What beautiful spring weather we have been having, along with some rather unusual weather recently, which did not affect Thomas County as it did other communities. Once again the Lord protected us from what was very devastating in other locations. For the last number of years, there have been significant and notable weather interventions for our county. I don’t remember the exact year but a number of us were meeting for a morning prayer session sponsored by Community Transformation. Our Fire Chief, David Jones, alerted us about the severe weather that was headed our way. We prayed and agreed together for the Lord to divert the storm and protect our county. It was amazing to see (on the weather radar) the storm split on one side of the county, going north and south of us, then coming back together on the other side! People watching their weather radar saw it happen in real-time. And this is not the only time that there has been that kind of evidence of the Lord intervening on our behalf. 

Community Transformation (CTI) is made up of several senior pastors, ministry leaders, and business owners who pray together. We have quarterly extended prayer times as well as weekly morning gatherings. I believe these men and women are part of the leadership who make up the “elders at the city gates” spoken about in the Old Testament. Part of these Old Testament leaders’ responsibility was to watch over who was coming into the city. They were considered watchmen and were designated to alert those leaders inside the city of imminent danger or suspicious activity. CTI prays not only for protection from inclement weather but for many different aspects of our community including our schools, our hospital and other medical facilities, our first responders, our business community, our governmental leaders as well as focused unity within the churches located within Thomas County. We pray for individuals brought to our attention who may be suffering physically, families who have suffered loss of some kind as well as other needs that are brought to our attention from time to time. We have been meeting together for many years. Some have come and been a part of us for a season and a few of us have been able to continue to meet for most of the years of our existence.

I am convinced that the power of our agreement, which has surpassed denominational lines, racial lines, and political lines is nothing short of a miracle and why the Lord has honored our petitions for safety from storms. But I am also convinced we could see even more happen if others would join us. I am pretty sure many prayer groups are meeting all over our city and county. Most churches have some type of prayer meeting or ways of communicating with the congregation or prayer team as to the needs that are currently being prayed for/about. Perhaps some of those groups focus on other things besides the needs within their congregation. I know our church has two weekly times of prayer that are focused both within our congregation as well as on other needs or things we feel the Lord has laid upon our hearts that week.

One of the visions a few of us have had is to develop a network of prayer groups within our county that could pray over critical issues that our county may be experiencing. This would not be a place to post congregational needs (which would be overwhelming in scope). Rather a place to make these prayer groups aware of a city-wide need, a countywide need, or even a state-level need. A good friend attempted to create a tool to accomplish this, but the response at that time was not enough to pursue such an endeavor. Is it time now? Do we have enough awareness in our community to work towards a vehicle that could increase our ability to agree together on some critical areas? 

If you look at the amazing effectiveness of the early church as seen in the book of Acts, you would see numerous examples of what happened when the church came into agreement! One of my favorite examples is found in Acts 4:31. “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” The message of Jesus was able to be proclaimed with fresh boldness by the young believers who were present in that prayer time! The word for “shaken” commonly denotes “violent agitation” as the raging of the sea, the convulsion of an earthquake, or trees shaken by the wind. (Google) In other words, the event was noteworthy and worth recording in the holy scriptures! I have been in some amazing prayer meetings over the years, but I cannot say that I could describe any of them in that way!

Here is another wonderful testimony from Acts 12 when the church prayed for Peter to be released from prison. King Herod (King of the Jewish people at that time) persecuted the Christians and ordered the arrest of the apostle Peter. The church (a portion of it) gathered in a house to pray (that was happening daily all over the city of Jerusalem before the church was scattered because of widespread persecution). While they were praying, an angel visited Peter’s prison cell and miraculously released him. (read the whole account – it is pretty amazing). The same Holy Spirit resides within every believer today to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God. The Lord’s prayer which He taught to His disciples was “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done – on earth – as it is in heaven. We are supposed to be bringing the culture of heaven to earth in the present day. Pastor Jack Hayford said,  “Prayer is essentially a partnership of the redeemed child of God, working hand in hand with God, toward the realization of His redemptive purposes on the earth.”  

I like this thought from Dutch Sheets. John 14:10 “‘The Father in Me (Jesus), He doeth the works.’ Jesus was the one doing the actions on earth. He was the conduit the Father used. He provides authority, power, and directions, we are His hands, feet, and voice.” 

May I encourage each one of my readers to ask the Lord what part you are to play in His overall plan, particularly in the area of prayer? Are you involved in praying with others? Do you want to be? He is certainly looking for workers. He said, “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers – for the harvest is white (ready) and the workers are few.” Bless the Father by responding to His desire for more workers!