The Official 2009 National Day of Prayer took place on May 7 and millions gathered across America to lift up every center of power - churches, families, businesses, government, education, military and media. What a voice and what a sound that must have been before the throne room of the Almighty! It doesn’t stop there! No, that was only the beginning of another year of dedicated worship, prayer and fasting. In fact, we are hard at work planning many other prayer events - continuing to unite the body of Christ for such a time as this.
Please mark your calendars for the Foster Care Prayer Vigil that begins on May 17. This is in addition to the Global Day of Prayer that is taking place right now and concludes with millions in worship and prayer on May 31. Also, make plans now to join me and the rest of the National Day of Prayer Task Force at the Focus on the Family headquarters, October 16-18 for the National Prayer Summit.
I know that organizing prayer is not easy. However, if you feel led, I would encourage you to get involved in your community. Transformation begins in prayer, but James tells us that faith without action is lost. Prayerfully consider one of the following opportunities:
Volunteer at your local soup kitchen
Become part of Prison Fellowship
Serve resources and food to the poor and hungry with Convoy of Hope
Volunteer with the Salvation Army
Lead a Small Group in your church or home
The need for prayer is greater than ever.
Check back to the National Day of Prayer website soon as we will have reports, pictures and videos to share from across the country. We have received several thousand reports already and I can’t wait to share with you some of the many exciting prayer gatherings that took place on May 7.
When we join together in prayer, we expect the hand of God to move in mighty ways. We expect to see change and witness His outpouring first hand. Every year, stories come in of how NDP launched prayer services or dedicated prayer gatherings to petition God to intervene in the lives of men. For example, we have received stories of reduction in crime, reduction in abortion, divorce, job loss and more. There were tangible results for specific prayer requests. God answers prayer.
The commitment to prayer is a challenging one. Trust me. Something will always manage to distract you from your devotion to the Lord in prayer. However, if I can encourage you in anyway, please know that you are not alone. We are standing with you in this prayer movement. Join us on Thursday this week. My team and I will be online for Live Prayer. Just visit our website and click on the large graphic that will take you to www.ourprayer.org and you can enter the National Day of Prayer Live Chat Room. We would be honored to pray for you.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Prayer with Expectation
The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
Before the Pilgrims set foot on the shores of this great land, they declared it for the “advancement of the Christian faith” (Mayflower Compact, 1620).
From 1775 to 1955 our nation proudly identified that God, in His Providence, was the source of our blessing. However, in 1962, a movement began that has led to the cultural war we face today. It started with prayer being removed from schools.
• Voluntary prayer was forbidden
• Inclusion of Scripture was terminated
• Classes on Religion were halted
• The Bible was ordered out of school libraries
• Ten Commandment displays were removed
• Religious artwork was covered
• Religious content in student papers or speeches were forbidden
• The Bible was forbidden to bring in the classroom
So what happened as a result:
• SAT scores plummeted
• American high school students regularly finished last, or near the bottom in math and science testing
• The US now ranks 65th in the world in literacy when only a few decades ago America had one of the world's highest literacy rates.
• Crime in schools and society escalated
• Pregnancy rates in schools escalated
And this was only the beginning.
Today, we have seen the Ten Commandments removed from public institutions, crosses removed from memorials, “In God We Trust”, our national motto, removed from the new Washington D.C. visitor’s center, and more. If removing prayer from our schools was the root of such tragic statistics, imagine what our nation would look like without prayer. My body trembles at the thought of losing our godly heritage and failing to recognize that, indeed, we are a nation UNDER GOD. It is this accountability and recognition of the Almighty and His blessing upon us that has enabled us to persevere and enjoy the years of plenty.
In Nehemiah 9, Joel 2 and Daniel 9, we see leaders who brought the representatives of the people together to humble themselves and confess their sin before the Lord. The National Day of Prayer is a day of remembrance. It is vital that we remain steadfast and join together in one voice before the throne on behalf of all Americans. The National Day of Prayer is also a time of Solemn Assembly. As Moses interceded for Israel and saved a nation from destruction, so we too can intercede for America and recognize the God of our Fathers in adoration.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14
Join me in observing the National Day of Prayer, May 7, 2009.
www.nationaldayofprayer.org
Before the Pilgrims set foot on the shores of this great land, they declared it for the “advancement of the Christian faith” (Mayflower Compact, 1620).
From 1775 to 1955 our nation proudly identified that God, in His Providence, was the source of our blessing. However, in 1962, a movement began that has led to the cultural war we face today. It started with prayer being removed from schools.
• Voluntary prayer was forbidden
• Inclusion of Scripture was terminated
• Classes on Religion were halted
• The Bible was ordered out of school libraries
• Ten Commandment displays were removed
• Religious artwork was covered
• Religious content in student papers or speeches were forbidden
• The Bible was forbidden to bring in the classroom
So what happened as a result:
• SAT scores plummeted
• American high school students regularly finished last, or near the bottom in math and science testing
• The US now ranks 65th in the world in literacy when only a few decades ago America had one of the world's highest literacy rates.
• Crime in schools and society escalated
• Pregnancy rates in schools escalated
And this was only the beginning.
Today, we have seen the Ten Commandments removed from public institutions, crosses removed from memorials, “In God We Trust”, our national motto, removed from the new Washington D.C. visitor’s center, and more. If removing prayer from our schools was the root of such tragic statistics, imagine what our nation would look like without prayer. My body trembles at the thought of losing our godly heritage and failing to recognize that, indeed, we are a nation UNDER GOD. It is this accountability and recognition of the Almighty and His blessing upon us that has enabled us to persevere and enjoy the years of plenty.
In Nehemiah 9, Joel 2 and Daniel 9, we see leaders who brought the representatives of the people together to humble themselves and confess their sin before the Lord. The National Day of Prayer is a day of remembrance. It is vital that we remain steadfast and join together in one voice before the throne on behalf of all Americans. The National Day of Prayer is also a time of Solemn Assembly. As Moses interceded for Israel and saved a nation from destruction, so we too can intercede for America and recognize the God of our Fathers in adoration.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14
Join me in observing the National Day of Prayer, May 7, 2009.
www.nationaldayofprayer.org
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Preparing for the National Day of Prayer
Well, I am going to take a brief break from the prayer series. We will resume in the next couple weeks. Below is an interview between Phil Miglioratti (NPPN) and I regarding the day of prayer:
Phil ~ Introduce a first-timer, John, to the National Day of Prayer. How and when did it begin? How is it related to our nation's history? Is it under the direction of the government?
John ~ The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of America’s heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, many national leaders throughout our history have issued such a call, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863 at the height of the Civil War. In 1952, a joint resolution of Congress, signed by President Harry S. Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan, permanently setting aside the first Thursday of every May for the observance. Historically, the President signs a proclamation each year encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. In 2008, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
The National Day of Prayer Task Force was created by the National Prayer Committee for the purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances in conformance with Judeo-Christian beliefs. People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own values and faith. This diversity is what Congress intentionally acknowledged when it designated the Day of Prayer. They recognized that religions and creeds would not be homogenized, but rather, everyone who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in a way they deemed appropriate. It was in response to that broad invitation to the American people that the NDP Task Force was established in order to provide a Judeo-Christian expression of the National Day of Prayer.
This year, the National Day of Prayer will take place on Thursday, May 7.
Phil ~ In the past 10-15 years many new prayer initiatives have been birthed. Has that been a good step for the Body of Christ in America and how has that affect participation in the NDP?
John ~ It has been exciting to see such an explosion of prayer events, small groups, resources and initiatives. We are thrilled to come alongside these ministries to build on the greater prayer movement. Recently stadiums have been filled with praying and fasting believers. Houses of Prayer have been dedicated around the country and prayer gatherings have become standing room only throughout churches and communities. We are doing our best to fan the flame. It has been truly awesome to see Christians joining together across denominational, ethnic and socio-economic differences to unite hand-in-hand before the Almighty. With this prayer revival has come tremendous growth. The National Day of Prayer website has experienced over 176% growth over last year. Posted events have grown 48% and the numbers continue to climb in resource requests and even prayer requests. We are up over 230% in prayer requests and the interesting thing is that financial burdens are not in the top 10. Rather, we are seeing requests for family members in health, relationship and most importantly, salvation. That is exciting to see. We had over 141,000 people connect through our office to the Billy Graham ministries to hear the gospel message. That is really what it is all about.
Phil ~ The National Day of Prayer has developed way beyond a simple prayer list with the names of elected officials. What programs and resources are associated with NDP and how can they benefit congregations?
John ~ Phil, you are right. The National Day of Prayer is about building a relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer and devotion. That is a 365-day assignment. The first Thursday of May is a rallying point – a gathering of millions to celebrate our multidimensional dialog with the Father and petition Him to heal our land. However, throughout the year, we have much to do. We have an Adopt a Leader program (www.adoptaleader.org), a student ministry (www.freedom365.org), a military ministry to send devotions to soldiers and their families, prayer gatherings and leadership summits, ongoing curriculum and resource development and even prayer training throughout the nation. With over 30,000 volunteers we have a lot of work to do each and every day to equip and mobilize. We truly believe that communities can be transformed and that happens one family at a time. When fathers pray with their wives and families pray with their children, that is the spark for a spiritual flame. Soon God is working through an entire community and then a nation is restored. We are seeing answered prayer throughout the country and it is exciting to see the hand of God in action. In prayer is where God reveals the deep things of his nature and his plan. For churches, I would encourage you to visit our website at www.nationaldayofprayer.org and click on our Church page. There you will find simple guides for planning a prayer event. In addition, you will find sermon notes, videos, printed resources, downloads and more. Dr. Henry Blackaby even wrote a guide for facilitating a Solemn Assembly. You can find this free guide on our website as well.
Phil ~ The Church needs to pray for then in and then with the community. How does NDP serve each of those needs?
John ~
• Praying for the community with the heart of God
Are you prepared to intercede for others? I am often reminded of the dialog between Moses and God in Exodus 32. God had his mind made up and even tells Moses, “Leave me alone, so I may destroy them for their wickedness!” Moses didn’t give up. David tells us in Psalm 106:32, “So he said he would destroy them – had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep His wrath from destroying them.” The Lord relented. In Isaiah 59 and Ezekiel 22, He tells us that He is looking for someone to stand in the gap, to intervene on behalf of the people. Paga, Sode – Intercession is mentioned over 80 times in Scriptures and even in the Greek, Christ referred to God as “The Sending Me Father” – action oriented. What did Moses say to God when he heard of the destruction that was to befall the Israelites, “But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” (Exodus 32:31) Moses was willing to lay down his life for sinners. There were over 1 million people under his charge and they were no different than the obnoxious neighbor on your street. But, Moses was willing to die for them. What is your heart for your community? Are you willing to come before the Almighty on behalf of the people? There was a time when I thought the battle began in prayer – now I know the battle is in prayer. I challenge you to strap on the armor, remove your shoes, and stand before our God and King in humility and desperation. Plead for the lost. Plead for change. Remove all barriers in your life and you will experience the heart of God – a love for holiness.
• Praying in the community with the eyes of Jesus“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (II Chronicles 16:9) The eyes of our Lord see right through to the core issues and cut to the heart. There is sin in our community. There are specific items we can pray for – abortion, crime, suicide, fatherless families, attrition in the church, and more. Name them and be specific. Find out the current statistics if possible and pray beyond the National Day of Prayer for those issues and watch God work. We track those numbers and know God hears when you pray. We are seeing tragic statistics decline throughout the nation where there are concentrated prayer efforts. We need only faith as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (II Corinthians 4:18) The battle is in prayer. Can we tarry with the Lord over these issues? I urge you to stay the course with determination that God will hear and respond.
• Praying with the community with the power of the Spirit (as opportunities develop)
As leaders in our community, it is important to sound the trumpet and to call a sacred assembly. Just as Joel and Ezra called the people to pray, we, too, need to recognize that as Christians we have the spiritual authority to gather Americans to pray. Those in attendance will be blessed by the presence of God. I imagine prayer events must look something like Solomon’s temple when the Holy Spirit is present. People from all the nations would gather just to see and feel the presence of the Lord there. When we gather the people, we are on Holy ground and lives will be changed. Don’t deny them this blessing. Yes, it is work. But it is a blessing that has eternal reward. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)
Phil ~ The National pastors' Prayer Network has always encouraged, even challenged, our Pastors' Prayer Groups to meet together on the NDP. How can this benefit both the PPG and the praying of the Church?
John ~
The National Day of Prayer Task Force has been blessed by the leadership and ministry of the National Pastors’ Prayer Network. We are honored to serve alongside each and everyone associated with this incredible community. Every single prayer event makes a difference. Just imagine what over 3 million people praying before the throne of our God and King must sound like. What a sweet aroma to his nostrils, indeed. Praise and worship through our prayers is something that honors God – something He seeks and desires. Together we can lift up a voice that will reside in His chambers for all eternity. The National Day of Prayer is at least one day when we know that millions of believers are praying in one accord almost simultaneously on a Thursday of all days. The spiritual unity that is stretched across our land is something that is truly awesome. It is the end of one prayer season and the beginning of another. Many prayer groups see this day as the Super Bowl of prayer events. It is still the largest, designated day of prayer in the world. I would encourage you to join with prayer warriors around the nation on May 7th.
Phil ~ Take us through a dream-day - If you had the ability to design a community's or city's expression of the National Day of Prayer, what would it look like?
John ~ It is really hard for me to design the dream-day event because we know that where two or more are gathered, there He is in our midst. It is not about anything but being humble before Him in praise and adoration. That is all we are calling people to do. If we can even ask you to step outside of the church walls and pray in your local park, business or on the capitol steps, then you are taking part in a demonstration that Yahweh is still God over this land. Touch the ground you are praying for. That is powerful. I guess if I were to design the perfect day of prayer, it would go something like this. In the morning, I would set-up a meeting of all the community pastors. We would have a sacred assembly of God’s spiritual leaders. There we would remove our shoes, wash our brethrens’ feet and partake in the Lord’s Supper. Then, we would leave the room after spending time in the Spirit with the Lord and gather the people, together, in prayer at a local stadium or park. Thousands would gather because they wouldn’t want to miss one the most important days of the year. It would be standing room only. After a designed time of fasting and prayer, we would march down the city streets proclaiming that Yahweh was God and King and by the blood of Jesus we have life eternal. There would be singing and dancing in the streets before the Most High. It would be the kind of worship that David would shout from the highest tower. From there we would make our way to the capitol steps where the city leaders would seek blessing from the pastors and humble themselves before God to guide them as they are caretakers of His land and His people. From there, we would march to the land marks, one by one and ask forgiveness for our sins touching each corner of the city – a long journey – but one of great significance. Along the way we would pray that God rebuild the city walls of holiness and that He would permeate every dwelling place and that every home would cry out in repentance. The evening would culminate with great praise and worship at the center of the city. I think in my mind, this is what the Feast of Tabernacles may have been like when first celebrated. We know the day is coming in the New Jerusalem, but in the meantime, I would encourage public events, prayer walking, Bible-reading marathons, prayer gatherings at every influential area of the city, fasting and neighborhood invitations. We have dozens of ideas on our website at www.nationaldayofprayer.org Remember, where two or more are gathered. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just intentional.
Phil ~ John, please write a prayer our readers can pray, asking for God's help in recruiting and resourcing leadership to call their congregations to prayer...
Heavenly Father, as your servant I will go where You lead me. I dare not build the house without your blessing without you as the rock, my foundation. Direct my path, oh Lord, and make clear the way in which I should journey. I have a deep burden for my neighbors, my community and even my nation. My heart aches at what you must see. We have lost our way and we have thrown dirt on your mirror. Help me Father to unite your people and lead them in life-changing prayer. Help us to understand the relationship you had with Enoch and walk in your ways. Truly, Father, I long to know you better. My soul thirsts for you. Give me courage and passion and may they be contagious. Give me the words to speak and the tools to equip. I know money is no barrier to you. I need only to cast my line into the water and draw up a fish to find the coin needed. Give me that faith. Help me to trust when I am weak and tired. Please bring an Aaron alongside me to keep me lifted up when my heart is faint. At times, I feel alone but as you told Elijah, I know there are others. Father, I humbly ask that you bring people with a love for holiness into my life and may they have your heart to bring people together on holy ground. I need help and resources, my Lord. Prepare me for what you are about to do. Refine me that I may be your instrument. I depend on you for all things and I thank you for all you have provided. If you give me five talents, I shall make it five more with you favor and blessing. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen
Phil ~ Introduce a first-timer, John, to the National Day of Prayer. How and when did it begin? How is it related to our nation's history? Is it under the direction of the government?
John ~ The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of America’s heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, many national leaders throughout our history have issued such a call, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863 at the height of the Civil War. In 1952, a joint resolution of Congress, signed by President Harry S. Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan, permanently setting aside the first Thursday of every May for the observance. Historically, the President signs a proclamation each year encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. In 2008, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
The National Day of Prayer Task Force was created by the National Prayer Committee for the purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances in conformance with Judeo-Christian beliefs. People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own values and faith. This diversity is what Congress intentionally acknowledged when it designated the Day of Prayer. They recognized that religions and creeds would not be homogenized, but rather, everyone who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in a way they deemed appropriate. It was in response to that broad invitation to the American people that the NDP Task Force was established in order to provide a Judeo-Christian expression of the National Day of Prayer.
This year, the National Day of Prayer will take place on Thursday, May 7.
Phil ~ In the past 10-15 years many new prayer initiatives have been birthed. Has that been a good step for the Body of Christ in America and how has that affect participation in the NDP?
John ~ It has been exciting to see such an explosion of prayer events, small groups, resources and initiatives. We are thrilled to come alongside these ministries to build on the greater prayer movement. Recently stadiums have been filled with praying and fasting believers. Houses of Prayer have been dedicated around the country and prayer gatherings have become standing room only throughout churches and communities. We are doing our best to fan the flame. It has been truly awesome to see Christians joining together across denominational, ethnic and socio-economic differences to unite hand-in-hand before the Almighty. With this prayer revival has come tremendous growth. The National Day of Prayer website has experienced over 176% growth over last year. Posted events have grown 48% and the numbers continue to climb in resource requests and even prayer requests. We are up over 230% in prayer requests and the interesting thing is that financial burdens are not in the top 10. Rather, we are seeing requests for family members in health, relationship and most importantly, salvation. That is exciting to see. We had over 141,000 people connect through our office to the Billy Graham ministries to hear the gospel message. That is really what it is all about.
Phil ~ The National Day of Prayer has developed way beyond a simple prayer list with the names of elected officials. What programs and resources are associated with NDP and how can they benefit congregations?
John ~ Phil, you are right. The National Day of Prayer is about building a relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer and devotion. That is a 365-day assignment. The first Thursday of May is a rallying point – a gathering of millions to celebrate our multidimensional dialog with the Father and petition Him to heal our land. However, throughout the year, we have much to do. We have an Adopt a Leader program (www.adoptaleader.org), a student ministry (www.freedom365.org), a military ministry to send devotions to soldiers and their families, prayer gatherings and leadership summits, ongoing curriculum and resource development and even prayer training throughout the nation. With over 30,000 volunteers we have a lot of work to do each and every day to equip and mobilize. We truly believe that communities can be transformed and that happens one family at a time. When fathers pray with their wives and families pray with their children, that is the spark for a spiritual flame. Soon God is working through an entire community and then a nation is restored. We are seeing answered prayer throughout the country and it is exciting to see the hand of God in action. In prayer is where God reveals the deep things of his nature and his plan. For churches, I would encourage you to visit our website at www.nationaldayofprayer.org and click on our Church page. There you will find simple guides for planning a prayer event. In addition, you will find sermon notes, videos, printed resources, downloads and more. Dr. Henry Blackaby even wrote a guide for facilitating a Solemn Assembly. You can find this free guide on our website as well.
Phil ~ The Church needs to pray for then in and then with the community. How does NDP serve each of those needs?
John ~
• Praying for the community with the heart of God
Are you prepared to intercede for others? I am often reminded of the dialog between Moses and God in Exodus 32. God had his mind made up and even tells Moses, “Leave me alone, so I may destroy them for their wickedness!” Moses didn’t give up. David tells us in Psalm 106:32, “So he said he would destroy them – had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep His wrath from destroying them.” The Lord relented. In Isaiah 59 and Ezekiel 22, He tells us that He is looking for someone to stand in the gap, to intervene on behalf of the people. Paga, Sode – Intercession is mentioned over 80 times in Scriptures and even in the Greek, Christ referred to God as “The Sending Me Father” – action oriented. What did Moses say to God when he heard of the destruction that was to befall the Israelites, “But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” (Exodus 32:31) Moses was willing to lay down his life for sinners. There were over 1 million people under his charge and they were no different than the obnoxious neighbor on your street. But, Moses was willing to die for them. What is your heart for your community? Are you willing to come before the Almighty on behalf of the people? There was a time when I thought the battle began in prayer – now I know the battle is in prayer. I challenge you to strap on the armor, remove your shoes, and stand before our God and King in humility and desperation. Plead for the lost. Plead for change. Remove all barriers in your life and you will experience the heart of God – a love for holiness.
• Praying in the community with the eyes of Jesus“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (II Chronicles 16:9) The eyes of our Lord see right through to the core issues and cut to the heart. There is sin in our community. There are specific items we can pray for – abortion, crime, suicide, fatherless families, attrition in the church, and more. Name them and be specific. Find out the current statistics if possible and pray beyond the National Day of Prayer for those issues and watch God work. We track those numbers and know God hears when you pray. We are seeing tragic statistics decline throughout the nation where there are concentrated prayer efforts. We need only faith as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (II Corinthians 4:18) The battle is in prayer. Can we tarry with the Lord over these issues? I urge you to stay the course with determination that God will hear and respond.
• Praying with the community with the power of the Spirit (as opportunities develop)
As leaders in our community, it is important to sound the trumpet and to call a sacred assembly. Just as Joel and Ezra called the people to pray, we, too, need to recognize that as Christians we have the spiritual authority to gather Americans to pray. Those in attendance will be blessed by the presence of God. I imagine prayer events must look something like Solomon’s temple when the Holy Spirit is present. People from all the nations would gather just to see and feel the presence of the Lord there. When we gather the people, we are on Holy ground and lives will be changed. Don’t deny them this blessing. Yes, it is work. But it is a blessing that has eternal reward. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)
Phil ~ The National pastors' Prayer Network has always encouraged, even challenged, our Pastors' Prayer Groups to meet together on the NDP. How can this benefit both the PPG and the praying of the Church?
John ~
The National Day of Prayer Task Force has been blessed by the leadership and ministry of the National Pastors’ Prayer Network. We are honored to serve alongside each and everyone associated with this incredible community. Every single prayer event makes a difference. Just imagine what over 3 million people praying before the throne of our God and King must sound like. What a sweet aroma to his nostrils, indeed. Praise and worship through our prayers is something that honors God – something He seeks and desires. Together we can lift up a voice that will reside in His chambers for all eternity. The National Day of Prayer is at least one day when we know that millions of believers are praying in one accord almost simultaneously on a Thursday of all days. The spiritual unity that is stretched across our land is something that is truly awesome. It is the end of one prayer season and the beginning of another. Many prayer groups see this day as the Super Bowl of prayer events. It is still the largest, designated day of prayer in the world. I would encourage you to join with prayer warriors around the nation on May 7th.
Phil ~ Take us through a dream-day - If you had the ability to design a community's or city's expression of the National Day of Prayer, what would it look like?
John ~ It is really hard for me to design the dream-day event because we know that where two or more are gathered, there He is in our midst. It is not about anything but being humble before Him in praise and adoration. That is all we are calling people to do. If we can even ask you to step outside of the church walls and pray in your local park, business or on the capitol steps, then you are taking part in a demonstration that Yahweh is still God over this land. Touch the ground you are praying for. That is powerful. I guess if I were to design the perfect day of prayer, it would go something like this. In the morning, I would set-up a meeting of all the community pastors. We would have a sacred assembly of God’s spiritual leaders. There we would remove our shoes, wash our brethrens’ feet and partake in the Lord’s Supper. Then, we would leave the room after spending time in the Spirit with the Lord and gather the people, together, in prayer at a local stadium or park. Thousands would gather because they wouldn’t want to miss one the most important days of the year. It would be standing room only. After a designed time of fasting and prayer, we would march down the city streets proclaiming that Yahweh was God and King and by the blood of Jesus we have life eternal. There would be singing and dancing in the streets before the Most High. It would be the kind of worship that David would shout from the highest tower. From there we would make our way to the capitol steps where the city leaders would seek blessing from the pastors and humble themselves before God to guide them as they are caretakers of His land and His people. From there, we would march to the land marks, one by one and ask forgiveness for our sins touching each corner of the city – a long journey – but one of great significance. Along the way we would pray that God rebuild the city walls of holiness and that He would permeate every dwelling place and that every home would cry out in repentance. The evening would culminate with great praise and worship at the center of the city. I think in my mind, this is what the Feast of Tabernacles may have been like when first celebrated. We know the day is coming in the New Jerusalem, but in the meantime, I would encourage public events, prayer walking, Bible-reading marathons, prayer gatherings at every influential area of the city, fasting and neighborhood invitations. We have dozens of ideas on our website at www.nationaldayofprayer.org Remember, where two or more are gathered. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just intentional.
Phil ~ John, please write a prayer our readers can pray, asking for God's help in recruiting and resourcing leadership to call their congregations to prayer...
Heavenly Father, as your servant I will go where You lead me. I dare not build the house without your blessing without you as the rock, my foundation. Direct my path, oh Lord, and make clear the way in which I should journey. I have a deep burden for my neighbors, my community and even my nation. My heart aches at what you must see. We have lost our way and we have thrown dirt on your mirror. Help me Father to unite your people and lead them in life-changing prayer. Help us to understand the relationship you had with Enoch and walk in your ways. Truly, Father, I long to know you better. My soul thirsts for you. Give me courage and passion and may they be contagious. Give me the words to speak and the tools to equip. I know money is no barrier to you. I need only to cast my line into the water and draw up a fish to find the coin needed. Give me that faith. Help me to trust when I am weak and tired. Please bring an Aaron alongside me to keep me lifted up when my heart is faint. At times, I feel alone but as you told Elijah, I know there are others. Father, I humbly ask that you bring people with a love for holiness into my life and may they have your heart to bring people together on holy ground. I need help and resources, my Lord. Prepare me for what you are about to do. Refine me that I may be your instrument. I depend on you for all things and I thank you for all you have provided. If you give me five talents, I shall make it five more with you favor and blessing. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Power of Prayer X
Again, if you appreciate the numerical perfection in Scripture, you should note that Christ was tested as the perfect sacrifice, the atonement for our sins, by the devil when he was in the desert for 40 days (Luke 4). Then after his resurrection, he appeared to his apostles for 40 days (Acts 1) to prepare them for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 2, it tells us that flames stood on the heads of the apostles as they gathered to pray before the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was also very symbolic from when the Holy Spirit came to Moses in the desert at the burning bush.
I could on and on about that. What we need to focus on here is that the Holy Spirit is now free to dwell in men by the blood of Christ. God will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask and call upon Him (Luke 11:13).
An amazing transition occurred from the law to grace. Under the law, men demonstrated their love for God by their actions. It was action oriented. Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, goes on and on about the men and women who acted upon their love for the Lord. However, throughout the New Testament you see a significant transition. Rather than focusing on the action alone, Christ began holding men accountable for their thoughts and the desires of their heart. Christ said at His sermon on the mountainside, “You have heard it said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28. Why would Christ up the standard? Because God wants to be like-minded with those He has a relationship with. Sin is sin, regardless of whether it is action or thought. Christ wants us to strive to put off the old things of our sinful nature to draw closer to Him. He wants us to love holiness. He enables us to do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” I Corinthians 2:11-12
This power of the Holy Spirit enables us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26).
Paul said, “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:2/13
Again, you see that God wants us to have like-mindedness with Him...relationship. Under the law, men loved because they did. Now, under grace, we do because we love.
With this understanding of the power behind your prayer, we cannot lose focus of the One we are praying to. Even though Christ gave His life for you and me on the cross and calls us friend and even sons and daughters, we must remember that we are going before a holy God who is being praised at this very moment by the angelic beings.
"There is a constant tendency to omit adoration when I forget to whom I am speaking, when I rush heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah without thought of His awe-inspiring name and character. When I have little eyesight for His glory, and little admiration of His wonders, my heart has a native tendency to omit giving thanks, and yet it is especially commanded." – Robert Murray McCheyne
When Moses approached the burning bush, God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5
Indeed, when we go before the most powerful, most holy, most high God, we dare not go disrespectfully. Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “do not be hasty in word or impulsive in your thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”
In Acts 2, it tells us that flames stood on the heads of the apostles as they gathered to pray before the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was also very symbolic from when the Holy Spirit came to Moses in the desert at the burning bush.
I could on and on about that. What we need to focus on here is that the Holy Spirit is now free to dwell in men by the blood of Christ. God will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask and call upon Him (Luke 11:13).
An amazing transition occurred from the law to grace. Under the law, men demonstrated their love for God by their actions. It was action oriented. Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, goes on and on about the men and women who acted upon their love for the Lord. However, throughout the New Testament you see a significant transition. Rather than focusing on the action alone, Christ began holding men accountable for their thoughts and the desires of their heart. Christ said at His sermon on the mountainside, “You have heard it said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28. Why would Christ up the standard? Because God wants to be like-minded with those He has a relationship with. Sin is sin, regardless of whether it is action or thought. Christ wants us to strive to put off the old things of our sinful nature to draw closer to Him. He wants us to love holiness. He enables us to do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” I Corinthians 2:11-12
This power of the Holy Spirit enables us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26).
Paul said, “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:2/13
Again, you see that God wants us to have like-mindedness with Him...relationship. Under the law, men loved because they did. Now, under grace, we do because we love.
With this understanding of the power behind your prayer, we cannot lose focus of the One we are praying to. Even though Christ gave His life for you and me on the cross and calls us friend and even sons and daughters, we must remember that we are going before a holy God who is being praised at this very moment by the angelic beings.
"There is a constant tendency to omit adoration when I forget to whom I am speaking, when I rush heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah without thought of His awe-inspiring name and character. When I have little eyesight for His glory, and little admiration of His wonders, my heart has a native tendency to omit giving thanks, and yet it is especially commanded." – Robert Murray McCheyne
When Moses approached the burning bush, God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5
Indeed, when we go before the most powerful, most holy, most high God, we dare not go disrespectfully. Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “do not be hasty in word or impulsive in your thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Power of Prayer IX
Let’s recap for a moment. We have covered the following points:
Point 1: Praise Him - seek a relationship with the Lord
Point 2: Repent – in humility request forgiveness of your sin
Point 3: Ask of Him
Point 4: Pursue the Lord in the morning and often throughout the day
Now we need to move on to cover the next 3 points.
Point 5: Use your lips to praise Him in worship and in prayer
Point 6: Petition the Father regularly for your needs and for those of others
Point 7: Yield to His will
Obviously from looking at these points, you see that points 4 and 5 could be sub points of Praise, Repent and Ask. But, I don’t want these lost or buried in other discussions as they really are key to our ability to sustain an ongoing relationship with the Father. If we truly believe that pleasing God is the only mission as we rise each morning, then pursuing Him in the morning gives respect and honor to Him who will direct our path. Pursue His will for the day and the rest will fall in line. Once you start to open up your heart to Him in this prayer walk, you won’t be able to contain your outpouring of affection and praise. David was reprimanded by his wife for dancing and singing before God. David was spot on. He didn’t need to be reserved. He was too close to the Almighty to contain the passion for Him and the works of His hand. If you think you need to pray in silence all the time, you won’t be able to really open up to Him. Have a conversation with God. Just try it. Go somewhere that will give you privacy…a hillside or room…you decide where you will be free from the perception of being crazy. Later on you will most likely not be concerned about such things but for now, find a place where only you and the Father can converse without interruption. Then talk to Him…literally. If you have lips, use them. If you have a tongue, use it. God wants to hear from you. He is not limited to audible expression, however. If you pray in silence, He is able to hear that as well. Many were not given speech as a physical attribute. But, I assure you that God makes no mistakes and the prayers of the mute can be just as powerful if not more. My point is this, if God has given you legs…use them for the kingdom. If He has given you arms, use them for the kingdom. If He has give you lips…use them for the kingdom. The Scriptures call praise from the tongue, the fruit of our lips.
• Psalm 63:3-4: My lips will glorify You
• Hosea 14:2: Praise Him with your lips
• Hebrews 13:5: The fruit of your lips that praise him
• Psalm 40: Words of my lips honor Him
• James 3: With the tongue we praise our Father
Remember, it starts with the heart first – the lips are an expression of the soul.
"…they come to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13
Before we can move on to Point 6, which is intercessory prayer, we have to understand two more critical areas. First, we need to understand where the power in our prayer originates. Then, we absolutely must understand who we are praying to. I don’t believe we as humans will ever fully comprehend what you are about to read until we spend time with our Lord in eternity. However, He has given us enough to make necessary adjustments in our daily acknowledgements. If we give respect to something, we tend to make it a greater priority.
What power enables us to have a voice before God?
In Genesis chapter 6, verse 18, God gives His covenant to Noah and he and his family were spared from the devastation upon the earth, because of sin. Noah was 10 generations removed from Adam, approximately 1,700 years. For 40 days and 40 nights, while the rains fell upon the earth, this covenant was preserved in a wooden ark that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. It was made of cypress wood and covered in pitch.
Fast forward to the time of Moses, approximately 1,700 years after the flood. For 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18) God gave his covenant to Moses and told him to build another ark. This ark was made of acacia wood, 3 ¾ feet long, 2 ¼ fee wide and 2 ¼ feet tall, covered in pure gold both inside and out with cherubim facing each other, looking toward the cover. The lid of the ark was called the atonement cover. Very symbolic for what was to come. Three times in Exodus 25:10-22, God says to Moses to put his testimony (or covenant) in the ark. Inside the ark was a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Hebrews 9:4). If you are one who appreciates God’s perfect engineering, you should note that Moses was 40 years old when he and the Israelites began a 40-year trek across the desert.
The ark was the source of contact with God. Men were still sinful and the sacrifices they made before Him were still imperfect. But, God’s presence was apparent and the Israelites were able to accomplish great things when they respected the presence of God and followed His commands. They were afraid to go to battle without the ark at their side. With it they knew no foe could prevail against them.
The power in the ark was able to:
• Stop the flow of a mighty river (Joshua 3)
• Bring down the walls of cities (Joshua 6)
• Stop the Sun (Joshua 10)
• Break down idols (I Samuel 5)
• Destroy Armies (I Samuel 6)
It was the Holy Spirit that was in the Ark of the Covenant (I Kings 8:27/ Acts 7). The same Holy Spirit that gave Israel direct contact to God the Father, is the same Holy Spirit that Christ said would come after his departure (John 14:15-26/ 16:5-16). The same Holy Spirit that inhabits those who have accepted the life giving blood of Jesus. Just as the death angel passed over God’s people in Egypt, those who had the blood of the lamb over the head of their door, so has the blood of Christ marked us and identified us as His own, suitable for the Holy Spirit not by our own works, but by His so we are saved from the death angel once more.
Ephesians 1:13-14: "…having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
I Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Is it no wonder that Christ himself says that, "…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." The faith to move mountains. Think about that for a moment. If the very power that was able to stop the sun is able to reside in your body, what is stopping you from taking the sword that belongs to you? You are the Ark of the Covenant on two legs! Your body is now gold in the eyes of the Lord and the atonement covering is the blood of Christ.
Point 1: Praise Him - seek a relationship with the Lord
Point 2: Repent – in humility request forgiveness of your sin
Point 3: Ask of Him
Point 4: Pursue the Lord in the morning and often throughout the day
Now we need to move on to cover the next 3 points.
Point 5: Use your lips to praise Him in worship and in prayer
Point 6: Petition the Father regularly for your needs and for those of others
Point 7: Yield to His will
Obviously from looking at these points, you see that points 4 and 5 could be sub points of Praise, Repent and Ask. But, I don’t want these lost or buried in other discussions as they really are key to our ability to sustain an ongoing relationship with the Father. If we truly believe that pleasing God is the only mission as we rise each morning, then pursuing Him in the morning gives respect and honor to Him who will direct our path. Pursue His will for the day and the rest will fall in line. Once you start to open up your heart to Him in this prayer walk, you won’t be able to contain your outpouring of affection and praise. David was reprimanded by his wife for dancing and singing before God. David was spot on. He didn’t need to be reserved. He was too close to the Almighty to contain the passion for Him and the works of His hand. If you think you need to pray in silence all the time, you won’t be able to really open up to Him. Have a conversation with God. Just try it. Go somewhere that will give you privacy…a hillside or room…you decide where you will be free from the perception of being crazy. Later on you will most likely not be concerned about such things but for now, find a place where only you and the Father can converse without interruption. Then talk to Him…literally. If you have lips, use them. If you have a tongue, use it. God wants to hear from you. He is not limited to audible expression, however. If you pray in silence, He is able to hear that as well. Many were not given speech as a physical attribute. But, I assure you that God makes no mistakes and the prayers of the mute can be just as powerful if not more. My point is this, if God has given you legs…use them for the kingdom. If He has given you arms, use them for the kingdom. If He has give you lips…use them for the kingdom. The Scriptures call praise from the tongue, the fruit of our lips.
• Psalm 63:3-4: My lips will glorify You
• Hosea 14:2: Praise Him with your lips
• Hebrews 13:5: The fruit of your lips that praise him
• Psalm 40: Words of my lips honor Him
• James 3: With the tongue we praise our Father
Remember, it starts with the heart first – the lips are an expression of the soul.
"…they come to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13
Before we can move on to Point 6, which is intercessory prayer, we have to understand two more critical areas. First, we need to understand where the power in our prayer originates. Then, we absolutely must understand who we are praying to. I don’t believe we as humans will ever fully comprehend what you are about to read until we spend time with our Lord in eternity. However, He has given us enough to make necessary adjustments in our daily acknowledgements. If we give respect to something, we tend to make it a greater priority.
What power enables us to have a voice before God?
In Genesis chapter 6, verse 18, God gives His covenant to Noah and he and his family were spared from the devastation upon the earth, because of sin. Noah was 10 generations removed from Adam, approximately 1,700 years. For 40 days and 40 nights, while the rains fell upon the earth, this covenant was preserved in a wooden ark that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. It was made of cypress wood and covered in pitch.
Fast forward to the time of Moses, approximately 1,700 years after the flood. For 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18) God gave his covenant to Moses and told him to build another ark. This ark was made of acacia wood, 3 ¾ feet long, 2 ¼ fee wide and 2 ¼ feet tall, covered in pure gold both inside and out with cherubim facing each other, looking toward the cover. The lid of the ark was called the atonement cover. Very symbolic for what was to come. Three times in Exodus 25:10-22, God says to Moses to put his testimony (or covenant) in the ark. Inside the ark was a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Hebrews 9:4). If you are one who appreciates God’s perfect engineering, you should note that Moses was 40 years old when he and the Israelites began a 40-year trek across the desert.
The ark was the source of contact with God. Men were still sinful and the sacrifices they made before Him were still imperfect. But, God’s presence was apparent and the Israelites were able to accomplish great things when they respected the presence of God and followed His commands. They were afraid to go to battle without the ark at their side. With it they knew no foe could prevail against them.
The power in the ark was able to:
• Stop the flow of a mighty river (Joshua 3)
• Bring down the walls of cities (Joshua 6)
• Stop the Sun (Joshua 10)
• Break down idols (I Samuel 5)
• Destroy Armies (I Samuel 6)
It was the Holy Spirit that was in the Ark of the Covenant (I Kings 8:27/ Acts 7). The same Holy Spirit that gave Israel direct contact to God the Father, is the same Holy Spirit that Christ said would come after his departure (John 14:15-26/ 16:5-16). The same Holy Spirit that inhabits those who have accepted the life giving blood of Jesus. Just as the death angel passed over God’s people in Egypt, those who had the blood of the lamb over the head of their door, so has the blood of Christ marked us and identified us as His own, suitable for the Holy Spirit not by our own works, but by His so we are saved from the death angel once more.
Ephesians 1:13-14: "…having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
I Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Is it no wonder that Christ himself says that, "…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." The faith to move mountains. Think about that for a moment. If the very power that was able to stop the sun is able to reside in your body, what is stopping you from taking the sword that belongs to you? You are the Ark of the Covenant on two legs! Your body is now gold in the eyes of the Lord and the atonement covering is the blood of Christ.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Power of Prayer VIII
Dr. Richard Swenson was giving a talk on the subject of God as related to space and time at Focus on the Family for the Christian Leadership Alliance meeting and he said these words, “Is it possible to pray today for something that affected yesterday? Space and time are no limits to God. If He knew you before He made you, He heard you before the words left your lips.” Now he did go on to say that we do not pray for God to change the past. But rather, he was simply trying to get the audience to break out of their mental boxes and understand that the living God can pause and listen to your every word. He can think about your words and determine when and if He should act upon your request and He is able to do this for millions of people at the same time. He could even spend a million years thinking about your prayer and not even one second would go by for humanity. Is that not a mind buster! Listen to the words of David. “When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:14-16). Then the Lord told Jeremiah, “before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). I won’t go into the issues of predestination here as I don’t want to get into a theological stumbling block. Rather, I just want you to see that when you pray, your conversation with God has no bounds and breaks even space and time.
In the words of E.M. Bounds, “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 some of your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. We will discuss this in more detail on the subject of Intercessory Prayer.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; Let us press on to know the Lord. (Hosea 6:3)
Prayer is simply the expression of faith. Prayer and holy life are one. They mutually act and react. Neither can survive alone, for the absence of one is the absence of the other. The deep things of God are learned only in prayer. Our whole being must be in our praying; like John Knox, "Give me Scotland, or may I die." What passion he had for a piece of land. Why don't you have this passion in prayer? Guilt perhaps? Are you holding on to sin that you don't want to release or confess? “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1b. You and the Father know what is holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a relationship with God. If you are clutching on to sin, your interface with the Father will be weak (I John 1:9). “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:16-18).
We must pray with all perseverance – Ephesians 6:18.
One person can change the world through powerful prayer:
• Elijah (prayed for the rain to stop and it did not rain for 3 ½ years)
• Moses (saved Israel from destruction – pleading with God)
• Samuel, Daniel, Paul…
"The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees." – Philip Henry
God hears the prayers of men. That is truly amazing. He will hear your prayers. You have incredible power in your prayer. Far more than you can imagine. Again, we will address this as we discuss intercessory prayer later on.
You should begin the day in prayer as to avoid the foolishness of not having the spirit of wisdom with you while you make decisions.
"Work, work, from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." – Martin Luther
What a paradigm shift. Even now, as you read these words, you may be thinking about all the things that you need to accomplish. The tasks of the day can be overwhelming for many. It was no different for Martin Luther. But he understood that he couldn’t face the obstacles and challenges of the day without God’s hand guiding him. Just being in the presence of the Lord for a moment of solitude will ease your burdens. At first, I found it difficult to pray for 10 minutes and now, I have often found myself in prayer for hours. Dr. Henry Blackaby and I were discussing this very concept. We both agreed that our days were more productive and our minds better prepared when we committed our mornings to prayer. King David also understood this critical point:
• "Early will I seek thee" (Psalm 63:1)
• "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning (Psalm 5:3)
• "From the womb of the day, your men will come to you." (Psalm 110:3)
• "When I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139:18)
"Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the prayer closet. There is nothing more fatal to the life and power of religion. More solitude and earlier hours – pray three times a day, at least. How much better might I serve if I cultivated a closer communion with God!" - William Wilberforce
In the words of E.M. Bounds, “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 some of your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. We will discuss this in more detail on the subject of Intercessory Prayer.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; Let us press on to know the Lord. (Hosea 6:3)
Prayer is simply the expression of faith. Prayer and holy life are one. They mutually act and react. Neither can survive alone, for the absence of one is the absence of the other. The deep things of God are learned only in prayer. Our whole being must be in our praying; like John Knox, "Give me Scotland, or may I die." What passion he had for a piece of land. Why don't you have this passion in prayer? Guilt perhaps? Are you holding on to sin that you don't want to release or confess? “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1b. You and the Father know what is holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a relationship with God. If you are clutching on to sin, your interface with the Father will be weak (I John 1:9). “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:16-18).
We must pray with all perseverance – Ephesians 6:18.
One person can change the world through powerful prayer:
• Elijah (prayed for the rain to stop and it did not rain for 3 ½ years)
• Moses (saved Israel from destruction – pleading with God)
• Samuel, Daniel, Paul…
"The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees." – Philip Henry
God hears the prayers of men. That is truly amazing. He will hear your prayers. You have incredible power in your prayer. Far more than you can imagine. Again, we will address this as we discuss intercessory prayer later on.
You should begin the day in prayer as to avoid the foolishness of not having the spirit of wisdom with you while you make decisions.
"Work, work, from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." – Martin Luther
What a paradigm shift. Even now, as you read these words, you may be thinking about all the things that you need to accomplish. The tasks of the day can be overwhelming for many. It was no different for Martin Luther. But he understood that he couldn’t face the obstacles and challenges of the day without God’s hand guiding him. Just being in the presence of the Lord for a moment of solitude will ease your burdens. At first, I found it difficult to pray for 10 minutes and now, I have often found myself in prayer for hours. Dr. Henry Blackaby and I were discussing this very concept. We both agreed that our days were more productive and our minds better prepared when we committed our mornings to prayer. King David also understood this critical point:
• "Early will I seek thee" (Psalm 63:1)
• "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning (Psalm 5:3)
• "From the womb of the day, your men will come to you." (Psalm 110:3)
• "When I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139:18)
"Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the prayer closet. There is nothing more fatal to the life and power of religion. More solitude and earlier hours – pray three times a day, at least. How much better might I serve if I cultivated a closer communion with God!" - William Wilberforce
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Power of Prayer VII
Okay, at this point, you should understand the basic premise of prayer…relationship with the Father. If you have not done so already, you need to learn balance between your study of the Scripture and your quiet time. God will reveal Himself to you through your diligent pursuit of Him. However, when you dedicate time to Him in prayer, it is there that He will unravel some of the mysteries of the Gospel and give you wisdom to navigate and understand the deep things of His holy nature. There is where the relationship develops. Trust me, it is an awesome experience when you dive into the waters of truth.
So, how do you begin to experience the fullness of prayer? Here are some of the fundamentals. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded to petition the Father with our requests:
"Ask in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14)
"I will declare the decree…Ask of me, and I shall give thee…"(Psalm 2:7-8)
"Ask me of the things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." (Isaiah 45:11)
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)
"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:2-3)
You have to ask to receive. That is not too difficult to remember and perhaps the thing that we often do the most of in our prayer time. However, it goes deeper than this. Remember, God wants to give to us and care for us (Matthew 6:28-33, Luke 11:11-13). It is in His nature as your Father…after all, you are His child. Just don’t forget that it is about relationship not privilege. Your heart is not in the right place if you simply call on the Lord for answer to prayer without desiring to know Him as your Father (Isaiah 29:13).
Here is a thought that may rock your very foundations. In 1915, Albert Einstein first proposed his theory of special relativity. Essentially, this theory proposes the universe we live in includes 4 dimensions, the first three being what we know as space, and the fourth being spacetime, which is a dimension where time and space are inextricably linked. According to Einstein, two people observing the same event in the same way could perceive the singular event occurring at two different times, depending upon their distance from the event in question. These types of differences arise from the time it takes for light to travel through space. Since light does travel at a finite and ever-constant speed, an observer from a more distant point will perceive an event as occurring later in time; however, the event is "actually" occurring at the same instant in time. Thus, "time" is dependent on space (thinkquest).
On September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located underneath the Franco-Swiss border between the Jura Mountains and the Alps near Geneva, Switzerland, circulated its first particle beams. The LHC was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at a cost of nearly 3 billion dollars. It is the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator complex, intended to collide opposing beams of protons with very high kinetic energy. Its main purpose is to explore the validity and limitations of the current theoretical picture for particle physics. However, it may also be the means for unlocking the string theory which suggests there are 11 dimensions not just 4 as theorized by Einstein. The very concept predicts that an intelligent force could travel through space and time and be in a million places at once conducting a million conversations without time ever passing.
It is still amazing to me that such a device was even constructed while only miles away, men and women are living in mud huts unsure whether they will eat the next day. What a vast difference. Regardless, there are several things to consider here. First, it is incredible how capable the human mind is. What a design by God Himself. The brain can process and store more than 25,000 books worth of data. That is more than the Library of Congress. Secondly, we know that God will only allow men to learn and accomplish so much. We know this from the story of Babel where men were building great and mighty things including a tower to God himself (Genesis 11). The LHC is really no different. Nothing new under the sun as we often say. However, it has enabled us to ask the questions, contemplate and dwell on the idea that God…like the very concept of eternity…has no bounds. He is not limited to space and time. “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night” Psalm 90:4. “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” II Peter 3:8.
So, how do you begin to experience the fullness of prayer? Here are some of the fundamentals. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded to petition the Father with our requests:
"Ask in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14)
"I will declare the decree…Ask of me, and I shall give thee…"(Psalm 2:7-8)
"Ask me of the things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." (Isaiah 45:11)
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)
"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:2-3)
You have to ask to receive. That is not too difficult to remember and perhaps the thing that we often do the most of in our prayer time. However, it goes deeper than this. Remember, God wants to give to us and care for us (Matthew 6:28-33, Luke 11:11-13). It is in His nature as your Father…after all, you are His child. Just don’t forget that it is about relationship not privilege. Your heart is not in the right place if you simply call on the Lord for answer to prayer without desiring to know Him as your Father (Isaiah 29:13).
Here is a thought that may rock your very foundations. In 1915, Albert Einstein first proposed his theory of special relativity. Essentially, this theory proposes the universe we live in includes 4 dimensions, the first three being what we know as space, and the fourth being spacetime, which is a dimension where time and space are inextricably linked. According to Einstein, two people observing the same event in the same way could perceive the singular event occurring at two different times, depending upon their distance from the event in question. These types of differences arise from the time it takes for light to travel through space. Since light does travel at a finite and ever-constant speed, an observer from a more distant point will perceive an event as occurring later in time; however, the event is "actually" occurring at the same instant in time. Thus, "time" is dependent on space (thinkquest).
On September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located underneath the Franco-Swiss border between the Jura Mountains and the Alps near Geneva, Switzerland, circulated its first particle beams. The LHC was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at a cost of nearly 3 billion dollars. It is the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator complex, intended to collide opposing beams of protons with very high kinetic energy. Its main purpose is to explore the validity and limitations of the current theoretical picture for particle physics. However, it may also be the means for unlocking the string theory which suggests there are 11 dimensions not just 4 as theorized by Einstein. The very concept predicts that an intelligent force could travel through space and time and be in a million places at once conducting a million conversations without time ever passing.
It is still amazing to me that such a device was even constructed while only miles away, men and women are living in mud huts unsure whether they will eat the next day. What a vast difference. Regardless, there are several things to consider here. First, it is incredible how capable the human mind is. What a design by God Himself. The brain can process and store more than 25,000 books worth of data. That is more than the Library of Congress. Secondly, we know that God will only allow men to learn and accomplish so much. We know this from the story of Babel where men were building great and mighty things including a tower to God himself (Genesis 11). The LHC is really no different. Nothing new under the sun as we often say. However, it has enabled us to ask the questions, contemplate and dwell on the idea that God…like the very concept of eternity…has no bounds. He is not limited to space and time. “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night” Psalm 90:4. “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” II Peter 3:8.
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