BY REV. DORAL PULLEY, Today’s Church Tampa Bay
“Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).”
Have you ever been bothered by a speck of dust in your eye or by a splinter in your finger that, relative to your body size, was as small as an ant is to a dog? If you have, then you know the paradox that what affects one affects all, regardless of the size or magnitude of the effect.
Even though the splinter is only 1/16 of an inch in length, when embedded in the skin and impinging on the nerve, you can barely think of anything else except the pain that you feel. Likewise, the speck of dust that is a persistent nuisance to the eyeball commands your full attention. If one part of the body is affected by something (no matter the size) because that part is a sub-component of the system as a whole, the entire system will be adversely affected.
Prayer does not change things. Prayer changes people, and people change things because people are a part of systems. Your family is a system, and, when you change through prayer, your family system changes. Your friendships are systems, and when you change through prayer, your friendship system changes. Your business or job is a system, and when you change through prayer, your career system changes. Your school is a system, and when you change through prayer, the educational system changes. Your neighborhood is a system, and when you change through prayer, the community system changes. Your local assembly is a system, and when you change through prayer, the religious system changes. The government is a system, and when you change through prayer, the political system changes.
Using the Prayer Tool of Witnessing and Sharing Your Testimony with Others as symbolized by the Measuring Tape, document and share with at least one other person an experience where you have changed as a result of prayer and brought into fruition a systemic change as well.
Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Today’s Church Tampa Bay, 940 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg (Staybridge Suites) and 5107 North Central Ave., Tampa.
