TEAM WORK!


I am reminded constantly that the work of God is a team effort! Last night, I had the privilege to sit down with my brother-in-law who pastors a growing church in south Georgia, and a missionary friend in South Africa, and have some fellowship together. It never ceases to amaze me just how big and vast God's work really is! We were chatting last night about each of our respective places and the unique challenges that each of us face in ministry. The greatest thing about God's work is the fact that even though I cannot be in south Georgia or South Africa, I can certainly partner together with these godly men in prayer, support, fellowship, and friendship! I will not be in my pulpit tomorrow morning in London, but I thank God that there are godly men in London that are partnering together with us to fill the pulpit and handle church matters whilst I am away! God's work is the greatest work in all of the world! Someone once defined the word TEAM by using this acronymn: Together Everyone Accomplishes More!  Let us work together and pray together and see God do much more than we could ever imagine in the days ahead!  

Yesterday, my family and I got on an airplane at London Heathrow for a brief visit back to the United States. When we got onto the plane, I noticed that it was quite an overcast day, cold, a bit of rain coming down, nothing unusual for us Londoners! After thirty minutes on the runway waiting our turn to take off, we finally got into the air for our nine hour flight to Atlanta. When we took off, the clouds were gloomy, it was dark, the sun was nowhere to be seen. When we finally reached the altitude point that was higher than the clouds, the scene completely changed. My son Titus was sitting next to me, when he said something that God touched my heart about yesterday. "Look Daddy, the sun is shining above the clouds!" 
Being a pastor, I immediately began to think about how often the skies are grey and clouded in our lives, we do not see joy, victory, or any resemblance of hope; but it is such a blessing to know that above the clouds in my life, the sun is already shining! God already has the answer for every problem that I have, I have to get above the clouds to see it! By God's grace, lets live above the clouds today!
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

Jeremiah 33:3 is a verse that many of us have quoted to verify that God always answers prayer. I love this verse as much as the next person does, but notice what the verse says: "Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." Clearly God does answer prayer. Sometimes we only believe that God answers our prayer in a positive way, God answers our prayer only according to His will! Here are four possible answers that God may give to us in prayer, remember though, He always answers!


1. NO!
God sometimes absolutely says no when we pray. In our post-modern world, we never believe that God would actually say no to someone. But God is a loving Father that knows that which is best for us, He loves us too much to allow us to always have what we pray for!


2. SLOW! 
Many times God will give us what we pray for but not when we pray for it. It is God's will sometimes to make us wait until His timing is right!


3. GROW! 
God also tells us sometimes to grow. We cannot handle the blessings that God will give us until we grow. There have been times when I have prayed but I was not ready to handle God's blessings yet. Sometimes we have to grow in order to be able to handle the answer to prayer.


4. GO!
We love this when we pray and God gives us the go ahead! When we pray according to His will, the timing is right, and I am able to accept and handle the blessings of God, He says Go!


So no matter what you pray, God will always answer your prayer, just remember that as a loving Heavenly Father, He knows what is best for you and He will receive glory alone for whatever the outcome may be!