Inspiration on prayer | intercessor.dk | Agner Ebild

Intercession outline by Derek Prince 1975

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:30:24 +0100

I. Introduction

A. 1 Tim. 2:1—In our assembling as Christians, prayer is primary. One main form of prayer is intercession.

B. To “intercede” means to come in between.

C. The intercessor is one who stands between God and those who justly deserve God’s wrath and judgment.

II. The Pattern Of Jesus

A. Is. 53:12—At the cross Jesus did 4 things:

1. He poured out His soul (in His blood)

2. He was numbered with transgressors (thieves)

3. He bore our sins

4. He made intercession for His crucifiers—“Father, forgive them. . . .” The judgment due them came upon Him.

B. Heb. 7:25—Time scale of Christ’s life:

1. 1–30: years of perfect family life

2. 3 1/2 years of dramatic public ministry

3. 2,000 years of intercession

III. The Ultimate Failure

Is. 59:12–16—The climax of this list of the failures of God’s people is that “there is no intercessor.” They had failed in their greatest responsibility toward God and man.

IV. Patterns Of Intercession

A. Gen. 18:17, 20–33—Abraham stood before the Lord, pleading for Sodom on the basis that God will never bring upon the righteous the judgment due the wicked. The Lord accepted this principle (compare Amos 3:3).

What Hinders Revival by Bille Johnson

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:42:31 +0100

What Hinders Revival?

Jan 8 2022. Written By Bill Johnson

I’ve heard people say, more times than I care to remember, “God knows we want revival. If it’s His will, He’ll cause it to happen. He knows where we live.”

I’m sure the intentions are good. But that kind of praying violates so much of His heart and nature that it’s scary. We have the responsibility to pursue Him. He’s not the cosmic bell-hop looking for a way to please us. He is a loving Father, for sure, but He remains the sovereign Lord over all, who longs for partnership with those who have received His Son Jesus. Scripture calls it co-laboring.

He has given us His promises and a covenantal agreement to meet us when we seek Him. While He knows what we need before we ask, He requires us to ask, even for our daily bread. It’s not that He doesn’t know or remember. It’s that He longs for us to pursue Him, mindful of His covenant and promises. Aligning with His Word is essential in learning to apprehend all that He has made available in this life. Most of what we need in this life will be brought to us. But most of what we want we’ll have to go get. The pursuit is needed for our sakes. It is in the pursuit that we demonstrate great faith in His Word and covenant. Plus, the pursuit changes us into the kind of disciple that will better steward the answer once it comes.

20 Prayers to Pray Throughout a Busy Day. - Kelly O'Dell Stanley

Fri, 01 May 2020 09:33:19 +0200

20 Prayers to Pray Throughout a Busy Day.

By Kelly O'Dell Stanley

Prayer is our primary means of communication with God, and it is only through God that we have the strength, abilities and wisdom we need to face a busy day. But when we’re so busy, when is there time to pray? My answer may surprise you: Always. We don’t have to stop everything in order to pray. Instead, let these short, simple prayers run through your mind as you go about your everyday tasks — your conversation with God will become a soundtrack underscoring your ordinary days, transforming them into something extraordinarily beautiful and meaningful.

1. Thank you for this day.

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 NKJV)

Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you that you hold all of our days and know everything that will happen today. Please, go before me today. Give me strength in the midst of weariness and hope in the midst of any frustrations or hurts. I need you Lord, every hour, I need you. I surrender this day to you, trusting in your mercy, strength and grace.

Help in prayer by Agner Ebild

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 20:34:13 +0200

The Holy Spirit is our helper when we pray or intercede. It is often difficult to know how to pray rightly, effective or use the appropriate powerful words.

Rom. 8:26 has been a great help to me." In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. “

I just need to let Him lead the prayers time. Sometimes He gives words in English or my native language, Danish; but most often it is in a language I don´t know. As I don´t know what I pray, I have no reason to doubt and stay on the subject of God´s heart. I only have to obey and surrender my tongue to the Spirit.

At salvation a very important ministry of the Holy Spirit took place in your life. But that ministry is different from the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

In the moment you made Jesus the Lord of your life, spiritual death was removed from your spirit, and there was born in you a new life, a new spirit. You were literally born of God. (John 3:3-5 "Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

But what do you do when you don’t feel you’re getting through to God?

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 09:45:27 +0200

We’re always going to be in trouble if we rely on our feelings as a test of our spiritual life.

God works way beyond the feelings level. If feelings become the test, there are times when we feel kilometres from God. At other times we feel so close. We need to rely upon the knowledge we have.

We know God moved heaven and earth to give us Jesus.
We know He has promised to be with us, even through the valley of the shadow of death.
We know He is constantly with us.
We know He hears and answers prayers. Romans 8:27-39 tells us nothing can come between us and the love of God, in Jesus.

Our feelings may go up and down, but God is constant. Trust Him.

Creative Ideas for Prayer Time

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 09:39:00 +0200

Creative Ideas for Prayer Time

By Clare Blake, from “Woman Alive” June 2001

Get rid of rubbish – confess the sins that are making it hard for you to feel close to God, such as wrong actions or words, unforgiveness, and bad attitudes.
Choose the time of day that works best for you, when there will be least distractions and you will be most focused.
Beware of rigid formulas – change the sequence, stand rather than kneel.
Be creative in your approach to reading the Bible. If you have never tried biblical meditation before, use the follow simple steps as a guide:
i. Take a word, verse or short passage of Scripture
ii. Read it slowly
iii. Pray, asking God to help you understand it and speak to you through it
iv. Read it again
v. Think about the word/verse/passage in detail – what do we learn about God? What do we learn about ourselves? Can we work it out in our lives?
vi. Write down what you have learnt
Be flexible – listen to worship and teaching tapes or read a chapter of an inspiring Christian book to help you get in the right frame of mind. Read from a different version of the Bible. If you normally pray inwardly, pray out loud.
Try to set aside occasional longer times when you can really soak in God’s presence.
Write a psalm
Memorise Scripture – write a verse on a card then break it into small easily learned portions. Use it to encourage yourself when things are tough.
Go for a Prayer Walk – this can be an opportunity to praise God for His creation or in a town to pray through the streets, for businesses, schools etc.
Personalise Scripture – insert your name and let God’s Word bless you; for starters try Psalm 23.
Pray with someone – for shared encouragement and motivation.

7 Life Changing Prayers For Your Church

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 13:02:39 +0200

Dan Reiland is the Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for 20 years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY.

7 Life Changing Prayers For Your Church

By Dan Reiland

Prayer connects us to the heart, mind, and power of God.

Prayer allows us a deeper understanding of the grace, truth, and purpose of God.

The longer I lead, the more I realize I’m just beginning to understand the depth, privilege, and significance of prayer. It is personal, powerful, and utterly life-changing. Yes, we can know all that intellectually, but to continue to learn that at a personal and experiential level helps us engage on the front lines of God’s purpose and plan.

This 21-day prayer experience got me thinking about more and specific prayers that would invite an incredible spiritual impact if the church leaders prayed them together. This could be done by the church board, staff, or maybe small group leaders.

Prayer for relationships by Leslie Newman

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 18:01:42 +0100

Relationships. They fill our hearts full, provide support and camaraderie, and give us all manner of things to help carry us through life’s difficulties. But when there are misunderstandings within our relationships, we may find ourselves feeling at a loss for what to do. I think most of us could say that relationships can be the best and the worst, a stress reliever on many occasions, but sadly, during misunderstandings, they can create much inner turmoil.

As women who love Jesus, we should be compelled to love others like He does, but that doesn’t often come easily, and this calls for a lot of prayer. Even the easy relationships should have our payer attention because we have an enemy that wants to tear us apart.

Prayer can heal our relationships and give us direction when we feel at a loss about how to continue. It can help us understand a situation and keep us going when we don’t. Through prayer, God will hold us close when we are hurting, and He’ll not turn us away. Prayer undoes things inside of us so we can move forward in spite of misunderstandings. In prayer, Jesus walks before us, behind us, and right alongside us, all at the same time. God is working in our relationships in ways we can’t see. He is working in especially powerful ways when we pray.

10 Traits of a Real Man in today´s culture

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 11:39:26 +0100

10 Traits of a Real Man

Frank Powell

January 17, 2019

What does a real man look like in the world? Think about the definition our culture gives to us. Look at the movies. Read the magazines. Listen to the music. What are the constants? I see three…muscles, money and women. A real man is tough. He doesn’t show emotions. He can handle his own business. A real man has money. Who cares if he blows it on trinkets? The point is he has it. A real man has women. You can’t be a real man and not have a girl.

But what if our culture is feeding us a lie? What if our culture is grossly misleading us when it comes to the nature of a real man? Our high schools, colleges, workplaces and homes are filled with men that are trying to be legitimate. The problem is we are looking for legitimacy from a culture that changes daily…hourly. A culture that is predicated on promiscuity. Infatuated with the almighty dollar. One day our culture tells us to dress one way. The next day it is completely different.

The picture of “real” our culture paints for men is just as ridiculous as the picture of the perfect body for women. It is a facade. Smoke and mirrors. We must wade through all the charades and cultural stigmas. It is a lot of wading. But once we dig below the surface, something different is exposed. Something divorced from the cultural nonsense. Something grounded in the Truth and not a perceived one. Something…real.

Are You Ready For God To Move?

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 11:09:05 +0100

Before every major new thing God did in the Bible God would tell His people “Consecrate yourself, purify yourself, repent.” Over and over, God showed new revelations of Himself or a new unfolding of His glory to those who prepared the way by purification. Study for yourself and see how many times God said, “Consecrate yourself, for tomorrow I will (or you will).”

• Before leaving Egypt—Exodus 12:15, Luke 12:1, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

• Before God met Moses in holy glory on the mountain—Exodus 19:10

• Before crossing the Jordan—Joshua 3:5

• Before God revealed sin in the camp—Joshua 7:13

• Before God’s new king was anointed to bear the lineage of Jesus—1 Samuel 16:5

• Before bringing the ark of the presence of the Lord to the place He prepared for it—1 Chronicles 15:12

• Before Hezekiah’s revival—2 Chronicles 29:5

• Before God pours out His Spirit—Joel 1:14, 2:15

• Before the entrance of Jesus into the world the message was “Repent to prepare the way of the Lord”—Matthew 3:2-3

• Before Jesus went to the cross—John 17:19

The Five Pivotal Paradigms for Transformation

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 23:48:35 +0200

The Five Pivotal Paradigms for Transformation

Ed Silvoso from Transformation Ch.3

Biblical Paradigms for Transformation

There are five pivotal paradigms essential for sustainable transformation to take place, each of which we will examine in detail in the chapters ahead (see Transformation)

These paradigms are:

The Great Commission is about discipling nations, not just people.
The marketplace (the heart of the nation) has already been redeemed by Jesus and now needs to be reclaimed by His followers.
Labor is the premier expression of worship on earth; and every believer is a minister.
Our primary call is not to build the Church but to take the Kingdom of God where the kingdom of darkness is still entrenched in order for Jesus to build His Church.
The premier social indicator that transformation has taken place is the elimination of systemic poverty.

These paradigms might seem radical, and are not necessarily what we hear from the pulpit every week, but they are thoroughly biblical and clearly reflect God’s perspective. However, to be able to see them, we need to wear the right lenses, because it is our tendency to be shortsighted when processing divine instructions; that is, we tend to focus on what is closer in the present at the expense of capturing the full scope of all that God has in store for us and wants to accomplish through us.

A clear example of this is found in Acts 1:4-8 where Jesus is telling the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. to receive the power required to disciple nations all over the world. Undoubtedly Jesus is looking through the distance portion of the lenses.

How to Change the Spiritual Climate by by Ed Silvoso

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 23:27:36 +0200

How to Change the Spiritual Climate

by Ed Silvoso from Prayer Evangelism

Before we can change the spiritual climate over our cities, we must have a working knowledge of one of our primary tools: prayer evangelism. I introduced the essence of the concept of prayer evangelism in That None Should Perish in 1994, but since then much has been learned from using this potent weapon on the front lines. Several years of working side by side with pastors and leaders in cities all over the world have enriched tremendously our initial understanding of this concept.

Simply put, prayer evangelism is talking to God about our neighbors before we talk to our neighbors about God. This definition, coined by Beverly Jaime,1 has helped us to put at ease thousands of Christians who have a genuine desire to witness to the lost but who feel inadequate or scared to share the gospel with them.

I know those feelings of inadequacy very well; they used to torment me as a brand-new Christian. Shortly after my conversion, a visiting evangelist pounded on the pulpit at my church and declared, “No one should hear the gospel twice until everybody has heard it once! Therefore, since all of you have heard it more than once, I will not preach to you. Instead, I will organize you into pairs to witness door-to-door to those who have not heard it yet.” At that moment panic struck, and I found myself foolishly wishing that an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, anything catastrophic, would hit our town so I would not have to go out to witness to strangers.

Why Your Kids Need to See and Hear You Do Your Devotion

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 10:46:08 +0200

Four Reasons Why Your Kids Need to See and Hear You Do Your Devotion

By Chuck Lawless on Jul 30, 2018 01:00 am

For many years now, I’ve asked students about their quiet time with the Lord. Frankly, many struggle with consistency, especially with prayer. Anecdotally, though, here’s what I’ve learned: the students who struggle least tend to have had parents who modeled quiet times for them. Sometimes they did that intentionally, but at other times it just happened. Their parents did their quiet time in a more public place, and their kids took note. Here’s why that matters:

1. Kids need to see a devotional life beyond Sunday. If all they see happens on Sunday, they’ll assume that Sunday is the only day to be with God. Likewise, if the only prayers they ever hear are over dinner, they’ll learn that’s the only time to pray.

2. They need to see that Christianity is a lifestyle, not just a weekend habit. One of the ways they’ll learn that Christianity changes lives is by seeing their parents read the Word and hearing them speak to God throughout the week. Their first role models need to be in their home.

intercessor derek prince.pdf

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 01:10:34 +0200

4 qualificarions of an Intercessor - Derek Prince

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 01:02:08 +0200

4 qualifications that I see in every true

intercessor.

By Derek Prince

1) An intercessor, like Abraham, must have an absolute conviction of God’s righteousness: that God will never bring judgment on the righteous, which is due only to the wicked. At the same time, he must have a crystal clear vision of the absolute justice and inevitability of God’s judgment upon the wicked.

2) He must have a deep concern for God’s glory, like Moses, who twice declined God’s offer to make him the ancestor of the greatest people on earth. God’s glory was more important to him than his personal reputation.

3) An intercessor must have an intimate acquaintance with God. He must be prepared to risk his own life, like Aaron who ignored the contagion of the plague to take his place between the dead and the living.

4) finally, to be an intercessor takes holy boldness. You have to risk your life, be like Aaron and say, “I’ll run the risk of the plague, but I am going to stand here!”

There is no higher calling than that of an intercessor. When you become an intercessor, you have reached the throne.

Who is Jesus

Tue, 01 May 2018 22:05:49 +0200

Non-believers turn to prayer in a crisis, poll finds

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 08:51:58 +0200

Non-believers turn to prayer in a crisis, poll finds

From The Gardian 14th January 2018

By Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent

Family and friends top the list of reasons to call on God, rather than global issues such as poverty or disasters

For many non-believers, it is an instinctive response to a crisis: “Please, God.” So perhaps it should not be surprising that a new survey has found that one in five adults pray despite saying they are not religious.

Just over half of all adults in the UK pray, and they are increasingly likely to call on God while engaged in activities such as cooking or exercising, according to the poll. Although one in three people pray in a place of worship, and a third pray before going to sleep or on waking, others combine prayer with daily activities. One in five pray while doing household chores or cooking, 15% pray while travelling, and 12% pray during exercise or other leisure pursuits.

Just under half of those who pray said they believed God hears their prayers, which suggests a slim majority feel their supplications are not answered. Four in ten go further, saying prayer changes the world; a similar number say it makes them feel better.

Forgiving Yourself

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 09:38:47 +0100

Forgiving Yourself

By Sylvia Gunter.

You've blown it. You have really messed up. You have agreed with God that what you did was sin. You know that God heard your prayer asking forgiveness, and you really meant every word. You believe that Jesus died for you on the cross and that His sacrifice forgives all your sins. But you still feel guilt and condemnation. You know from the Bible that God has forgotten that sin. He has removed it from you as far as the east is from the west. But you still feel horrible! How do you get past that feeling?

We make life hard by blaming ourselves for things we did in the past. But God says through Paul, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1). What does that freedom really mean? It means that you are not saved from hell to be imprisoned in self-punishment. God has set you free. You are no longer a slave to self-hatred and self-condemnation. The Bible says, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1)."

11 Reasons Church Leaders Struggle With Prayer

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 21:24:05 +0100

11 Reasons Church Leaders Struggle With Prayer

By Chuck Lawless -

February 11, 2018

Even church leaders struggle with prayer. These findings are anecdotal, but here are my general conclusions about why that happens.

Leaders are “fixers” by nature. We are problem solvers who seek solutions, attempt answers, and try again if the first answer doesn’t work. Our persistence and tenacity to do so – both good traits in themselves – sometimes push prayer to a last resort option.
We never learned how to pray. Churches make this mistake with most spiritual disciplines: we tell believers what to do, but don’t teach them how to do it. If leaders are honest, we’ll admit that we, too, have much to learn about how to pray.
Prayer has become more about ritual than about relationship. We know we should pray, even if we don’t know how, so we go through the motions of prayer. It is not a relationship with a living Lord that calls us to prayer; it is instead only religious ritual.
Prayerlessness can be hidden. We can talk about prayer, teach about prayer, write about prayer, and even lead corporately in prayer – all without anyone knowing that personal prayer is sporadic at best.
We don’t really believe prayer works. No church leader I know would teach that prayer is ineffective. Nevertheless, our prayer life often suggests otherwise. We’re even surprised when God answers our prayers.
We have never been broken under God’s hand. The apostle Paul, who was a leader extraordinaire, learned the power of strength in weakness (2 Cor. 12:7-10). It is in our weakness that we learn how to pray, but leaders naturally fight against weakness.
Leaders read the Word in a one-sided way. Leaders are often teachers who read the Word for information transmission more than life transformation. When we approach the Word that way, we miss the opportunity to be in dialogue with God.
Some leaders have simply lost hope. It happens. Church leaders who prayed more consistently in the past sometimes lose hope under the weight of church conflict, family struggles, or health concerns. Unanswered prayer leads to faithlessness, which leads to prayerlessness.
We miss the gospel focus on the prayer life of Jesus. A seminary professor challenged me to read the Gospel of Luke with this focus in mind, and my prayer life has never been the same. I challenge you to do the same.
We have no role models. Too many of us know nobody whose life just oozes prayer. We’ve never met a genuine prayer warrior.
We don’t have God-sized goals. Only when we’re trying to accomplish something far beyond our capability do we pray ferociously. Even leaders sometimes put a limit on our expectations.

This article originally appeared here: http://chucklawless.com/2018/01/11-reasons-church-leaders-struggle-with-prayer/

Possess what God has promised!

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 20:17:42 +0100

Possess what God has promised!

By Phil Hills

Paul makes an amazing statement to the Corinthian church about the Exodus from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan. He says it as an example to us, and it was recorded by the Holy Spirit as warnings for us. We should read the account with an awareness that we have the capacity to make the same mistakes as the children of Israel. Their history demonstrates abject human failure in the most promising possible circumstances. In spite of the promise of God to give them the land, in spite of the promise of supernatural provision, and in spite of the promise that God’s almighty presence would always be with them, they suffered serious setbacks, failed completely the first time, and a whole generation died in the desert without seeing the promise of God fulfilled.

God recorded their history so that you and I would not repeat it. God has promised that He will build His Church. He has given us a commission for the whole world, and He has promised that His presence will never leave us. It seems that we cannot fail, but we must never become complacent. We need to depend on Him every step of the way, listening to His voice and following His direction. That’s why these times of prayer are so important. It is also important that we read again and carefully consider Israel’s history that was intended to serve as an example so that we avoid any repetition of their failures, but rather we possess fully everything God has promised.

How to Overcome in Prayer

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 10:12:10 +0100

How to Overcome in Prayer
by Kevin Shorter

1. Worship

In the midst of the urgent, worship realigns our hearts to love God and see Him as in control. While there is a potential to become negligent in preparation by naively trusting in God, we should never forget His protection and His ability to change things for our good. Nothing is impossible with God, so in every circumstance, we have hope for things to turn in our favor. No diagnosis is fatal; nothing is hopeless.

2. Read the Bible

When the Israelites crossed over the Jordan, the manna stopped arriving on their doorstep. God still provided for them, but it was more in the midst of the battles. The walls of Jericho did fall down, but they had to spend seven days walking in faith.

Psalms also remind us of the conflict of trusting in God. He is always good, but He doesn’t always show up the way we expected. How do we navigate this in our own lives? Reading the Bible helps give us direction.

3. Speak God’s Goodness

Dread and worry are not supposed to be characteristics of a Christian. Still, sometimes we get overwhelmed. Speaking out the goodness of God reminds us He is still above all our circumstances. We will not be overcome, but with God we are overcomers. We all need to be preachers to ourselves because our spirits need reawakening and our bodies need reminding we don’t walk by sight but by faith and awareness of God’s continual goodness.

3 Prayers for USA

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:03:17 +0100

January 31st, 2018

FEBRUARY 2018 : THREE PRAYER PRIORITIES FOR AMERICA

America, National Day of Prayer, Prayer

As we enter the month of February of 2018, I am asking you and your ministry to join us in praying for these three prayer priorities for our nation. How awesome it would be if we could mobilize thousands of ministries and churches to unite together in prayer for the United States of America.

Please share these with friends, pastors, churches, denominations, networks, ministries, and Christian media. The more people we have praying together about the same things in our nation, the more we will see God move us forward together.

We will be praying for unity in America for the next several months. We revealed in November that Pray For America: UNITY is our 2018 theme for the National Day of Prayer. We chose this theme because we strongly believe this is God’s heart. Therefore, from now until and even beyond our Thursday, May 3, 2018, National Day of Prayer, we are going to call for, forward, and pray for unity in America.

Free To Worship by Derek Prince

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:42:47 +0100

Free to Worship

by Derek Prince

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." (John 4:23)

Isn't that amazing? Almighty God, who has the resources of the entire universe at His disposal, is seeking people to worship Him—people like you and me, drawn from a fallen race of sinners! What can be God's motive? Does He have some deep need for affirmation and approval? Hardly!

Now —His Father's heart yearns to reveal Himself in all His glory to those whom He has created. This is the highest blessing he has to bestow.

The revelation of God comes first and foremost through His precious word—the Bible. "If anyone loves Me," Jesus said, "he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). Through God's Word, received and obeyed, both God the Father and God the Son come to indwell us.

This in turn draws us to worship the God whom we have received. The better we know God through His Word, the more we desire to worship Him. We may measure the place that God's Word has in our lives by the degree in which we desire to worship Him.

4 Reasons Every Church Needs Senior SaintsBy Tim Counts

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 17:06:08 +0100

4 Reasons Every Church Needs Senior Saints

By Tim Counts

A couple of days ago, I received an email from a church member in his 80s, letting me know that he’s moving. We have known for some time that it’s best for him to move closer to his family due to his health and housing situation. But the news that the move was finally happening hit me unexpectedly, as if I’d lost a dear friend. I felt it in the pit of my stomach and the tears in my eyes.

Then I realized that is exactly why I felt that way: I was losing a dear friend, and a grandfather in the faith. And our church is losing him, too.

Sometimes senior saints question their usefulness in the church as they age. That’s unfortunate because they’re an essential part of the body of Christ. Although we trust in our sovereign and wise God to add and take away from his local body as he sees fit, church life is different without them. As pastors, therefore, we need to remind our elderly members that they’re not only loved by their Good Shepherd and Savior—they’re also loved and needed by his people.

A Visitation from God Can Change Your Life - Helen Calder

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 16:58:10 +0100

A Visitation from God Can Change Your Life

By Helen Calder

When God visits His people, supernatural breakthroughs take place. Prophetic words are fulfilled, seasons are shifted and new things are brought to birth. Jesus gets the glory!

Today, I pray you're inspired by these 6 faith-stirring moments when God visited His people in Scripture. May you anticipate your own visitation from God as you step into 2018.

1. Fulfilment of Prophecy

In Genesis 21 We read, ‘the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.’ (Gen 21:1, NKJV)

This visitation of God broke the long season of barrenness in the life of Abraham’s wife Sarah. As a result, prophecy was fulfilled through the birth of a new baby, Isaac, whose name meant ‘laughter.’

2. Deliverance from Bondage

In Exodus 4, we read, ’When they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.’ (Ex 4:31, NKJV)

This Divine visitation put an end to the long season of Israel’s bondage in Egypt. God’s people now realised He hadn’t left them alone in their suffering, He was intimately concerned for them. And His power was about to be revealed.

Sixteen unusual places to pray:

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 18:40:13 +0100

Sixteen unusual places to pray:

1. At altars of animal sacrifices (Gen 12:7-8; Gen 13:4)

2. Walking in the open field (Gen 18:23-33)

3. At a well (Gen 24:12-14)

4. At a wrestling (Gen 32:24-29)

5. On a talking donkey (Num 22:34)

6. In chains bound to a mill (Jdg 16:28-31)

7. On an ash pile (Job 2:8, Job 2:13; Job 3:1-26)

8. In the belly of a fish (Jon 2:1)

9. In Sheol/Hades (Jon 2:2; Luk 16:19-31)

10. Standing in a river (Luk 3:21-22)

11. In a wilderness (Luk 5:15-16)

12. At a grave (Joh 11:41-42)

13. On a cross (Luk 23:34-46)

14. In a dungeon (Act 27:23-35)

15. In a shipwreck (Act 27:23-35)

16. Under an altar (Rev 6:9-11)

Suzette Hattingh - Prayer For The Nation

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 11:58:10 +0100

Prayer really involves all of heaven into the smallest affairs of each individual. Really, all of heaven is getting involved in the smallest of your affairs or the largest, or whatever moves you God is involved with, with all of Heaven. Really? Did you realise that? Now think about that for a minute.

Suzette Hattingh - Prayer For The Nation from Voice in the City on Vimeo.

Chloe - A Story of Infertility, adoption, and God´s Love

Sat, 04 Nov 2017 21:18:41 +0100

For years, Walt and Annie struggled with infertility, but in a single moment they realized that God was writing a beautiful story for them that was over 20 years in the making.

Grace

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 11:34:26 +0200

Grace Enables You To Become Who God Says You Are.

By Graham Cooke

Grace is the most radical freedom ever bestowed in the history of mankind. It carries with it an authorization for you to be made in the image of God by receiving and responding to His presence.

As we focus on Him and the gift of His presence, we become different because everything that God shows us, He then empowers us to become.

Grace is literally the gift to become what God sees and knows about us in Christ. It enables us to become His perception of us.

The truth of who Jesus is both in us and for us becomes ours by receiving this gift of empowerment. When He opens up a new truth for us, He then causes us to inherit it.

He loves to open up new territory to explore, filled with the gifts and provisions of His kind intentions towards us. God’s passion for our exploration fuels our momentum, so that we want to discover and receive everything available to us in this new space.

Beloved, we are free to become whoever God says we are.

10 Things To Pray for Friends and Family

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 09:34:04 +0200

10 Things To Pray for Friends and Family

The Bible instructs us to bear one another's burdens. Many problems are too heavy for us to bear alone. Faced with extreme hardship, Paul wrote that he counted on the prayers of his friends for victory (2 Cor. 1:8-11, Phi. 1:19, Rom. 15:30-32)

Pray that their love for others will grow. 1 Cor. 13:4-7, Phi. 1:9-11.

Pray for unity, agreement, unselfishness, humility, and oneness in Christ. Phi. 2:1-5, John 17:11, 21.

Pray that they will have the mind of Christ and acknowledge the Lord daily to direct their lives. 1 Cor. 2:11-16, Pro. 3:5-6.

Pray that they will present themselves as living sacrifices to God. Rom. 12:1-2.

Pray that they will know who they are in Christ. Col. 1:28, 2:10, Eph. 1:3-4, 7-8.

Pray that they will hunger daily for the word of God and grow daily in Christlike maturity. Mat. 4:4, Eph. 4:11-16, Phi. 2:12-13.

Pray that they will put on the full armor of God and be alert to Satan's strategies. Eph. 6:10-18.

Pray that they will not love the world system but set their mind on Christ. 1 John 2:15-17, Phi. 4:8.

How to Overcome in Prayer

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 09:10:37 +0200

How to Overcome in Prayer

by Kevin Shorter

1. Worship

2. Read the Bible

3. Speak God’s Goodness

Release The Resources Of Heaven Through Prayer by Helen Calder

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 21:43:39 +0200

Release The Resources Of Heaven Through Prayer

Many years ago we had a regular prayer meeting in our home. One time, we were praying for my husband Malcolm’s grandfather, who was lying seriously ill in his home in the South Island of New Zealand. Uncertain as to where Grandad stood in his relationship with God, we prayed for both his healing and his salvation.

As we prayed, my sister-in-law said she had a picture of angels ‘outside his bedroom window.’

Soon afterwards, we heard that Grandad was miraculously well again. He later shared with us that he had a vision of angels that came into his bedroom and surrounded his bed. Strength flowed back into his body.

After this experience, Grandad’s faith in Jesus became vibrant and unshakeable. He could not be dissuaded from the reality of his angelic encounter.

When we pieced the story together, we realised that the heavenly visitation had taken place at the time we had prayed.

The Power of Prayer for Loved Ones who Don’t Know Jesus

As Christian believers, we have the privilege of taking the names of those we care about before the very throne of God, the highest authority in heaven and earth. There, we can petition our Father to release heavenly resources on behalf of those we love.

9 Ways To Pray Like Charles Spurgeon

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 21:15:30 +0200

9 Ways To Pray Like Charles Spurgeon

By Christian George Oct 26, 2016

In July 17, 1887 Augustus Strong and John D. Rockefeller visited Charles Spurgeon at his home in London.

After two hours, the leading Baptist theologian and the wealthy U.S. tycoon uncovered the secret of Spurgeon’s ministry: “He seemed to be a man of prayer” (Crerar Douglas, Autobiography of Augustus Hopkins Strong, 300).

Spurgeon’s prayers made you feel “the throbbing of that mighty heart” (C. H. Spurgeon’s Prayers, vii).

Spurgeon once said, “Prayer has become as essential to me as the heaving of my lungs, and the beating of my pulse” (MTP 49:476).

Prayer was the underbelly of Spurgeon’s ministry.

“Let me know the day when you give up praying for me,” he said, “for then I must give up preaching” (Autobiography 2:335).

Spurgeon teaches us how to pray. Here are nine ways to pray like Charles Spurgeon.

1. Grapple with God.

“It is on our knees that we overcome” (MTP 7:94).

“Unanswered petitions are not unheard” (MTP 13:74).

“That which is gained speedily by a single prayer is sometimes only a second rate blessing; but that which is gained after many a desperate tug, and many an awful struggle, is a full weighted and precious blessing. . . . The blessing which costs us the most prayer will be worth the most” (MTP 17:612).

10 Ways Prayer Will Change Your LifeBy Christian George

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 21:08:50 +0200

D.L. Moody once said to hear Spurgeon preach was a blessing, but to hear Spurgeon pray was even more impressive (Autobiography 4:71).

Praying like Spurgeon nourishes the soul, encourages the depressed, motivates the lazy and ushers the humble before the throne of God.

Spurgeon prevailed with God in prayer.

“As I am sure that a certain amount of leverage will lift a weight, so I know that a certain amount of prayer will get anything from God” (MTP 11:150).

“If there be anything I know, anything that I am quite assured of beyond all question, it is that praying breath is never spent in vain” (MTP 11:150).

“The streaming wounds of Jesus are the sure guarantees for answered prayer” (MTP 11:149).

Spurgeon baked and caked his prayers in Scripture. He pulled passages from the broken places of his heart and flung them into the presence of the Divine. Never rehearsed, always urgent, Spurgeon’s prayers were theological but not scholarly.

“[Spurgeon’s] wonderful knowledge of the Scripture made his prayers so fresh and edifying” (C.H. Spurgeon’s Prayers, vi).

NINE WAYS TO PRAY FOR CHURCH LEADERS By Chuck Lawless - August 6, 2017

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 20:41:27 +0200

In the late 1850s, a global spiritual awakening began when one man in New York City established a noonday prayer meeting and called the city to prayer. Indeed, most awakenings have begun with a few praying people who invite others to join them.

With that historical backdrop in mind, I wonder what might happen if congregations begin to pray the following prayers for church leaders. Would you pray these prayers for church leaders today, and then invite others in your congregation to join you?

1. Pray they will keep their eyes on God.

King Jehoshaphat faced three combined enemy armies, and he did not know what to do – except to lock his eyes on God. That’s the answer any time we have no clue about next steps.

“For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.” (2 Chron. 20:12, HCSB)

2. Pray they will not take a step apart from God’s leading.

Moses prayed this prayer when God would send only an angel to lead His people after their fiasco with the golden calf. He would rather the people not start the journey if God Himself were not leading them.

Diagnose Your Church’s Health Is the Church a Praying Church?

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:19:44 +0200

Diagnose Your Church’s Health Is the Church a Praying Church?

By Chuck Lawless

This article is the third in a series dealing with questions to ask when consulting with a church. We addressed the first question, “Is the church’s teaching based on the Bible?” in last month’s article (http://chucklawless.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/question-1_bible-based.pdf ). The question for this month, “Is the church a praying church?” may well be the most important question of the eight questions we will ask.

Prayer is the means by which we get the power to grow a God-honoring church, and most church leaders are well aware of this truth. The problem, though, is this: most churches pray reactively rather than proactively. That is, they respond in prayer when a need develops, but they seldom take charge in prayer by seeking God’s face before a problem develops. Even our prayer lists reflect this tendency, as we include on the list primarily those who have made known their need for prayer.

In my book, Discipled Warriors, I compare “churches that talk about prayer” with “churches that really pray.” Perhaps this comparison is a starting point to evaluate whether a church is a praying church:

8 CHARACTERISTICS OF BELIEVERS WHO DON’T GIVE UP IN THE BATTLE

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:10:31 +0200

Chuck Lawless is Dean and Vice-President of Graduate Studies and Ministry Centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, where he also serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions. In addition, he is Global Theological Education Consultant for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Living for Christ is hard – sometimes so hard that we’re tempted to wonder if it’s worth the sacrifice. It is, of course, but difficulties sometimes cloud that truth. Based on my years of studying spiritual warfare, here are characteristics of believers who don’t give up in the battle:

They’re solidly connected to a local church. That is, they don’t just attend a church; they participate in it. They’re involved in a small group, and they serve in some capacity. They’re living for something other than themselves.
They have a devotional life, even if it’s not perfect. They might be struggling with consistency, but they’re working at it. They make time to read the Bible and pray.
They have somebody to walk with them. They don’t fight the battle alone, because they have a Christian brother or sister who stands with them. They share their burdens and their struggles – which always lightens the load a bit.
They choose to believe what the Bible says. Even when they may not “feel” like it’s true, they make the choice to trust Bible truths like “I will not leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5) and “greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
They rehearse God’s care in the past. It’s easy to forget yesterday’s blessings when today’s hard, but those who don’t give up fight hard to avoid that error. They continually remind themselves, “God has never let me down in the past. He won’t now, either.”
They trust that when they are weak, God is their strength (2 Cor. 12:10). They may not like the battle, but they learn from the apostle Paul’s prior experience. Weakness doesn’t bother them, for they know God’s power is most evident when they are weakest.
They understand the witness of faithfulness in the battle. They recognize that somebody’s always watching them – and that their witness is most potent when life is hard and their faith is stretched. Their faithfulness in the valley catches the attention of the watching world.
They cry out to God. There’s no pretense in their praying. They sugarcoat none of their words, and they follow no formula in their prayers. They know God’s big enough to handle their questions and their pain. He is, you know. . . .

Let us know how we might pray for you if you’re tempted to give up.

Source: http://chucklawless.com/2017/07/8-characteristics-of-believers-who-dont-give-up-in-the-battle/

Seek Him and meet Him

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 11:41:13 +0200

Listen to the Word of God for you in Isaiah 61:3. "They will be called ... a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."

Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 as he announced his purpose statement. He said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, to set captives free, to open blind eyes, to open prison doors, and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." That's not the end of the sentence in Isaiah 61. Isaiah continues that He wants to make a holy exchange with you: His comfort for grief, His crown instead of ashes, His gladness for mourning, and His praise instead of despair. It continues, "You will be an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord," and the weight of the entire passage falls on the next words: "for the display of his splendor."

Jesus came to earth to heal you, set you free, and restore you for a purpose: so that you will display His splendor. You live to show forth His glory; you are called to this. This defines you. God's appointment in you is that people see, feel, and respond to the weight and strength of your life, as you live in the splendor, strength, and weight of the glory of Jesus.

Living In His Presence

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 17:43:09 +0200

By Sylvia Gunter.

The first 23 words of The Lord's Prayer are directed to God, His holiness, and worthiness to be worshiped. This beginning focuses us on the Person of God and keeps us there until we begin to understand His greatness and humble ourselves before Him. It points us toward God-consciousness, putting God on the throne, and dethroning our self-centered desire to control and get things done by God. The next 30-plus words are petitions, and the next 13 return to the throne of God to gaze on His glory.

The pattern is gaze at Him and glance at our legitimate life needs and problems and then bring them to His throne and leave them there, gazing steadfastly at Him. The Lord's Prayer is about living by a higher agenda when we ask for the Kingdom agenda, not our own. We will experience cleanness of soul that only forgiveness brings. Through the Lord's prayer, we ask for victory and confidence in Jesus' protective shield against the adversary. We will hunger to see more of the kingdom, power, and glory of God revealed in reality, not just as theology.

Translating God

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:25:47 +0200

Shawn Bolz shares methods to grow in your ability to hear God’s voice. He talks about taking risks and holding yourself accountable to others if you get it wrong. He creates in the reader a belief that God wants to speak to them. I would highly recommend this book for any Christian.

Quotes from "Translating God"

Here are some quotes from Translating God that highlight what you would get out of reading it:

The goal of the prophetic is to see people the way God always longed for them to be seen and, from that revelation, to treat them out of his culture of love so that they will want to be the version of themselves we see.
Your relationship with [God] is the primary source and goal of revelation.
This is the goal of prophecy: to connect people to the empowering nature of God so they can become like him and display his marvelous nature to all the earth.
[Prophecy] empowers people to fully say yes to God and to take on his nature so they can be amazing now, not just in eternity.
When people hear the thoughts and emotions of God toward them, they believe in his love for them.
Prophecy from others should never violate our will or ability to have choices.
Knowledge that is not married to love and spiritual awareness can become religious.
Jesus was never motivated to use revelation to shame anyone.
We are called to discern the Father’s heart, not just the black-and-white or the truth amongst lies.
For everything you discern, there is a deeper, more original thought about it in God’s heart.
[God] speaks through parables, so that we have to seek his heart to know his mind.
Prophecy makes people feel what it might feel like in heaven, as if they have some of the hope that is in eternity now.
Something begins to inspire you when you see the world around you through God’s heart for it.

Answers to Prayer by George Müller

Wed, 13 Jan 2016 23:32:54 +0100

Answers to Prayer

George Müller

CHAPTER I

BEGINNING AND EARLY DAYS OF THE ORPHAN WORK.

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."--1 Peter, i. 7.

Mr. George Müller, the founder of the New Orphan-Houses, Ashley Down, Bristol (institutions that have been for many years the greatest monuments of modern times to a prayer-answering God), gives in that most valuable and instructive book, "A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller," Vol. I., among other reasons for establishing an Orphan-House, the following:--

"Sometimes I found children of God tried in mind by the prospect of old age, when they might be unable to work any longer, and therefore were harassed by the fear of having to go into the poorhouse. If in such a case I pointed out to them, how their Heavenly Father has always helped those who put their trust in Him, they might not, perhaps, always say, that times have changed; but yet it was evident enough, that God was not looked upon by them as the LIVING God. My spirit was ofttimes bowed down by this, and I longed to set something before the children of God, whereby they might see, that He does not forsake, even in our day, those who rely upon Him.

Paradoxes of Prayer by Sylvia Gunter

Thu, 28 May 2015 11:28:57 +0200

Paradoxes of Prayer

Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Luke 11:1 His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray..."

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

These are beloved verses about praying,

but all of us have learned some of the paradoxes of prayer.

Prayer is easy, even a child can do it.

Fasting - Arthur Wallis

Sun, 19 Apr 2015 07:41:47 +0200

"Fasting is important---more important, perhaps, than many of us have supposed, as I trust this book will reveal...when exercised with a pure heart, and a right motive, fasting may provide us with a key to unlock doors where other keys have failed; a window opening up new horizons in the unseen world; a spiritual weapon of God's providing, "mighty to the pulling down of strongholds.' May God use this book to awaken many of his people to all the spiritual possibilities latent in the fast that God has chosen." -Arthur Wallis

FASTING

Excerpts og notes from

“God’s Chosen Fast” by Arthur Wallis

From the beginning, people have pursued God. They wrongly built the tower of Babel to reach Him (Gen. 11:1-9). They rebelliously carved images to please God. They arrogantly conceived and lived by legalistic laws to impress God. They constructed monasteries and isolated themselves to please God. As we shall see, they even fasted wrongly in an attempt to divert His attention from other things they should have been doing, but were neglecting.

God speaks through prayer

Fri, 09 Jan 2015 08:25:48 +0100

This browser cannot play the embedded audio file.

Source: EXPERIENCING GOD KNOWING AND DOING THE WILL OF GOD, REVISED & EXPANDED

A decision

Sun, 17 Aug 2014 20:29:16 +0200

Why should I pray?

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:47:33 +0100

Prayer Develops Our Relationship with God.
If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer—communicating with God—helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.

Zechariah 13:9

I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' "

(NLT)

John 15:7

But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!

(NLT)

The Lord Instructed Us to Pray.
One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the Lord instructed us to pray. Obedience is a natural by-product of discipleship.

Matthew 26:41

"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!"

Unity and Prayer - Ron Brown

Sun, 24 Nov 2013 19:48:14 +0100

THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:32:07 +0200

THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD

In his book, The hour that changes the world, Dick Eastman suggests that one divide an hour into 12 periods of 5 minutes each.

After 5 minutes you change to another form of prayer. The following is Dick Eastman's grouping.

Praise and Worship
Waiting on the Lord
Confession
Pray the Word
Watching
Intercession
Petitions
Thanksgiving
Song
Meditation
Listening
Praise

The following is a summary of each of the 12 different aspects of prayer

1. Praise and Worship is an expression of admiration and devotion to God
Psa 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

• Worship God for who He is: the One who created you – for His unfailing Word – for your salvation – that you are included in His purpose...

It is to exalt and honour God.
It is to acknowledge God for who He is, to exalt God with your

words, your whole being and with your attitude in prayer.

Worship Him for His Name. His righteousness, love, holiness,

omnipotence, greatness, faithfulness, omnipresence, His Word, His Creation, His work of redemption, etc. You may want to choose a different theme for each period of praise and worship. Expand on this theme as much as possible, meditate on it and ponder on the practical implications for your life and the lives of other people.

Obstacles to prayer

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:16:01 +0200

Obstacles to prayer

From: "Prayer changes everything" written by Bennie Mostert, Car

pe Diem

Sometimes we feel as if our prayers just bounce off

the ceiling and are not breaking through.

There can be many reasons for this. Listed below ar

e only a few of them. Ask the Lord to show

you other things that may also hinder your prayer l

ife.

1. Conscious unconfessed sins (Ps.66:18; Is.59:1-2)

"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would

not have listened..." (Ps.66:18).

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to sav

e nor His ear too dull to hear. But

your iniquities have separated you from your God; y

our sins have hidden His face

from you so that He will not hear" (Is.59:1-2).

2. Idolatry - occult involvement (Ez.14:3)

"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their h

earts and put wicked stumbling

blocks before their faces. Should I let them enqui

re of Me at all?"

3. Stingy and covetous (Pr.21:13; 1 Tim.6:10)

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he

too will cry out and not be answered" (Pr.21:13).

There is No Doubt as to Call of God for us to Pray!

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:13:15 +0200

There is No Doubt as to Call of God for us to Pray!

Prayer is not a self-validating exercise; in a world where there is no loving, sovereign God, prayer would be weakness at best and folly at worst. No, each and every prayer is a tiny piece of a great cosmic puzzle, which when fitted together will allow for the completion of the grand picture of the Almighty Lord’s plan for humanity and the universe. We do not merely pray about the many points featured herein, we pray toward something, and that something is magnificent – the fulfilment of the Father’s purposes and His Kingdom come.

In keeping with all we see of God’s character and commands, we long for poverty to end, for justice toward the oppressed, for the blind to see and the lame to walk, for widows and orphans to be looked after, for those in chains to be set at liberty, for the earth to be rightly stewarded, for wars to cease, for those at enmity with each other to be reconciled and for those who are lost to be found by Jesus and the salvation He brings. Many believers (and many who are not) work faithfully to see these things come to pass.

Graffiti Bridge to Life

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:25:34 +0200

Joy by Ron Brown

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:09:56 +0100

Girls from India

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 12:22:00 +0200

"But when you pray, you must belive and not doubt at all."James-1:6

Photo providen by Wilson Galinki

Every Home for Christ // National Day of Prayer May 3th 2012

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:29:06 +0200

Dear Friend,

Since the first Continental Congress called for a National Day of Prayer in 1775, the people of the United States have stood firm on the truth that prayer is crucial to our nation's wellbeing. Next Thursday, May 3rd, we will once again assemble in unity with our countrymen to encounter God and lift our nation to the Lord.

Starting at 7:30 AM, people of God from multiple denominations and spheres of life will gather at the Jericho Center in Colorado Springs for one purpose-prayer. Joined by Congressman Doug Lamborn, Every Home for Christ President Dick Eastman, and other special guests, we will earnestly pray on behalf of our nation. With focused times of prayer for education, government, business, family, and more, we will make known our requests to God.

Our God hears, so let's lift our voices to Him. Our God responds, so let's pray. Let's stand together in unity, asking Him to move in this nation. Let's be that shining city on a hill.

We hope to see you here next Thursday for the National Day of Prayer!

St. Augustine described prayer...

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:24:07 +0100

St. Augustine, the early church father and theologian, described prayer as like a man in a hapless boat who throws a rope at a rock. The rock provides the needed security and stability and life for the helpless man. When the rock is lassoed it's not the man pulling the rock to the boat (though it may appear that way); it is the pulling of the boat to the rock. Jesus is the rock, and we throw the rope through prayer.

Prayer is the lifeline that saves the drowning soul. Prayer is the umbilical cord that provides nourishment to the starving spirit. Prayer is the channel by which God's life-giving presence flows to us.

Solitude By Jerry Nance

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:24:39 +0100

Lessons on Prayer Part 2 Read part 1 here:

"Solitude"

By Jerry Nance PhD, President, Global Teen Challenge

As I continue to work on rebuilding the altar in my own life, I realize there are some key principles that are required to make prayer a priority in my life. I must make prayer an appointment, a set time to be there and to focus on prayer. I also have to get away from distractions that will lead me into thinking of work related items.

Jerry Nance

The Bible is clear on this subject - Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” If you want to find God, seek him. That is pretty clear. How you seek him is the challenge in this day of noise. We all are so distracted by noise, cell phones, text, meetings, people issues, TV, radio, horns and all other life noises.

I do have a recommendation for you that I have found to be effective.

In this edition of Leadership Link I want to talk about the subject of solitude. “Rebuilding the Altar often requires a time of solitude.”

In 1 Kings 17:1-3, Elijah was sent by God into the Kerith Ravine. God led him to hide! To be alone in a ravine, a ditch away from the public, away from the noise. Kerith means:

 cutting
 a place of aloneness
 a place of pain
 a place of solitude
 a place where God has your full attention

Kerith was a place where Elijah could commune with God without distraction.

Elijah was sent into a place of solitude by the Lord.

Elijah was most likely alone, for a period of approximately 2 years which could have caused him to be lonely. But God’s presence was there with him, and Elijah was in the school of Christ, a place to get really close to God and to hear from him clearly.

When one chooses a place of solitude - they generally find the presence of the Lord.

Many people hide because they hurt! People continue to hurt because they don’t know how to heal. Healing is found in the presence of the Lord. When we take the time and focus on spending time alone with God, we will eventually find healing in His presence. That is not to say that all our issues go away, but one finds the assurance that God is with them and He gives the insight on how to press forward in our situations. In His presence we find hope, healing and clear vision.

To maintain clear vision you need time a time of solitude—a time of re-calibration. Why? So I can be an unselfish server. So we can know Him in His fullness.

Jesus often sought a place of solitude with the Father.

Matthew 14:13, Jesus slipped away in a boat.
John 6:15, He withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Mark 1:35, Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place.
Luke 4:42, At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. Mark 2:13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake, See also Mark 3:7 and 4:1.
Mark 6:31 Jesus withdrew to a quiet place, (verse 35) a remote place.

Do you get the point! Jesus felt it highly important to find a place of solitude, alone with his Father. Jesus made solitude a priority! Jesus knew he needed alone time with the Father to fulfill his purpose.

"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." E.M. Bounds

Our effectiveness is proportionate to our time in prayer and His word.

The Mega Question in life is, “Am I spending enough time in solitude with Christ?” Note: Everything becomes clearer in the presence of Christ!
The longer I’m there, the clearer things become.

Let’s take a closer look at what solitude means.

 Solitude is being alone on purpose
 Solitude is being alone for personal growth and accomplishment
 Solitude is being alone for personal renewal and refreshment
 Solitude is being alone in order to enhance our relationships
 Solitude is being alone in order to be with God
When we are alone, we can discern God’s presence.
Martin Luther wrote, “I do not know it and do not understand it, but sounding from above ringing in my ears I hear what is beyond the thought of Man.” As I sit in solitude, I frequently find that inner fullness that wells up from inside and pulls me into a deep sense of communion with God.

In solitude with God, all the other benefits of being alone come together as well. We find a sense of purpose that stimulates our creativity while bringing personal renewal and enhanced relationships. When we add solitude to efforts to set aside a time and place to be with God, we have the necessary framework for a quiet time.

Jerry Nance
President
Global Teen Challenge

About Global Teen Challenge

The mission of Global Teen Challenge is to assist in the development and implementation of Teen Challenge programs around the world. Today there are more than 1100 Teen Challenge programs in 91 countries of the world. It is our desire to provide the best and latest tools available in helping individuals with life controlling addictions. According to the United Nations, more than 200 million people worldwide struggle with drug abuse. Drug users are getting younger and their use is becoming more frequent. Alcohol and drug addictions are plaguing our nations, our cities and invading our homes. We are committed to doing everything we can to reach people around the globe with life controlling problems. For more information on Global Teen Challenge, visit our website at www.GlobalTC.org

The Importance of Prayer By Jerry Nance

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:19:30 +0100

Lessons on Prayer Part 1

"The Importance of Prayer"

By Jerry Nance PhD, President, Global Teen Challenge

This month I want to take one statement from the Lessons from Elijah training I have been giving over the last months and take it to a deeper discussion. I want to discuss with you the importance of prayer in the life of leadership. I know how easy it is to be so involved in the work of the Lord that we miss out on just being with the Lord. I recognize the need to discipline my time so I spend quality time in the presence of the Lord.

When Elijah was about to call down the power of God in the form of fire, he repaired the altar of the Lord, with 12 stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel. (1 Kings 18:30)

Notice this process, it is the key to my discussion today. Elijah took time to rebuild the altar in the proper way that would bring the best results in his prayer time. He needed the power of God and he needed the fire to fall and he took the time and followed the proper procedures to bring about the best results in prayer.

This brings some questions to mind as I study the thought, “rebuilding the altar of the Lord.” Is there a process in prayer that will bring about the best results in our prayer time? Will this process assure us that God’s fire will fall in our situations? Maybe you are not facing the 450 prophets of Baal, but you are facing individual issues that seem as challenging as what Elijah faced. Are you experiencing the power of God in your prayer times?

Each of us know how we came to know the Lord, and each of us know what our new birth experience was and how we sought after the presence of God. We know what it took in the past to assure ourselves that we truly were saved and felt the presence of God in our lives. When did you pray? How much time did you spend in prayer? What part of your day was consumed with a focus on getting to know the Lord better? Was the power of God, the fire of God falling at that time in your life?

I have come to the conclusion that I want to know how to pray with greater effectiveness. I have maintained a prayer life and a time in the Bible on a consistent basis. However, I also know that with the pressures of life and the many demands that my position places on me that my relationship with God has come to a place where I am dissatisfied. I recognize that at times I do not feel the presence of God that I once felt in my life. No, I haven’t fallen, or made some gross mistake, but I am hungry to know the Lord in a deeper, richer way. I want the peace of God in everything I do.

I am working through the process of “rebuilding the altar” in my life. I have to tell you that it has been a challenge to discipline myself. I recognize that just doing devotions is not enough. I must take the time to pray, listen, focus and give the quality time necessary in the presence of the Lord for answers to come. To feel the power of God, I have to put the time in.

I want to speak to you about a process in prayer that has come to be very special to me. It is simple, but has been very helpful to enhance my prayer life and find the results I need when I spend time with God.

There are 5 areas where I focus my prayer 1. Adoration – Respond to who God is.

Psalm 34:1-3, Psalm 145-150, Psalm 29, 1 Chronicles 16:23 Then I listen:

2. Thanksgiving – Praise is thanking Him for what He has done.

a. Material blessings b. Physical Blessings c. Spiritual Blessings d. People in our lives

Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:13,

Then I listen:

Give Thanks for all of the above

3. Confession – Getting rid of your sins.

a. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you b. Confess them
c. Make restitution
d. Thank Him for forgiveness

Then I listen:

4. Intercession – Prayer for the needs of others.

Love seeks not its own interest.
James 5:14-20, I Timothy 2:1, I Samuel 12:23, Romans 1:9, I Thessalonians 5:23, Philemon 4, 1 John 5:16

Then I listen:

5. Petition – Pray for your own needs.

Ephesians 4:15-16, John 15:7, Luke 11:12, John 10:16 Then I listen:

This is a simple process that works for me. The key to all of this is to spend the time listening to the Holy Spirit and to God long enough to allow His presence to come and enter your world and your life.

Journaling your thoughts and prayer needs is also very helpful as you begin the journey. I continue to learn more of the Lord as I commit the time in His presence.

Next month I want to continue our discussion on prayer and I want to challenge you to join me in prayer. Libby and I are fasting and praying together as a couple for you and for the needs of your ministry. This rebuilding of prayer in our home as a couple is a process that keeps our hearts near to the heart of God.

I challenge you to discipline yourself to a daily time with God. Make extra time this month for prayer. Schedule it now, get up early (or whatever quality time is best for you), get alone and see God’s fire fall fresh on you.

Jerry Nance
President
Global Teen Challenge

Continues on Lessons on Prayer Part 2 "Solitude"

About Global Teen Challenge

The Grace of Crisis/Gift of Desperation | by Ron Moore

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:16:08 +0200

Deuteronomy 30:17-18 (English Standard Version)

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

The world is full of distractions. At every turn, there is yet another invitation to buy something that is bigger, better, and faster. From billboards to blogs, we are promised something will change our lives.

In a world full of distractions, we can…well, get distracted. Our minds and hearts can be lulled away from what is most important. Distractions become the main attraction. The warning God placed before Israel in today’s passage is the same warning he puts before us.

God does not put up with competition. The reason? He is God. Nothing else or no one else compares. When we settle for anything other than him, we are not settling for second best. We are settling for nothing at all. Apart from him we “will not live long in the land” of blessing.

Much land to be possessed by F.B. Meyer

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:56:58 +0200

There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed - Joshua 13:1

This is true in many directions:- Of the Bible. - How many pages of our Bibles are unpossessed! We have not underlined any verses in them, or put any marks in the margin to indicate that God has spoken through them to our souls. They are as clean as when they came from the printers. It is well sometimes to consider this, and to resolve to master some unfamiliar portions of God's Word, believing that no word of God is devoid of power. To many believers the Bible, which God intended for their possession, is yet an unexplored continent.

Of Doctrinal Truth. - Doctrine groups texts, and compares them. Doctrine is to isolated texts what natural laws are to particular facts. We should know the doctrines of the Bible. We should understand what is meant by Predestination; the unction of the Holy Ghost; and the Second Advent. How much unoccupied land there is here, which, if brought under cultivation, would yield grapes, and corn, and other produce for the refreshment and strength of the soul!

Why do youth leave the church?

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 22:52:07 +0200

"………..parents need to lead and disciple…….."

Official Divided the Movie (HD Version) from NCFIC on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/26098320

Intercession - What?

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:38:07 +0200

in·ter·ces·sion

1. Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or petition to God in behalf of another.

2. Mediation in a dispute.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin intercessi, intercessin-, intervention, from intercessus, past participle of intercdere, to intervene; see intercede.]

inter·cession·al adj.

inter·cessor (-ssr) n.

inter·cesso·ry adj.

The Hebrew word "paga" is translated "intercession" and "intercessor". In Isaiah 59:16 we are told that God wondered that there was no intercessor for man the transgressor, so God provided an intercessor in His Son. Isaiah 53:12 tells us how Christ became involved on behalf of transgressors, making intercession for them. The word "paga" means: "to impinge (encroach - intrude - invade) - come between - cause to entreat - make intercession (meet together) - pray". From this we can make the following description of intercession:

INTERCESSION is vicarious, that is, in the place of others.

INTERCESSION comes between the needy and God.

Prayer & The Fruit of our Lips - by Gayle Claxton

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:36:38 +0200

"A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the harvest of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof" - Proverbs 18:20-21

......... Please note that it is called a harvest. God is talking about the harvest that we speak; He is talking about the fulfilment, the blessings, the over-running abundance of that which we speak, whether that is positive or negative......

READ THE TEACHING AT:

http://www.voiceinthecity.org/en/resources/teachings/37-prayerandthefruitofourlips.html

Remembering David Wilkerson

Sun, 22 May 2011 19:28:56 +0200

David Wilkerson was the founder of Teen Challenge. What a blessing his life was to so many people. His influence lives on through the global ministry of Teen Challenge, The Cross and the Switchblade, and his many other writings. David Wilkerson was killed in a car accident age 79 (27th April 2011).

The following text is from "Leadership Link from Global Teen Challenge" where you can Sign Up For a free Leadership Email Newsletter

From the perspective of a former staff member and family friend.

By Jerry Nance PhD, President, Global Teen Challenge

David Wilkerson preaching in New York City Mid 1980's

As a 16 year old youth I attended a David Wilkerson Crusade with no idea that within a few years I would be serving on his staff in Lindale, Texas. I graduated Bible College at the age of 21 and was working as a youth pastor when the leadership team of David Wilkerson asked me to serve as a teacher in the Twin Oaks Leadership Academy and to serve as an assistant on the David Wilkerson Crusade team. Twin Oaks was the Teen Challenge staff training facility developed by David Wilkerson. It was such a joy to work with some of the greatest leaders I had ever had the privilege of meeting.

Fasting & Prayer by Suzette Hattingh

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:45:42 +0200

A special extract from Suzette's very popular teaching on Fasting & Prayer.

http://www.voiceinthecity.org/en/resources/teachings/174-fasting-and-prayer.html

David Brainerd by Don O. Shelton

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:42:31 +0200

Qoutes:

"Oh, that I could dedicate my all to God. This is all the return I can make Him."

"It is impossible for any rational creature to be happy without acting all for God. God Himself could not make him happy any other way... There is nothing in the world worth living for but doing good and finishing God's work, doing the work that Christ did. I see nothing else in the world that can yield any satisfaction besides living to God, pleasing Him, and doing his whole will."

"Here am I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in Thy service, and to promote Thy kingdom."

"My desires seem especially to be after weanedness from the world, perfect deadness to it, and that I may be crucified to all its allurements. My soul desires to feel itself more of a pilgrim and a stranger here below, that nothing may divert me from pressing through the lonely desert, till I arrive at my Father's house."

I Know God Answers Prayer, by Rosalind Goforth

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:35:06 +0200

Florence Rosalind Bell-Smith (1864-1942): Rosalind Bell-Smith Goforth was born near London, England, and moved with her parents to Montreal, Canada, three years later. Her Dad was an artist, and Rosalind graduated from the Toronto School of Art in 1885. In 1887 she married Jonathan Goforth. They served together as missionaries in China and Manchuria. They were married for forty-nine years and had eleven children (Gertrude, Donald, Paul, Florence, Helen, Grace, Ruth, William, [Amelia] Constance, Mary, and [John] Frederick), five of whom died as babies or very young children. She was the author of How I Know God Answers Prayer (1921), her husband's biography, Goforth of China (1937), and Climbing: Memoirs of a Missionary's Wife (1940).

I Know God Answers Prayer, by Rosalind Goforth 1

I Know God Answers Prayer, by Rosalind Goforth

FOREWORD

IT seems fitting that this little book of personal testimonies to answered prayer should have a brief introductory word as to how they came to be written. The question has been asked by some who read many of these testimonies as they appeared in the pages of The Sunday School Times: "How could you write such personal and sacred incidents in your life?" I could not have written them but for a very clear, God-given leading.

Answers to Prayer , by George Müller

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:30:40 +0200

George Müller (German - born as : Johann Georg Ferdinand Müller)

(September 27, 1805 – March 10, 1898),

A director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol England.

He cared for 10,024 orphans in his life.

He was well-known for providing an education to the children under his care, to the point where he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station in life.

He also established 117 schools which offered Christian education to over 120,000 children, many of them being orphans.

Answers to Prayer , by George Müller,

CHAPTER I CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III

Answers to Prayer , by George Müller, Edited

PREFACE

Mr. Brooks, in this compilation, has endeavored to select those incidents and practical remarks from Mr. Müller's Narratives, that show in an unmistakeable way, both to believers and unbelievers, the secret of believing prayer, the manifest hand of a living God, and His unfailing response, in His own time and way, to every petition which is according to His will.

The careful perusal of these extracts will thus further the great object which Mr. Müller had in view, without the necessity of reading through the various details of his "Narratives," details which Mr. Müller felt bound to

Quiet Talks on Prayer by Samuel Dickey Gordon

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:26:50 +0200

Quiet Talks on Prayer by Samuel Dickey Gordon

Part 1.

The Meaning and Mission of Prayer

Chapter 1.

Prayer the Greatest Outlet of Power

Five Outlets of Power

A great sorrow has come into the heart of God. Let it be told only in hushed voice—one of His worlds is a prodigal! Hush your voice yet more—ours is that prodigal world. Let your voice soften down still more—we have consented to the prodigal part of the story. But, in softest tones yet, He has won some of us back with His strong tender love. And now let the voice ring out with great gladness—we won ones may be the pathway back to God for the others. That is His earnest desire. That should be our dominant ambition. For that purpose He has endowed us with peculiar power.

There is one inlet of power in the life—anybody's life—any kind of power: just one inlet—the Holy Spirit. He is power. He is in everyone who opens his door to God. He eagerly enters every open door. He comes in by our invitation and consent. His presence within is the vital thing.

Free audio book - John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:24:24 +0200

John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress (Philadelphia: Universal Book and Bible House, 1935), p. 66:

About the midst of this valley I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it stood also hard by the wayside. Now thought Christian, what shall I do? And ever and anon the flame and smoke would come out in such abundance, with sparks and hideous noises (things that cared not for Christian's sword, as did Apollyon before), that he was forced to put up his sword, and betake himself to another weapon, called "All-Prayer”

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

Audio book:

Animated video The Pilgrim's Progress

http://www.imu.dk/IMU/Tankstation/The_Pilgrims_Progress/?docId1=KGr-WdRzdYM

How to Pray by R. A. Torrey

Tue, 17 May 2011 14:24:55 +0200

Preface

"Ye shall ask what ye will, and it will be done unto you":

The world-renowned classic which has already shown millions that God's answers come to those who know how to ask.

Who Can Help?

Most of us know we OUGHT to pray, but many seem uncertain as to HOW, WHEN, and WHERE to pray. This book is the classic Christian answer to these vital questions.

Believing that many prayers are not answered because they are not intelligently offered, Dr. Torrey examines the MOODS, the METHODS and the MEANINGS of prayer. He considers all the problems and questioning of the sincere seeker, and in answer to them offers an outline for effective praying that is as positive as it is beautiful and inspirational.

The gentle art of prayer, within these pages, is put within the reach of the least of us. To read it is a mountain-top experience of communion with a loving, ANSWERING God.

"You Have Not Because You Ask Not"...

...and Dr. Torrey goes on to give reasons why men should pray — and what prayer can do:

"Prayer is God's appointed way for obtaining things, and the great secret of all lack in our experience, in our life and in our work is neglect of prayer."

“With Christ in the School of Prayer” Free audio book

Tue, 17 May 2011 14:23:16 +0200

“With Christ in the School of Prayer”

By: Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

It is under a deep impression that the place and power of prayer in the Christian life is too little understood, that this book has been written. I feel sure that as long as we look on prayer chiefly as the means of maintaining our own Christian life, we shall not know fully what it is meant to be. But when we learn to regard it as the highest part of the work entrusted to us, the root and strength of all other work, we shall see that there is nothing that we so need to study and practise as the art of praying aright. … the Father waits to hear every prayer of faith, to give us whatsoever we will, and whatsoever we ask in Jesus' name. (Andrew Murray, quoted from the Preface of this book)

Free audio book

http://www.archive.org/download/with_christ_in_prayer_0902_librivox/with_christ_in_prayer_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3.zip

With Christ in the School of Prayer

Thoughts on our Training for the Ministry of Intersession

—With Christ in the School of Prayer

THE ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER - E. M. Bounds

Tue, 17 May 2011 14:22:24 +0200

THE ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER

FOREWORD

THE work of editing the Bounds Spiritual Life Books (of which the present volume is the sixth) has been a labour of love which has brought great profit and blessing to my own soul. After years of close study of the literary remains of this great Christian, together with the work of other mystics, I am fully persuaded that to but few of the sons of men has there been given such spiritual power as was vouchsafed to Edward McKendree Bounds. Truly he was a burning and a shining light, and as The Sunday School Times says, “he was a specialist in prayer and his books are for the quiet hour, for careful meditation and for all who wish to seek and find the treasures of God.”

It was my great privilege to know the author well, and also to know that his intention, in everything he wrote, was for the salvation of his readers. The Essentials of Prayer is sent forth in this spirit. May God bless it to many hearts and use it for the upbuilding and strengthening of Christian character through the length and breadth of the land.

Video "Hallelujah! :-)

Tue, 17 May 2011 14:10:37 +0200

ABOUT THIS VIDEO

At noon on November 13, 2010 unsuspecting shoppers got a surprise while enjoying their lunch. A flash mob singing the Hallelujah Chorus!

Influence involves caring

Tue, 10 May 2011 11:03:12 +0200

Prayer is also a way of showing care!

As author John Maxwell has noted, there is a difference between being a leader and being a manager. He often points out that management focuses on maintaining systems and processes, while leadership is about “influencing people to follow.” One way to cultivate such influence is breathtaking in its simplicity: Influence involves caring sincerely about others.

If somebody is struggling with an issue (or life in general), simply sitting and listening can be worth more than any words that may come to mind. And don’t forget prayer, for “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).

However, encouragement isn’t just reserved for those who know Christ Jesus. All people need to hear positive words, especially the words that tell of One who died for us so that we can have eternal life. Let’s strive to be an encouragement to all we come in contact with daily.

Stillness: Remain In Christ - Scott Lyons

Tue, 10 May 2011 11:01:05 +0200

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT). This is generally more difficult than it sounds. The Christian life seems so simple when you're 15. And I'm not saying it's complicated, but rather that it isn't easy. It isn't formulaic. It isn't some mechanical magic that, with a bat wing and two eyes of newt, produces the peace of God. Or, similarly, our prayer does not work like an assembly line―put in a bolt here, make a weld there, and at the end of the line you have a fully assembled peace. Stillness requires detachment, which is a way of life, of being. (Let me remind you here that detachment is not coldness toward others and creation, but understanding that it is God who is life and love, that he is the source and summit of all things.

Our hope lies in God. We do not place the heavy burdens of our need on the shoulders of our parents or our spouses and children. We do not place it on stuff. Instead, we stop depending primarily on these precious people and all these ephemeralities. They cannot bear the weight of our need. We place ourselves in the arms of our Father, who can provide for us.) Detachment is being deaf to the passions that scream so loudly. We must depend on God above all things in order to reflect in our faces, hearts and minds the still pool of God's grace.

Perfect peace is found only in Christ. We must remain, abide, live in him (John 15). Jesus Christ calls us into communion with him. We do not perfectly possess communion with him; if we did then there would be no need to be called to it. So you will never grow holy sitting around and waiting for God to mystically change you. The Christian life is not a passive activity. The Kingdom of Heaven is laid hold of by those who have disciplined their bodies (1 Corinthians 9:27), trained hard to win (1 Timothy 4:7), and transformed their minds (Romans 12:2). The Christian life is not a passive activity. It's actively becoming nothing. It's planning and participating in one's own demise. As that old Petra song runs, "Killing my old man. / You may not understand / He's a terrible man. / Got to make a stand / And kill the old man" (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5). And why? That Christ might be everything, all in all, and that you might become new creation, take hold of resurrection, and become a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:4). When we completely participate in Christ's life, then all is peace, stillness, and joy. Then we react as the horse Hwin in C.S. Lewis's The Horse and His Boy: "Then Hwin, though shaking all over, gave a strange little neigh, and trotted across to the Lion. 'Please,' she said, 'you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else.' " This is what it means to want to be in communion with Christ―to see him clearly and to know that we must be consumed. And to know that this is joy.

Prayer: Bite on the Nail - Scott Lyons

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:19:06 +0200

Prayer: Bite on the Nail - Scott Lyons
12/8/2010

I have written about why a prayer rule is a legitimate, healthy, and even necessary discipline (necessary because it instructs, encourages, and guides us in prayer). I have written about how to begin a prayer rule by using one that others have formulated in centuries past or one that you compile yourself. And while I recommend the former over the latter, I’m most concerned that you simply begin to pray. The demons do not want you to pray; your own heart turns away from it—following a rule of prayer is ascesis (struggle, work, discipline). The purpose of having a rule is to habituate oneself to prayer, so that it becomes an integral part of each day. A prayer rule sets aside a portion of each day for prayer to quiet ourselves before God and present ourselves to him—not just with narrow prayers or "Help, God!" prayers, though those are beautiful and also essential. The purpose is to conform one's heart to prayer and find rest in Christ. Here we can drink from the well that never fails. Here we commune with God. And he is love.

Perhaps you have begun your prayer rule. What next? Acedia is next. Acedia has been called the noonday demon. Acedia is growing weary of good work in the midst of it, not because of exhaustion, but out of boredom and disinterest. You will not feel like praying your rule. Doubts will buffet you. There will be interruptions. You will think of better things to do with the little time you have (things that need doing). You will stay up too late and be physically tired when it is time to pray. But you must be firm in your resolve. If you have a planner that you use to organize your day, then schedule your prayer rule. Be ruthless with yourself. Unwavering discipline is essential when you begin and for the first few months until it is part of the rhythm of your life—until your heart knows that you need it, which is reality.

Hemingway said of writing, "Work every day. No matter what has happened the day or night before, get up and bite on the nail." So it must be with your prayer rule. Consider what it is like to begin exercising or dieting or some other act to improve your life. These kinds of changes require real work.

I have recently begun a diet with my wife so that I can, Lord willing, live a long life and enjoy my grandchildren. But I am discovering that bad eating habits—bad thoughts about food—are not as easily shed as weight. Losing weight isn't terribly difficult for most of us. However, if you cannot get your lust for food under some kind of control, then it's all entirely temporary. That's what I am working on, controlling my evil desires, disciplining my stomach.

The same is true for the hard work with prayer rules—following a rule of prayer is not simply thinking that prayer is good and therefore I ought to pray. No, the heart has got to know it. You have to understand your poverty, your great need; you must keep in focus the necessity of prayer for communion with God. Understand it as it is, a matter of life and death. We must be devoted to our devotions. Often they spring to life quickly and forcibly with the passion of young lovers. But unless you lay a proper foundation, your devotion will fade as quickly as it sprang to life. Lay the foundation of good habit as quickly and as ruthlessly as you can. Use the passion you have, while you have it, but understand that it will burn away like fog in the noonday sun. And soon you'll be sitting in front of your prayer rule, wondering why you're doing what you're doing, thinking of everything, anything, but prayer. Wanting— needing—to be elsewhere. Don't give in. Pray. Bite on the nail.

Growing a prayer life

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:15:07 +0200

Photo: Mariager, Denmark by Agner Ebild

New technology amazes us, even though we may not be able to afford all the latest gadgets. The forefront of technology has a lot to do with communication. Cell phone developments and the use of G.P.S. and other satellite capabilities have created a world in which we are almost never out of touch. You may be browsing this website at a wi-fi café that would astonish your grandparents. You can’t imagine living in a world without instant communication.

Yet all these modern advances have lessons to teach us. Take the theological mysteries of prayer, for example. How many of us have wondered about God’s ability to give attention to the simultaneous prayers of millions of people around the globe. Yet communications satellites are regularly handling hundreds of thousands of cell conversations at the same time. The analogy isn’t perfect, but it helps us appreciate God’s much greater divine capacity and uniqueness.

More and more vehicles come equipped with an emergency call button. Press it and an operator is instantly available to answer questions, offer directions, and relay emergency calls. In certain emergencies, such as an airbag deployment, the system automatically signals a distress call and supplies your location to emergency personnel. It turns out that the satellite global positioning software has been tracking your every movement.

For anyone who has ever wondered if we are ever out-of-touch or out-of-mind when it comes to God, our own primitive technology points to the answer. It may be amazing, but God knows where we are, what we’re up to, and what we need.

Prayer—simply talking with God—becomes a spiritual "emergency call button" that we are able to press at any moment to access our heavenly Father, knowing that he has been tracking us continuously. He loves you, and wants to hear from you. He is always available. Tell God your thoughts and concerns; praise him for who he is; thank him for his answers.

Prayer also involves listening—to hear God’s still small voice. This is not an audible voice, but an impression in our heart or mind, a particular verse in the Bible that really hits home. As we develop our relationship with God, we become more and more comfortable with these quiet "interruptions" of God’s counsel, direction, and help, even when we haven’t asked for it.

That magic blue button on automobiles comes with a fee; the privilege of prayer comes free with our relationship to God. The ancient songwriter David may have known nothing about the G.P.S., but his words echo the truth that God is ever with us, ready to hear our prayers:

"O LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, LORD.z
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me."
(Psalm 139:1-11)

How aware are you of God’s presence in your life? Have you talked to him today?

Links

Tue, 03 May 2011 21:46:19 +0200

HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PRAYER2JESUS

Adverts on this site has nothing with opinions or purposes we share and are not recommended to pursue and serves only to sponsor this site.

[

Prayer opens God´s store house!

[

Prayer and Fasting

Tue, 03 May 2011 12:15:17 +0200

Prayer and Fasting Prayer

The Motives for Prayer - The following passages offer three reasons for prayer.

Bible Reading: Judges 16:23-31

Key Bible Verse: Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” (BJudges 16:28)

What does Samson’s prayer indicate about the state of Samson’s relationship with God?

How is your relationship with God doing? Take a moment to consider how close you are walking with him right now.

Reflection: Prayer can restore relationship with God. In spite of Samson’s past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the pagan temple and worshipers. God still loved him. He was willing to hear Samson’s prayer of confession and repentance and use him this final time. One of the effects of sin in our life is to keep us from feeling like praying. But perfect moral behavior is not a condition for prayer. Don’t let guilt feelings over sin keep you from your only means of restoration. No matter how long you have been away from God, he is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship. Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn again to him. If God could still work in Samson’s situation, he can certainly make something worthwhile out of yours.

And Abraham drew near - F.B. Meyer

Tue, 03 May 2011 09:37:27 +0200

And Abraham drew near - Genesis 18:23

The patriarch's attitudes are well worthy of note: he sat (Genesis 18:1), bowed (Genesis 18:2), ran (Genesis 18:7), stood by (Genesis 18:8), went with them (Genesis 18:16), stood before the Lord (Genesis 18:22); here, he drew near.

He drew near with awful reverence. - " I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes." The place whereon he stood was holy ground; and if he trod or crossed it, in the intensity of his desire, he never forgot that the most intimate fellowship of man with God must be mingled with the reverence of godly fear, which remembers that He is a consuming fire.

He drew near in faith. - He had enjoyed a blessed prevision of the day of Christ. There had been revealed to Him that one perfect and sufficient Sacrifice, in virtue of which sinners are welcome to draw near to God. They have boldness to enter the holiest, and draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, who know the new and living way which Jesus has opened for us.

The Authority by Rev. J. A. MacMillan

Tue, 03 May 2011 09:31:17 +0200

The Authority of the Intercessor

by Rev. J. A. MacMillan

Preface: ( 1942 )

The rapidly approaching end of the age is witnessing a tremendous increase in the activity of the powers of darkness. Unrest among the nations, more intense than at any previous time in earth's history, is due largely to the stirring up of the ambitions and passions of men, while the spread of an almost wholly secularized education is quietly doing away with the Scriptural standards which formerly exerted a restraining influence among the so-called Christian peoples. Our wealth and social culture have not made us thankful to the Giver of all good, but have centered us upon the material things of the world, and have produced a self-sufficiency that quite ignores our dependence upon the Creator of all. Godlessness, which we have condemned so strongly in the Soviet Union, is almost equally as pronounced, though less blatant, in our own land.

These conditions are reacting strongly upon the great ministry of the Church of Christ, the giving of the Gospel to the heathen world. War has dosed many doors in foreign lands, and at the same time has cut off financial contributions in not a few countries which formerly took an active interest in missions. More serious still is the attitude of large sections of the church towards the state of the heathen. No longer are these concerned about the lost souls which wander in darkness; their thought is centered on raising their social status and meeting their intellectual and physical needs. They seek, in their own jargon, to "build a better world," but the world they envision is one without a Saviour. Christ, in their view, has degenerated into a Superman, an Example which in their own feeble strength they seek to follow.

With Christ in the School of Prayer -ANDREW MURRAY

Tue, 03 May 2011 09:12:13 +0200

With Christ in the School of Prayer---PREFACE

OF ALL THE PROMISES CONNECTED WITH THE COMMAND, ABIDE IN ME,' there is none higher, and none that sooner brings the confession, `Not that I have already attained, or am already made perfect,' than this: `If ye abide in me, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' Power with God is the highest attainment of the life of full abiding.

And of all the traits of a life like CHRIST there is none higher and more glorious than conformity to Him in the work that now engages Him without ceasing in the Father's presence-His all-prevailing intercession. The more we abide in Him, and grow unto His likeness, will His priestly life work in us mightily, and our life become what His is, a life that ever pleads and prevails for men.

Thou hast made us kings and priests unto God. Both in the king and the priest the chief thing is power, influence, blessing. In the king it is the power coming downward; in the priest the power rising upward, prevailing with God. In our blessed Priest-King, Jesus Christ, the kingly power is founded on the priestly `He is able to save to the uttermost, because He ever liveth to make intercession.' in us, His priests and kings, it is no otherwise: it is in intercession that the Church is to find and wield its highest power, that each member ofthe, Church is to prove his descent from Israel, who as a prince had power with God and with men, and prevailed