The Importance of Praise and Worship

One of the most important things we experience in our prayer time in Lois Ministries is the time we spend in praise and worship to our great God. It is so very important to begin with this time because it helps to get our focus on God instead of the heavy concerns we have.

The main reason we spend time in worship shows God that we recognize He is so much more important than what is going on around us. Worship also means that we are lifting God up and bringing oneself low. God is all powerful and He is to be lifted up and praised. David realized this and talked a lot about it in the Psalms and was a great example to us on how to praise God.

The more we praise God the stronger our belief comes and the result of that faith is that God is able to do much more than we can ever ask or imagine. We, as Christians, live in the Spirit realm. The Spirit resides in us, controls us, teaches us, etc. The more we praise God, we focus on Him and the heavenly realm and not the hassles of this world. The heavenly or spirit-realm, brings comfort, empowerment and the result of the praise is seen in answers to prayer. It is only after much praise to our God, for who He is and what He does, that we should bring our requests to Him. Praise and worship empowers our requests. Sometimes all He wants us to do is just praise Him.

I experienced this a few years ago. I had just finished reading a devotional about God being able to heal and I was meditating on this thought when I heard God say, "test me in this." He knew I had been bothered by a spot on my leg for several weeks. It had bled, gotten bigger and it would not heal. After trying all kinds of things, I was becoming concerned and wondered if I should set up a Dr. appointment. After I heard this whisper from the Lord I then asked how to do it, since everything else I had tried hadn't worked. He instructed me to put my finger on it and pray. Well, first of all I wanted to help by putting antibiotic cream on it and he said no, just put your finger on the spot and not ask anything, just praise Him!! So I began to thank Him for the healing, for His power, and for his greatness. Everyday my praise became more and more full of faith and I was rejoicing, and thanking Him for being the Creator God, for creating me, and for the healing He would do!! I prayed Scripture that was just worship and praise to God.....often out of the Psalms. After a week or so of this I began to see the spot dry up and He even told me I could begin to put something on it. It completely healed with no scar at all!!! Praise God!!

I was surprised by this healing and also surprised how my faith grew as I just spent time in worship and praise!! This was a very great lesson for me and one I will never forget.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is from II Chronicles 20 where we read of the story of Jehoshaphat, who was able to win the day, because he sent his Praise Team in first before anyone else and the battle was won in a miraculous way. You need to read this!!

Fighting for our Children and Grandchildren

FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

I cannot forget a broken father who shared his concerns for his children this past weekend. So many needs and the kids growing up in a world that wants those children to conform to it's ways, many of which are not God's ways. Several of them are going the way that is not God's ways.

My devotional this morning said it all. This is from a little devotional that is available at our church and there are no authors listed but the devotional is called, "The WORD for you TODAY." I would like to share it with you.

It begins with the verse from I Samuel 4:21 which says that "She named the child "Ichabod" which means "the glory has departed from Israel" Eli, the High Priest had lived to see his two sons killed in battle, the Ark of the Covenant captured by the Philistines and then his grandson is named Ichabod. The devotional continues: "There's a lesson here. Today the devil is trying to take the Ark - God's influence - out of our homes. Through media and peer pressure the forces of darkness are seeking to capture the minds of our children by exposing them to the wrong values. Mom, Dad, what's being written over your house? "The glory has departed", "or "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Jos 24:15) We are in a war, but a lot of us have not been at war!! If we're going to "fight the good fight" for and with our children, we need to get our act together. Children don't mind following someone who's showing by example how it's done, and who's doing it with them. Hannah, Eli's neighbor was such a parent. After years of being childless she made a wow to God: "If you will give me a son, I will give him back to you all his life." (I Sam 1:11) God answered her prayer with Samuel, who became one of Israel's greatest prophets. Later God gave Hannah five more children. That's because He knew He could fulfill Hannah's deepest longing and that it wouldn't make her selfish. He knew she was more interested in His glory and benefit than she was in her own. Parent, can God trust you like that?"

Years ago, I remember Pastor Charles Stanley saying "Most Christians are in a war and they don't even realize it." And I've learned it is so true.....I can remember times I've fought the enemy, and thankfully, I had been taught the spiritual weapons to do that with. We need to pray today like we've never prayed before. Satan, is out to destroy these children and grandchildren. Will we fight for them? Will we "war" in prayer for them?

We are back in FL and glad to be home. The sun is shining, sliders open with breezes blowing and it is warm!!! MN, WI and MI were beautiful but COLD!!! It was wonderful to be with family over the holidays though and we treasure those times.

While I was up there I tried to post but it never came through so thought I would try it again. Here's hoping it comes through this time!!!

GETTING STARTED

I've met with and talked with several women lately who have heard about Lois Ministries and they wondered what it took to start a group. It's very easy....find a leader, invite women over and pray!! :)

The groups that are currently meeting have a leader that has signed a Leader Application Form and then invited women to join them to pray for their children and grandchildren. The LAF is basically a statement that says you agree to the Guidelines and Vision Statement. There are also available "Tools" that will help you get started with your group which include Monthly Devotionals, Prayer Cards, Resource links, and ideas from other groups who currently meet.

The whole idea of meeting TOGETHER to pray is the power that comes from cooperate prayer. I once came upon a saying that has stuck with me through the years that says:

No Prayer-----No Power

Little Prayer-----Little Power

Much Prayer----Much Power

I have seen this in action through the years - that when people come together to pray, there is much greater power and much encouragement as all involved see answers to prayer.

I'm reminded of this when I watch the beginning scene of "It's a Wonderful Life"......where it shows much prayer going up to heaven for George Bailey. The rest of the movie shows how those prayers are answered. That gives me a picture of how our God hears and answers our prayers. Or how about the parable in Luke 11 about the man who has the persistent friend who won't give up and kept bothering him with his request. Well, times that "one" by many women who are bothering God with prayers for their children and grandchildren. You can believe that God will hear and answer those prayers. At the end of that parable is Luke 11:9 which says, "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

The Lois Ministries groups that are now meeting are seeing great things happening over and over as they come together weekly asking, seeking and knocking on behalf of those precious children and grandchildren. Prayers are being answered in ways that we cannot even imagine.

So if you want to get started contact me and I will get the forms to you so you can get started and begin to see God working in the lives of your loved ones......in ways that you cannot even imagine.

January always reminds us of the "new". After all it is called the "New Year" - one that has never existed before. It is new for all of us. A time to say good-bye to the past - to remember the good things, forget the bad, learn from it and begin fresh of "doing things other than the former."

This time last year I was wondering what "new thing" God was going to do in my life. Believe me I could never have imagined what He was about to do! I had been struggling for awhile with what was happening with several major ministries I had been involved in for years. It seemed like doors were closing in both of them. It made me wonder if I was to go into retirement from ministry as I kept hearing phrases like "new blood needed", "need younger women" or "going in a new direction." Did I fit any place anymore? Did everything that God had taught me in the past be of any use to anyone in the future?

In the midst of that time God began to birth something new in me. To make a long story short, Lois Ministries was born. Like childbirth, it had birth pains, as I painfully let go of the past and then watched God help birth a new "child." He guided me all along the way and led people into my life as this ministry took shape....my husband, Dave, daughter, Deb, daughter in law, Sheila, grand-daughter, Quinn, friends and friends of friends. It has been amazing seeing this ministry take on new life. The Lord even used all the things he taught me in the past to use in Lois Ministries....I'm amazed.

LM is a ministry that brings mothers and grandmothers together to pray for their children and grandchildren. The idea and name for LM is based on II Timothy 1:5 where we hear about a grandmother, Lois, that had sincere faith and had a great impact on her grandson.

I have 11 grandchildren who, living in this world today, needs all the prayer support that can get. They are under attack by the enemy who desires to steal, kill and destroy their lives, (John 10:10) and I WILL fight for them in prayer. And now other Moms and Grandma's are beginning to meet together for prayer, to intercede on behalf of their children and grandchildren under the name of Lois Ministries. Many are seeing God answer prayers for these loved ones. Praise God for new beginnings.....and a New Year.

GOD BLESS YOU IN THIS COMING NEW YEAR OF 2010!!

New Year, New Beginnings