Dear friend, as Psalm 91:15 says, "He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and honor him." Whenever we call upon Him, the Lord answers us. Similarly, as stated in James 5:16, when a righteous man calls, the Lord responds immediately. Elijah the Prophet was a very righteous man. In James 5:17-18, it says, "Elijah was a human being like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three and a half years. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit." For Elijah, God was like a friend. When he needed rain, he prayed to God, and the Lord answered immediately. Call on Him like a friend. Have confidence in God. Dear friend, the Lord will gladly answer your prayers. As in Exodus 33:11, "The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." Moses had a close connection with God and a special closeness with Him. Keep speaking to God all the time.

Recently, when we were traveling, we got on a plane, but my husband's seat number and mine were different. When we looked at the boarding card, we saw this, and so we requested a passenger to move to another seat. He looked very dignified, and I knew he did not want to move from his seat because he was holding onto it firmly. At that moment, I prayed silently, "Lord, please move this man's heart. Let him stand up and move to another seat." Immediately, something happened. He got up and moved to the other side of the plane, and finally, we both sat together. My husband did not know what I prayed, but God knew. What a good God we have, isn't it? Whatever we ask, the Lord gives.

This is a small example to encourage you. It may seem insignificant, but God listens carefully to all our prayers. True prayer is the cry of a soul for the living God. Why should we pray? We pray so that God can be with us all the time. This is the longing of our soul, isn't it? When the answer comes, we truly feel the presence of God. Then we are encouraged and become more righteous and holy, keeping ourselves from all evil. As the Bible says in Deuteronomy 4:7, "How privileged we are to have God so near to us whenever we call upon Him." In Psalm 34:18, it says, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted." The brokenhearted souls are so desperate to have God near them. I have seen people crying to God, asking Him to be with them at prayer festivals. I have even heard them praying, "Lord, I don't have anybody in this world. I need you, Lord." At those times, the Lord fills them with the Holy Spirit, and they are filled with joy. The Lord says to you today: "You will call upon me, and I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble. I will rescue you and honour you." God bless you.

PRAYER: 

Dear Lord, I call upon You today, trusting in Your promise to answer me. I believe that You will be with me in times of trouble, to rescue and honour me as You have said. Just as You heard the prayers of Elijah and Moses, I know that You hear my prayers too. Please give me the confidence to approach You like a friend, knowing that You listen carefully to all that I ask. Lord, I long for Your presence in my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and let Your joy overflow within me. Help me to remain righteous and holy, keeping myself from all evil. Thank You for always being near, especially when my heart is broken. I am grateful for Your faithfulness and the privilege of calling upon You. May my soul continually cry out to You, and may I always feel Your comforting presence. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.