Can you recall a time when something scared you really bad?  And then, when the situation was resolved you felt such relief? Have you ever had a bad dream that found you in a miserable situation, and you felt such comfort knowing it was “just” a dream when you woke up? You felt safe again.  It felt good to be safe. Our Heavenly Father is a strong tower to provide us with relief, comfort and safety. I love Proverbs 18:10 that reminds us there is a strong tower to RUN, RUN, RUN to when we’re in trouble.  It’s our safety zone.

By the way, that strong tower isn’t just for when you’re facing life or death situations… 

– It’s for any time that trials comes into your life no matter how big or small. – It’s for times when you feel fearful, weak or helpless.  You need Someone to give you strength and protection. – It’s for times when you feel discouraged.  You need Someone with strong arms to lift you up. – It’s for times when you’re worried.  You need assurance from Someone with authority — who’s in charge of every situation. – It’s for times when you feel overwhelmed.  You need Someone to lighten your burden. – It’s for times when you’re faced with a problem that you don’t know how to solve.  You need Someone to lend you extra wisdom. – It’s for times when you feel like quitting.  You need Someone’s encouraging Word to keep you going forward. – It’s for times when you’re weary and the lack strength to take another step.  You need Someone to carry you on. – It’s for times when you can’t stop crying.  You need Someone to lean on; Someone who understands. – It’s for times when you feel rejected or betrayed.  You need Someone who’s been there before.  Someone who understands the hurt. – It’s for times when you’ve made a mistake.  You need Someone who’s merciful and forgiving.  Someone who gives you a second chance. – It’s for times when you feel you can’t face tomorrow.  You need Someone who sees the future.  Who directs your steps.  Who makes no mistakes. – It’s for times when you hurt so badly you can’t bear another breath. You need Someone who wraps His Love around you and can heal any hurt. – It’s for times when you feel lonely.  You need Someone to be your Best Friend. – It’s for times when you’re angry.  You need Someone to lend you the power of the Holy Spirit to tame your temper. – It’s for times when you’re poor and needy.  You need the Mighty Provider to supply your needs.

How do we get to this tower?

Through prayer we enter into the presence of the Heavenly Father; we speak directly to Him.  Through His Word our Heavenly Father speaks directly to us.  Through faith we boldly enter the tower and trust that we are safe.

Day 6

Pray with boldness. Expect God to do miracles.  We serve the same powerful God that parted the red sea, crumbled the walls of Jericho, spared Daniel in the lion’s den and conquered many other great miracles. If you’re in need of a miracle, then ASK. Keep Asking!  [Just like the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8) — and the parable of the persistent friend (Luke 11:5-8).] Sometimes we need to take a huge leap of faith in the boldness of our prayer, which means putting God’s name on the line. I love the story that Mark Batterson shared in his book, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Dr. Bob Bagley, a missionary in Africa, had no church building for his people.  They met together under the shade of a single tree near the village.  One day the local witch doctor cursed the tree and it withered away.  The undermined authority left a terrible shadow among the village.  Bob knew their status was in jeopardy among the people of the village. He knew he had to take bold action. Bob called for a public prayer meeting.  He laid hands on the tree and prayed that God would resurrect it. (Didn’t that take some shameless audacity!)  He was certainly taking some risk.  I love his boldness when he added to the end of his prayer:  “It’s not my name that’s at stake.”  He put the responsibility on God. Do you think God is powerful enough to do such a miracle?  Of course He is!  And He did restore the tree.  When God does a job, He doesn’t do a half-hearted job either!  He not only restored the tree to life, but it became the only tree of its kind to yield its fruit twice a year instead of just once.  That a double blessing, for sure! Here’s some quotes from Mark Batterson’s book…

“God won’t answer 100 percent of the prayers we don’t pray.” “When we act in faith, we aren’t risking our reputation; we are risking God’s reputation…” “If we aren’t willing to risk our reputation, we’ll never establish God’s reputation. We’ll also never experience miracles.” “It’s the impossible prayers that honor God because they reveal our faith and allow God to reveal His glory.” “When we pray, we relieve ourselves of responsibility.  We let go and let God.” “The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered simply because they go unasked.”

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