Dear Partner, Isa 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The three wise men came from the east for the express purpose of bringing Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh as they worshipped Him. These expensive offerings made it possible for Joseph to obey the warning he received from the angel to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt until after Herod's death. Herod had asked the wise men when they had first seen the star and they had told him two years ago [that's why Herod had all the male children who were two years old and younger killed]. The point being, God had started these wise men on their journey to bring the offerings to Jesus TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY WOULD BE NEEDED! I see now that our Father begins making provision for our need long before we even know that we have the need. Before the angel came to warn Joseph of the danger, neither Joseph nor Mary had any idea that they would need to spend an extended period of time in Egypt due to the wrath of Herod. They would not have known to even ask for the money to finance such a journey. This reminds me of what the Lord said to me earlier this year, "I have already provided things for you that you know not even of. At this moment you do not even know to ask so be sure that you set no limits upon Me, says the Lord. Set no boundaries upon the Boundless One! Set no limits upon the Limitless One!" This tells me that it does not necessarily take a long time for the manifestation of what I need after I pray. I may have only discovered today that I have need of something, but I need to have faith that the Father knew that I had that need before I did and has already been making provision for it. He has already been speaking to the hearts of people and arranging circumstances to get the answer to me before I even knew to ask. This is changing my whole "expectation" for manifested prayer. This is the fulfilling of the verse, Psa 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Up to now, I had always thought that there must be an extended period of time between "receiving when you pray" and "you shall have it." [Mark 11:24]. In other words, there would have to be a fairly long period of time when you would be "in lack" between the time you prayed and the time it was manifested to you. Sometimes, but not always. My faith is increased today to believe that My Father "lays up for me" what I need even before I know to ask Him. That way, when I know to ask, His provision is already there. He is the God who answers me before I call! From this day forward let us all worship our Father as the God who answers BEFORE WE CALL and as the God who does EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE ASK OR THINK! Our attitude should be, "Father, you know of my needs long before I even know I need them. You begin answering my prayers before I even know to ask. Now that I know to ask, you already have my answer close at hand. I am never in lack, even between the time of prayer and the manifestation of Your answer!" Hallelujah and Amen! Thank you for your gift to GCM. Sue and I love you and appreciate you. We thank God for your generous and giving heart. God bless you! Your friend and co-laborer, Gary Carpenter
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