A Fierce Love

"The reason satan desperately hates when God's people pray is because he can not move beyond the present or predict how God is going to pocket our prayers and use them in His sovereign timing. Because the object of our prayers belongs outside of time, it means our prayers extend beyond the present and reach into the future. And if faith fuels our prayers, it means that faith no only works in the present and changes the atmosphere, but also it tills the soil for growth in the future. And best yet, scripture tells us without faith, it is impossible it please God. So by trust and obedience, we are bringing the most amount of joy to our Father God." -A good friend

I'm sure that we all know someone, or know someone that knows someone, that is running away from God. I don't just mean a slight jog, I mean an all out 5K marathon at full speed. I do, someone that I love so dearly. Someone who, even writing this blog, breaks my heart.

If you have known someone that is on the run from God, you know that it is hard to not give up. Not only not giving up fighting for them, but also to not give up praying for God to intercede where we can't. And there will be places where we can't intercede for them. Places where we need to step back at watch God work, because that's what He does. As Christine Caine would say, "Impossible is where God starts."

I have been reading through a book titled "The Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson. In this book it tells the story of Honi, a man who drew a circle in the dust, prayed to God that He would send rain during a drought and refused to leave the circle until God did so. God answered that prayer with a little rain, but Honi was not satisfied with just a little, why? Because He knew God was the God of the impossible. It tells us in the book that God made it pour! I am blown away by this story, because Honi didn't come to our God with some small prayer and timid faith. No! He believed that God was exactly what He said He was, so he came to the Lord with boldness.

If we, too, believe that God is the God of the impossible our prayer life will change forever. We will be pouring out our prayers on to our loved ones, even if we don't see how God can change them. Spoiler alert: God knows how their story ends, we don't, and nothing is too big for our God. He is not confined by time, nor by logic.

This brings me to a little story about my family (I promise it's a good one). My grandparents where married before they were saved, but a few years into the marriage my grandma accepted Christ. However, my grandpa didn't for thirteen years. Yet for those thirteen years my grandma prayed for my grandpa in boldness that the Lord would answer her prayer. Here's the catch, my grandpa was an alcoholic who wanted nothing to do with God whatsoever. After my grandma's faithfulness, in year thirteen, my grandpa came home one day and decided that he didn't want to walk his own walk anymore. That night my grandpa was saved. Now, if you were to meet my grandpa you would see my hero. The man who reflects God's image and glory. The man who makes our family laugh harder than anyone I know. And now, my grandpa has one of the most amazing testimonies, and is able to speak to the lost in a way others can't. The best part? It reflected God's glory, because everything is done for His glory.

Let me end this blog with this reminder: As long as their is breath in their lungs there is hope. Don't give up on them because they need you even if they might not see it yet. Be Jesus in their life, because if they're running from Him, you might be the only Jesus they see.


By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKeeH4yB0wI


2 Peter 3:8-13
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."