After preaching today’s Sunday sermon, our pastor invited people to come to the front and pray for God to give them a burden for lost people in our city. This is something I’ve been seeking for some years now. Ordinarily, I would have gone to the front. But somehow, I didn’t today. Instead, I chose to pray right where I was sitting. As I was praying, I believe God said this to me:
“It’s hard to have faith if you don’t see things as they truly are.”
There was a deep joy in my heart when I had that impression. I started praying and asking God, “Lord, teach me to see things as they truly are.” I had a great time praying after I received that word.
I think this word applies to many areas of life. True faith is built on knowledge of the truth, it’s not built on sand; it’s not built in the air. When we know the truth of any situation, that opens the doorway for true faith.
When it comes to souls, the truth is that God is able to save and wants to save. The truth is that prayer is how God has chosen to save people. The truth is that prayers cause things to happen that would not otherwise happen if we didn’t pray. The truth is also that sinners can’t come to God without God drawing them in response to someone’s prayers. The great man of faith, George Muller, prayed for 52 years for 5 individuals to come to faith. They all did, the last two soon after he died. He believed that if he prayed for souls, God would save them because it was his will to save souls.
When it comes to orphan care, it’s also hard to have faith if you don’t see things as they truly are. We all need to pray for God to open our eyes to see the issue of orphans and their care as it truly is. It’s possible to see the situation of orphans and the needs of orphans in a way that doesn’t match reality as God sees it.
Father, help me and my brothers and sisters to see things as they truly are. Help us to see things through the eyes of your glory, not our selves and our passions and desires. Work in us and through us to do your will.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
