The Action of Prayer

"I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me"

-Philippians 4:13

People pray a lot. Christians pray a lot. We ask for blessings. We ask for strength. We ask for guidance, purpose, direction, confirmation, husbands, jobs, success, love, faith and the list goes on. But what happens when we get off of our knees? What happens when the pages of scripture is closed and the day begins? Are we motivated to act out our faith? Are we living by Philippians, that we can accomplish anything in Jesus? Do we live as if we cannot fail in Christ?

Time and time again, we get encouraged by other people's stories. We see the effects of prayer in the lives of family members and close friends, even strangers. We read their books, visit their blogs, repost their statuses and admire their relationships with God, but for some reason, we find it hard to grasp the concept that the same God who loves them, loves us. The same God who hears them, hears us. The same God who sees them, sees us, and He is waiting on our action to approach Him in confidence and faith.

A relationship with God is not a VIP members only spot. There will never be a Christian who is better than another. God does not have favorites and He is not more impressed with one person over the next. There is nothing we can do to get more of His attention, we already have it all!!! When we are struggling, He sees us and loves us through it. When we are victorious, He celebrates with us, because He delights in seeing our excitement in Him. Our passions, our drive, our hopes and each complexity of our lives is so very concerning to the Lord and He has given us His precious Holy Spirit to ensure that we accomplish all things that He, Himself, has purposed for us to do. This includes our careers, our future marriages, our current marriages and children, our ideas, our dreams and all of our compartmentalized realities that we face, daily. God is in the midst, but He is waiting for us to acknowledge Him, first and for us to put our faith in Him.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to You." - James 4:8

When we begin to move past merely acknowledging God and start actively seeking Him, He begins to make Himself known to us in ways unimaginable. He begins to move within our lives and develop His strength within us to do "all things". There is nothing that is beyond God and so therefore there is nothing that is beyond us. His power and His authority become evident in our lives, once we invite God to become evident in our hearts. What once seemed impossible to do, becomes possible with the Lord. Millions of people have experienced this, both in the past and in the present. The tools they all use is active faith in a powerful God. Their stories begin with prayer and end in action. They are not the result of privileged access and their relationship with God is not exclusive. Power spills in their lives because they believe and they walk in answered prayer because their faith produces action and confidence in the Lord. Whats more amazing is that God wants to move in your life as well. He hasn't met His quota with people in the past. He is still eagerly anticipating hearts who are earnestly seeking Him and want more of His presence in their lives.

This week, I'd like to challenge us to act out our faith in the doing, not just in the praying and believing, alone. Believing has it's place. Faith has its place; but faith without works is dead. James teaches us, "But some will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18). We need to move past the act of wanting faith and move into the action of living out our faith. We have all the confirmation we need, through Jesus, and as we live out His word in our lives, He will direct our paths! It's easier said then done, I understand, but the best way to increase your faith is to increase your prayer life. Here are some scriptures that can help you on your way as you develop a life of prayer and take those first steps in seeking  God and drawing close to Him.

Start by asking God to help you believe (Mark 9:24)
Confess any sins (mistakes, struggles, wrongful motives) that you have encountered (1 John 1:9)
Begin to read scripture for understanding, not for information (Proverbs 3:5)
Invite God's presence into your life by seeking Him and His ways (Jeremiah 29:13)
Practice Thankfulness and a willingness to obey (Colossians 3:17)

As you begin to move toward a real relationship with Christ, your prayer life will begin to increase, automatically. You will begin to experience the joy of living in God's presence and the confidence in knowing the Love of God, first hand. Power will begin to grow within you, as you begin to grow in God and the faith required to accomplish all things, will be fed through scripture and through your own experience and journey with Jesus. This process is not without it's ups and downs, but we can be encouraged by knowing that God is not distant; He is ever near, waiting for us to call on His name and desire more of Him in the every day living.

Enjoy the living! Be like Jesus! Love like Jesus!
~Pearls

Believe. Pray. Persevere.

I am desiring something. It's a gift that only God can give. Like a whisper or a secret, only He knows about this; only He has the power to give me what I need.
It's a frustrating, yet beautiful dilemma  to be in such  a position where your needs can only be met by

the Lord. When the dreams within our hearts seem to begin to unravel, our instincts, degrees and friends cannot console us or provide an answer and we are forced to become desperately dependent on Him. As I've stated before, it's a frustrating, yet beautiful dilemma to be in.

In such a case, I am reminded about Hannah in scripture, who's hopes seemed to continue to unravel all around her. Hannah, as the Bible teaches, had a very special dream and wanted a very special gift... a child! In her culture, to be childless was assumed to be cursed. She so desperately wanted a son or daughter, but the years kept rolling by, with nothing to show for it.  All around her, it seemed as if women were being blessed with children. Her husband didn't understand. Her family despised her. She had a deep desire that could only be fulfilled by God, and even when she was mocked for her faith, she continued to believe. She was scolded, made fun of and ignored by those around her because of her belief that God could answer her prayers and fulfill her dreams, yet she stayed faithful (1 Samuel, chapter 1).

Have you ever been in such a position? Have  you ever believed in a promise before you had confirmation of it? Have you ever had a hope so deep seeded in your heart, that tears spring forth at the thought or mention of it? Then you understand Hannah, and you understand me. We, dear friends, are full of desires and hopes and each one is pricelessly precious to our God!
Sometimes, the space between our hopes and our reality can feel as if it will suffocate us and cause us to shatter from within. We strive, yet see no results. We ask, yet the answer seems to never come. We pray, but feel ineffective. So what do we do? Like Hannah, we cry- we cry out to God, who is always present and always loving. He cares so much about our yearnings, our disappointments, our frustrations and our dreams. He is the visionary who plants each dream seed within each of our hearts, so it's safe to say that God does understand. Our hopes and aspirations are not random or accidental, they are purposed and they are ordained- not to fulfill us, but to reveal who He is in us. In our limitations to realize our dreams, we have a Heavenly Father who exhaled the galaxies into existence. From the breath of this Spirit, He created you and he created me... do we now then limit Him in His abilities to open doors or tear down walls because we are not seeing results in our timing? Where is our faith?

Scripture tells us in Psalms that God is aware of our yearnings and our tears (Ps. 56:8). He recognizes our drive to do and to be and to create. We are made in His image... when we dream, we are operating in His likeness. He is THE Creator... His imagination is what causes the universe to glow! His thoughts are far above ours and His ways cannot be compared (Isaiah 55:8)! So it is safe to say that He understands, but whats more, He truly cares.
We must learn to trust our loving God with our hopes and desires, our dreams and our aspirations; not  throwing in the towel because we have run out of options or ideas- not buckling down when we see others around us becoming successful as we are still struggling to figure out our place. To every moment under the sun, there is a specific and appointed time, yet reward waits for those who choose not to give up (Galations 6:9)!

Hannah prayed through her frustrations, seeking God to deliver this gift that she so desperately wanted. She persevered in her pleading. She did not loose hope; and at the right time, she gave birth to a son who became one of the pillar leaders in all of Israel. Even today, he is still honored. Samuel's legacy began from Hannah's simple dream, hope and prayer.

In each of us, there is a gift, a ministry, a calling, a purpose and a plan that God has strategically placed in our hearts. What's so amazing is that there are more than one! Our God is not one dimensional... He wants to use you in multiple areas, in multiple ways and with multiple people. The dreams you have, they have been placed within you in order that you may have the desire to realize the calling that He has upon your life. Don't toss them away because things aren't working out the way you imagined. Instead, give it to God... just like Hannah! She cried out... she stayed consistent and persistent. When women around her bore children, she poured her heart out to God. When people assumed she was cursed and would never see her dream fulfilled, she trusted in the Lord. God wants us to do the same. He wants us to rely on Him for the realities of our dreams. He wants to be our source in making our goals come into fruition. He wants to use your situation as a platform to declare His Love, His power and His goodness! What an honor!!!

Next time, when you feel ready to throw in the towel, instead, give your frustrations to God. Tell Him  of your plans, your hopes, your disappointment and of your determination. Ask Him to help you. He will!!! Each of us who belong to God, have the power of the Holy Spirit living within our hearts. There is NOTHING that we cannot do, in Jesus name (John 16:24)! Our dreams are a gift that God wants to open up within us. Never doubt His ability to do so.
Believe. Pray. Persevere.

Never give up!
~Pearls

Let Our Faith Be More Than Anthems

In light of recent tragedy that has yet again struck our nation, there has been a lot of debate on prayer vs action. People seem to be overtaken with feelings of anger, unfairness, bitterness and ultimately, unbelief. To some, the tragedy in Charleston was an act of an angry and unconcerned god- too preoccupied with the affairs of other groups of people than to be bothered by the slaughtering in South Carolina. One Facebook quote, which received a multitude of "likes" stated:

"I say how about we stop praying all together and start doing...it's time for change and none of that peaceful [stuff]...We pray, we get beaten. We pray, we get robbed. We pray...we get shot up in our own churches with our heads bowed...action is what is needed, not more prayer".

To read such statements is shocking, to say the least, but what is more absurd is that people, collectively, seem to agree and commend this mindset. I realize, not to belittle anyone's experience, frustrations or sorrows, that people are suffering, but we cannot become so blinded to our own hurts that we fail to realize that others all over the world are suffering too. It is the situational circumstance of sin that ushers in the pain and sorrow that we so heavily feel, and the only victor of sin and death, is God, through Christ alone. If we stop praying, then where is our victory? If we stop seeking the face of God, then we will surely be overtaken.


"The worse thing we could ever do is stop our communication with God"~ Brittany Crenshaw, Pearls of Hope.

Prayer is a tool that God uses to access our hearts. When our hearts change, our outlooks change and when our outlooks change, our action changes. The issues that are among us, whether Black, or White, Middle Eastern or Asian, is not what we can see with our own two eyes, but rather what is working invisibly against us, which can only be combated through prayer. Yet people will insist, "Prayer doesn't work. I've tried praying and nothing ever happens".  My response to this argument is this: When we pray, we must first recognize that God is not a genie to grant our every wish. There are certain criteria, based on scripture, that give us access to this Supreme God, and anything less than what He requires will result in unanswered prayer.
In this article, let's take a look, through God's on Word, on what institutes effective prayer and what we need to do in order to see results from Heaven.

1) First, before we can expect to hear from God, we need to realize that it is a relationship with Christ that turns His ear and gains His attention. We cannot ask of someone who does not know us and then be shocked when their response is not what we seek. That's like me asking your father for $20. He might have it, but he doesn't know me, so why should he give it to me? When we pray, we must humble ourselves and offer our hearts to God, acknowledging our need for Him and receiving His love for us. So the first step in answered prayer is developing an honest relationship with God (John 15:7).

2) Next, we must live a life of obedience, which Christ tells us is synonymous with Love. "Jesus replied,"Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them (John 14:23)". Loving Jesus means more than pretty words on bended knees, or making promises to get out of a jam. It's a true life commitment and service- a courageous act of following His ways, no matter the cost. When we live a life of obedience and love, God's Spirit grows strong within us and the requests of our hearts are heard (Proverbs 28:9; 1 John 3:22).

3) In alignment with living in obedience, we have to be sure that we are confessing all sin and turning away from what is evil. God is light and light cannot entertain the darkness. Yes, we sin every day, but cherished sin- sin that is purposefully practiced and repeated out of enjoyment, excuses or lust, lays up a wall between our prayers and God's answers. Sin cuts us off from The Lord; but obedience opens the door (Psalm 66:18; 1 John 1:7-9).

4) When we have examined our hearts, we can pray with confidence to a God who loves and cares for us. It is not His desire that we suffer alone. Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)". Pain, suffering and issues are automatic with life. It's the effects of sin- which is a sickness of the soul as well as of the human experience. We live in an ungodly and evil world, yet we do not need to fear, because Christ has already won the victory and given it to those who bear His name in obedience! When we pray, we can trust that God hears us if we are living according to His word. And if He hears us, he will answer us; so we can pray with boldness and confidence, not doubting, but believing with great expectation! (1 John 5:14-15).

5) The last criteria for answered prayer is to be sure that when we do pray, we are without grudge or unforgiveness towards anyone. This one is so detrimental, because we often overlook the significance of our forgiveness towards others. If we ask of God to forgive us and pardon our mistakes, how dare we with-hold the same opportunity from someone of whom we are just as guilty as? Remember, we are all sinners and full of fault. It is by God's grace that we can access a freedom through our sin. It is not our right to deny the same gift that we have been given. In so doing, we block ourselves and our prayers from God, who does not tolerate what is evil. So, if your desire is to have answered prayers in you life, forgive without complaint. Don't seek restitution or revenge. Let it go and be free! (Matthew 5: 23-24; Matthew 6: 14).

In this time of trouble and uncertainty, there is only one absolute truth: Our God has given us His love, though Jesus, and has made a way for us to have open communication with Him, through His Holy Spirit, because He is a good Father who loves to hear from His children. Yes, there are terrible things that happen in the world. Yes, there are times when God does seem so far away, but we can believe that He is always near, based upon His word and promises within the scriptures. Though, on the one hand, people seem to be too impatient to ask of God, it is obvious that the hearts of mankind are eagerly looking for a way to reach Him. They want to take matters into their own hands because they are not aware of how to access God and so, in their frustrations, they give up. I urge you, Don't Give Up! Keep praying, keep seeking, keep asking and keep knocking! Seek the Lord with your whole heart and He will show Himself to you.

Prayer is a powerful tool, yet on the other side, faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).

As we pray in confidence, we should seek The Lord to determine what action He would want us to take! He will guide us if we keep our hearts steady on Him! Our faith is more than platitudes and pretty words. It is deeper than an anthem that we sing when times are good. True faith becomes revealed during the hard times and tragedies that are inevitable in this life. Yet it is through these difficult and confusing times where God's Spirit addresses the faithful and produces power through our prayers.

Be encouraged, and Never Stop Praying!

~Pearls

Children of the Day, by Beth Moore

I'm so excited to begin our newest Bible study, this Tuesday evening! It's called, Children of the Day, by teacher Beth Moore of Living Proof Ministries! This study is on 1&2 Thessalonians and the community of Believers in that ancient time who lived their lives in remembrance of Christ and anticipation for His return. Isn't that not a most beautiful way to live?

In our culture, we pray prayers and regard God when it is convenient, or when we want something. Celebrities cultivate sin for fame, yet feel satisfied with a brief mention of "the Man Upstairs", when rewarded for things that dishonor the Lord. Our government is so quick to remove God, yet run to churches and scriptures when we are faced with a national tragedy. Even we ourselves dismiss His leading, only to need Him when our lives begin to spin out of our illusions of control. So many people speak of God, but how many are truly LIVING for Him, on a daily, moment-to-moment basis?

This is the call for this Bible Study, not to merely mention Christ, but to acknowledge Him in every area of our lives, relying on His Spirit to perfect our hearts and navigate through the moments and mission of our lives, for the glory of God!!!

I am so excited to start on this journey with my friends and fellow sisters in the faith. I pray that we continue to learn so that we can become a blessing for those around us. I hope that any new girls that might come will feel welcomed and experience Jesus through us; but most importantly, I pray that God is pleased!

It's going to be an amazing new year for us, and we cannot wait!!!

~Pearls

With Hearts Lifted Up

It's been over a month since the last time we all met together for Bible Study. We believe that, as the holidays approach us, it is important to take time away from each other to enjoy our families, invest in our other friendships, get plugged into our church responsibilities and just rest and enjoy the holiday season. It's a much needed time to refresh and take a break, but I must admit that I have missed our Tuesday meetings and cannot wait to gear back up in January... which is right around the corner!!!

During our break, we have had two opportunities to just hang out with each other and celebrate birthdays. In addition to this, yesterday, we also celebrated our first PRAYER BREAKFAST!!!! It was an amazing idea that evolved from some conversations we all had one evening, via text message. There are just so many needs that our hearts are crying out for: our friends, our unsaved loved ones, our future, our past, our country, each other. We want to grow in Christ, and not go backwards. We want our love to be perfected for the Lord, for each other and for our world. We want to know and experience the presence of God, not just hear about it. We want our lives to be a passionate example of who Jesus is in us and who He can be in the lives of others.

Today, 5 of us came together to pour out our hearts. Some of us cried, some were silent. With hearts lifted up, we confessed hidden sin that we knew would hinder our prayers and our growth in Christ. We prayed for one another, we prayed for our families and we prayed that God would continue to be pleased in our meeting together and in our accountability towards one another. We worshiped the Lord, for His faithfulness, for His love, for His compassion over us. We thanked Him for His goodness and for Salvation in Jesus. We asked Him to make us bright witnesses for His name! It was an amazing time. I know that God's presence entered into that kitchen and the Spirit of the Lord lovingly listened to every cry from our hearts! Scripture says that when we call Him, He will answer us:

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. 

-Jeremiah 33:3

I know this promise of God was answered today. I know that He will answer our prayers to make us more like Him!

Never stop praying. 

~Pearls

Practicing Prayer

For the next 2 months, Pearls of Hope will be learning and practicing the gift and privilege of prayer! Last Tuesday, we entered into this very important topic with hearts wide open and optimistic spirits. It's amazing how many Jesus-believing people are either too afraid or too self conscious to practice consistent prayer, yet this is what scripture teaches us to do.

"Pray without ceasing"

-1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Ask and it will be given"

Matthew 7:7

"Pray for others"

-Hebrews 13:18

Pages and pages throughout the Bible encourage us to ask the Father, to cry out to God, to intercede for others and to approach the throne of grace with confidence. What love the Father has for us, that He allows an open door of communication to be set between Himself and His children. Yet, so many find fear, hesitation or uncomfort when put in the position to pray, especially in public. For this study, it is my hope and prayer that many of the girls find joy in praying out loud and for each other. My prayer is that we all experience a sweet presence of the Holy Spirit throughout this study, as we come together in sincere and open hearted prayer, for the next 6 weeks.

If you find fear or hesitation in your prayer life, please search the scriptures, and ask the Lord to replace your timidity with courage and boldness! Our Father loves to hear our hearts! Our brothers and sisters in Christ need to know that we are lifting them up in prayer! We have not, because we ask not. Let's all join together in asking and seeking a spirit that delights in prayer to our Loving and Gracious King!

Stay encouraged!

~Pearls

In and Out of Season

The curtains of summer are beginning to draw in closure, as the world makes ready for the crisp and lulling of fall beginnings. The malls have already begun to display autumn fashions and even the Sun is making it's exits a little earlier, as of recently. Yes, the world is preparing for those quiet months of gusty winds and whispered nights; of cool afternoons and the sound of crunched leaves, lingering behind each booted step. I savor the summer months, because I dread the cold, yet in my region of the world, it has been a particularly mild summer. Not at all typical of a North Carolina.
Yesterday afternoon, I noticed that the Sunflowers beside the freeway were drooping and half naked, from fallen off petals. Normally, Sunflowers bloom and last until late September. I figure, the humbling sight must be due to a lack of sunlight, as it has been cloudy as of late. I was disappointed to see how my golden beauties, usually standing proud and tall this time of year, were colorless and stooped over, instead. A part of me felt sad somehow, for one reason or another, and I began to think about how we, as Christians, can sometimes allow the unexpected cloudiness and circumstances of our lives to hinder our growth and display of Christ, amidst our surroundings.

Even in an environment where growth is suppose to be taking place, we can find ourselves feeling as if we are withering away. We can pray, yet have a sense of disconnect; we can worship, yet feel powerless between the spaces of each word we sing; we can read our Bibles and recall scripture, yet feel as if our lives are some how exempt from promises expressed in certain passages. Sometimes, in our Christian lives, there are signs of Autumn or even Winter, in what should be our spiritual Summer.

As of lately, I've felt that way in my prayer life. See, in my opinion, I am in my spiritual Summer: my Bible Study group is growing (in number as well as in confidence), my marriage is a dream (if you overlook the inclusion of the NFL, NBA and the World Cup), our new Church is sincerely feeding us the meat of scripture and my extended family is happy and successful. I feel loved, I'm busy, I'm happy... but I'm also unsatisfied. I'm unsatisfied with believing Him for answers, yet feeling as if I'm talking to the pots and pans that I am scrubbing. I feel like my prayer life is hibernating, when it's clearly Summer time!
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever experienced so much blessing in one area, yet at the same time, felt a disconnect in another? If so, it's normal. It's life.

Psalm 9: 10 states,
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you".

To me, this scripture brings "Summer" back to my heart. There are times when our moods and experiences don't reflect our spiritual state. There are times when our circumstances overshadow what we know to be true. There are even times when Sunflowers droop, even in the middle of summer. But it doesn't change the season. Even if all the flowers died and all the leaves on the trees turned brown in July, it would still be Summer. Even if you feel far away from God, or you feel unproductive in your relationship with Him, you are still His child and His promises are still effective in your life! All He asks us to do is simply trust and seek Him! Don't loose heart. If you feel as if your prayers are disappearing, even as you are uttering them, continue to pray, anyway. If you feel as if your worship is in vain, lift your hands higher and your voice louder. If you feel as if your attempts to live a pleasing life is backfiring, don't quit-keep going! The Lord will not forsake you! He has given us His word! We must believe, and eventually, spiritual summer will come to us in that area, and then in the next one and in the next one.

Let's be faithful, in and out of season!
Trust God!

~Pearls