DAY 4

God Answers Prayers
By Art Montoya

What is something I could “sing forever” about?  The love of my family and my friends.  I've had a very unstable life, probably because of the lifestyle I've lived.  I believe that's why the Lord would not bless me.  But then my brother Luis interceded and stabilized my life.  This was after my mom passed and I was on the verge of going homeless again.  He set me up with a stable, independent though frugal lifestyle.  I am very happy.  I'm grateful for this as well as my mom’s support throughout the hard times.

I feel Jesus’ presence in my life when I pray.  I give the Lord praise and thanks first and foremost before any requests are made.  I always pray and end “in Jesus’ Name.”  I have blind, childlike faith in Him.  He will guide, protect and provide for me.  He is real to me when He answers my prayers.


Once, back when I worked as a carpenter, a bunch of us were working on this office building.  We heard a loud thud and went to see what it was.  An electrician was on the floor writhing in pain.  Unconscious.  He had fallen off his ladder while working on some florescent light fixtures.  The voltage that hit him was 440 watts.  We all circled him and called 911 wondering what to do for him.  I went out into the hall and got down on one knee and prayed.  When I got done praying I went back to see how he was doing.  He was regaining consciousness and the first thing he said was, “Someone prayed for me.”  Well, the paramedics took him to the hospital and he was ok.

I remember when I started feeling delivered from my problems.  I remember praying that if the Lord would only answer one prayer, I would be happy.  I just wanted to go to church.  I had no means of transportation, so I called local churches and asked if they provided rides.  None did.  Then my nephew Justin started going to a church in the area.  He invited me and offered to take me to church with him.  And then Olga started taking me. 

But when I really felt a change was when was when I met Elesia.  She lived in the same apartment complex and invited me to her church.  We started just going to the preaching service, but then she wanted to go to Bible study class also and asked if I would join her.  It was there at Bible study that the Lord came into my life in a powerful way.  I was changed from then on.  Elesia became my girlfriend but then she moved away when she retired.  We are no longer together…but that's a story for another time.

I would like to leave you with my favorite passage from scripture:

“Three things last forever; faith, hope and love.
The greatest of these is love.”  - 1 Corinthians 13:13:

God’s love and blessings to you all my cousins, 

Art

Readings

Thursday December 24

2 SAMUEL 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16

When King David was settled in his palace,

and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,

he said to Nathan the prophet,

“Here I am living in a house of cedar,

while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” 

Nathan answered the king,

“Go, do whatever you have in mind,

for the LORD is with you.” 

But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:

“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:

Should you build me a house to dwell in?

“‘It was I who took you from the pasture

and from the care of the flock

to be commander of my people Israel. 

I have been with you wherever you went,

and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. 

And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. 

I will fix a place for my people Israel;

I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place

without further disturbance.

Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,

since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.

I will give you rest from all your enemies. 

The LORD also reveals to you

that he will establish a house for you. 

And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,

I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,

and I will make his Kingdom firm.

I will be a father to him,

and he shall be a son to me.

Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;

your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

Responsorial Psalm PS 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29

R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;

through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.

For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;

in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant:

Forever will I confirm your posterity

and establish your throne for all generations.”

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,

my God, the rock, my savior.’

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,

and my covenant with him stands firm.”

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Alleluia 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

for he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hand of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”