At the National Day of Prayer Task Force, where I serve at the Senior Director, we developed a simple acrostic to help people remember the basic concepts of prayer:
Praise
Repent
Ask
Yield
Before we request anything of the Father, we worship him with heart felt words of praise. If you need help in this, locate a chapter within the book of Psalms and read it to the Lord. Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, in her book, Certain Peace in Uncertain Times, writes, “He invites us into conversation with Him because it brings Him pleasure. That’s sometimes a little hard to believe, isn’t it? The holy and perfect and all-powerful ruler of the universe enjoys our prayers of praise? But the proof is in the Scripture: ‘The prayer of the upright is His delight’ (Proverbs 15:8 NKJV). God actually delights in and pursues our worship.”
Here is the model Christ left for us:
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:6-13
As you can see from this very powerful prayer, Christ makes sure that we cover the much needed points in our conversation with the King. We praise Him for He alone is worthy to be praised. We ask for forgiveness of our sins so that there can be nothing hindering us from receiving the blessing of response. We ask for those things that we need. As you grow in your relationship with the Father, you will be able to understand how to pray in His will. James tells us in chapter 4, verse 3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Paul states that, “if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (I Timothy 6:8). Then he we yield to His will. God may say ‘NO’ to your requests and even allow you to go through suffering. “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 2:3). “Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship” (II Timothy 4:5). “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12). We will discuss more about the answer ‘NO’ later on.
If you have never read the works of E.M. Bounds, I encourage you to do so. He spent countless years of his life dedicated to exploring the depth of prayer. He tells us, “the most important lesson we can learn is how to pray. Indeed, we must pray so that our prayers take hold of God. The man who has done the most and the best praying is the most immortal, because prayers do not die. Perhaps the lips that uttered them are closed in death, or the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God's heart is set on them. Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them – outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.”
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Power of Prayer IV
Paul tells us in Philippians 3 verse 10, "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death."
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
Paul got it! And he wasn’t alone. Enoch, great-grandfather of Noah, had such a deep relationship with God, that one day, God just took him to heaven. Then Elijah, a man who lived everyday with devotion to the Father, was escorted to heaven in a chariot of fire. It must have been a sight. Throughout time, God opened himself up to men to initiate friendship. Friends with the Almighty, what a concept.
Anthony DeStefano states, “the fact is that we have a God who loves to communicate. And the reason is that communication is the starting point for any relationship. Everyone has heard it said that God wants to be able to have a relationship with us. There is no truer point in all theology. Indeed, the thrust of God’s communication with mankind over the course of history has always been relational and not conceptual. That’s why he actually prefers it when we come to have faith in him through prayer, instead of through logical arguments alone. God doesn’t just want to satisfy a curiosity we have, he wants to enter into a friendship with us.”
God called King David, arguably one of the greatest kings who ever reigned on the earth, a man after His own heart. David poured out his love, respect and humility before God throughout the Psalms.
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a hopeless quest with no resolve.
"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."" John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you – really know you in deep friendship - or will you be a stranger? Are you going through the routine of your Christian walk without experiencing friendship with Elohim? Through prayer, your eyes will be opened and you will have a relationship that is indescribable and completely fulfilling.
Dr. Henry Blackaby says in his book, Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, “How deep is your relationship with the Lord as you pray? Do you pour your heart out to Him with complete confidence and trust in His help, because you’ve come to know and experience His love? It takes time, like any relationship. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll come to understand His ways, His heart, and His will as you pray.”
It is my hope for you that when you have completed this study on prayer, you will never view prayer the same way again. The next time you fall to your knees, clutch your hands and speak before the throne of the Most High, you will experience true intimacy with the Almighty.
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
Paul got it! And he wasn’t alone. Enoch, great-grandfather of Noah, had such a deep relationship with God, that one day, God just took him to heaven. Then Elijah, a man who lived everyday with devotion to the Father, was escorted to heaven in a chariot of fire. It must have been a sight. Throughout time, God opened himself up to men to initiate friendship. Friends with the Almighty, what a concept.
Anthony DeStefano states, “the fact is that we have a God who loves to communicate. And the reason is that communication is the starting point for any relationship. Everyone has heard it said that God wants to be able to have a relationship with us. There is no truer point in all theology. Indeed, the thrust of God’s communication with mankind over the course of history has always been relational and not conceptual. That’s why he actually prefers it when we come to have faith in him through prayer, instead of through logical arguments alone. God doesn’t just want to satisfy a curiosity we have, he wants to enter into a friendship with us.”
God called King David, arguably one of the greatest kings who ever reigned on the earth, a man after His own heart. David poured out his love, respect and humility before God throughout the Psalms.
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a hopeless quest with no resolve.
"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."" John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you – really know you in deep friendship - or will you be a stranger? Are you going through the routine of your Christian walk without experiencing friendship with Elohim? Through prayer, your eyes will be opened and you will have a relationship that is indescribable and completely fulfilling.
Dr. Henry Blackaby says in his book, Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, “How deep is your relationship with the Lord as you pray? Do you pour your heart out to Him with complete confidence and trust in His help, because you’ve come to know and experience His love? It takes time, like any relationship. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll come to understand His ways, His heart, and His will as you pray.”
It is my hope for you that when you have completed this study on prayer, you will never view prayer the same way again. The next time you fall to your knees, clutch your hands and speak before the throne of the Most High, you will experience true intimacy with the Almighty.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Power of Prayer III
God, Elohim, El Shaddai, Adonai, Jehovah, Theos, Alpha and Omega, a creator with many names but according to the canon of Scriptures, also know as the Bible, is approachable and accessible through only one source, Jesus, Yeshua. If you have not accepted the blood of Christ as the atonement for your sin, you cannot experience the fullness of relationship with God the Father through prayer. By receiving this gift, you are no longer a simple Earth dweller, rather, you become a child of the living God. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his (Jesus’) name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12. Like a caterpillar that cocoons and through metamorphosis becomes a butterfly, so you too, transform from the dust of the earth, the old, into the new…that which is eternal (Revelation 21). It is this identity that makes prayer possible.
Jennifer Kennedy Dean states, “Prayer is an interchange of love between the Father and His child. That desire you feel to pray is His love drawing you to delight in Him. You only need to respond.”
For true Christians, prayer [Gk: "proseuche"] is "communion with God". Through prayer we actually experience relationship with God. The quality of our prayer life then determines the quality of our relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God. It can take many forms - for example: worship, confession, thanksgiving, praise, petition (asking for things), waiting (silent, listening and sensing of God) and warfare (command). If we are baptized in the Spirit we can pray with the spirit, in languages unknown to us but not to God. (1 Corinthians 14:2,14).
“Prayer is what we do. It is our initiative to meet God, whether we are asking for favors, singing in celebration, or crying out in distress. Regardless of what shape or size in comes in, prayer is our effort to engage God.” Fred A. Hartley III
Our goal through prayer must be to know God better – to experience the fullness of relationship. Through prayer we honor Him. We give something back to the Almighty, something He desires greatly, and in the prayer closet, a term ministry leaders will refer to frequently that simply means a quiet place where you cannot be distracted in your time with God, He reveals himself to you. If you do not desire to understand the deep things of God, if you do not desire to give praise to the Father, then the rest of the material in this book is of no use to you. You have to be in a mindset from this point on that you will no longer accept mediocrity in your life and you desire more. You must be ready to breakout of your ritual or traditional prayer practice that may simply tout God as nothing more than genie.
For years, I struggled with one-way dialog in my prayer life. This was due to my narrow perspective of faith that derived from works. In my mind, I lived by my religious to-do list complete with check-boxes…go to church on Sunday. Go to church on Wednesday. Read the Scriptures once a year with a morning or bedtime routine of outlined chapters. Go to men’s groups. Tithe every Sunday. Oh, and be sure to pray before every meal and at the close of the day. These disciplines, though healthy, were my practices as my commitment to the Christian walk. They were not the outward expression of love for my God and King. They were my works.
I have been blessed to serve in ministry for over twenty years. During that time, I have noticed a common practice in the men of our church, they were motivated to express their faith by doing something. Their fire often started to fade when the conversations of God focused solely on the love, feelings and emotions of the believer. But the fire quickly revived when a task needed to be done, especially if the project involved a group of men working with their hands for something in the community. Why? It was tangible. The objective was clear and the goal was reachable. Rather than simply talking about the inner change, they were able to demonstrate the change and do something they considered to be kingdom work. There is nothing wrong with men or women expressing their faith and love of the Lord through works. However, prayer is often lumped into the category of the intangible so little emphasis is placed on the subject. As a man, it was easy for me to get caught up in the tasks because they were viable daily disciplines that I felt pleased God. Prayer to me was nothing more than talking into the air for a set period of time. But, I was able to check that box off at the end of the day. Another day of accomplishments was in the books. It is that focus on the works that becomes the foundation of religion and what you will find throughout Scripture is that God desires more than religion…He wants relationship. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
For me, my prayer journey took another step when I began to understand that there was a living God on the other end of the “conversation”. My words were leaving the ceiling. But, I still did not fully grasp what prayer was intended to do. I am ashamed to say that it wasn’t until recently that I finally began to comprehend the idea that it is not about what God could do for me - but what I could do for God. If we fail to cry out to him – to praise him, the rocks will (Luke 19:40). I don’t know about you, but I don’t want rocks taking my place and filling a need that the Father has. Yes, God desires relationship and I was preoccupied with works. Not only that, I was preoccupied with self. When I went to prayer, it was a preconceived line of thought followed by my list of needs. And I was often impatient for results. In my mind, God needed to provide “fast-food” results and if my one prayer was not sufficient, I took measures into my own hands. Hey, at least I gave God a chance to perform and did what any good Christian should do, right? I was still missing the point.
Jennifer Kennedy Dean states, “Prayer is an interchange of love between the Father and His child. That desire you feel to pray is His love drawing you to delight in Him. You only need to respond.”
For true Christians, prayer [Gk: "proseuche"] is "communion with God". Through prayer we actually experience relationship with God. The quality of our prayer life then determines the quality of our relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God. It can take many forms - for example: worship, confession, thanksgiving, praise, petition (asking for things), waiting (silent, listening and sensing of God) and warfare (command). If we are baptized in the Spirit we can pray with the spirit, in languages unknown to us but not to God. (1 Corinthians 14:2,14).
“Prayer is what we do. It is our initiative to meet God, whether we are asking for favors, singing in celebration, or crying out in distress. Regardless of what shape or size in comes in, prayer is our effort to engage God.” Fred A. Hartley III
Our goal through prayer must be to know God better – to experience the fullness of relationship. Through prayer we honor Him. We give something back to the Almighty, something He desires greatly, and in the prayer closet, a term ministry leaders will refer to frequently that simply means a quiet place where you cannot be distracted in your time with God, He reveals himself to you. If you do not desire to understand the deep things of God, if you do not desire to give praise to the Father, then the rest of the material in this book is of no use to you. You have to be in a mindset from this point on that you will no longer accept mediocrity in your life and you desire more. You must be ready to breakout of your ritual or traditional prayer practice that may simply tout God as nothing more than genie.
For years, I struggled with one-way dialog in my prayer life. This was due to my narrow perspective of faith that derived from works. In my mind, I lived by my religious to-do list complete with check-boxes…go to church on Sunday. Go to church on Wednesday. Read the Scriptures once a year with a morning or bedtime routine of outlined chapters. Go to men’s groups. Tithe every Sunday. Oh, and be sure to pray before every meal and at the close of the day. These disciplines, though healthy, were my practices as my commitment to the Christian walk. They were not the outward expression of love for my God and King. They were my works.
I have been blessed to serve in ministry for over twenty years. During that time, I have noticed a common practice in the men of our church, they were motivated to express their faith by doing something. Their fire often started to fade when the conversations of God focused solely on the love, feelings and emotions of the believer. But the fire quickly revived when a task needed to be done, especially if the project involved a group of men working with their hands for something in the community. Why? It was tangible. The objective was clear and the goal was reachable. Rather than simply talking about the inner change, they were able to demonstrate the change and do something they considered to be kingdom work. There is nothing wrong with men or women expressing their faith and love of the Lord through works. However, prayer is often lumped into the category of the intangible so little emphasis is placed on the subject. As a man, it was easy for me to get caught up in the tasks because they were viable daily disciplines that I felt pleased God. Prayer to me was nothing more than talking into the air for a set period of time. But, I was able to check that box off at the end of the day. Another day of accomplishments was in the books. It is that focus on the works that becomes the foundation of religion and what you will find throughout Scripture is that God desires more than religion…He wants relationship. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
For me, my prayer journey took another step when I began to understand that there was a living God on the other end of the “conversation”. My words were leaving the ceiling. But, I still did not fully grasp what prayer was intended to do. I am ashamed to say that it wasn’t until recently that I finally began to comprehend the idea that it is not about what God could do for me - but what I could do for God. If we fail to cry out to him – to praise him, the rocks will (Luke 19:40). I don’t know about you, but I don’t want rocks taking my place and filling a need that the Father has. Yes, God desires relationship and I was preoccupied with works. Not only that, I was preoccupied with self. When I went to prayer, it was a preconceived line of thought followed by my list of needs. And I was often impatient for results. In my mind, God needed to provide “fast-food” results and if my one prayer was not sufficient, I took measures into my own hands. Hey, at least I gave God a chance to perform and did what any good Christian should do, right? I was still missing the point.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Power of Prayer II
As we continue our discussion on prayer, we cannot proceed without first reading the very words of Christ on prayer. He tells us in Matthew 6:6-13:
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for our Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]”
As E.M. Bounds tells us, the most important lesson we can learn is how to pray. Indeed, we must pray so that our prayers take hold of God. The man who has done the most and the best praying is the most immortal, because prayers do not die. Perhaps the lips that uttered them are closed in death, or the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them.
Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them – outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.
Remember what the Word says about prayers before the Father…they are a sweet aroma to His nostrils (Revelation 5:8/ 8:3-4).
How are we praying?
Are you throwing a short prayer His way before you eat and maybe while in traffic…praying for the best parking spot? Or, are you actively pursuing a relationship with the Father through prayer? If you are a parent, perhaps even a dad and you are reading this right now. What would you rather hear from your child, whom you love:
“Thanks for the food, your neat, let’s eat…”
Or
“Dad, I miss you. I really look forward to our time together. I long to be with you. I know you have everything worked out already, but I am worried about some things today. I need your help. I really blew it today. You told me what to do, but I still messed up. I will do better tomorrow. But I really need you to be with me as I am weak. All I really want to do is make you happy. I love you so much. I want to know you more each and every day. Help me and please forgive me.”
Now you don’t have to pray those exact words, but you get the idea. What was different? The heart was different. The purpose, the intent and the respect is transparent.
Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice that goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things – which we know it is.
The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. When God’s house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God’s house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. “For mine shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” Isaiah 56:7. Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.
We are just getting started…
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for our Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]”
As E.M. Bounds tells us, the most important lesson we can learn is how to pray. Indeed, we must pray so that our prayers take hold of God. The man who has done the most and the best praying is the most immortal, because prayers do not die. Perhaps the lips that uttered them are closed in death, or the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them.
Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them – outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.
Remember what the Word says about prayers before the Father…they are a sweet aroma to His nostrils (Revelation 5:8/ 8:3-4).
How are we praying?
Are you throwing a short prayer His way before you eat and maybe while in traffic…praying for the best parking spot? Or, are you actively pursuing a relationship with the Father through prayer? If you are a parent, perhaps even a dad and you are reading this right now. What would you rather hear from your child, whom you love:
“Thanks for the food, your neat, let’s eat…”
Or
“Dad, I miss you. I really look forward to our time together. I long to be with you. I know you have everything worked out already, but I am worried about some things today. I need your help. I really blew it today. You told me what to do, but I still messed up. I will do better tomorrow. But I really need you to be with me as I am weak. All I really want to do is make you happy. I love you so much. I want to know you more each and every day. Help me and please forgive me.”
Now you don’t have to pray those exact words, but you get the idea. What was different? The heart was different. The purpose, the intent and the respect is transparent.
Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice that goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things – which we know it is.
The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. When God’s house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God’s house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. “For mine shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” Isaiah 56:7. Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.
We are just getting started…
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Power of Prayer
Over the course of the next few weeks, I am going to attempt to explain the power in prayer. It is my goal that you will never see prayer the same way again. This is no easy task. However, the Scriptures have given us pieces to this vast painting. Like a mosaic, we are going to assemble them and what will be revealed is something that will change our prayer walk.
Prayer is the most powerful tool given to God's children and yet it is often the most neglected aspect in our life.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, our goal through prayer must be to....Know God Better - to experience the fullness of relationship with Him. Through prayer we honor Him. We must break out of the routine and get into the blessing. If we fail to praise Him, to cry out to Him, the rocks will (Luke 19:40). I don't know about you, but I have no intention of allowing rocks to take my joy of praising the Father.
Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10 AMP: "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him - that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to death."
Again he tells us, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 NIV
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a never-ending quest with no resolve. Only Jesus can fill the void and he wants to have a deeper relationship with us. When you seek him, he will answer.
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live today? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you - really know you as he did Enoch? Or, will you be a stranger? Prayer and devotion are the keys to having this relationship.
Paul tells us again, "I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3
What is Prayer?
Here is a simple acrostic: Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield
Over the next few weeks we are going to explore each of these areas. It is going to be an exciting journey.
Prayer is the most powerful tool given to God's children and yet it is often the most neglected aspect in our life.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, our goal through prayer must be to....Know God Better - to experience the fullness of relationship with Him. Through prayer we honor Him. We must break out of the routine and get into the blessing. If we fail to praise Him, to cry out to Him, the rocks will (Luke 19:40). I don't know about you, but I have no intention of allowing rocks to take my joy of praising the Father.
Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10 AMP: "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him - that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to death."
Again he tells us, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 NIV
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a never-ending quest with no resolve. Only Jesus can fill the void and he wants to have a deeper relationship with us. When you seek him, he will answer.
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live today? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you - really know you as he did Enoch? Or, will you be a stranger? Prayer and devotion are the keys to having this relationship.
Paul tells us again, "I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3
What is Prayer?
Here is a simple acrostic: Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield
Over the next few weeks we are going to explore each of these areas. It is going to be an exciting journey.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
A Nation United
The 2008 National Day of Prayer was an incredibly powerful moment in history. I know I will find it difficult to properly convey to you just how spectacular the day was. God opened up doors all over America as millions were united in prayer. Events were broadcast live from coast to coast. Prayers filled the skies as every state capital was covered in prayer from the air. Private pilots organized a simultaneous prayer flight to cover all 50 capitals as they flew overhead interceding for our nations leaders. Prayer events took place at sporting events, churches, parks, capitol steps and even schools. Thousands of reports are still coming in. As we can gather just from the limited data we have at this time, we are seeing a 32% increase in events! Millions were gathered! What a voice that must have been before the throne of our Lord. What powerful unity and what a delight to our God and King. To see the body of Christ gather together, putting aside differences and focusing on the needs of our people...that is the heart of true worship. Dr. Ravi Zacharias and Shirley Dobson called for a time of repentance and a Solemn Assembly for all our church leaders. Prayers were lifted up on behalf of the government, military, families, churches, media representatives, business leaders and educators. There is a great moral crisis in our land today and the battle begins on our knees.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer. We are actively planning for the 2009 National Day of Prayer that will take place on May 7. It will be the 58th annual observance. The new theme and honorary chair will be announced soon. We look forward to seeing all that God has planned and praising Him as we, again, unite in prayer for America.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer. We are actively planning for the 2009 National Day of Prayer that will take place on May 7. It will be the 58th annual observance. The new theme and honorary chair will be announced soon. We look forward to seeing all that God has planned and praising Him as we, again, unite in prayer for America.
Monday, April 7, 2008
God Shapes the World by Prayer
The National Day of Prayer is only a few days away. For those of you who tirelessly plan events every year, it probably feels like you just finished last year and already the first Thursday of May is upon you. It is amazing how the time flies. What an exciting time it is though. On May 1, millions of God's people will be praying, united across denominations as one voice before the throne. Your efforts are contributing to something that is eternal. Remember, prayer outlives the lives of those who utter them. They outlive a generation, outlive an age and outlive a world. Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4 tell us that the prayers of the Saints are a sweet aroma to Him.
E.M. Bounds tells us, "God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be and the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. Prayer is God's settled and singular condition to move ahead His Son's kingdom. Therefore, the believer who is the most highly skilled in prayer will do the most for God. Men are to pray - to pray for the advance of God's cause. The one who can wield the power of prayer is the strong one, the holy one, in Christ's kingdom. He is one of God's heroes, saints, servants, and agents. "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. The strongest one in Christ's kingdom is he who can knock the best, and the secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
Prayer is the greatest of all forces because it honors God and brings Him into active aid. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things. It is the simplest and the most sublime, the weakest and the most powerful. Its results lie outside the range of human possibilities; they are limited only by the omnipotence of God."
Prayer is an act of submission.
Remember, in praying, it is not about us, it is about what we do for Him - who first loved us. You may never see your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. Through prayer you will understand the deep things of God.
E.M. Bounds tells us, "God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be and the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. Prayer is God's settled and singular condition to move ahead His Son's kingdom. Therefore, the believer who is the most highly skilled in prayer will do the most for God. Men are to pray - to pray for the advance of God's cause. The one who can wield the power of prayer is the strong one, the holy one, in Christ's kingdom. He is one of God's heroes, saints, servants, and agents. "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. The strongest one in Christ's kingdom is he who can knock the best, and the secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
Prayer is the greatest of all forces because it honors God and brings Him into active aid. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things. It is the simplest and the most sublime, the weakest and the most powerful. Its results lie outside the range of human possibilities; they are limited only by the omnipotence of God."
Prayer is an act of submission.
Remember, in praying, it is not about us, it is about what we do for Him - who first loved us. You may never see your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. Through prayer you will understand the deep things of God.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Indianapolis
I am currently in Indianapolis for the NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association) convention. This is the 105th annual event and there are 7000 people here who have assembled representing schools from across the globe. While the National Day of Prayer Task Force does not endorse any particular religion or association, we are delighted to share about Drive Thru History America and the need to teach the truth about America's founding to our students. This truth has been diluted and even lost over the years since we abolished the New England Primer and the teachings of God and even prayer from the school system in 1962. Many of our founders were men and women of faith. They were driven - not for exploration - but for freedom to worship and to establish a nation of people who honored God. The Mayflower compact specifically states that their intent was advancement of the Christian faith. The National Day of Prayer has a mission to preserve America's godly heritage. You cannot understand why we as a nation have a "National Day" of prayer if you do not know the original intent of our fore fathers. If you can change the past, you have power over the future. Revisionism is wiping out our identity as a people. We are passionate about making sure the truth is told. We worked for 4 years on the Drive Thru curriculum with David Barton and Dr. Nita Thomason. This is our first opportunity to unveil it to the Catholic School System in hopes that they will adopt this material and implement it in their programs. Please be in prayer that our mission is successful. We will be returning to Colorado Springs next week. While in Indianapolis we intend to greet some of the members of the National Prayer Committee and Prayer Harvest Ministries. That will be a wonderful time of prayer and refreshment. In addition, we will be meeting with the state coordinator to share in his excitement over what God is doing throughout Indiana. We thank you in advance for all your prayers while we are on this trip.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
It is Awesome!
There are only a few weeks until the National Day of Prayer. It would take several pages for me to tell you about all the doors God is opening to unite the body of Christ on May 1 in prayer. It is truly awesome to see. Ministries of all sizes are stepping forward to ask, "how can we help"? We have over 1300 radio stations carrying 70 unique messages to encourage participation. A business man contacted me yesterday and asked for billboard artwork. He is placing a billboard ad in every city across America. Coach Tony Dungy filmed two commercials for us that will be airing on television programs throughout the day. Millions of emails and direct mail pieces are being distributed internationally. The NDP NASCAR #78 will be racing again in April at Talladega. It will be completely covered with the NDP flag logo. Last year, it was the teams best race. Millions watched the car lead the race on several laps. It was very exciting. With all our partners stepping forward to assist our volunteer network in driving awareness for the National Day of Prayer, we are seeing tremendous growth in all areas. Answered prayers and testimonies are coming in faster than we can keep up. You can't imagine the joy we feel every day as the phones are ringing off the hook with passionate people on the other end talking about their prayer events. For those on the front line, it can feel lonely at times, but I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Millions will be praying together on May 1. Think about what that will sound like before the throne room of our Lord. It will be a sweet aroma indeed. Remember, prayers outlast the lips that utter them. They are a blessing to our God and King.
On another note, I thank all of you who have emailed or called me to share your prayers for my wife. She is strong and courageous. Her battle with cancer has only drawn us closer to the Father. We are grateful for every day together. I don't know how many days we will have, but we are going to use them wisely to honor our King. Enjoying a sunset is a lot more important than it used to be. Life gets busy. It is easy to overlook the blessings around us. God is so creative. Non of us know the day or hour when God will call us home, so make every minute count. We only have one life on this earth to do it right. Stay the course. Talk to you soon.
On another note, I thank all of you who have emailed or called me to share your prayers for my wife. She is strong and courageous. Her battle with cancer has only drawn us closer to the Father. We are grateful for every day together. I don't know how many days we will have, but we are going to use them wisely to honor our King. Enjoying a sunset is a lot more important than it used to be. Life gets busy. It is easy to overlook the blessings around us. God is so creative. Non of us know the day or hour when God will call us home, so make every minute count. We only have one life on this earth to do it right. Stay the course. Talk to you soon.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Welcome to the Front Lines
I am honored that you decided to take a few minutes to hear my heart on prayer. There are so many things taking place here at the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Every week, I will try to keep you informed on new projects and even share prayer requests with you.
Here is just a little about me. I really don't like to talk about me, but you should know some of my history so we can move on with more important things. I really enjoy dialog so be sure to leave your comments. I will read every one of them.
Okay here we go...
Currently I serve as the Senior Director of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. I have been in ministry for over 15 years. My history in ministry takes me back to 1st Baptist Church of Atlanta where I worked in new member services. Our pastor, whom I still have a great deal of respect for, was Charles Stanley. I then traveled with a group from Texas as a missionary into Mexico. From there, I went into Seminary. These experiences changed my life. I came out of school with a great deal of passion for sharing the incredible story of Jesus Christ. I couldn't wait. So, God directed me into Youth Ministry. However, it wasn’t the nice large church building with a high-tech video and audio system I was hoping for. Rather, I agreed to be a youth pastor for an inner city church for nearly 2 years. What I mean by a church was a group of believers that pulled equipment out of a van that we set-up every Sunday near a street corner. It was a tail-gate church. That was hard. It was difficult to see so much pain in these young people...anger, frustration, confusion...I am sure you understand. I had gang members, pregnant teens, abuse cases - God taught me a lot about patience through their eyes. Simply telling them about Christ and expecting change was foolish. They needed to see action not just hear words. I had this illusion that the greatest trials were across the border when some of the most hurting people were right in my own backyard. I didn’t get a paycheck for being an inner city pastor. So, I had to keep “tent-making” to pay the bills. I really wanted to work in ministry. God heard my heart. He opened a door for me at Focus on the Family. There I worked in Family Ministry. It was right where my heart was. It also enabled me to continue serving as a pastor. I was able to work on video and book projects. Dr. Dobson even allowed me to go on the speaking circuit for Heritage Builders and the Spiritual Growth of Children Seminars. I had a heart for families and in every seminar I started by giving families a model for prayer. So, Shirley Dobson asked me to join National Day of Prayer. There is nothing more powerful than communion with God and it is foundational in our Christian walk. I am blessed to be a part of this prayer ministry. I now have an amazing wife and 5…yes FIVE, wonderful children – 3 girls and 2 boys. They are ages 4 to 13 so we have our hands full.
There is so much more I intend to share with you. My wife is currently battling cancer. We are in need of your prayers. I will tell you more in another blog.
Since you are reading a National Day of Prayer staff blog, I imagine that prayer is something of great importance to you. You have probably experienced spiritual warfare first hand. Welcome to the front lines!
Here is just a little about me. I really don't like to talk about me, but you should know some of my history so we can move on with more important things. I really enjoy dialog so be sure to leave your comments. I will read every one of them.
Okay here we go...
Currently I serve as the Senior Director of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. I have been in ministry for over 15 years. My history in ministry takes me back to 1st Baptist Church of Atlanta where I worked in new member services. Our pastor, whom I still have a great deal of respect for, was Charles Stanley. I then traveled with a group from Texas as a missionary into Mexico. From there, I went into Seminary. These experiences changed my life. I came out of school with a great deal of passion for sharing the incredible story of Jesus Christ. I couldn't wait. So, God directed me into Youth Ministry. However, it wasn’t the nice large church building with a high-tech video and audio system I was hoping for. Rather, I agreed to be a youth pastor for an inner city church for nearly 2 years. What I mean by a church was a group of believers that pulled equipment out of a van that we set-up every Sunday near a street corner. It was a tail-gate church. That was hard. It was difficult to see so much pain in these young people...anger, frustration, confusion...I am sure you understand. I had gang members, pregnant teens, abuse cases - God taught me a lot about patience through their eyes. Simply telling them about Christ and expecting change was foolish. They needed to see action not just hear words. I had this illusion that the greatest trials were across the border when some of the most hurting people were right in my own backyard. I didn’t get a paycheck for being an inner city pastor. So, I had to keep “tent-making” to pay the bills. I really wanted to work in ministry. God heard my heart. He opened a door for me at Focus on the Family. There I worked in Family Ministry. It was right where my heart was. It also enabled me to continue serving as a pastor. I was able to work on video and book projects. Dr. Dobson even allowed me to go on the speaking circuit for Heritage Builders and the Spiritual Growth of Children Seminars. I had a heart for families and in every seminar I started by giving families a model for prayer. So, Shirley Dobson asked me to join National Day of Prayer. There is nothing more powerful than communion with God and it is foundational in our Christian walk. I am blessed to be a part of this prayer ministry. I now have an amazing wife and 5…yes FIVE, wonderful children – 3 girls and 2 boys. They are ages 4 to 13 so we have our hands full.
There is so much more I intend to share with you. My wife is currently battling cancer. We are in need of your prayers. I will tell you more in another blog.
Since you are reading a National Day of Prayer staff blog, I imagine that prayer is something of great importance to you. You have probably experienced spiritual warfare first hand. Welcome to the front lines!
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