen Series – The Wedding at Cana