Did He mean what He said? Can I ask anything in His name and He will do it?

““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. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:12-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Prayer is an awesome journey. Today, I am sitting on my deck at the lake with a slight breeze and great temperature and a gentle sunshine. It is wonderful. But it is not normal. Usually there can be insects and wind and heat or cold and maybe rain. But today is one of those perfect days that I will enjoy fully outside. The Spring green is beautiful and will crescendo in a week or two. The pear tree is leafy, and the peach is just budding leaves. The native grass is starting.

Other days are not so fun. For the last five years, I have struggled with osteoarthritis. For two years, I could only walk with a stick and the pain at times was unbearable, taking me to tears. Even last year, I bought new walking sticks to be able to walk in the neighborhood and that for only a mile or two. Yet, two days ago, I jogged, yes jogged, 3.5 miles in a walk/run manner with no pain. Amazing. Not healed fully, but so far from where it was, I am amazed. No surgery, just daily determination and workout after workout and prayer. Pain and gain.

What about miracles? Last year during the pandemic enclosure, I wrote a book, Stumbling Into Miracles, https://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-Into-Miracles-Philip-Larson/dp/B08FP54W2P . Check it out. There are hundreds of personal stories of miracle interventions in health, finances, friendships, ministry, work, and more.. I wish miracles were as predictable as the TV and VLOG and social media preachers make it out to be.

A friend just called and reported that a critical surgery went “text book” and he is recovering well. That is a good thing. Powerful. God’s hand at work. Right as I type this, I stopped and took the call and can praise a great God at work. It would be wonderful if the situation was just up and healed by the hand of the Holy Spirit and I am grateful His healing included a physician and early detection before it became life threatening.

Yet, another slid back into addiction and finds herself in prison for a few years and other struggles to be healthy one day in a row with multiple medications and other struggles with massive anxiety. And all are worthy of Christ and His love and our prayers and friendship and patience in faith.

And then, we see many instant miracles in ministry under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Every one of these is predictable, though you might disagree. I can point to an intervention through the Holy Spirit in the ones receiving answers and a resistance born of doubt and depression in those that don’t. I can track the recovery of my legs along a physical therapy path and nutrition with no miracles discernible at this time and am grateful for the sense to do the right thing, though I wish I had done it earlier.

There are factors to God’s intervention worth your study. You need to understand and operate under the direction of the Holy Spirit whether He leads to a doctor, a physical regimen, a changed nutrition, an obedient abstinence, or a direct miracle. You need to allow the time He allots whether instant or decades. You need to stay faithful and connected and speak well of Him along the journey. You need to forgive yourself and others and live in an attitude of gratitude and mercy for all. You need to study to show yourself approved.

I pray you get involved here at SOLUM. That word is Latin for soil or foundation. It is the foundations of faith that give us constant miracle interventions of the hand of God. He watches over and shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards Him.

We are family
You are loved
I love you because the Great Love, Jesus, loves me.

Pastor Phil Larson