Making Prayer Work by Alan Wimbish
Lately, my mind has been directed to Acts 10. While reading over this chapter recently, I was reminded by God of the importance of prayer; praying expectantly. In Acts 10, Cornelius is visited by an angel of God. The angel tells Cornelius that his prayers have been heard before God. I have read over this passage many times, but I began to ask myself, “What was Cornelius praying for?” I believe that Cornelius’ prayer before God was, “Send me somebody to help me.” I know it’s probably a little bit of artistic license to speak for Cornelius since we don’t know what he prayed for exactly, but I think that the answer to his prayer reflects what he prayed for. God spoke to Peter and sent him to Cornelius to share the Gospel with Cornelius and his family. In return, Cornelius’s family came to Christ. Here’s what I take away from this….when you pray expectantly for God to work, He answers that prayer in ways that we could never imagine. Your prayers and my prayers are actually heard before God! When Mr. Overholtzer, the man God used to start CEF in the early half of the twentieth century, prayed, he did so expectantly. Within the first two years of CEF’s founding, there were state and local chapters throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. All of this by one man who believed that God was able to do what He said…bring children to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Mr. O’s prayers were not just for the salvation of children, but was also for leading, influential Christian men and women to help him start the work of CEF in other states and cities. Men and women who would catch a vision for the ministry of evangelizing children with the Gospel. Men and women who would take ownership of the ministry and become evangelist in their own right. Remember, Nehemiah did not build the wall around Jerusalem by himself. God brought leading men to him that would lend credibility, finances, and workers, to the work of building the wall. I am not out here by myself. You are hear with me, helping me to build the wall. I am praying expectantly for God to send me more workers to join the State Board. I am praying expectantly for leading men and women in the local towns and cities of New Mexico to help me form local committees. Local committees are needed to help with the formation of CEF chapters in other areas of New Mexico. Without these people, the work in New Mexico will never grow. PLEASE pray for these people to join the work! The cost are too high to neglect this type of prayer.
