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Learning the Language of Praise |
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| How to savor a new aspect of God's character every day. | |||
| by Bob Hostetler | |||
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| I'm not often at a loss for words. My wife says that when we first began dating, the words I used to describe her considerable charms were partly responsible for her budding love for me. | |||
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Reimagine Curator's Posts (376)
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Prayer Initiative Organized for 9/11 Anniversary
While preparing the kids for another school year, you may add joining in united prayer to your to-do list.
In the months leading up to the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Assemblies of God and the Awakening American Alliance are working to make their Cry Out America prayer initiative a top priority.
The partnering groups believe that just as America was “shaken to its foundation” 10 years ago, the country needs to be shook again—this time with a Christ Awakening.
With a recessed economy, a dissolving church attendance and lack of absolute truth, united prayer seems to be the preferred means to battle America's critical spiritual condition.
John Maempa, director of the Office of Prayer and Spiritual Care says: “Desperate times call for desperate measures. We must seek God as never before for the moral and spiritual well-being of our nation. Pray that a powerful move of the Holy Spirit will transform our churches to become transformational in the culture.”
Masses continue to hear the cliche that history repeats itself and the Awakening America Alliance seems to agree with the phrase. The Tennessee-based organization's website states, “The historical patterns of America’s Great Awakenings indicate that it is in precisely this type of seemingly hopeless national environment that God chooses to move in response to the cries of His people.”
Pastors, volunteering county coordinators, believers and churches, regardless of denomination, will organize prayer gatherings. Some have even began the initiative earlier this month and will continue through Sept. 11, taking on 10 consecutive weeks of community prayer. Regardless of length, either 10 weeks, one day, or anywhere in between, supporters seek to follow structured prayer guides to return strengthen America's biblical foundation and to pray for the Holy Spirit to touch “every state, every county and every heart.”
To learn more about the Awakening America Alliance, how you can get involved in Cry Out America, or to become an Alliance partner, visit www.awakeningamerica.us or call 1-888-9 AWAKE US (292-5387). To sign up to serve, go towww.awakeningamerica.us/cryoutamerica.
From:
Friending: Real Relationships in a Virtual World
My friend began what he called a hikoi. Hikoi is a Marori word that refers to a ceremonial walk, a parade or a protest walk. Numerous political and religious marches in New Zealand have been referred to as hikoi.
This man's hikoi consisted of an hour-long vigil every Monday and Thursday night for (me). He used the Bible reading for the day from the lectionary and he meditated on those scriptures and prayed for (me).
The best part for (me) was what happened on Tuesday and Fridays. I would get an email with his thoughts and prayer ... for me and my wife on our journey. So far, there have been 84 messages. HIs faithfulness is a thing of great beauty and promise.
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a team to join you at The Response? Some churches and networks outside of Houston are planning caravans. 
The Great Commission Coalition | P.O. Box 6787 | Kingwood | TX | 77325
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Great quote came in an email:
" Why are so many Christian believers ineffective, anemic, disappointed, discouraged? I think the answer is that we need confirmation within ourselves, and we are not getting it.
I have no doubt that God, in love and grace and mercy, awaits to confirm His presence among those who will truly hunger and thirst after righteousness. For a long while I have been on record insisting that true spiritual experience is conscious awareness, illustrated early in the Old Testament by Abram's personal realization and knowledge of the presence of God.
In the Christian Church, genuine spiritual experience goes back to the apostles---actually back to our Lord Himself. I do not refer to a dream while a person sleeps. I do not refer to something a person has buried in his or her subconsciousness. I refer to a conscious intelligence, an awareness.
The human personality has a right to be consciously aware of a meeting with God. There will be a spiritual confirmation, an inward knowledge or witness.
I repeat: Experience is conscious awareness. This kind of confirmation and witness was taught and treasured by the great souls throughout the ages.
Conscious awareness of the presence of God! I defy any theologian or teacher to take that away from the believing church of Jesus Christ .But be assured they will try. And I refer not just to the liberal teachers. God has given us the Bible for a reason. That reason is so it can lead us to meet God in Jesus Christ in a clear, sharp encounter that will burn on in our hearts forever and ever!
Genuine Christian experience must always include an encounter with God Himself. The spiritual giants of old were those who at so some time became acutely conscious of the presence of God. They maintained that consciousness for the rest of their lives.
(Adapted from Chapter 1 of the book Men Who Met God, published b
by Christian Publications, Inc.)
Summertime, And The Living Is Easy…
- Published in the May | June 1995 issue
- Email Article
Many small groups take a summer break. Now is the time to plan how you'll stay in touch during the months you aren't meeting.
Which of these ideas might work for your group?
• Set up a prayer chain that will keep you linked together through intercession.
• Before you break for the summer, set a date and place for a mid-summer potluck picnic or cookout.
• Plan a weekend camping trip for the entire group.
• Select a book (preferably a skinny one) that each person commits to read over the summer. When you regather in the fall, spend your first meeting discussing what you learned.
• Discuss in May what summer projects you hope to accomplish (reroof the house, can your own vegetables, build a sandbox for the kids, etc.). How can you team up and help each other reach your goals?
• Make a date to have brunch together after church on the first Sunday of June, July, and August.
Please comment below . . . what's worked? a related resources? a good summertime book?
A Prayer for the World
Almighty God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Together with believers all over the world, we gather today to glorify Your Name.
You are the Creator of heaven and earth.
There is no one like You, holy and righteous in all Your ways.
We submit to Your authority as the King of the universe.
We pray with one voice to enthrone You in our hearts and to honor You before the world.
Lord God, You alone are worthy of our praise and adoration.
Our Father in heaven,
Thank You for loving the world so greatly.
You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be reconciled to You.
We are grateful to call You Father and to be called Your children.
Nothing can separate us from Your love.
Thank You Father, for adopting us into Your family because of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You alone are worthy to open the scrolls of history, for You were slain and have redeemed us to the Father by Your blood.
We confess that You are Head of the Church and Lord of all heaven and earth.
May people from every tribe and language become Your followers so that Your blessing brings transformation among all peoples.
Let Your kingdom be established in every nation of the world so that governments will rule with righteousness and justice.
And may Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Jesus Christ, You are the Savior of the world and the Lord of all.
Father of mercy and grace,
We acknowledge that we have sinned and that our world is gripped by the power of sin.
Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence.
We are shamed by oppression, racism and bloodshed in our land.
We mourn all loss of life in murder, war and terrorism.
Our homes are broken and our churches are divided by rebellion and pride.
Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual sin.
We have grieved Your heart and brought shame to Your
Name.
Have mercy on us as we repent with all our hearts.
God of mercy, forgive our sins. Pour out Your grace and heal our land.
Spirit of the living God,
Apart from You, we can do nothing.
Transform Your Church into the image of Jesus Christ.
Release Your power to bring healing to the sick, freedom to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn.
Pour Your love into our hearts and fill us with compassion to answer the call of the homeless and the hungry and to enfold orphans, widows and the elderly in Your care.
Give us wisdom and insight for the complex problems we face today.
Help us to use the resources of the earth for the well-being of all.
Holy Spirit, we need Your comfort and guidance. Transform our hearts.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Because You were dead, but are now risen, and the Father has given You a Name above all names,
You will defeat all powers of evil.
Tear down strongholds and ideologies that resist the knowledge of God.
Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples.
Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death.
Bring deliverance from demonic oppression.
Break the hold of slavery, tyranny and disease.
Fill us with courage to preach Your word fearlessly,and to intercede for the lost faithfully.
Almighty God, deliver us from evil.
King of Glory,
Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations.
We lift our voices in unison with believers from Africa and Asia, from the Middle East and Europe, from North and South America, and from Australia and the Pacific Islands - together we cry:
Lift up your heads, O you gates! Be lifted up ancient doors so that the King of glory may come in!
As Your deeds increase throughout the earth, and as Your blessings abound to all the nations, they will seek You, asking, "Who is this King of glory?"
Together we will answer:
He is the Lord Almighty! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Come fill the earth with Your glory as the waters cover the sea.
The Spirit and the Bride say:
Amen! Come Lord Jesus!
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
This is Day Ten of Ten Days of Constant Prayer, leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, June 12. Forward this e-mail and invite others to join in praying for the glory of Jesus Christ to be known throughout your city and the earth!
Day Ten Theme: Glorify
For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Pray with us for the following:
- that signs of Christ's Kingdom will so fill the earth that many will be moved to celebrate the hope of His coming.
- that Christ's power will be seen in the humility and compassionate service of His people.
- that Jesus will be honored openly, worshiped extravagantly, and glorified globally.
Scripture: Read Joel 2:28-32: A Call to REVEAL
"I will pour out my Spirit on all people...And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (vs. 28, 32)
Consider how these promises could be fulfilled in greater ways than ever before. Turn to God with expectancy. He is about to advance His purpose to reveal His salvation globally. Even during days of dreadful shaking and difficulty, He will pour out His Spirit so that people all over the earth - elders and children, poor and rich, men and women - will resound with the call of God.
From every race and in every place, people will hear and speak of God's call. Many will be saved to the glory of His name.*
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
For His Glory,
Bob Bakke, Global Day of Prayer
Use the Prayer for the World in your church service on Pentecost Sunday, June 12.
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This is Day Six of Ten Days of Constant Prayer, leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, June 12. Forward this e-mail and invite others to join in praying for the glory of Jesus Christ to be known throughout your city and the earth!
Day Six Theme: Forgive
Forgive us our sins...
Pray with us for the following:
- for the Spirit of God to move on the hearts of men and women so that they will be able to see how God is grieved and how their lives are being destroyed by sin.
- for the Spirit of God to empower people to abandon patterns of sin and find grace to renounce allegiance to powers of darkness.
- for recognition of and repentance from sins that bring about war, poverty and injustice.
Scripture: Read Joel 2:18-22: A Call to HOPE
"Then the LORD will be jealous...and take pity on His people...Be not afraid...be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things." (vs. 18, 21)
We can be zealous to repent because God is so jealous for His name and for His people. Because of God's great love, our repenting should be bold and fearless. Our God will contend with the forces that devastate our communities. As great as the evil may be, God will do even greater things. Such hope brings joy as we sincerely turn to God, knowing that He desires to bring great goodness throughout the earth, transforming our cities, restoring our economies and healing our lands.*
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
For His Glory,
Bob Bakke, Global Day of Prayer
Use the Prayer for the World in your church service on Pentecost Sunday, June 12.
| It Seems to Me . . . |  |
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. . . we need to do more than pray in order to have prayed. A pastor-friend writes a weekly one-minute inspiration that I receive by email. The one that arrived this morning included this insight: We know prayer must be our priority and prayed with urgency (1 Timothy 2:1), so, we preach sermons, schedule meetings, establish groups, build teams, hoping to incorporate more believers into the ministry of praise and intercession. In that process, prayer can become an end unto itself. We fall into a habit of praying in order to have prayed. Before meals. Wednesday nights at 7pm. Half-way through the Sunday service. But prayer is less about what we say and more about the one to whom it is said. And the hope of our prayers being answered increases as we are willing to be transformed by our own prayers ... with the potential that we become our Lord's answer to our most intense and even desperate prayers. Pastor Phil Church Prayer Leaders Network |
This is Day Five of Ten Days of Constant Prayer, leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, June 12. Forward this e-mail and invite others to join in praying for the glory of Jesus Christ to be known throughout your city and the earth!
Day Five Theme: Provide
Give us this day our daily bread...
Pray with us for the following:
- for the basic needs of food, water and health care for the poor, for the sick, for refugees and for children.
- that God's people would become, by His Spirit's help, agents of healing and change, bringing forth the abundance, justice and peace that God desires.
- for God's people to break patterns of poverty in their communities, fulfilling God's promise of blessing amidst all peoples.
- for Christians to act with compassion and persistence to eradicate diseases and to serve well in the aftermath of epidemics such as HIV/AIDS.
Scripture: Read Joel 2:18-22: A Call to HOPE
"Then the LORD will be jealous...and take pity on His people...Be not afraid...be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things." (vs. 18, 21)
We can be zealous to repent because God is so jealous for His name and for His people. Because of God's great love, our repenting should be bold and fearless. Our God will contend with the forces that devastate our communities. As great as the evil may be, God will do even greater things. Such hope brings joy as we sincerely turn to God, knowing that He desires to bring great goodness throughout the earth, transforming our cities, restoring our economies and healing our lands.*
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
For His Glory,
Bob Bakke, Global Day of Prayer
Use the Prayer for the World in your church service on Pentecost Sunday, June 12.
This is Day Four of Ten Days of Constant Prayer, leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, June 12. Forward this e-mail and invite others to join in praying for the glory of Jesus Christ to be known throughout your city and the earth!
Day Four Theme: Transform
May Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...
Pray with us for the following:
- for God's people to bring the influence and blessing of Christ into every aspect of commerce, arts, education and governance in ways that bring lasting transformation.
- for God's wisdom to be upon our government leaders, bringing changes that increase righteousness and justice.
- for the righteousness, peace and joy of Christ's kingdom to be a reality by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture: Read Joel 2:15-17: A Call to GATHER
"Gather the people...and let them say, 'Spare Your people, O LORD...'Why should the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'" (vs. 16-17)
To repent as a people we must come before God together. He wants to encounter us as a people. That's why He's summoning us to break normal routines in order to assemble before Him in gatherings large and small. It's a time to interrupt daily habits of life, fasting from our normal diet, even moving from familiar rituals of worship to assemble in special ways.
Why this urgency? Because something great is at stake for God's glory. Let's allow our hearts to be grieved by what we, as God's people, have done to bring shame upon His name. To the watching world, it can appear as if we have no God. Consider what brings sorrow to the heart of God, and pray that He will transform us to bring Him the glory He deserves.*
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
For His Glory,
Bob Bakke, Global Day of Prayer
Use the Prayer for the World in your church service on Pentecost Sunday, June 12.
This is Day Three of Ten Days of Constant Prayer, leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, June 12. Forward this e-mail and invite others to join in praying for the glory of Jesus Christ to be known throughout your city and the earth!
Day Three Theme: Rule
May Your Kingdom come...
Pray with us for the following:
- for many to be drawn by the power of the gospel to submit their lives to Jesus Christ, in order to love and follow Him as King.
- for Christ's followers to walk in the fullness of God's Spirit so that they can live in the likeness of Christ.
- for the Lordship of Christ to influence every part of our cities and societies.
Scripture: Read Joel 2:15-17: A Call to GATHER
"Gather the people...and let them say, 'Spare Your people, O LORD...'Why should the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'" (vs. 16-17)
To repent as a people we must come before God together. He wants to encounter us as a people. That's why He's summoning us to break normal routines in order to assemble before Him in gatherings large and small. It's a time to interrupt daily habits of life, fasting from our normal diet, even moving from familiar rituals of worship to assemble in special ways.
Why this urgency? Because something great is at stake for God's glory. Let's allow our hearts to be grieved by what we, as God's people, have done to bring shame upon His name. To the watching world, it can appear as if we have no God. Consider what brings sorrow to the heart of God, and pray that He will transform us to bring Him the glory He deserves.*
*Reprinted from GDOP Ten Days of Prayer booklet
For His Glory,
Bob Bakke, Global Day of Prayer
Use the Prayer for the World in your church service on Pentecost Sunday, June 12.
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Christian Bible StudiesBeing Formed in ChristFive facets in spiritual formation.
By John R. Throop
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Using Prayer as a Witnessing Tool
- Published in the May | June 2000 issue
- Written by Carol Cool
- Email Article
So often, when friends in our faith community tell us of a personal need, we respond by saying, "I'll pray for you." Are we as quick to use that response in the marketplace? What would happen if we did just that in our daily lives at work and in our neighborhoods? What if we said, "I'll pray for you," and really prayed and then followed up with a concerned question about how it's going? Based on what I've seen, it would give us more and better opportunities to share the gospel with others. >>>
Six Prayers To Increase Your Outreach IQ by Steve Sjogren
Normally it is thought that one’s IQ is a fairly static number, that it can’t be increased, but not in the case of Outreach IQ. When it comes to outreach you can increase your level of intelligence. It’s a matter of doing some practical things—prayerful things.
Prayer is the lifeblood of all vital outreach. You can pray without doing outreach, but you can’t do outreach without prayer.
You can pray without doing outreach, but you can’t do outreach without prayer. >>>
