Greetings PRAYER changes things..
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its awesome time of prayer..
Prayer changes things.
In Christ
Frannie
David Wilkerson Today
A Ministry of World Challenge
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2014
SMALL BEGINNINGS
by Gary Wilkerson
Small beginnings eventually affect entire communities. When my father, David
Wilkerson, started a church in Times Square, the main area on 42nd Street was a
darkened mess. Every few feet one could see a drug dealer or a prostitute or a
porn theater. My dad’s approach to any ministry was always to begin in
prayer””and he asked me to lead a Friday night prayer meeting at the church.
Those first meetings drew twenty to thirty people. We faithfully cried out for
God to bring change to the city. Over time, our meetings grew to almost eight
hundred people. As we lifted our voices in travailing prayer, God placed a
burden on our hearts for 42nd Street. So we took our praying efforts to the
street, where we handed out tracts.
Soon we noticed changes taking place. There were fewer drug addicts and
prostitutes around. One by one the porn palaces closed. Finally, a developer
came in and bought up property after property. Today, the principal business
presence in Times Square is the Walt Disney Company, and 42nd Street may now be
the most wholesome block in New York City. I believe this is partly due to a
praying people who believed God to do great things.
The first effect of a godly testimony is the building up of our faith. The
second effect is the building up of others’ faith: "I may seem to be
boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our
authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down” (2 Corinthians 10:8,
NLT). Paul is saying, in essence, "Not only did God work mightily through my
life. His work in me and through me is meant to stir up your faith to greater
works.” Our faith is contagious. It builds up the faith of others to engage
in greater acts of boldness.
Paul’s final boast is a curious one: "If I must boast, I would rather boast
about the things that show how weak I am” (11:30). His point is this: Our good
testimony will never result from our own strength. Our boast will always be,
"Without God, I am not a giant slayer””I am a shepherd. I am not a wall
builder””I am a cup bearer. I am not a deliverer””I am a shepherd wandering
in the Egyptian desert.”
Our testimony will never come from our own strength, zeal or effort. If we lean
on any of these things, our testimony will lose its power. But the more we
acknowledge our inability, the more God’s power will rest on us: "He said
to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV).
The prayer and support of our partners has made it possible for us to reach the poor throughout the world for over forty years. https://www.worldchallenge.org/support?src=devo-email
Read this devotion online: http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/27405?src
