Praying and Doing ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “Get People to Jesus” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 11/14-15/09,

Message #MB396; Daily Devotional #4 - “Praying and Doing”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): On one October night in 1999, Hurricane Irene was preparing to pummel central Florida, and everyone was doing their normal preparations. My husband was at work late that night securing his facility. As the rains began and he was getting ready to leave, he heard the meowing of a cat. There were many stray cats in the area, but they avoided people. As he looked around, a small, white cat came up to him. The cat kept rubbing against his leg, and he reached down and picked it up. He tried to explain to her that she needed to find another person to rescue her, or leave and find her own shelter. The cat wouldn’t leave his side. It started to rain harder, and the winds began to blow. He picked up the tiny white ball of fur, now rain soaked, and put it in his truck. He sat there for awhile, not wanting to take the cat home, but not wanting to leave it to the elements. You see, he had a wife that was in the business of rescuing animals, much to his chagrin, and the house already contained more cats than he would have liked. He said to the drenched little white ball; “If I take you home to the ‘cat lady,’ you’ll have a forever home, and I will never get rid of you.” By the time the cat got to the house she had a name, “Baseball,” later changed to “Bebe”. She is still here; she got her forever home. And God says to us who come to him, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love and kindness; trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no never].” (Psalm 91:14, AMP)

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): The little cat was directed that night by something beyond herself. God does that with us. He directs us to Jesus, and He uses people who know and live His Word. He wants us to find our forever home with Him; a home where everyone is forgiven because of His amazing love and sacrifice on the cross. Like the little cat, we find that life has many storms. Where are you looking for shelter when the storms come? Have you found your shelter in the cleft of the rock? “For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5) It has been my prayer that animals be rescued from the neglect and afflicted cruelty of people. And I desire for all people to be rescued from the certain eternal death that awaits them if they refuse to believe and receive Jesus. To pray for this is good, but to do something about it, along with prayer, is what makes it happen.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Each one of us is called to do something unique in God’s Kingdom. But each one of us must know the Word of God, walk out the Word of God, and remember that praying is tied to doing the will of God. If I just pray for God to give all the animals a safe and loving home, but refuse to do any rescuing myself, how effective will my prayer be? We must be doers of God’s Word, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22) I care for animals, which are secondary to people. In doing so, I have learned much about loving, giving, and persevering in my commitment to them. And how much greater a joy to point people to Jesus, where they find forgiveness for all their sins, shelter in the storms of life, comfort in the greatest trials, and hope for their future. It is going to require much prayer and a great deal of ‘doing.’ Let us pray and do, according to how the Lord leads.

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Romans 10:1; Romans 10:14-15; Psalm 139