By Michael Hernandez
OXNARD–”Make a commitment: No more little prayers. Pray big bold prayers because our God can do immeasurably more than we can think and ask,” said New Life Pastor Tami Abraham in a special Mother’s Day message. “Receive The Blessing,” she said.
Pastor Tami challenged the livestream audience to “honor all the moms in our lives: grandmas, aunts, foster moms, single moms, grieving moms, those who have a prodigal child, and first-time moms” in a message taken from Ephesians 3:20: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
The Lord gives us:
- The possibility of a better life.
“This virus came into our neighborhoods and turned our lives upside down. (You might be thinking or saying) My life went from bad to worse. My health is not better. My anxiety does not end.
“Paul wrote (Ephesians 3:20) in prison. He was alone. But he knew who he served. God was able and immeasurably able. He can change our perspective when we turn to Jesus. We all turn somewhere: social media, to the refrigerator, to our friends, sometimes to drugs and alcohol, or zone out on Netflix.
“Why not turn to Jesus? Nothing or nobody can do what Jesus does. He makes possible a better life. Eliminate the word impossible from your vocabulary. He goes beyond what we can imagine. He offers us an abundant life.
“He sees more than we can see. He does what is best for us. There are a lot of things in our world that are hard to understand. What we know in this world broken by sin is that we have a God that loves us and never forsakes us. He will walk with us in every storm.
“I am thankful that God did not answer some of my prayers. Who I would be married to? Where I would be living? He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper me and give me a future and a hope.
- The power for a better life.
“His power is working in us. We need to rely on the power of God. He is the answer. He is the solution. If you are a believer in Jesus, the Spirit of God has taken up residence in you.
“Sometimes we have God’s power but don’t utilize it. We get weary and tired. But power is not a tool in God’s tool belt, in God’s hand. It is part of God’s nature. He doesn’t have power. He is power. It never runs out. He is always there to unleash His power in our lives.
“Throughout our lives, we will face battle after battle. Our God has the power to overcome the enemy. We face many trials in our life, our family, our church. Sometimes it gets hard. Am I going to make this one more time? But then I get a verse in my mind, a song in my heart. I see heaven coming down and fighting my enemy. The battle is already won with patience, faith and a lot of prayer. God comes through what the enemy meant for evil. He rises up and works through us.
“My dream was to be a wife and mother. God blessed me as a young married woman.
But after three miscarriages (I was pregnant) and starting see the signs of another miscarriage. My husband was gone, my neighbor was gone, my sister out of town and I will never forget crying out to God and I can’t explain it but the peace of God the presence of the Holy Spirit came and I wanted to cry because I didn’t know what was going to happen but God was with me and I was going to be okay. After a week of bedrest, the miracle came five months later.
“Jeremiah 31:3 says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Let’s stand on the promises of God. We serve the God of the impossible. This is not just for you, but for your children, your grandchildren, and for generations to come. Our God is able. He can do more than we can think of or imagine.”
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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