We live in turbulent times and need to rely on the Lord for His guidance. Karen and I are thankful for friends who pray for us and encourage us. On a recent trip to Plattsburgh, NY we found a book entitled “When You Need to Move a Mountain.” The author, Linda Evans Shepherd, shares insights from God’s Word and believers about intercessory prayer. She writes: “You know your prayers can make a difference, and you want to figure out just how to use prayer to push away the mountains that stand in your way or in the way of a loved one’s health, mental wellness, provision, salvation, or breakthrough. You want to discover how to lock the enemy out of your life as well as the lives of your loved ones.

You also want to discover your prayer giftings and explore how you are most anointed to pray. But even if you know your prayer warrior gifts, always remember this rule: though you can’t control God through prayer, you can partner with him in prayer. Author Sheri Schofield explained, ‘Intercessory prayer is handing people and situations over to God for help and walking alongside those people in God’s presence.’

That’s it exactly. Intercession is pushing the enemy out and inviting God’s presence in. It’s trusting that God will change troubles into blessings.”

Linda Evans Shepherd then examines one of my favourite stories when I was a boy in Sunday School: the account of a paralytic being taken by four friends to Jesus. She writes: “Of course, everyone in Galilee had heard of Jesus; he was the young rabbi who’d fed thousands with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread. These friends may have even known people whom Jesus had healed. Maybe that’s why they were so certain that if they brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus, their friend could be healed too.

When they heard Jesus was teaching in a home in the town of Capernaum, they carried their friend to see him. How disappointed they were when they found the house already filled to the rafters with people … These four friends climbed onto the roof of the house and dug a hole through the sun-hardened mud mix of twigs and branches. Can you imagine what it must have been like for the fifty or so people crammed inside? Suddenly, they were pelted with mud clods, and as they watched, a hole opened in the ceiling and sunlight streamed onto Jesus.” You can read what happened next in Mark 2:5-12.

Linda Evans Shepherd continues: “What does this mean for us? It means we need to realize who Jesus is and what he can do. For starters, Jesus is God’s Son, our intercessor before the throne, as Romans 8:34 explains: ‘Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us’ (NLT).

Jesus prays for us because he loves us and wants us to have life and to have it abundantly. He wants to see us healed and whole … How wonderful it is that we can use prayer to place our concerns and our loved ones at the feet of our Master.

You know what the friends of the paralytic knew. Only one touch or one word from Jesus is needed to change lives, hearts, and situations.”

If you have never asked God’s forgiveness for your sins, you can do so right now. He is waiting for you to confess your sins and trust Him. If you are a child of God, thank Him for His love and mercy and ask Him to lead you to share His truths with others.

Scripture for the weekend: “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NASB)

Thought for the weekend: “Patience and diligence, like faith, remove mountains.” – William Penn

Steve