Memorial Prayer

And said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.’ Acts 10:31

Acts 10 is a very significant chapter because it is in this chapter that the Gentile Church was born. With the preaching of the gospel to Cornelius’ household, world evangelism and world missions were launched. While there had been many Gentiles who were kind to the gospel, Cornelius did something that drew God’s attention directly to him. There is no doubt he was a man who loved God. And in his love for God, he caught hold of the principle that Jehovah is a giver, not a taker.

As he prayed and prayed, and gave more and more, all of a sudden the Lord gathered up all his prayers and giving, blended them together, and turned them into a powerful memorial prayer that activated His hand into quick action. A memorial is a reminder-a tool to preserve remembrance. While God never forgets, He asks to be reminded. Isaiah 43:26 says, "Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted." When you mix your prayer with giving, you "promote" that prayer into a special memorial that will move God to act on your behalf.

When barren Hannah mixed her intercession with a vow to give, the Lord immediately remembered her and she conceived that same night (1 Sam. 1:19). When Jephthah mixed his prayer with a vow to give, immediately God moved mightily and delivered Israel from the Ammonites (Judg. 11:32). When the widow of Zarephath decided to mix her prayer with giving, she "promoted" her prayer into a special memorial before God. Almost instantly, God took her out of abject poverty into His financial abundance (1 Kin. 17:9-16). What kind of giving memorializes a prayer? In Mark 14:8, a woman "did what she could" in her sacrifi cial giving to Jesus. She offered her best and most precious to the Lord. Jesus took notice of her and her deeds were memorialized for all time (14:9). What was the key? She gave her best to God!

Be a prayer warrior. But know that it is the prayer of faith that moves mountains. So start mixing your intercession with your faithful tithing and generous giving. Your giving will turn your faith loose and intensify the supplications you are bringing before the Lord.