Pray Network Forum

As your Thanksgiving dinner is digesting I would like to share with you a presentation of The Candymaker’s Gift produced by my friends David and Helen Haidle. The Candymaker’s Gift is an excellent story to share with your grandchildren during this Christmas season about the real meaning of Christmas. You can show it to them or you can send it to them in an email.

You can listen to it on YouTube at http://youtu.be/OZkiFpfnL1w.

The Christmas season is an excellent time to share the message of God’s love with our grandchildren.

Helen Haidle, award-winning author of 54 books for children and adults, wrote the first book on the meaning of the candy cane. Helen wrote this fiction story after she had shared the symbolism of the candy cane with her Sunday school students. "The Candymaker's Gift" won a C.S. Lewis Silver Award and a CBA Silver Medallion.

To learn more about David & Helen Haidle’s Seed Faith ministry go to http://seedfaithbooks.com/shopexd.asp?id=163. The book is out of print you ocan listen to the story on YouTube.

By Lillian Penner

“If those who have passed on before us wore such beautiful crowns in such times of strain and stress, our mouths should always be pouring forth tidal waves of blessing as the Holy Spirit has His way in these human bodies of ours and produces in us an eternal work: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).” Brenda Poinsett

It is not easy to be thankful in every circumstance. But when we choose to thank God in the midst of difficulty, it defeats the forces of darkness in the spiritual realm. When we thank God for every gift He has given us even when things are hard, the enemy loses the battle against us. He is stopped in his tracks when we come to God with God with a thankful heart. 

There is a way of looking at life from the standpoint of eternity. I am not saying that this is easy or that we ignore the great tragedies of life. The reality of eternal life and eternal glory that far exceeds this life is a priceless treasure. Our afflictions are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  

Learn to be thankful for every blessing from God in your life. 

It is of great significance to Him if in the midst of great trials, we can be thankful in every circumstance. I wrote this chapter just two miles from Ephesus. The Apostle Paul wrote to this Church and said in Ephesians 1:16, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” 

Paul knew the power of a thankful life. He was thankful in good times and bad. He knew that God was conforming him to His image through every trial he faced, if he handled it correctly. He knew that a heart overflowing with thanksgiving could turn any situation around for good. He wrote in Colossians 2:6-7:

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as LORD, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving.”

Paul knew how to be thankful even while in a dark prison!

When traveling throughout Turkey we passed a prison that brought me to thoughts of Paul. His life is a testimony to all of us, showing how a person can be thankful even in the midst of very dark circumstances. Paul was able to use even a prison experience for God’s glory. He wrote several books of the New Testament in the midst of a dark, depressing prison cell. He turned that experience into an eternal weight of glory. As we traveled for hours through the land of Paul’s missionary journeys, I was reminded that perhaps the greatest blessing of his life which has impacted several generations of Christians were his writings written from a dark prison cell. 

Often we fail to view our circumstance through the eyes of thanksgiving. 

While in the Cappadocian region of Turkey, I had the privilege of visiting an underground city. Can you imagine a city underground? This was a place where the first-century Christians had to hide in underground caves to protect themselves from those above ground who were waiting to kill them.

I was deeply impressed concerning their hardship as I went deeper, down into the dark caves of this underground city. It was depressing with gloomy rock tunnels and rooms where at times you would have to stoop and walk through damp and dingy hallways. The early Christians suffered much for their faith. We read in Hebrews 11:37-39a: 

“They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith.”

The early Christians remind me of how we must be thankful for all the blessings we have! We must see our circumstances through the eyes of thanksgiving. God wants us to have thankful hearts even in the midst of difficulty. I love 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God knows what He is doing when we face hard situations. He wants us to trust Him and to pray about everything.

Paul said in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” He had every reason to be anxious, but he chose to praise. God was in control. Prayers with thanksgiving expressed in the midst of loss, difficulty, and hardship mean the most to God because He knows that they are especially sacrificial during hard times. 

Choosing to be thankful in everything has remarkable rewards.

Corrie ten Boom in her book The Hiding Place told about how she and her sister, Betsy, were transferred in the German prison camp that was overcrowded and flea-infested. That morning they read the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that said,

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Betsy told Corrie to thank God for every detail of their new living conditions. Corrie definitely did not want to thank God for the fleas but Betsy insisted.

She finally did. 

During the following months they were able to openly hold Bible studies and prayer meetings with no guards stopping them. Later they found out that the guards would not enter their barracks because of all the fleas! God had turned even a horrible situation like fleas into a reason for thanksgiving. He loves it when we thank Him in all situations. We touch heaven with our prayers when we learn the secret of praise. He loves it when we choose praise. Let’s learn more about this powerful weapon.

“God smiles when we praise and thank Him continually. Few things feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it, too… An amazing thing happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy.”  Chuck Pierce, The Worship Warrior 

Debbie Przybylski

Intercessors Arise International

Daily Prayer Encouragement

Summary: SHORT, but helpful look at the essence of prayer.

I am not an Anne Lamott devotee.  So I do not read everything she writes.  But I have read enough to know that she is a very good author and one that looks at spiritual realities from a different perspective.

So one day last month I was tired of all of my audiobooks I had been listening too and looked around to find another.  I noticed that with my member discount at Audible, Help, Thanks, Wow was under $5.  So I picked it up.

I had resisted previously because it is so short.  In audiobook it is barely 90 minutes.  In paper it is listed as 112  pages.  But it must be a gift book sized pages.

However, for $5 I thought it was worth picking up.

I listened to it two days after listening to Palmer Parker's Let Your Life Speak.  The two books, although not at all similar in subject had a similarity in spiritual direction.  Both emphasized that the Christian life is not striving after looking good or being respectable.

Instead the Christian life is about being sinful, selfish people while also attempting to know Christ.  Anne Lamott can be an acquired taste.  She does not feel the need to wrap things up nicely.  She knows the value of a bit of swearing at the appropriate time.  She refers to God as she pretty frequently, she does not think that only Christians have spiritual insights.

The point of the book is that behind all of our pretense, most of the time we are praying one of three prayers, Help, Thanks or Wow.  Each of these prayers come to use even if we are not comfortable with prayer, because they are part of who we were created to be.

I want to emphasize that this is a short book (and I think overpriced in Kindle and Hardcover).  But it does have wisdom.  Anne Lamott deserves her place as one of the Evangelical gadflies.  And I think with time she has earned her a place of wise elder as well as gadfly.

Help, Thanks, Wow: Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott Purchase Links: Hardcover, Kindle Edition, Audible.com Audiobook

Related Bookwi.se Reviews

• Grace [Eventually]: Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

(originally posted on my blog, Bookwi.se)

Teach Us To Pray - 5

“LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY”

based on Matthew 6:9-13  

    This is our final message of this series where Jesus has been teaching us how to pray.  And I’m going to try to bring it altogether this morning with the question … what do we pray about when it comes time to pray?

    Last year I started noticing that our car was drifting to one side as I drove.  I kept putting off doing anything about it, and by the time I finally had it checked, my tires were really worn.  Bad alignment led to a costly repair … I had to buy 4 new tires.

    Likewise, I believe that “bad alignment” can also be hazardous to our prayer life.  If I get lopsided in my prayers, if they’re not “balanced”, then my relationship with God is going to get all out of kilter.   

    If I’m not prioritizing thanksgiving in my praying, I might actually forget that God is the One who provides for me.  If I don’t ask God for anything when I’m praying, I might begin to believe I can provide for myself, and that I really don’t need Him. 
    If I don’t confess my sins when I pray, I might forget that I actually need a Savior.  If I don’t spend any time praising God when I pray, I can lose sight of who He truly is, and my prayers will simply become a kind of therapeutic exercise. 

    But if I’m balanced in my prayers, if I’m hitting on all those points, my prayer life thrives … and as a result, so does my relationship with God.  Praying in a balanced way helps us to pray rightly.  It causes us to pray the way the Lord wants. 

    “The Lord’s Prayer” is a balanced prayer.  That’s not all it is, but it is that.  And that’s how we’re going to approach our study of it this morning.

    I’m going to be asking 3 questions … and the answers to those questions will help us achieve balance in our prayer life.

    Listen to Good News from Matthew, as he records the words of Jesus, to you here at Community Church.  Within your hearing now comes the Word of God …

    “This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven:
May your holy name be honored;
may your Kingdom come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.
Keep us from being tempted,
and protect us from the Evil One.’” (Matthew 6:9-13)

May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification.  Amen

    Question #1 … should we use patterns or should we be spontaneous in our prayers?

    I remember taking a speech class in college.  My 1st assignment was a “how to” speech.  I had to explain “how to do something” to the class.  And the topic given to me was … “how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

    1st I had to identify the purpose … “I’m going to demonstrate how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I’m going to explain the steps that are involved.”  And then I made one.  My goal was that when I finished I’d get an “A” on my “how to” speech.

    Jesus is giving a “how to” speech.  He’s an excellent pray-er, and He wants to teach His followers how to pray.  He has a goal and purpose in mind.  He wants His disciples to become good pray-ers.  And He’s giving them a pattern so that they can accomplish that.   
    Jesus didn’t say … “This is what you should pray;” He said, “This is how you should pray.”  Jesus just doesn’t tell us to pray … and then leave us guessing on how to do it.  He gives us a pattern to copy.  “Pray like this.” 

    Let’s 1st take a look at the prayer as a whole, and keep in mind the balance I was talking about. 

“Our Father in heaven.”

    He begins with an address to God, which is followed with 2 sections that make up the bulk of the prayer.

“May your holy name be honored;
may your Kingdom come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

    This 1st section makes 3 requests that relate to God.  God’s the focus of the 1st ½ of the prayer.  This is exactly like the 10 Commandments. (Exodus 20:3-17)  The 1st 4 Commandments relate totally to God.  God should always be 1st. (Matthew 6:33)  All too often, we get the order reversed, don’t we?  We begin with our human needs, and unfortunately, never get around to God and His glory.   

“Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.
Keep us from being tempted,
and protect us from the Evil One.”

    This 2nd section has 3 requests that relate to human need.  3 for God … 3 for humanity.  It’s a balanced prayer.  Jesus gets an “A” in His “how to” speech.  He gives us a pattern to copy, and He does it in a perfectly balanced way.

    But remember our question, when we pray, should we use patterns or should we be spontaneous?

    Obviously we don’t want our prayers to have a lifeless sequence to them.  We don’t want to pray simply by rote.  In fact, Jesus Himself was concerned about that very thing.

    Immediately before presenting this prayer He discusses ritual abuse. (Matthew 6:5)  Jesus was talking about giving, fasting, and prayer, and He says that each of those things can be done with selfish motivations.

    And He contrasts a self-centered, me-centered, ritual type praying with a God honoring, earnest, unselfish type praying.  Jesus wants to get us to personally commune with God.  And when we do that our prayers won’t be mechanical or self-seeking. 

    So this prayer is not to be simply memorized and repeated without thought.  On the same token, here is the model prayer that Jesus presents when His disciples asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)  Jesus responds, “This is how you’re to do it.”
     And that answers our 1st question … “should we use patterns or should we be spontaneous in our prayers?” … While recognizing that this can always be abused, Jesus offers us a good pattern to follow.  

    Okay, it’s Monday morning, you’ve listened now to 5 sermons on prayer, and you want to be obedient, (James 1:22) so you’ve set aside some time to pray.  And you’re going to use the Lord’s Prayer as your conversation with God. 

    So you pray it … and it takes about 20 seconds.  And you think to yourself, “Hey, not bad, I can be finished with my prayer time in less than a minute.” 

    But there are a couple of problems with that.  We learned in the 1st message of this series that we’re to develop a relationship with God … and that’s simply not going to happen in 20 seconds a day. 

    The other problem is equally obvious … most of the needs and issues in our life aren’t identified in this prayer.  It’s a nice pattern, but it’s not dealing with all the stuff each of us will be dealing with this week. 

    That’s why Jesus has given us this prayer simply to guide our praying. 

    The Lord’s Prayer provides the boundaries.  It furnishes the topics.  And from there we’re to be spontaneous in our conversations with God. 

    Okay, I’m confused.  Should we use patterns or be spontaneous?  Which is it?  We should be both.  Jesus gives us the “Lord’s Prayer” as a guide.  But He wants us to personalize it with our own praise and requests 

    Kathy is amazing in her creativity.  For example, she made 2 little quilts for the twins over in England.  She came up with this idea of what she wanted to do.  Then she got a couple of books and magazines to see how other people did similar things.  And then she put it all together and made something really creative and unique.  

    This is what’s supposed to happen in our prayer life.  We use this pattern that Jesus has given us.  But then we incorporate personal stuff, and all of a sudden our prayer has become spontaneous. 

    Jesus’ prayer assures us that we’re going to strike the right balance.

    Now one of the ways we can use the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern in our prayers is to take it, line by line, and expound on it a little bit.  And I’m going to show you how to do that in just a moment. 

    Another way is to take the 7 items in this prayer and use one each day during the week.  Sunday, use “our Father in heaven” as the theme of your praying.  Then on Monday … “may your holy name be honored.”  Each day focus in on a specific thought in your prayer.
    Another way to use the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern is to highlight the themes that are mentioned … praising God and confessing sins.  I’ve talked about this before.  One of the ways I learned to pray, as a boy, was to use the acronym, ACTS: A … C … T … S

                            Adoration
                            Confession
        Thanksgiving
        Supplication 

    That’s a really useful pattern because it helps us remember that we’re talking to God, and we adore Him 1st.  And then we confess our sins; which gets us into a right relationship with Him before we begin to ask for things.

    Use a pattern and be spontaneous. 

    The 2nd question … should we express intimacy or reverence in our conversations with God?

    The 1st Church I pastored was in Niagara Falls.  We had a pretty active young people’s group there.  And one day the youth group leader was teaching on prayer.  He was trying to get the kids to really pray personally.

    And to emphasize his point he told them to talk to God like they talked to anyone else.  And they seemed to connect with that idea.  A few weeks later, Gary asked me to lead the group, because he was going to be away. 
    I presented a lesson, and then we got in a circle to close in prayer.  And the kids started to pray.  “Hey good buddy” … and they used all kinds of personal, familiar language as they were talking to God. 

    So later that week when Gary stopped by to see how things went, I told him that I appreciated the openness of the kids in their prayers, but … they hadn’t been taught the whole story.

    Jesus did call us friends, (John 15:14) and there should be a familiarity in our prayers, but there also must be reverence because we recognize that this is also Almighty God. (The Revelation 14:7) 

    So should we be expressing intimacy in our prayers or should we be showing reverence? … Both.  We should be doing both … because if we leave out either one our praying will be imbalanced. 

    Take a look at the way Jesus balances both intimacy and reverence in His prayer.

“Our Father” …

    Actually, when Jesus prays He uses the term, “Abba,” which means “Daddy.”  Talk about intimacy!  And Scripture teaches, “The Spirit makes us God’s children, and by the Spirit’s power we cry out to God, ‘Abba! my Father.’” (Romans 8:15)  We’re given that same intimacy.
      Jesus tells us that God knows what we need even before we ask Him. (Matthew 6:8)  He says that God forgives those who come to Him with a repentant heart.
                                                                          (Matthew 6:14)

    He forgives, He knows our needs.  So in prayer we encounter a loving and personal God, our Heavenly Father, and we can pray to Him as such.  That’s great news! 

    But then Jesus balances it out …

“Our Father in heaven.”

    Jesus tells us that God is in Heaven. (The Psalms 115:3) 
Scripture teaches …

“The LORD placed his throne in heaven;
he is king over all.” (The Psalms 103:19)

    God is a personal loving Father, and He’s also the Creator of all things.  God’s our Heavenly Father, and He’s a powerful King.  So when we’re praying we need to remember who we’re talking to so that we come to Him with the proper respect; we approach Him reverently.

    Back in 1983, I received a phone call from Linda Moore, who lived in Indiana, PA, inviting me to come and offer the invocation at Jimmy Stewart’s 75th birthday party.  Well, I thought about it for a fraction of a second, and then, very humbly, accepted.  I was excited.  This was an incredible honor. 
    So, on 20 May 1983, I found myself sitting next to him at the head table.  And during the meal, as we’re talking, he says to me, “Call me Jimmy.” … No way!

    Jimmy Stewart was an Academy Award winning actor.  He’d received A Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  He had been a Major General in the Air Force. 

    You can see my point coming from a mile away.  If I have this much respect for a mere mortal, who does deserve respect and honor, how much more should we give reverence to God, who is our Father in Heaven?

    There’s a real delicate balance here. 

    When we approach God in prayer we need to remember who we’re talking to.  We must come to Him with the right frame of mind, demonstrating humility.  He rules the heavens … and He’s my Heavenly Father.

    It’s a good idea that before we spend time praying to pause for 15 seconds and consider … “who am I about to talk to right now?”

    We need to praise God in our prayers for His attributes.  He’s holy.  He’s loving.  He’s all-knowing.  He’s all-powerful.  He’s eternal.  He’s faithful.  He’s creator.  

    One more quick thought on this point.  To think about God as Father is a wonderful and comforting truth. 
    The Apostle John says this, “To all who received him and believed in him, Jesus gave them the right to become God’s children.  They did not become God’s children by natural means, that is, by being born of a human father; God himself was their Father. (John 1:12-13)

    You can call God, “Father”, if you have come to faith in Jesus Christ. 

    So we’re trying to balance our reverence and intimacy.  We’re trying to balance patterns and spontaneity.

    Here’s our 3rd question … should we focus on big stuff or small stuff? 

    I know people who actually pray about getting parking spaces, or what clothes to wear.  I know other people who only come to God if it’s a life and death situation.  So which is it?  Should we be praying about small stuff or about big stuff?  Both!  We should be praying about both.

    I’m going to read the whole prayer again so that we can think of the complete context.       

”Our Father in heaven:
May your holy name be honored;
may your Kingdom come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.
Keep us from being tempted,
and protect us from the Evil One.”

    Earlier I pointed out that Jesus gives 2 sets of requests.  The 1st 3 concern God’s glory, the big huge things.  The other 3 are related to human needs, the smaller daily issues in our lives. 

    Now I’m not going to go into these in detail, but I think it’s important to know what each phrase means and why they matter.  I’m going to explain each of the 6 items so that when you pray you’ll know what you should include. 

    1st … “May your holy name be honored.”

    We’re asking that God receives the respect that’s due Him.  We’re asking that God’s name be treated as holy.  It already is, but it needs to be regarded as such in the lives of those who bear His name.  That’s us. 

    When I come to this category in my praying I pray for people who have huge influence in this world, in their platforms as followers of Jesus, that they would honor God, not dishonor Him.  I pray for brothers and sisters in the faith who are being persecuted, that they would be able to stand firm and honor the name of Jesus.
     I pray that Jesus’ name would be treated as holy by those who claim to be His followers. 

    2nd … “May your Kingdom come.”

    We’re asking that the Kingdom that Jesus launched in His 1st coming be brought to culmination when He returns the 2nd time to reign. (The Revelation 22:20)

    And then we grab the newspaper and read about all the awful things going on in the world and pray for God to come and save us from ourselves.  We pray for believers to be bold and witness to the reality that Jesus is the only way to eternal salvation. (The Acts 4:12)  We pray for our Church.  We pray for our missionaries. 

    3rd … “May your will be done.”

    We’re asking that our lives confirm to God’s will that’s made known in the Scriptures.  We have the newspaper in one hand, and the Bible in the other. 

    In Matthew’s Gospel, right before the Lord’s Prayer is presented, Jesus teaches the Be-attitudes. (Matthew 5:3-12)  This is what our character is supposed to be as we conform to God’s will.  “Lord, help me be these things.” 

    4th … “Give us today the food we need.”

    As we pray this sentence we recognize that Jesus delegates our daily earthly needs. 
    We’re praying that God will put in us a daily dependence upon Him.  And then we’re actually asking that He’ll provide the things we need. 

    John Calvin says that Jesus is referring to more than bread or even food here; He’s talking about all our daily needs: food, health, families, anything small, anything that concerns us in this life. 

5th … “Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
    as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.”

    We’re confessing our specific sins.  Conversations, thoughts, actions, things we didn’t do, things we should have done … anything that offends God.

    And then we think of people in our lives to whom we need to extend forgiveness, or from whom we need to receive forgiveness. 

    And 6th … “Keep us from being tempted,
                      and protect us from the Evil One.”

    We’re asking God to protect us from the various sins we’re prone to … probably those that we just confessed.  And then we pray protection from evil and the Evil One, and his deceitful tricks to accomplish that evil. (1 Peter 5:8) 

    6 requests, perfectly balanced on God’s glory and on our needs.  6 requests of things that God cares about.  6 requests that should be regularly in our prayers. 
    If Jesus was standing here this morning, and we had the opportunity to ask Him what we should be praying about.  He’d say …
•    God’s name
•    God’s Kingdom
•    God’s will
•    Humanity’s needs
•    Humanity’s deliverance
•    Humanity’s forgiveness

    These are the things that God cares about and we should be praying about.  And we should be praying about them in this order. 

    We pray for God’s glory 1st, and then humanity’s needs 2nd.  Praying with this kind of balance places God in the position where He belongs. 

    It’s very difficult for me to pray selfishly if I’ve just been praying for God’s name, and God’s Kingdom, and God’s will to be done. 

    It’s very difficult for me to pray with doubt if I’ve just prayed “God, you are holy.  God, you are King.  God, you are sovereignly bringing your will into accomplishment.  God you’re doing all these things.”

    Heaven comes to earth as God responds to our dependent prayers for these things.  That’s the meaning of the little phrase right in the middle of the prayer.
    You can see up on the screen that that line …
“may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
… is right in the middle between both sets of requests. The 1st 3 are answered in Heaven.  The 2nd 3 are on earth requests. 

    And God responds when we pray every day for our dependence on our needs, every day for forgiveness for our sins extended and received, and every day for obedience in the face of trials and temptations.

    Honor God’s name.  Bring God’s Kingdom.  Accomplish God’s will.

    We should pray about these things because God cares about them, and we pray them in this order.  Pray about big things.  Pray about small things

•    Patterns and spontaneity
•    Intimate and reverent
•    Big and small

    And as we close, let me issue a word of caution.  In fact I think that there should be a warning label on the Lord’s Prayer.  Sincerely praying this can turn your life upside-down.  We’re praying against our natural tendency, our self-centeredness … we’re praying for God to take total control of our lives.  Wow!  May it be so.

MARANA THA

As word spread of my radiation treatments, the responses began to flood in – via E-mails, Facebook entries, Twitter posts, Cards, Telephone calls, Personal visits – everything from a simple, “Praying for you” to much more creative, imaginative expressions of support.  One particular response caught my attention. “We’re praying you through,” a friend wrote. It caused me to remember what God said to His promised people, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned” (Isaiah 43:1-2). My collection of words comes up short when I try to explain what it feels like to pass through six weeks of five-day-a-week radiation treatments. Whether the cancer is severe or as simple as mine, words fail one in a time like this. What I find myself needing, perhaps as much as anything else, is accompaniment on the journey.  As expressed in an earlier edition of “Manna,” I know God is with me.  Beyond that, it really helps to know friends are with me also, praying me through.  Have you prayed anyone through lately?

For more from Dan Crawford, go to Dr. Dan's Monday Morning Manna at www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

Thanksgiving is a good time to encourage our grandchildren to be thankful for the many good things they experience.Help them make a list of their home, food, clothing, school, friends, church, toys and the opportunities they enjoy for which they can be thankful. Gratitude always improves ones attitude. Send your grandchildren a Thanksgiving card, email or call them to let them know you thank God for them, you are thankful they are your grandchildren and you are praying for them. ¹   

Another Thanksgiving Idea

Before dinner, ask your guests to write down something they are grateful for on a piece of paper and place it in a bowl in the middle of the table. Later, pass the bowl around and have each guest read one note aloud while everyone guesses who wrote it. “Some may be obvious, but others will surprise you-that is the fun of it.” ²

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done." I Chronicles 16:8 (NIV)

¹  This is an excerpt from the book Grandparenting with a Purpose, Seasonal Suggestions for Connecting to your Grandchildren, page 95. The book is available on a special Christmas offer at http://www.gdptpr.com.

²  Taken from “20 simple solutions for Turkey Day headaches." Nov. 2012 dashrecipes.com/thanksgiving

By Lillian Penner 

Most of us are aware that Jesus castigated the Pharisees and even the scribes who were the Bible teachers among the people. But their theology would pass almost any test for doctrinal soundness. The Pharisees were the theological conservatives of that day.

So if their doctrine was sound, why did Jesus attack them so vociferously? The problem was with the motivation of their hearts. They behaved and believed and prayed like they did to impress people rather than God.

In Matthew 23 Jesus warned the people about the scribes and Pharisees

“They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at the feasts and the bests seats in the synagogue and greetings in the market places and being called Rabbi by others. But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.” (Matt. 23:5-8 e.s.v.)

It is important for us to understand that Jesus was speaking of one of the most common temptations in our lives to this day. It is easy to desire to be spiritual so we will be respected by people as spiritual. It is easy for us to even pray for God to make us successful in the eyes of other people. This is clearly an abomination to our Lord.

But I find such humble motivation very difficult to achieve. In fact, I it impossible without the help of God. I pray that God will work spiritually and supernaturally in my heart so I will seek success in His eyes rather than in the eyes of men.

 As Veteran's day approaches, we are reminded of our military families and those who have served our country in the military. There are many U.S. troops in our military deployed all over the world leaving families back home and don’t hear the laughter of their loved ones. They only have memories of their loved ones and long for the time they will be back home again. Many times their families see the importance of their mission but the remaining parents, spouse and children struggle with many issues, miss their family member, and often feel abandoned.

Here are suggestions to pray for those in the military and their families.

1. Protection and safety for our troops as they currently patrol the war torn areas.
2. Pray for a covering of protection  over their families left behind. The numbers of spouses who leave a marriage because of the stresses of long-term deployment and repeated      deployments is staggering. The impact this has on the kids is beyond imagination.
3. Pray for grandparents of these military kids left behind to provide spiritual covering, encouragement, and intentional ministry of hope in Christ. The grandparents also need our prayers as they also face the uncertainty and anxiety of their sons, daughters and possibly grandchildren in potential danger daily.
4. Pray for the witness and powerful presence of God for the troops who are followers of Christ among the unbelievers where they are stationed. Pray for the local friendships that they develop, that they will be able to build relationships and have opportunities to share the Gospel in ways and places that no other missionaries would be able to do. Pray that these troops would be the sweet fragrance of Christ among these peoples.

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served our country.

By Lillian Penner       

I am so excited to tell you about this fantastic opportunity to connect with others who have a heart to pray and a heart for our city in order to seek God together for our city. On Saturday, November 9 from 9am – noon, Mission Birmingham is hosting an Intercessors’ Prayer Summit at Shades Mountain Independent Church! If you are in the area, we would love to have you!

Mission Birmingham has been hosting and facilitating prayer summits all over the metro-B’ham area for years now, from the annual Pastors’ Prayer Summit held every November at Shocco Springs, to individual church prayer summits, and even prayer journeys through the city. A prayer summit is not a time of teaching about prayer, or listening to a sermon on prayer. It is Scripture-fed, Spirit-led corporate prayer, facilitated by someone who is sensitive to the leading of the Spirit, and who will help guide the participants into united, dynamic prayer.

Dennis Fuqua, executive director of International Renewal Ministries, and author of two books on prayer (“Living Prayer” and “United and Ignited”), will be our facilitator for that morning. His heart for the Lord, his love for people, and his sense of humor make him a wonderful facilitator.

I love prayer summits because of how one can see the Holy Spirit moving through the room. There have been countless times where I was about to pray something, but someone across the room started to pray the exact same thing! I love how it connects everyone at the event. It brings a powerful sense of the unity of the Spirit that I just don’t feel all the time. Prayer summits also connect me to the heart of God as I am stirred by the prayers of those around me. They cause me to think higher thoughts, and pray deeper prayers than I would on my own. My view of God is magnified, and my faith in Him is strengthened. And then there’s the answers we see to corporate prayer. God moves mightily when His people come together for the purpose of seeking Him because He is worthy to be sought, and because we are desperate for Him.

So please join us for our first Intercessors’ Prayer Summit on Saturday, November 9 from 9-12. There is no cost for this event, but we do need you to register so that we can plan for seating and refreshments. Click here to register. Bring your prayer teams, prayer partners, friends….anyone who has a heart to pray and a heart for the metro-Birmingham area!

On Sunday evening, we will also be having a time of praying for the Persecuted Church from 5:30-9pm. Feel free to join us for that as well.

Encouraging people to pray for their friends, co-workers, family and neighbors is essential. It can be a blessing to you personally, and to other people in ways you may never know.

Stories are a great way to lend encouragement to people. Maybe you have stories of how God has worked in and through you. How have you seen God answer prayers in your life? What has God shown you through prayer? Have you been able to pray with anyone lately?

Maybe you take prayer walks in your neighborhood …praying for strangers you don’t even know. 

The following are a few stories highlighting the necessity of prayer in our everyday lives, and how ; through prayer, we can be a Light for people to see.

Please listen to the short audio stories below (Lighthouse Report radio features). And feel free to contact me (Matt.Bendell@cru.org) if you have stories you’d like to share in encouraging other believers to be a Light for Christ… through prayer!  

-Living life in constant conversation with God …That’s one way prayer can be defined. You know, the apostle Paul says we’re supposed to pray without ceasing. In this example, Luci Swindoll expresses the importance of maintaining an ongoing dialog with the Lord. (Listen to 1- MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

-Prayer … oftentimes, in difficulties, it's the first place we turn. Pastor Tullian Tchividjian talks about prayer. (Listen to 1-MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

-How about a prescription for life change? Pharmacy technician turned pastor, Paul Haroutunian tells a  unique story regarding the power of prayer. (Listen to 1-MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

We've all had it happen, haven't we?  We're trying to pray, perhaps alone or in a group, and soon our mind is wandering. We're thinking about the next meeting, our kids at home, a funny story, our struggle with our spouse or coworker, a song we heard on the radio and a thousand other things.

Of course, we feel guilty again for not focusing on the Lord and the things that break His heart as the saying goes. We determine for the next few minutes to stay with our prayer list and seconds later our mind is somewhere else . . . again.

We wonder if we really have what it takes to truly have a conversation in prayer with our Father. However, I'm more and more convinced every day that we need to embrace those distractions not curse them. Sure, if we're just letting every stray thought enter our mind and interrupt our time with God then we probably need some better boundaries for our mind and location when we pray.

But the average distraction of our mind is probably there for a reason.  I'm pretty convinced that many of those other thoughts come into my mind because they are important!  There is a reason why my mind went to that person, situation or conflict.

As a result I've learned to do something different when that kind of distraction overtakes my prayer moment.  I pray about it.

I now often pray something like this, "Lord, my relationship with Don popped into my mind just now.  And you know how strained it's been for the last several months.  I want to ask you to soften my heart and Don's so that we can become friends again, forgive each other and renew a healthy relationship."

I just let the Spirit take me to that place rather than run from it.  Of course, sometimes the Spirit can stop us and tell us that we don't need to dwell on that situation right then but that's up to God.

In fact, distractions like these often represent something going on in the deepest places of our soul which is the place where our God specializes in doing His greatest work.  

So don't miss these opportunities to let God wander with you into those tender recesses of your mind and heart.  It would be easy to ignore something important that God wants to help you walk through.  Remember a distraction just might be a wake up call.

   from the desk of  ...

Rande Wayne Smith

13 Ocotber 2013

                                                                                                                                        Teach Us To Pray - 1
                                                                                            I PRAY ALONE

                                                                                                  based on John 15:1-8 

Suppose I could offer you today “how to” lessons from a famous person.  Let me call out some names and you tell me what you’d like that person to teach you. 

•    Serena Williams (tennis) … I’d like her to help me with my serve,
•    Rachel Ray (food) … I’d like to teach me recipes,
•    Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough (dancing) …
             (Last year’s winners on “Dancing With The Stars”) … I’d like them to teach me some moves,
•    Jesus Christ … well, it could be any number of things.

    Isn’t it interesting that with those other celebrities only one thing comes to mind immediately, but when we think of Jesus …
“would you teach me to walk on water?”
“would you teach me how to love my enemies?”
“would you teach me how to cast out demons?”
“would you teach me how to heal the sick?”
I would love to learn leadership at the feet of Jesus.

    But interestingly, in the 4 Gospel accounts, there’s only 1 occasion when Jesus’ closest followers asked Him to teach them to do something.  Only 1.  Let’s read it aloud together. … “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1) 

    What’s the 1 and only thing that Jesus’ disciples ever asked Him to teach them to do? … (pray)

    Evidentially, on this particular occasion, when Jesus finished praying, there had been something so compelling, so powerful about the way He prayed that His disciples, who had been closely watching Him, said, “Hey, will you teach us how to do that?”

    In fact, if we look at the verb tense, the disciples really didn’t ask … they demanded.  This was said forcefully.  There was a sense of urgency to it. 
                                    “Lord, you have to teach us to do this right now.”

    This is the 1st week of a 4 week series … “Teach Us To Pray.”  We’re going to look at 4 essential lessons on prayer … and our teacher is going to be Jesus. 

    Now today’s lesson is on personal prayer … we’re going to learn how to make prayer a regular habit in our daily lives.  Prayer shouldn’t be a hit or miss thing.  Prayer shouldn’t be just the one-liners that we throw up to God whenever we find ourselves in trouble.  We need to be disciplined when it comes to prayer.  And don’t be turned off by the word “discipline”.  I know that “discipline” sometimes carries a negative connotation.  It’s making yourself do something that you really don’t want to do. 

    Praying?  It’s like making your bed, or shoveling snow.  But let me remind you that the word “discipline” comes from the same root as the word “disciple.”  And so if you want to be a disciple of Christ, if you consider yourself to be a committed follower of Jesus, then there’s got to be some measure of discipline in your life. 

    But, having said that, I’m not sure that the issue is really with discipline; I think our biggest problem is motivation. 

    What motivates you to pray?

    I know that some people pray out of a sense of duty … “I’m a follower of Jesus, and followers of Jesus are supposed to pray.”  If we pray for that reason … we’re going to hate it.  If we pray out of a sense of guilt; if we pray out of a sense of fear … we’re never going to develop a life of disciplined prayer.  We can’t pray for the wrong motivations. 

    So what are the right motivations?  Well, let’s see what Jesus has to say.  Now as I read this passage I want you to pay attention for repeating words or ideas.  I know I’ve told you this before, but whenever God says something more than once in the same passage we know that’s what He wants to direct our attention to.  So as I read this, listen for repetition.  These are words of Jesus, as recorded by John, to you who have gathered here at Community Church.  Within your hearing now, comes the Word of the Lord …

    “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit.  You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you.  Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you.  A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine.  In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

    “I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.  Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it.  My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples.” 

    
          May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification.  Amen

    As I read our Scripture what were some repeating words?  (fruit, branches, vine, remain)

    Jesus says, “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you … and you will become a fruitful person.”

    I like how some of the other translations record this thought … “make a home with me”, “stay joined to me,” “be united with me.”  Jesus is talking about an intimate relationship between Him and us. 

    Now prayer, which is going to pop up a little later in the passage, is one of the key ways that this intimate relationship is enhanced.  If we’re praying on a regular basis, not just quickie prayers, but setting aside time in our daily schedule in which to pray … we’re going to grow closer and closer and closer and closer with Jesus.  And if we don’t do this, our relationship with Jesus is going to dry up.  So our 1st key to praying alone is … the relationship motivation.

    I understand that this sounds pretty basic, but I also recognize that many of us, me included, often approach prayer with a transactional rather than a relational view.  We’re in it for the transaction. 
    We give God something He wants, namely prayer, and in return we get from God something that we want, the answer to that prayer. 

    We view God as a cosmic vending machine.  When faced with a problem, we put in our coins, (we pray), we pull the lever, and watch to see if our candy bar comes out.  And that candy bar can be, depending on what we’re praying for: money, healing, the return of a wayward child, a job …. 

    Jesus says … wrong view of prayer.  It’s not about a transaction, it’s about a relationship.  “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you.”  That’s what we’re to be aiming at. 

    This whole metaphor, branches in a grapevine, suggests a connection, intimacy.

    By the way, Jesus didn’t make this metaphor up.  This was a popular O.T. image.  The grapevine or the vineyard is ancient Israel, God’s people. 

“Israel is the vineyard of the LORD Almighty;
the people of Judah are the vines he planted.
He expected them to yield a crop of justice,
but found bloodshed instead.
He expected righteousness,
but the cries of deep oppression met his ears.”
                                                                                       (Isaiah 5:7)

    God’s people wandered away.  They didn’t produce fruit, they produced garbage.

    Jesus wants to change all that.  Jesus wants to create a people who stay intimately connected with God, who draw their spiritual nourishment from Him, whose lives produce rich fruit.  Jesus is all about relationships. 

    The reason we’re to carve out a chunk of time every day to engage in prayer isn’t to get more from God, but to get more of God.  Do you see the difference?  The reason we pray isn’t to get more from God, but to get more of God.  It’s not for the sake of the transaction … it’s for the sake of the relationship. 

    And so if prayer seems somewhat boring to you … maybe you’re not in it for the relationship. 

    Just imagine how horribly insulting this must be to Jesus.

    Picture a couple at marriage counseling.  They have some problems.  They need some help.  And after the 1st session the counselor tells them, “You need better communication.  Communication is the key to a good marriage.  So here’s your homework assignment.  Before we get together next week, I want you, every day for 20-30 minutes, to sit down and talk.  I don’t care what you talk about.  You’re just to sit down and talk with each other.”
    And the husband looks bewildered at the counselor, “are you kidding me?  20-30 minutes a day!  Can’t we shove it all into one day, a Friday night date, and not have to do it during the week?  It’s not like we’re not talking to each other.  I tell her what I want for breakfast.  I ask her to pick up stuff at the store.  I remind her about a program she wanted to watch on TV.”

    Wouldn’t you like to just smack that husband across the head? 

    But isn’t this how we often approach prayer?  “I pray.  I talk to God.  I tell Him what I want.” 

    I’m not suggesting that prayer has nothing to do about making requests.  Scripture encourages us to make our requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)  But I want to underscore the fact that Jesus says that prayer is primarily about a relationship … remaining in Him and having Him remain in us.

    The 2nd key to praying alone is … the desperation motivation.  “I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.  Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.”

    “You can do nothing without me.” 
    In the original Greek text it’s stated even more strongly.  Jesus uses a double negative, something we don’t do in English.  Jesus literally says, “Apart from me, you cannot do nothing.”

    And you know … I’m not sure if we really believe that.  At least we don’t pray as if we believe what Jesus says.  We pray on the basis of the fact that we believe there are some things we can do without His help.  And so we don’t pray about those things.  But there are other things which seem a bit beyond us, and so we go to Him with those in prayer.

    We create these imaginary lists and there’s a line somewhere in the middle; and everything above the line are things we can do on our own, and everything below the line is a little more difficult, and so we pray about those things.

    We get a cold … what do we do?  We go to the drugstore and get a decongestant.  But if the Dr. tells us that we have heart disease … woo, we better pray about that.  There’s a line there.

    If it’s above the line … we can handle it ourselves.  If it falls below the line … oh, oh, we better pray. 

    Jesus says, “You can do nothing without me.”  “You can do nothing without me.”  “You can do (say it) nothing without me.” 

    We have to stop treating prayer as a last resort. How often have you heard someone say, “Well, there’s nothing else we can do, so I suppose we should just pray”?  What kind of a perspective is that?

    It assumes that we’ll do everything we can, and then when we’ve run out of options, then we’ll pray.  We far overrate our own capacity to take on any challenge.  We have to wake up to our desperation that without Jesus … we can do nothing. 

    Jesus Himself, in His humanity, models this dependence upon the Heavenly Father for us.  Jesus was constantly telling His disciples, “I don’t do anything on my own.” (John 5:19)  And this is the 2nd Person of the Trinity speaking.  But in His humanity Jesus says, “Everything I say, everything I do, has to come from the Father.”  (And that’s why we see Jesus constantly retreating to places of prayer.) (Matthew 14:23) 

    We read the 4 Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and He’s always praying.  Isn’t that interesting?  The Son of God … He’s always praying. 

    In fact, the Gospel of Luke is referred to as the “Gospel Of Prayer,” because every time we turn the page, we find Jesus praying about something. 

    Jesus’ ministry is inaugurated at His Baptism, and as He comes out of the water, He’s praying. (Luke 3:21)
    Jesus heals a leper, and He prays. (Luke 5:16)  He’s praying as He chooses the 12 Apostles. (Luke 6:12)  And when the other Gospels say Jesus was in Caesarea Philippi, Luke adds the phrase, “Jesus was praying alone there.” (Luke 9:18)  He was praying at the transfiguration. (Luke 9:18)  And before Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, He’s found praying. (Luke 11:1)  He prays in Gethsemane, (Luke 22:41) and He prays on the cross. (Luke 23:34,46)

    Jesus was always praying because He realized how dependent He was on His Heavenly Father. 

    So if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, found it necessary to get alone, to be dependent upon Him, in prayer, how much more do you and I need to carve out time in our daily schedule to meet with God in prayer? 

    The fact is, some of us are not just desperate enough. 

    I remember Ron and me talking about prayer last summer, and what motivates us to pray.  And after thinking about it for a while my answer was … desperation. 

    Are we desperate enough to make prayer a part of our daily schedule?  Let’s get real practical here.  When and where in your day can you carve out time to pray?  I’m not talking about quickie prayers.  I’m talking about a chunk of time every day.  If you’ve never done this before, start with a block of 10 minutes.  Where can you fit 10 minutes into your day to pray?  Because you want a relationship with Christ that grows, and you know that you can do nothing without Him.

    So start with the “when.”  Maybe it’s the 1st part of the day.  You get up early, read the Scriptures, and pray before anything else interrupts your day.  So to do that this week you’ll have to set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to squeeze that in.

    Or maybe you have some alone time in the middle of the day, that’s the best time for you.  Maybe you like to do this at bedtime.  When is the best time for you?

    And then where will you do it?  Is it in your comfortable chair where you read your Bible?  Will it be somewhere outside?  Is it in your car when you’re driving?  Where’s the best place for you to pray?

    If you don’t determine right now, when and where you’ll carve out time to pray … you probably won’t do it.  Are you desperate enough to really pray?

    Here’s a 3rd key to praying alone … the fruitfulness motivation.  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it.  My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples.”

    God wants us to bear much fruit.  What does that mean?  If we trace the word “fruit” in the Scriptures, with respect to what our lives are to produce, we discover several ideas. 

    Sometimes Scripture uses the word “fruit” to speak of the character God wants to produce in us.  Paul calls it the fruit of the Spirit … “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

    Sometimes when Scripture uses the word “fruit,” it’s speaking of good works that are done in Jesus’ name.  “You will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way.  You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10)

    When we use our spiritual gifts in ministry, the ones that God has given to us … that’s called fruitfulness. 

    Another way that Scripture uses “fruit” is to speak of the people we introduce to Christ.  They’re our “fruit.”

    And a 4th way is how we find it here in John 15.  Fruitfulness means answers to prayer.  Jesus says, “Pray about everything and God will give you what you ask for.”  And in the next sentence He calls this the fruit that brings glory to God.  In fact, I would dare say that the fruit of prayer kind of encompasses the other meanings as well.
    We’re praying about Godly character … “God make me a gentler person.”  And when He does, the fruit is not just the gentleness; it’s also the answer to our prayer.  If we’re praying for a lost friend … “God, bring Jason to faith” … and Jason comes to faith, Jason is not only our fruit, but our fruit is also the answer to the prayer for Jason’s salvation. 

    And according to Jesus, God wants us to be fruitful people.  In fact there’s a fruitfulness progression in this passage.  (By the way, this is why it’s good to bring your Bible to Church so that you can make notes in it.  The Deacons want me to encourage you to begin doing this.)

    Verse 2, Jesus says that God, the gardener, breaks off every branch in us that bears no fruit.  Circle “does not bear fruit;” that’s where it begins, fruitlessness.

    Verse 4, “You cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.”  Circle “fruit.”  We’re making a progression.  We’ve gone from no fruit to fruit. 

    Verse 8, “My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing (say it) much fruit.”  We’ve gone from no fruit to fruit to much fruit.  Circle “much fruit.”  But we’re not finished. 

    Verse 16, “You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.” (John 15:16)  In other words, fruit that is of eternal value.  Circle “fruit that endures.”
    God wants us to be fruitful.  God wants us to go from no fruit to fruit to much fruit to eternal fruit, and the way that that happens is through prayer.  God delights in answering our prayers, because He delights in our becoming fruitful people. 

    What if I asked you today … tell me about some answers to prayer in your life recently?  Would you be able to reel off 5 or 6? 

    Because if you can’t … then maybe it’s time that you get serious with prayer so that you can “bear much fruit” for God’s glory. 

    In fact Jesus says that this is how we show that we’re His disciples … by bearing fruit, (answers to prayer).  An unfruitful follower of Jesus is an oxymoron.  It’s a contradiction in terms.  No such thing.

    Jesus says that if we’re not bearing fruit it’s because we’re not completely connected to the vine.  We think we are, but we don’t really have the relationship with Him that we think we do … because if we did we’d be bearing fruit.  “Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.” (John 15:6)

    Fruitfulness is a big deal to Jesus.  He wants our life to be fruitful. 
    He wants us to be praying about stuff and seeing answers. 

    Look again at this promise, it’s amazing.  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it.”  Wow!

    Okay, wait a second, does that mean that I can ask God for the Bears to win the Super Bowl this year, and He’ll be obligated to do it?  Don’t forget the 1st part … “If you remain in me and my words remain in you.”

    If we’re hanging out with Jesus, and we’re spending time with Him, His words are in us, and we’re reading the Book, we’re studying the Book, we’re applying it to our life … then what kinds of things do you think we’re going to pray for? 

    We’re not going to pray for a black Jaguar.  If we’re hanging out with Jesus and His Word, we’re going to ask for things that please God, that honor God.  And God’s going to say, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask that.  I’d just love to give it to you.”

    Does this mean that God never says “no”?  At times He says “no” to even “good” requests for reasons known only to Him. 

    Now I recognize that there are always those who are confused by this.
      The moment I start talking about prayer there will be those who say, “I’ve just given up on that.  There’s this thing I’ve been praying about and God’s never responded … and so I just don’t pray anymore.”

    My response is always, “Really?  God didn’t give you one thing?  Because as I read Jesus’ words in John 15, I’m told that there are many things that God wants to say ‘yes’ to … if we’ll just ask Him.”

    “You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it.” (James 4:2)  Period.  End of sentence.

    We don’t pray.  This fruitfulness motivation ought to drive every one of us to carve out time daily to meet with God and lay it all out before Him because He’s just so eager to give us positive responses.

    I try to imagine standing in Heaven, and Jesus says, “Rande, come with me, I want to show you something.”  And He takes me over to this huge warehouse complex, which takes up acres and acres.  We walk inside, and there’s an area called “the Rande Smith Section.”

    There’s row after row, shelf upon shelf, of packages.  Little packages, big packages, all different shapes and sizes, and they all have my name and address on them.  And I glance at Jesus, “what’s all this?”  And He looks right at me, “This is what I wanted so badly to give you … but you didn’t ask.  You didn’t pray for it.”
    So what does God want to give us? … He wants to give us life - “life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10)      He wants to give us peace. (John 14:27)  He’s just waiting for us to pray.  Just pray. 

    Carve out time.  Stop living by the quickie 1 liner method.  That’s wonderful throughout the course of the day if it’s built upon a prayer life that’s a chunk of time. 

    So when and where will you meet with God for prayer?  Where will you carve out that 10 minutes of time?

    Don’t do it out of a sense of duty.  “Well, the Pastor’s preaching a series on prayer so I ought to do this.”  Don’t do it out of guilt.  Don’t do it out of fear.  Do it because you want a deeper relationship with Christ.  And you remain in Him and He remains in you, when you hang out with Him in prayer, that’s how you grow in this relationship. 

    Do it because you’re keenly aware of your dependence upon Him, and you can do nothing without Him.  Not even the smallest thing is effective when done without Him. 

    And do it, finally, because you’re convinced that God has so much more in store for you, and He’s waiting to give all of it to you if you’d only pray. 

MARANA THA

A sleepless Saturday night was complicated by what one minister-friend calls, “Intestinal uncertainty.”  For me at least, it is a rather frequent Saturday night experience when I am preaching on Sunday morning. Even though I’ve spent Sunday mornings doing just that for more than fifty years, the butterflies keep coming and some nights they turn into buzzards. One can either resent this scenario or accept it as a way to keep from becoming self-sufficient on Sunday morning.  This kind of night makes preachers extremely God dependent.  Preaching on little sleep is a learned activity.  This is Pastor Appreciation Month.  May I suggest that one of the ways you could show appreciation for your pastor is to pray for Saturday night rest? Maybe before you go to sleep on Saturday night you could pray for your pastor and if you awaken in the night, ask the Lord to “enlighten” the “darkness” (Ps. 18:28) of your pastor’s possible sleeplessness. Most pastors could use more sentries of the night, especially on Saturdays.

To read more of Dr. Dan's Monday Morning Manna go to

http://discipleallnations.org/blog.

On Sunday October 6^th, Christians in over 175 nations, including those in the “underground churches” of China and seven Muslim countries, prayed for God’s peace and blessings upon Jerusalem and all of her people as part of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ). It is truly difficult to grasp the width and the breadth of this global, grassroots prayer movement until you begin to read the multitude of reports that have come in from churches – both large and small – from all corners of the earth.

Here are just a few of them…

Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea is one of the largest churches in the world. On a typical Sunday, 200,000 believers will attend one of seven services, while another two or three hundred thousand will watch the service on TV in adjoining buildings or satellite branches. On October 6^th, 500,000 attended the DPPJ service led by Dr. Young Hoon Lee, the senior pastor who succeeded Dr. Yonggi Cho. They felt especially honored that the Israeli Ambassador to South Korea, Uri Gutman, attended the service and afterwards met personally with Dr. Lee and church leaders which included the DPPJ Coordinator for South Korea, Elder Lee. Shown in the photo is their major DPPJ Ad in the largest Korean newspaper.

In contrast, there are countless numbers of smaller DPPJ gatherings that took place, from grass huts to house churches as well as regional gatherings in larger town halls.

In Pakistan, our DPPJ Coordinator reported that over 300 believers gathered to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and her people, in spite of the fact that Christians in that country are routinely persecuted for their faith.

In Goa, India, the 3 hour DPPJ service at a town hall included pastors from 15 different churches, as well as elders and members from over 20 churches. Our DPPJ Coordinator from Goa ended his report saying:

 “We in Goa, India are really excited to be a part of this global prayer movement, because this is not only going to bless Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jewish people, but it is also going to be a great blessing to our nation India, our families, and our society.”

In Europe, we had news of great DPPJ growth in the Czech Republic. This year there was approximately a 10% increase in the number of people participating. There were 10 different denominational churches participating, which is more than a 100% increase above the previous year; and there were 12 different places and towns hosting DPPJ events, which is a 50% increase above previous year. Many prayers were connected with the departure of Czech President Milos Zeman for Israel on the very day they were praying. Only few days before, he made a clear and courageous statement supporting the transfer of the Czech Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which was followed by strong negative reaction from a chief PLO negotiator. 

On yet another continent, a city-wide prayer meeting for DPPJ was held in Adelaide, South Australia, in coordination with the Australian House of Prayer for all Nations. People from many churches attended to worship and declare many Scriptures together to bless Jerusalem and her people.

 The prayer against terrorism towards Israel and her people had special meaning for those at the DPPJ gathering in Nakuru, Kenya, after the recent terror attack in the Kenyan Westgate mall, which was an Israeli establishment. Prayer participants made proclamations of peace and security over the land of Israel and over all her people in different parts of the world.

Our DPPJ Coordinator in Costa Rica reported that they had a glorious Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem event at Comunidad Cristiana Tierra in Guanacaste, while other DPPJ gatherings at other churches in the region were happening. This gathering was led by the main pastor for Tierra Deseable from Mundo de Fe and also president of the Pastors Association for Liberia (shown blowing the shofar), and by the DPPJ Coordinator of Costa Rica.

Reports continue to come in from Africa, Europe, Canada, and all over the United States. You can read them in the coming weeks on our website www.daytopray.com under "Testimonies". Be sure to send in your report today or Email your testimony to office@eagleswings.to 

Millions of Christians united across denominational, cultural, and political differences on Sunday, October 6th, as part of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) to intercede for the city God calls His own, and to invoke God’s blessing, purposes, and provision upon all of Jerusalem’s people. From over 175 nations, believers gathered to pray in their worship services, in their homes, on college campuses, in regional gatherings, and on a 24-Hour Prayer Conference Call.

Broadcast by GOD TV to 900 million, Christians in over 200 nations were also able to join the special DPPJ Celebration at The Pavilion on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem. It was co-hosted by Pastor Wayne Hilsden, Senior Pastor of the King of Kings Community Jerusalem. Before the packed audience, he prayed that God would bring a peace that “was not just something agreed upon diplomatically or written on paper, but a peace beyond human understanding…a peace that only God could bring.”

Special guests and speakers participating in the event included Dr. Jürgen Bühler, Executive Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem; Naomi Tsur, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem; Berlin-born Rev. Petra Heldt, Director of the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel; and Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin, founding Chief Rabbi of Efrat and Chancellor of the Ohr Torah Stone Institutions. There were also Christian leaders from the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, and elsewhere who prayed from the platform that God would bless, strengthen, protect, and prosper Jerusalem and her people.

This multinational, multi-denominational global prayer movement was started in 2002 by Evangelical Christian leaders, with Dr. Jack W. Hayford and Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns serving as co-chairmen. Rev. Stearns, Founder/Director of Eagles’ Wings, explained:

“God has a blessing both for the descendants of Isaac and those of Ishmael…When we turn our hearts from darkness to light, we embrace God's peace plan for Isaac and Ishmael. God's love is infinitely stronger than the god of hate and will cause us to triumph in our lives. ”

Orthodox Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin told the Christian audience from many nations:

"We are living in apocalyptic and fateful times and our response to them is critical. Very often we [in Israel] feel as though we stand alone, but Evangelical Christians are our best friends in the whole world. We are eternally grateful that you are standing with us.”

Christians participating in the DPPJ observances not only pray for Jerusalem, but also add practical action to their intercession. This year a check of $15,000 was given from the DPPJ offerings to support two Eagles’ Wings Feeding Centers in Israel, which feed both Arab and Jewish poor in Jerusalem and Tiberias.

Additionally, millions participated by praying in their churches, homes, and special services throughout October 6 – from cities and rural villages, from huts and mansions, from cathedrals and simple church buildings, and from college campuses to underground churches in China and seven Muslim countries.

Throughout the 24 hours of October 6, believers from around the world also prayed together through an internet “virtual prayer room” created by the 24-Hour DPPJ Prayer Conference Call through the ministry of Greater Calling. Callers representing most of the states in the U.S. were joined by believers from many nations, including Canada, Kenya, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, British Virgin Islands, and Italy. The Lord was praised, shofars were blown, and the people raised their diverse voices in one accord as they prayed for Jerusalem and her people groups.

The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem – held the first Sunday every October – is the largest Jerusalem-focused prayer initiative in the world, involving tens of millions of believers, participating from over 175 nations and from “underground” churches in China and seven Muslim countries. It is endorsed by over 1,200 prominent Christian leaders worldwide, including Jack Hayford, Paul Cedar, Dick Eastman, Ron Luce, Kay Arthur, Raleigh Washington, Jane Hansen Hoyt, K.P. Yohannan, T.D. Jakes, Ravi Zacharias, Mosy Madugba, Kenneth Copeland, Samuel Rodriguez, Joyce Meyer, Lance Wallnau, Larry Stockstill, Bishop Charles Scott, Newsboys, Thomas Wang, Sunday Adelaja, and many more.

October2013.pdf

Dear friends,

October 6th to 12th, 2013 is National Mental Illness Awareness Week and October 8th is a Day of Prayer for the Mentally Ill. Please visit www.mentalhealthministries.net to learn how to pray, educate your congregation, friends and family, reduce the stigma, and form a Mental Health Ministry in your community. We need better support , especially mentally and spiritually for those battling mental illness and physical strategies like exercise and healthy eating, will also help. Form exercise groups and lets turn God's House back into the Hospital they started out in early days. We all have the responsibility to help our communiteis heal mentally, physically, socially, spiritually and financially. God bless, thanks for praying.

Be Healthy Ministries,Inc

Other resources : www.nami.org

Also, please enjoy our monthly newsletter, and share with others. See attached above as October2013.pdf !!

The weekend of April 26 - 27, 2014 has been designated as the 24th Annual “Just Pray NO!” to drugs Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting. Since April 7th, 1991 “Just Pray NO!” has united millions of Christians from 150 nations and territories around the world in intercessory prayer on behalf of the addicted and their families.

To find help for addiction or compulsive behavior disorders log on to our web site: http://justprayno.org.

To learn how groups can participate in our annual prayer event, click on “Information on the Annual Worldwide Weekend of Prayer” or email: justprayno@aol.com.

When you go to our justprayno.org web site you can find help for addiction through prayer and Christian ministries.

Check out our blogs for:

• Teachings on Prayer and Fasting

• Biblical Insights into Combating Addiction

• More about the ministry of “Just Pray NO!” Ltd.

THE KEY TO DELIVERANCE:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Exodus 9:1

When the Hebrew slaves were in bondage in Egypt they cried out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for a deliverer. Passover recalls the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Passover is both a historical account and a prophetic picture. Moses “The Deliverer” is a type of the Messiah (Christ). The bondage of slavery in Egypt is a type of the bondage of sin in the world. Pharaoh typifies Satan. The Passover, when the firstborn male child passed from death to life by the blood of the lamb, is a picture of our passing from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son by the shed blood of the Lamb of God.

Persons who are addicted need to break the demonic strongholds in their lives by repenting of their sins and placing their trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. They need to be born again and receive the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Many people wonder why God does not help them when they cry out to Him to be set free from their addictions. The reason that they remain in bondage is that they want to be set free – but are unwilling to surrender their lives to Jesus. The “KEY” that will set a person free is to understand that the Almighty’s purpose in setting a person free is to “SERVE HIM.”  Jesus must not only be your Savior but your Lord!  When you cry out, “Dear Jesus, forgive me of my sins and deliver me from my addiction and I will serve you the rest of my life!”– Not only will you be set free, and have a healthier lifestyle, you will inherit eternal life, know true joy and receive God’s blessings!

Remember to find help for addiction through prayer and Christian ministries log on to our web site: http://justprayno.org.

175 Nations, One City, One Voice

God’s Prayer Army is made up of all denominations, all cultures, and all ages. United in prayer, this army overcomes natural borders, divisions, and challenges, to supernaturally bring forth God’s Kingdom here on earth. In addition, what is impossible for man IS possible with God and He uses the “weak” and the “foolish” to do it! (1 Corinthians 1:27)

As a result, each and every person in The Body of Christ can now be part of this strategic and historic Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem on October 6^th. Together, we will pray for His Holy City Jerusalem, for His Land Israel, and for ALL who live there – Jewish, Christian and Arab. Last year, churches in over 175 nations participated in this global prayer movement, including the “underground” churches in China and seven Muslim nations!

No matter where you are, you can plan now to join us on October 6th in any or all of the following ways!

1. Check to see if there is a DPPJ gathering in your area by:

• Contacting your local coordinator           
• Checking our webpage for DPPJ Events  

2. Plan to participate in the 24 Hour DPPJ Prayer Conference Call starting at Midnight on Oct. 6th EST through 11:59 PM Oct. 6^th. There are hourly prayer topics for Jerusalem, Israel, and ALL of her people. Each hour has a Prayer Leader and every hour has Christians calling into this “Cyberspace” Prayer Room from all over the United States and the world, to intercede for “the apple of God’s eye.” (Zechariah 2:8)

• For more information on this call, visit our Greater Calling webpage.   
• You can also review hourly prayer topics.

3. Tune into God TV for their special Broadcast of the DPPJ Jerusalem Celebration. This is only one of hundreds of thousands of DPPJ gatherings in over 175 nations, but it IS the big one in Jerusalem, “the city of the Great King - Jesus. (Psalm 48:2; Matt. 5:35)  Check GodTV  for your local broadcasting schedule.

4. Have your own DPPJ prayer gathering right in your home or local church that day with Believers you know and love. Need some help? Just go to our website www.daytopray.com

WE have as FREE DPPJ DOWNLOADS, including Prayer Points for Israel, Sermon Notes, “WHY Stand with Israel?” by Dr. Jack Hayford, and many other resources, under Ministry Resources.

• We have FREE VIDEOS that you can download and play, with a DPPJ “Prayer Focus”Video made especially for the actual day of prayer. See our Media Center.  

WE even have FREE DPPJ KIDS Resources to download that you can use with your children and teens on October 6th at DPPJ Kids, as well as FREE DOWNLOADS for College Students at DPPJ on Campus.

Do you have Spanish, Chinese, Korean believers, or Christians from other countries who would like to join you? We have FREE TRANSLATED DPPJ Resources in over 20 languages under International Resources.

The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) is now the largest Israel-focused prayer movement in history, and there is a place in it for each and every person in The Body of Christ. See you on October 6^th!