Promises Made Promises Kept

Promises Made Promises Kept

Illus. The Weight of a Prayer by Dr Wheeler Jones

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said, "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the Grocer the he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.

The Grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?

Louise replied, "Yes, sir." "Okay," he said, "put your grocery list in the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise hesitated for a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the Grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The Grocer staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can’t believe it."

The customer smiled and the Grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The Grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer which said, "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."

The Grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store.

The customer handed a fifty dollar bill to John as he said, "It was worth every penny of it." It was sometime later that John Longhouse discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.

How many believe God can answer every prayer request, no matter what?

Matt. 21:21,22 MSG

21-22. But Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Yes —and if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.”

How many here truly believe God can answer your prayers, no matter what?

If there is a hesitation in your spirit, when you hear that question asked, there shouldn’t be?

I mean, do some of us really think that our problems and situations are harder for God to answer and work out, than the problems, needs, wants and desires of our friends and neighbors!

Should we not expect, as great or greater miracles to be done in our lives, than the fantastic miracles we read about in the Bible?

If we believe the promise of the scripture and we can take Jesus at His Word, we should!

Well, I don’t know that’s setting the bar awl fully high, Jesus did some pretty amazing things?

And I would say to that…....you are more than correct with that summation, His actions were and are amazing, His words were and are also quite amazing, everything about Jesus is Amazing!

John 1:1-3 NKJ

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. He was in the beginning with God.

3. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

I share this next scripture with you, because I want you to realize, truly what we have been given, through and by our relationship with God, that we have with Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

John 14:12 NKJ

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.