Soooo, what?!

Listen to this podcast here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2132d263/sooooo-what-au...

"So what?" I tossed over my shoulder at Kimmy Fletcher from my sassiest self. Wasn't asking a question, just responding to something that made me jealous or envious of my six-year-old chum.  No, I was not really asking 'So What?' like 'what's next?' or 'what does that mean?" But. Now. I. Am.

So Jesus rose from the dead, what difference does it make?

If you did not read the last Morning Briefing, you missed out! Please read or listen to "Humanity's Greatest Hope", https://conta.cc/45ub5yU.

Our resurrected Savior is alive, giving us the faith-filled confidence to be bold. Such as on this particular day--

One Sunday morning at church a lady approached me, 'Do you know if there are earplugs anywhere?' [See, our worship band was a little loud, so earplugs were always available.] 'Yes,' I started to point to them but instead offered, 'come on, I will take you to find them.'

She turned and said, 'my son has a brain tumor and the drums are hard for him.' 

I swallowed hard, 'Oh, I see.' 

'Now that's not the crippled son you helped into church--the other one...?'  

I turned to look into her eyes which quickly filled with tears. Instinctively, I reached out and hugged her tight, 'Could I pray with you after the service? Listen--God still does miracles; I know because he did one for my son. God really answers prayer!' I said rather urgently.

'Oh yes, please!' she responded.

We parted company - she to a seat with her family, me to mine.

As the service neared its end, I made my way to that mama. I stood several feet away, so she could see me, but without pressing. She could have decided against prayer-that I was weird and she wasn't down for it. Not so.  

I smiled. She smiled, so I stepped forward and introduced myself to her family, which turned out to be nine in number with grandparents and an uncle.  As everyone else was filing out of the packed sanctuary, I explained from personal experience why I know God hears and answers prayers. Then I turned to the young man with the very short hair.  

'If it's okay with you, could we pray that God would totally heal you?' I gently queried. He nodded and said his own quiet 'yes.' As I have on many other occasions, I described how my two-year-old had needed God's miraculous touch when the doctors' best guesses about his kidneys had failed. 'See, I don't know what you believe, but I grew up in a church where folks did not talk much about miracles. In fact, in all my growing-up years, I never remember anyone praying God would do a miracle, such as heal someone miraculously. That was, until we were in need of a miracle, and then God sent a stranger to tell me she was going to ask God to do a miracle for Danny. I shall never forget that encounter when she prayed a bold prayer.' A true and treasured story from October, 2000.

Sixteen-year-old Billy agreed we ought pray. And then I asked his family to gather round and we all held hands----see, I believe in the solidarity and unity of praying together.

So, what?! What difference does the resurrection of Jesus Christ make to us today? Check out this truth from the apostle Paul in Romans 8.11~

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and me. Therefore, we pray boldly with that knowledge, Christian.

Here is the prayer I uttered that you can personalize and pray too:

"Dear Father,

Your Word says that the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me. You said we are to bring the sick for the prayer of healing1 and that the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results2- so we pray together right now! And Jesus, just before you went to the cross, you told your disciples 'from now on, ask for things in my name'.3 So we lift this prayer in your name.

Therefore, in obedience to you, we pray for Caryn, Pam, Bill, Dylan, Steve, Tom, Martha, Noah and Tommy ______. We lift them up to you, and we pray in your powerful name, Jesus, that you will touch and heal ______; use the doctors, medicine, technology if you wish. We know that you did not cause illness, but you can heal it, and that is what we are asking today.  

We pray this in the authority of the scriptures and in the authority that is in the name of Jesus,3

Amen."

So, what, Friends?! That's what.  

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, so be bold in your prayers for God to come and do what only he can do. Amen.

Listen please: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NcEkEeghYQ

Christine

PastorWoman.net 

1 - James 5.14-15

2 - James 5.16

3 - John 16.24