Caution: The blog post you are about to read is a BIBLE STUDY about a critical issue of our day. It is not meant as an endorsement or rebuke of any specific political candidate or party. Apply these truths as God leads you!

We live in dangerous, deceptive times, when it has never been more important to be like the sons of Issachar, “who understood the times” and knew what God’s people should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). The recent political conventions have served to illustrate the critical nature of this: Will Christians in our country discern the truth or be hoodwinked by smooth-talking, emotion-stirring politicians? Will we allow the candidates’ rhetoric to twist reality and permit them to substitute promises for performance?

I’m old enough to remember the old “To Tell the Truth” TV program, where three mystery guests claimed to be a certain person, and the four celebrity panelists had to guess which one of them was telling the truth about their identity. Each segment of the program culminated with the host saying, “Only one of these is the real ______, and the others are imposters. Will the real _____ please stand up!”

Matthew 27 tells a story remarkably similar to an episode of “To Tell the Truth.” Two men stood before the Roman governor (Pontius Pilate) and a large crowd of people. Both of these men were revolutionaries, but they advocated two very different kinds of revolution. Both were radical in their approach, but in completely different ways.

Pilate made it clear that only one of these men could be chosen: “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (v. 17) The people had to carefully evaluate the claims of these two revolutionaries before making their all-important decision.

According to many early manuscripts, the full name of the first man was Jesus Barabbas. Jesus meant “savior,” and Barabbas meant “son of the father” (Bar = Son, Abbas = Father). This man was widely known as an insurrectionist who had participated in a recent uprising against the Roman authorities (Mark 15:7).

The message of Barabbas was clear: “You all could have a great life if it weren’t for the Romans. They’ve victimized and oppressed you, making it impossible to be happy and productive. Let me come to your aid and get rid of the ‘bad guys’ who’ve ripped you off and done you wrong.”

No doubt, there was a grain of truth in Barabbas’ case, just as there’s always an element of truth in the manipulative arguments of political demagogues today. However, the cure he promised didn’t address the more fundamental cause of people’s misery.

Standing next to Barabbas that day was a very different kind of revolutionary, though there were some intriguing parallels between the men. This radical young leader from Nazareth was also named Jesus, and his followers considered him the Savior. And just as the name Barabbas meant “son of the father,” this other Jesus was known by many as the son of Father God. Ultimately he was referred to as Jesus the Christ, or Messiah.

Jesus had some fair-weather followers who probably weren’t much different from the followers of Barabbas. They saw his miracles and hoped he would liberate them from Roman oppression and restore the independent Jewish nation. Mostly likely, this was their misguided motivation in shouting “Hosanna” (save now!) when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey a few days earlier.  

However, the message of this Jesus was much different than Jesus Barabbas. Instead of promising political solutions—salvation from the outside—he told his followers they must repent and receive God’s kingdom on the inside. Rather than allowing his disciples to pity themselves and feel like victims, he challenged them to take the “logs” out of their own eyes and deal with any sin or selfishness that was preventing them from receiving true freedom and abundance.

The unfolding scene in Matthew 27 was almost unbelievable. Which “Jesus”—which savior—would the people choose: Jesus Barabbas or Jesus Christ? Would they opt for a political solution that let them off the hook in dealing with their own sinfulness and disobedience? Or would they embrace Jesus’ promise of a new heart and a transformed life?

You see, two different gospels were presented by these two men. Both claimed to offer “good news” to those who would follow their pathway. Barabbas promised a better life once the Romans were defeated, while Jesus promised new life in a spiritual kingdom that transcended politics and earthly kingdoms.

To Pilate’s shock, the people overwhelmingly voted for Barabbas and were content to send Jesus to crucifixion. How could this be? Were they simply deceived, lured by Barabbas’ promise of sweet revenge against their oppressors? Were they paid off by the jealous religious leaders, who saw Jesus as a threat to their grip on people’s lives? Or was the problem that most of Jesus’ fans and followers simply failed to show up—or speak up—on that fateful day?

Today America faces an eerily similar moment of decision. As in the days of Barabbas and Jesus, we face enormous economic and social challenges, causing many people to feel desperate for relief. If we are seduced by the promises of Barabbas, we will seek political saviors and opt for government solutions to our woes. We will listen to the alluring siren call of those who stoke the flames of victimhood and demonize opponents with a “divide and conquer” strategy.

In contrast, the pathway prescribed by Jesus seems much more costly and difficult. It beckons us to lay down our lives and trust God to meet our needs. Instead of permitting us to play the blame game, it points us to the ancient remedy prescribed in 2 Chronicles 7:14: We must humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our own wicked ways. Then, and only then, does the Lord promise to forgive our national sins and heal our land.

No matter what your political persuasion might be, it’s time to repent of any tendency to cast our nation’s leaders in the role of our savior or source. Regardless of which Presidential candidate you support, I hope you can see they are certainly not Jesus!

There’s only ONE true Savior and Source, and those who put their hope in Him will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11). Every human substitute is just an imposter and counterfeit, shifting sand that will ultimately replace our soaring hopes with deep disappointment.

Don’t be duped! Examine each candidate’s track record, and not just their words. And pray for God to give discernment, both to you and to your fellow citizens.

Did you hear the response yesterday when the Democratic moderator at their convention asked for a vote as to whether they would reinstate God into the party platform? A significant part of the crowd voted with a rousing "YES!"  However, a group that sounded just as large boomed a resounding "NO."  As the cameras moved in on those voting negatively we saw people standing and waving their arms as they seemed to be defiantly saying, "We don't want God's name even mentioned in our policies."

Now to be honest, it should not be surprising when ungodly people act ungodly. What is more troubling is how many people were so overt about their disapproval of even recognizing God. How sad to think that in our country there are enough people who want to debate this issue. There have no doubt always been people in our culture who would disavow God's existence or importance. But today it appears to becoming more and more of the "in" thing. It's popular, progressive and cutting edge now.

That's one of many reasons why I hope we who love God and follow Christ will do more this election season than just utter a few "God bless the election" prayers. First of all, we need to vote, but we must also pray. Let me suggest ten things to have on your prayer list, things I hope we might consider starting to pray for soon, maybe even for a biblical forty days starting September 27th or so.

1. Pray for the election results to bring God glory.

2. Pray for the truth to be prominent and win out over falsehood.

3. Pray that whatever the results Christians will be energized to stand for Christ, remain compassionate and learn to trust God more deeply.

4. Pray for Christian leaders in government to stand strong and firm and to remain committed to leading like Jesus.

5. Pray that our public arena will continue to welcome the mention of God, freedom of religion and fair dialogue about the role of faith in our country.

6. Pray for a harvest of decisions for Christ and the election of more Christians and moral leaders to public office.

7. Pray for a reduction of our debt and a new commitment to wise spending and use of our resources.

8. Pray for the safety of our country from terrorism and an ongoing development of military protection and readiness.

9. Pray for the churches of America to remain focused on their mission to go into their communities and all the world with the Gospel and its message of compassion.

10. Pray for heart change towards God in the current administration and leadership of our country.

Add your own items but let's commit to pray together this year. It will probably matter more than we even think.

For two years, a handful of members at my church have gathered for prayer in our Lighthouse Prayer Chapel during at least one weekend service. Every weekend, we lay down our own agenda and life’s general busyness, and pursue one thing. We ask God to be increasingly present and powerful in Kentwood Community Church (KCC). ministries and services. We ask Him to reveal Himself, and lead the services to a deeper experience of his purpose, presence and power.  (see Jer. 29.11-13)  Without God, our efforts at ministry fall flat. There’s not one heart we can change, one life that can be lifted, or one program that will be successful without the Power of God through is Holy Spirit, and the Word of God guiding us in truth.

Most KCC’ers, and many believers haven’t experienced an extended prayer time. The idea of praying together in a group for 70 - 90 minutes is intimidating and unknown. At the same time, we mentally agree that praying together for the church ministries is a good thing. Prayer is something that ‘somebody’ should do. This reminds me of a poem I heard somewhere long ago.

The Parable of Responsibility  

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody came to church one Sunday.

There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure that Somebody would take up the challenge.

Anybody would have done it, but in the end Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody would do it, but Nobody realized that Anybody wouldn’t do it.

In the end, Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

We started the Outlet Prayer Ministry to end Everybody’s, Somebody’s Nobody’s and Anybody’s dilemma when it comes to prayer. Jesus encourages us all to pray.

• He set the example for us to follow.
• He chided his followers when they couldn’t minister to others because of their lack of prayer.
• He longed for their support in the Garden, asked them to come along with Him.
• He lamented when they couldn’t pray just an hour with Him.

Jesus promised power, and positive results when we follow his example, accept his invitation, and then follow through by laying down our agenda, and spending time in prayer. Maybe your church could establish the same kind of prayer group. I would love to know what you think about this idea.

Movement:

• A change of place or position or posture
• A trend or tendency
• A discernible, measurable and lasting stirring of God’s Spirit in a life, a church, a city or a country

If you follow these kinds of things, you may know by now that there is a genuine movement of God stirring in many cities in the US. This movement is very much still in the early stages, but its presence is undeniable. Here’s what it looks like.

There are multiple cities with:

• Increased unity among churches across denominational, racial and theological lines
• Churches are coming together to address needs in their cities and using their massive volunteer bases to address problems that have previously been unaddressed
• Attendance in churches is increasing in cities that have previously been known for being largely unchurched
• There is significant increased activity by Christians and churches in the social justice arena

Stated more directly, what many of us have been praying for over the past 30-40 years–a third great awakening in the US–is showing encouraging signs on being well on its way.

And that means three very important things for you:

1. Living for Jesus is going to get easier. With movement comes momentum, and momentum means that we will all have an easier time living lives that honor Jesus. Think of it like running with the wind at your back. When movement comes, the wind of God blows to such a degree that crime drops, violence decreases, fidelity and faithfulness increase and morality actually becomes cool. That’s we can look forward to.

2. There has never been a better time to talk to people about Jesus. Depending on where you live, you may find unprecedented levels of receptiveness on the part of people who previously showed no real interest in hearing about Jesus. Movement means that the hard soil of people’s hearts is going to get softer, that they are going to be more open to talking about Jesus, and that countless numbers of them–millions and millions, are going to embrace Christ.

3. Hostility toward Christians and the Church is also going to hit unprecedented levels. Movement produces friction, and friction always comes with true spiritual awakening. As God’s Spirit continues to move across our land, you can expect that the enemies of God will become more vocal and emboldened in their resistance to his movement. Satan will see that his strongholds are being threatened, and he will pull out all the stops to resist the advancement of God’s Kingdom. This is one of the main reasons I believe that true awakening is coming–because those who really are hostile to God are fighting tooth and nail to hold their ground.

Followers of Jesus, take courage. Our best days in this country we love are still ahead. That’s not a political statement, it’s a theological one.

Read more at willdavisjr.com

I would guess that most of us have had some pretty negative responses from people when they find out we are a Christian or address spiritual things in any way. Comments like, "Don't try shove your religion down my throat," or "You're just one of those intolerant radicals," can be commonplace. People just walking away or changing the subject can be the norm much of the time.

However, there is one question I've rarely, if ever, had someone say "No" to or respond to in some other negative way. The question is simply, "Could I pray for you?"  In coffee shops, on airplanes, talking to a neighbor or meeting someone in a hospital have all been fertile ground for opportunities to pray for people. And I'm convinced that those brief times of prayer and care have been used by God to till the soil for people to one day embrace Christ.

In fact I wonder if we Christians aren't often insensitive to what's going on in someone else's world when we try to say too much about Jesus before we've tried to first be like Jesus. Taking a moment to just pray often touches the deep recesses of someone's soul in a way they will remember positively and perhaps never forget.

I was in a Starbuck's not too long ago after a hospital visit having a little time to kill before my next appointment. I ordered my drink relishing a little alone time and sat down in a vacant corner of the coffee shop. Before long a young man sat down nearby holding a big Frappuccino. While wanting to just kick back and leave him alone God seemed to be prompting me to say something so I did. With a frown on his face he told me that he really didn't know what this drink was but a friend had told him to get it sometime.

I wondered in my mind why he wouldn't know about something so common but then he began to tell me that he had just gotten out of prison and was now looking for a job. Now I understood the lack of knowledge about coffee drinks. And before we were done I simply asked if I could pray for him and that he found something quickly. He was more than happy for my prayers.

I'm confident others would be too if we could start there. It's from that kind of care and compassion that longer relationships can be cultivated and conversations about spiritual things can continue and deepen. With people like the young man at Starbuck's we sometimes have to just trust God to bring the next person along who can grow their relationship in the fertile soil of our introduction to Christ through prayer.

So, who in your world today or tomorrow or the next day might need you to pray for them?  Look for chances to do so. Pray for those opportunities. My hunch is that you will not get turned down.

The Syllabus for the Praying Together Course is posted here for those not in the course, who may wish to take the course.

Praying-Together Course

Syllabus

Lesson Plans

     Module 1 Praying Together         

          Lesson 1  Class Purpose, Prayer Basics, and Foundation

          Lesson 2  Prayer, Tying into God’s Purpose Using Keys Found in the Scriptures to Help Us Pray 

          Lesson 3  What Does Prayer Involve, and Why Can it Be  Difficult?

          Lesson 4  Head Prayer? Or Heart Prayer?

          Lesson 5  Preparing Yourself for a Prayer Partner                            

          Lesson 6  Personal Preparation Before Prayer with a Prayer Partner

          Lesson 7   Finding a prayer partner

          Lesson 8   Encouraging People to Pray    

          Lesson 9   Developing Relationships and Prayer

          Lesson 10 Groups

          Lesson 11 Group-Praying Formats

          Lesson 12 Power of a Praying Church

          Lesson 13 Developing a Prayer Culture in the Church

          Lession14 Course Reflection week (was lesson 18)

A Note from the Facilitator/Writer of the Praying Together Course:

A few month’s ago, we completed the first offering of the first module of  the above course on Pray!Network.  About 2 months ago more wanted to take the course, and now we are reposting the reflection questions with a link to the lesson.  The reposting of the reflection questions is done to help a person to move forward in working the lessons.  We are not very far into the course, and it would not take long for any who want to take the course to catch up with others already started.  To allow some time for catch-up, the next scheduled posting will be around the first of September. 

I would like to share from my observations of those who have gone through the course, what has helped.

• First--commit to working the whole course--those who made the commitment to work EVERY lesson—learned the most.  This commitment took humility to come and ask the Lord to teach them through the lessons of the course; and to let the Lord worked in their hearts in a manner that helped them in their relationship with the Lord; and help them in being able to pray with others. 

• Work every lesson—look up the scripture—some in the course have tried to just read the lessons, but reading lessons is not enough—the best way is to work every lesson, even if some lessons seem very elementary to you.  This may be true in some of the first lessons designed to take those with little training and help them.  Still the Lord can use those lessons will help you, especially as you move from one lesson to the next.  Again—those who worked the lessons, learned the most, and the Lord used that learning to help them grow in their Christian life, and in prayer.

• Work the Reflection Questions--I highly encourage anyone taking the course to take the time to respond to the reflection questions.  Putting your thoughts down on paper and responding in the comment sections of the Praying Together Course discussion on Pray, can be a challenge for some.  However, I personally have found much encouragement when I have done the same in sharing my reflections.  There are those in the past who took time to work the reflection questions and humbled themselves before the Lord.  They found the Lord helping them grow in their Christian walk with the Lord.

• A Completion Certificate is Available—when the course is completed, for those who have taken time to work reflection questions, and completed the course.   This Certificate is from Wheatland Ministries, who developed the course.

I encourage all of you to take the challenge, and take the course.  My wife and I wrote this course to encourage others to pray together, which is what we believe that Christ wants.  I know the Lord will take the scripture in the course and course instruction to work His plans for each of us in Praying-Together as we work through the course.

Special Lesson:   Prayer for Government and Prayer for the Nation

Anytime we have a major election in our nation, many wonder how they should vote.  This lesson does not tell anyone how to vote, but focuses on scripture that can help us pray God’s way in upcoming elections.  It also challenges us to search the scriptures as the Bereans did in Acts chapter 17. It is important to let the principles in scripture guide us as we come to important elections. 

Module 2

Lessons on Praying for Your Children and Grand Children are Planned—stay tuned!

Dear Fellow Prayer Leader,

Dr. Rick Shepherd, the SBC Director of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening for the state of Florida, is offering resources being used in his state to call Christians to pray for God's honor, for neighbors, and for our nation this fall. The resources include a calendar document with prayer prompts for September 16 - November 10, a leader's notes document, and a sample pastor's letter to a congregation. Rick is offering these for your use in your sphere of influence as you see fit. His contact info is in the content if you have any specific questions for him.

There are many calls to prayer this fall and many tools available, this call to prayer deserves a look.

For God's glory,

Elaine Helms

2012.PRAYER%20CALENDAR.56%20Days%20of%20Praying.For%20His%20Name%20color.docx

2012.PrayerCalendar.56%20Days%20of%20Praying.LEADERs%20NOTES.docx

2012.PrayerCalendar.PASTOR.Letter.August%201.Packet.docx

Blogs » Jana Riess - Flunking Sainthood

Eugene Peterson & the Rebirth of the Religious Imagination

Jana Riess|Mar 27, 2012|Comments (0)

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Emotions felt in certain traumatic events never go away completely. Similarity brings back a flood of feelings.  Such was the case this past week.  It will soon be thirteen years since the September 15, 1999 shooting at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.  Many of the emotions of that night returned last week with the shooting in an Aurora, Colorado theater.  There are major differences in the scenarios but the commonalities are striking: darkened auditorium full of mostly teenagers and young adults (ours was for a concert), heavily armed shooter (ours had two guns and 200 rounds of ammunition), shooter throwing something in the air prior to shooting (ours was a home-made pipe bomb), shooter walking up and down aisles methodically shooting at defenseless victims (in ours, one person stood up and confronted the shooter), many thought it was a part of the program (ours thought it was a skit, some even yelled, “Shoot me!”), a nearby school became a gathering place for information and grief counseling, bodies still in the building hours after the shooting, the wounded praying for their lives, multiple versions of the events that transpired. And the similarities continue. At Wedgwood, we drew strength from God who “turns the shadow of death into morning” (Amos 5:8). When people asked, “Where was God?” our response was that God was where God was when His own Son, was killed – namely, in the midst of His people. We were reminded that Jesus came “to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79) It is my prayer that those who suffer today, and those who re-live suffering today, “walk before God in the light of the living” (Psalm 56:13).

“Night of Tragedy Dawning of Light”, is the book on the shooting at Wedgwood Baptist Church and its aftermath.  Although it is out of print, the full manuscript with pictures can be found by going to http://www.discipleallnations.org and clicking on “Free E-books.”

“...always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

       As we begin, notice that the difficulties mentioned in these verses are brought on by God.  Many of us think that there is no way God could ever be responsible for judgments such as these.  But God says, “When I shut up the heavens,” indicating that the drought, the locusts, and the plague are divinely ordered, and are not randomly or capriciously dropped out of the sky.

       All this begs the question: do disasters always find their origin in God?  Aren’t there simply natural disasters that have no spiritual meaning at all?  Is it always God?  That’s a hard question, but I would respond this way: if you are thinking about some horrendous situation happening in America or somewhere in the world, and the Holy Spirit begins to prompt you to realize this means God is not pleased with the rebellious heart of man, and there are awful consequences for the sins of this world – then God is speaking to you through this event.  If you receive nothing at all like this, perhaps you are simply not listening!

       You will recall Romans 8: 18 - 21, where Paul says all of creation is in bondage to decay and is subject to disasters as a sign of that decay.  There is decay throughout the created universe, because of the presence of sin, and as a consequence of the sin of humankind.  The storms that move through the atmosphere, the earthquakes that send shock waves to destroy cities, the cancers that rob people of their lives, all these are creation breaking down, “groaning as in the pains of childbirth.” 

       The wildfires that recently swept through Colorado, the tornadoes that devastated the south last year, the earthquake and  tsunami which destroyed so much of Japan, are all indicators of the falling-apart nature of this old world.  It is up to us, however, to rightly interpret these events, to recognize whether the voice of God is speaking in the midst of economic downturns, and in the midst of droughts and floods.  When plagues of sickness take thousands upon thousands of lives, when people you love find their faith in God crumbling, when our own children lose their faith for whatever reason, we want to be especially keen about hearing the heart of God and understanding what is happening.  In each and every meteorological, geological, or medical event, the voice of God is calling His people to repent. 

       God spoke to Haggai and through him told the people of God to give careful thought to their ways.  Think about how your lives are going wrong... how nothing you do prospers.  Think about that.  Think about the lack of God’s blessing on your life.  Is God speaking to you through this experience? 

       Consider what God might be saying to America when communities in Colorado burn to the ground, when something called a land hurricane strikes our Midwest, or when the economy of the greatest nation in the world lies dormant and unresponsive even to the persistent tickling of our government.

       Are all these events merely natural, everyday occurrences, that have no meaning or significance beyond the events themselves?  No, not at all; these events are indicative of much more than a tantrum thrown by random and inanimate forces.  They are the consequence of fallen creation and fallen man, and are the result of man’s insistent and long-standing rebellion against God.  As disasters occur, this passage helps us to understand that by them, God is wooing us back to himself.  There is a way out, there is a solution, and the solution is found in our relationship with God.  The solution is found when we take ourselves seriously as “if My people.”

       What characterizes, what is the common denominator for the kind of events God mentions here is devastation.  A drought means there is no water to sustain life.  Plants die; famine results.  Locust darken the sky as they swarm, and then eat every green leaf in sight, and famine results.  A plague is a disease that overtakes and kills large numbers of people, leaving nothing but weakness and destruction in its wake.  That is devastation, that is destruction and it is total and complete.  Devastation can be physical, as these examples attest.  Devastation can also cause widespread spiritual and emotional damage.  When we are devastated, it can create a sense of desperation in our hearts, a desperation defined as hunger for God unsatisfied by money or success, a thirst for His presence that is unquenched by any other substitute.  We know this is not always the case, as sometimes devastation causes cynicism and bitterness, but certainly the preferred response is hunger, thirst and desperation in the heart for God. 

       When devastation brings forth hunger for God in the hearts of people, and those people begin to express that desperation for God in their lives, you can know God is wooing His people back to Himself.  When a desire for the things of God begin to outweigh and outdistance our appetite for pleasure or for life-as-usual, that’s a sign this desperation is maturing.  That’s when you know God is wooing His people back to Himself.

       That is also when God’s people begin to humble themselves.  Here God is not advocating sackcloth and ashes, self-flagellation, or self-mutilation.  God is inviting us to see ourselves accurately, Biblically, soberly, as we ought to see ourselves.  There comes a time when Christians understand everything we are and every possession we think we own is nothing less than God’s gift and all of it belongs first to Him.  That is easy to say and it is easy to nod our heads in sage agreement, but it is another thing to allow God the kind of access to our lives and access to our bank accounts that shows we are not lying when we say, Jesus is my Lord and my King.  Friends, we are neither self-made nor self-taught.  God has made us.  God has blessed us, and now it very well may be that God is breaking us.

       Through the painful trials we endure, God is causing our hard shells to crack, weaken, soften, and yield to the gentle pressure of the Holy Spirit.  Do you know how to tell when Christians are beginning to soften and become responsive to God?  One indication is when Christians set aside time to pray together.  That is a really good sign of growing humility.  Slowly, we are seeing people from the churches on Cape Cod becoming more willing to step away from whatever they were doing, and be willing to yield enough to go to meet with other Christians, simply to humble ourselves and to join hearts in prayer.  Here in Pocasset, we are a long ways from being able to say we are experiencing success in that area, but it has begun in other churches.  Most of us have not yet begun to soften, or to yield to God, and our hard shells are still resilient and very strong.  But God says, when we Pocasset Baptists humble ourselves and seek His face that will be a sure sign God is working in the middle of our stuff and in the middle of our church.

       I speak with people every week who say they pray all the time.  What they are probably doing is one of two things.  They are either engaging in spiritual self-talk, or they are bringing their shopping lists to God, saying, “God, please do this, and that, and this, and that.”  Seeking the face of God is far different from what these folks are doing.  Seeking God’s face is not stopping at Heaven’s super market... it is not asking for things; it’s enjoying His presence.  It is pure worship.  People who simply seek God are rare these days because we all want stuff and want God to do stuff for us.  People who seek God’s face simply want God.

       God is not bound to answer the prayers of wicked people.  If there is a formula to have God answer your prayers, these verses probably comes as close to a formula as you will find anywhere in God’s Word.  Humble yourself.  Seek God’s face, and turn from any wickedness in your life.

       That last condition is where the rubber meets the road for you and me.  Many of us believe we can repent and all will be well, but our repentance doesn’t include a change in behavior!  Plus, we all have a whole bunch of grey areas in our lives, areas that may bother us but we enjoy engaging in the behavior, so we make excuses about our participation.  When a believer is serious and not fooling around, those grey areas will disappear from their lives. 

       This whole statement which God made to Solomon is a conditional promise in the form of if/then.  If you do this, then God will do that.  Many of the promises of God are unconditional in nature and do not depend one bit on our response or our behavior.  We are saved by grace and not by works, so the love of God is completely unconditional, as are many of God’s promises, but not this promise.  What God will do here depends completely on how we respond.  If we turn from the behaviors and attitudes of our hearts that are displeasing to God, God will listen to our prayers.  He will forgive our sin.  He will heal our land.

       That’s the word here which reaches into our hearts, that grabs us, and makes us take notice – the promise that God will hear, the promise that God will forgive, and the promise that God will heal.   It is not only our nation that needs healing, but our families need God’s touch as well.  We have relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters – strained, torn, and devastated by years of built-up resentments and bitterness.

       When we see people who are wracked by the powerful pull of addiction, when some friends are falling into the depths of  depression, when other friends are seeing what little faith and hope they once had draining away – we become more than alarmed.  We become desperate for God to come by here and do the kind of redeeming and healing work only God can do.

       So the question to you this morning is this: what are you willing to do, how much of your life are you willing to invest in approaching God on the basis of the promise described in these two verses?  Many of us have this committed these verses to memory, but are we ready to step up our game and do whatever is required to see God answer our prayers?  It is not kidding or exaggeration to say the fate of our nation lies in our hands.

       The people in Haggai’s day were so busy with their own lives and so taken up in their own agenda that God had to speak directly to them, and say there were good reasons why they were not prospering or experiencing God’s blessing.  They had put all their attention and all their money into their own lives and into their own homes, all the while the things of God were allowed to rot and fall apart.  Solomon was told that when he became aware of God’s absence, when he realized disasters were striking close to home, he could remedy the situation by turning away from sin and turning to God.  It was a simple solution, and yet, three thousand years later, we are still struggling to find ourselves taking advantage of God’s promise.

       Will you make a decision today to become part of the solution rather than griping, rather than complaining, rather than remaining part of the problem?  Will you humble yourself and find a way to pray together with others, to depend on God for real, and not just as something that sounds spiritual to say?  Will you seek God’s face, not for what you hope to get, but simply for the purpose of getting to know Him?  And will you allow the Holy Spirit to complete an inventory of your heart and life, and as a result, remove everything that is standing in the way of God from your life?

The Train Runs on Two Tracks

by John Kieffer

Think of each rail as Relationship and Strategy.

The tracks are laid on the ties/foundation of Prayer. It is hard work to lay the ties and tracks; but once in place, we can really move to where God wants us to go. Prayer is the work! Prayer is the foundation. Prayer is what ties it all together and keeps it level and balanced. Relationship and strategy must flow from prayer. If you try to lay the tracks of relationship and strategy without the foundation of prayer or run your train into town with out tracks, you will have a train wreck.

Prayer

Why is prayer so important? It seems like we pour a whole lot more time, energy and money into the planning of events than we do in actually praying for the event. Prayer is vital; because first of all, we need to hear from God about whether or not we should even be doing what we are planning. Prayer is vital because it prepares our hearts and purifies us as The Father speaks to us. Prayer is foundational because, out of hearing from God and humbling ourselves, we can grow in unity and love with each other. Prayer is crucial because it prepares the hearts of those we are inviting to hear the Good News. Prayer prepares the ground for all our relating and planning.

We envision every believer who will be attending praying for people to invite, caring for them as the Lord directs and being ready to share with them and be there for them at the event and ready to do the necessary follow-up after the event.

The prayer foundation is essential before we start laying the tracks of relationship and strategy, and more important than the train pulling into town. The Lord could do all His work through the power of prayer, or we can do all the work of putting on another event and loose the precious fruit of our labor.

1 Timothy 2:1, 3-4 - I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

We have found through the years that as Pastors and Christian Leaders come together in concerted humble prayer, a unity is forged that creates the right groundwork for healthy community. Out of this foundation of prayer comes community impact and transformation. Where God is at work we see a humble prayer movement bonding relationships and then wonderful ideas springing forth from the unity and love that has been developed in prayer.

Relationship

We started praying together twenty years ago. We started with a four day Pastors Prayer Summit and began meeting monthly for prayer at various churches across the Valley. Sometimes the Pastor wasn't available and we would pray in the churches parking lot for the pastor and congregation. Every year we make it a priority to get away and pray together at the Summit. The strength of relationship that is forged in this context is strong. As we have humbled ourselves before the Lord over all these years, we have bonded in true unity and love in the Spirit. Trust has been built and the ability to work through issues in a Godly and Biblical manner. We are enjoying healthy Christian Community.

Strategy is all about where we are going. What is the plan? How are we going to get there? What is the destination?

Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...

The destination seems clear; proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom to all nations.

The question is, are we laying the tracks to get us there? Are we doing the hard work of prayer and relationship building so we can reach our destination? We can't just roll into town, do a Gospel dump, and then leave with out teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded us. Jesus taught us to love one another and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We need both tracks of relationship and strategy laid on the firm foundation of prayer to truly fulfill the great commission.

A few years ago, the Lord had me involved in a prayer assignment, of great magnitude.  Much prayer had already gone up over a major issues that affected us locally.  I was one of the principle prayer leaders and needed God's Wisdom on encouraging others how to pray.

I came to the point where I had to seek the Lord and ask Him what was on His Heart that would show me how to pray.  I did not get silence from the Lord.  Soon the Lord led me to scripture and directed my thinking to pray in line with the principle found in the scripture that He led me to.

In our Nation, we are faced today with a major crisis as a nation.  Many of us pray and then make up our minds in what seems to be a logical way.  Some are just upset with the choices in front of them that they do not know what to do.

What all of us should be doing, is not to rely on ourselves, but to look at God's Word, and ask Him for Wisdom--(James 1:5).  When we have an impression or hear something--write it down.  Writing what we heard down--(Habakkuk 2:2), gives opportunity to check what we 'heard' with the Holy Scriptures.  If it agrees, then that may be how God may want us to pray and respond.  It is important that we take time to listen to what God says.

I encourage all to consider the above in praying for the upcoming elections.  Don't think for a moment that the choices before us are the only choices--Let God lead us to what He wants.  The Lord's Prayer has a principle that can guide our praying--May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  (Matthew 6:10).

Yes, it is time to humble ourselves--and pray--and seek the Lord--(II Chronicles 7:14)--especially for our Nation.

Have you ever wondered how you can “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5.17)? Those of us who grew up in a church learned this verse early.  But how do we follow it?  We can’t walk around with our heads bowed and our eyes closed.  Other responsibilities call for our attention.  You can’t pray all the time. Or can you?  A look at the original Greek translation offers little help when it instructs us to “pray continuously, without interruption.” This week, a missionary friend wrote of his discovery in a Swahili Bible, which translates this verse literally as, “pray without getting tired to the point of wanting to give up.”   So we are to continue praying, even if we feel we are not successful in our efforts, even if we grow weary in the same intercessions, even when no answer is apparent, even when circumstances seem hopeless. Keep knocking at midnight even when no one seems to respond (Luke 11:5-8). Keep pleading before the Judge when no immediate response is offered (Luke 18:1-8). Hang in there!  Pray on!

Check out other writtings by Dr. Dan at www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

CONNECT with Jesus

Let’s face it, life is complex. School, work, family, relationships, finances, health issues, and past experiences. Some days we celebrate, and others are more than we can bear. The beautiful thing is that hope is possible. God is standing right beside us to offer mercy longing to draw us into his loving embrace. He desires to walk with us through this journey of life. 

To deepen any relationship, commitment and time is involved. And what’s beautiful about our relationship with God is that he’s available 24/7!

So where do we begin? Carving out time daily to experience God through reading and reflecting on His Word is a foundational holy habit; this truly characterizes people who walk deeply with God. Some simple steps into this relationship are:

• Read and meditate on God’s Word each day
• Confess in prayer how you really feel, but then thank God for who you are in Christ and His promises to you
• Write down your feelings and insights from reflecting on His Word

Over the next year we invite you to absorb the images and verses, while being challenged by the questions. Review them out loud. Meditate on them. Pray over them. Tell a friend what they mean to you. Look forward to listening to God speak to you!

If you long to experience transformation, to trust and obey God, resist sin, listen to God’s voice. There is no better investment than meditating on the Word of God. “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life...” Deut. 32:47 (NIV)

“In moments of fear, anxiety, and trouble, the right step toward experiencing God's powerful deliverance and protection is to simply cry out—to use our voice in fervent appeal for His help.” Quotes by Bill Gothard

Do you ever practice crying out loud to God for help? 

I think most of us have, especially when we’ve been in serious trouble. This is how our Biblical predecessors often prayed. Fervency in prayer and crying out loud is a key to breakthrough in prayer. My husband has often told people that fervent, passionate prayer is the type of prayer you would cry out if your airplane were falling from the sky. You would cry out to God in desperation, with all your heart! There would be no place for distracted, apathetic prayer under those circumstances. No way! It would be a life and death matter! 

Yet many of us are facing impossible circumstances where the "crying out" type of prayer is needed for spiritual breakthrough. Crying out loud seems to be a key to a powerful prayer life that influences heaven and sees tremendous answers to prayer. Often we are urged by the Spirit to cry an impassioned declaration of God’s powerful ability. That demonstrates our total dependence on God to accomplish the victory. We need to catch hold of this truth and apply it to our prayer lives. We read in Psalm 86:7, “In the day of trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me.” When we cry out to God, we experience His all-sufficient, supernatural power to answer us.

God often arranges our circumstances so there seems to be no way out. 

Haven’t you been there? The problem doesn't seem to go away. But in response to our crying out to Him, He answers. He may bring healing, protection, or direction. He wants to show us that He is our sole saving power when we are at the end of all our known resources. In the Bible there is a consistent pattern of God's people crying out to Him and His answering in His power. David often cried aloud to God with deep emotion when in desperate situations, and God answered his cry. He says in Psalm 61:1, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their trouble." Bill Gothard in his book, The Power of Crying Out states:

“Many believers today seem unaware of this consistent pattern in God's Word. It could even be said that the most significant difference between the prayers of God's saints in Scripture (so powerfully effective) and our prayers today (so seemingly ineffective) is this: There was a fervency in the prayers of biblical saints - a fervency that is inherent in crying out.”

Crying out to God is not something we do mechanically, but it flows out of our relationship with Him. Do we really know that God actually hears us and longs to hear our cry? He is our father and loves to hear our voice. We have the authority and right as His children to call fervently to our Father. Do we realize that there is power in the spoken word? When it is spoken fervently, sincerely and with all our heart, it is even more powerful. Do we realize that as we cry out to God aloud, He sees that we are seriously and boldly coming to His throne of grace? Do we not comprehend that when we cry out to God in our distress He will answer? 

We will see that crying out in prayer is the very turning point that brings His deliverance. It happened often in the Bible and can happen for us as well. Notice in Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, and 28 how God loves to answer those with a sincere heart in their need. "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” Crying out triggers God's deliverance. Many of you are facing desperate situations in your life. Learn to cry aloud to God with all your heart. Trust Him—your deliverer—to undertake in your behalf.

“Days of trouble. Hours of crisis. Moments of urgent and fearful need. They come to us all unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. How can we prepare for such times? We can prepare by being ready to cry aloud to the Lord for His saving help, boldly expecting His deliverance. God invites and expects His beloved ones to do exactly that: ‘Call upon Me in the day of trouble,’ He tells us; ‘I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.’”

For many years we live on a ship called Doulos. This ship was our moving home that sailed from country to country, spreading the Good News of Jesus and selling Christian and educational books. During one of our voyages—with over 300 persons from 40 nations aboard—we were sailing down the coast of South America and were about to enter the Straits of Magellan. This is a narrow, long passage of quite some distance off the coast of Chile. Our next port of ministry was the southernmost city at the tip of Chile. You could consider this area of the world the “ends of the earth.” The straits are known for their treacherous and dangerous seas. 

The weather at the time was stormy, and the waves were choppy and unsafe which would make it very difficult for our old ship to pass through safely. This ship, built in 1914 and in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest floating passenger ship in the world, caused many of us even more concern as we anticipated this dangerous journey. 

In light of our situation, the captain made an urgent request over the loud speaker. He said that we must all gather together immediately and pray for God to calm the seas. We must cry out to God to give us a safe passage through the Straits of Magellan so that we could arrive on time at our next port. 

With no time to waste, the entire staff and crew gathered together in our main lounge to pray. Imagine the thoughts that raced through our minds and the level of anxiety many of us felt as we hurried to the main lounge. After all, we were on a tiny, old ship anticipating tossing around in treacherous seas. We felt dependent at that moment on a supernatural God who could turn our situation around by His power and might. 

We began to pray and cry out to God to calm the seas for His glory. Perhaps you can guess what happened next. Yes! God answered prayer—the seas became still—and the ship passed peacefully through the narrow passage.

My future husband and I sat on deck and admired the beauty of God’s creation in that gorgeous part of the world. We had met each other on board, and this was our first date and one we would always remember. During that voyage we saw many shipwrecks along the way right in the midst of all the natural beauty of massive rocks and clear blue seas. This was a vivid reminder of God’s powerful answer to our desperate prayers.

Is crying out to God effective? 

It certainly is—Our ship was able to reach its destination safely—We were able to continue our conferences and evangelistic programs right on schedule. God used such a situation to build our faith as we cried out to Him and lived His answer. He wants to break through in extreme situations. He will do the same for you as He did for us on this voyage. I recommend that you read and pray through some of the heartfelt prayers of David. Psalms 16, 25, 31, 51, and 63 are excellent Psalms that you can pray out loud for yourself and others.

You may be passing through dangerous or difficult waters. God hears your cry and wants to take you deeper in passionate, fervent prayer. And remember when He answers your prayers, be sure to give thanks to Him for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds on your behalf. Crying out to God for help is a wonderful way to live. We not only should do it during times of trouble but as we pray for revival in our city and nation. God loves it when we pray with fervency and passion. 

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men" (Psalm 107:28-31).

 Intercessors Arise News:

• Two new books will be released this summer: Breakthrough Prayer and Ascending the Heights in Prayer.
• Have your Friends sign up for Intercessors Arise here!
   

Debbie Przybylski

Intercessors Arise International

International House of Prayer KC Staff

deb@intercessorsarise.org

http://www.intercessorsarise.org

In Ps 24, a young King David asks, and then answers a question burning on the young king's heart. 

Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you, and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. Ps 24.3-6 NLT

In my prayer time a few days ago, I felt God asking me to take these words seriously. What would it look like in my life if I made sure that I was walking and living with clean hands, and a pure heart? How would I spend my time? How would I spend my money, and the other resources that God has entrusted into my care?

What would it look like if I made sure that in every relationship, I was completely honest, and didn't treat someone as if I had to lift myself up, and come across as though I'm better than another? Are there any idols in my life, things that I give my time, talent and attention to more than I devote my energies to my Father? I know that I'm forgiven, and saved by the grace of God, so these questions aren't about earning his love or favor. But that's not the question that David is asking. David is asking who is the person that will walk with God, that will live with God showing Himself active, present and powerful in his life.

Jesus challenged his followers with the same high expectations regarding our relationship with Him and others. He connected the dots between the quality of our relationships with others, and the temperature of our relationship with Him. In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God." Matt 5,23-24

I'm not trying to be legalistic, or tell our pastors what to teach on a Sunday, but what would it look like if at the beginning of a weekend service, before the worship started, your pastor said something like this: 

If you have a dispute with a friend, if you have a broken relationship with a family member, co-worker, etc. it's time to go and make it right. We're not going to have service today. Go, take care of the relationship issues in your life. I'll see you again next week.

And that was it. No songs, announcements, teaching or prayers. The worship ministry left the platform, and the lights came up. What would that be like? 

Maybe a more exciting question is this – What do you think the service the following weekend would be like? Coming into God's presence with a clear conscious, with the weight of damaged relationships lifted from our hearts and hands. What kind of blessing would we then receive from God? David writes, and promised that blessings from come from the Lord, and we would enter into his righteous, powerful, healing presence.

Prayer is more than asking God to do stuff . . . to take care of this, that and the other thing. Prayer starts with God moving in our lives, to change who we are, how we treat others, and how we interact with the world. When you pray, you can expect God to challenge you, to work on changing your heart. Then in the future God is free to move through you, and answer your prayers for others through what He can do through you.

OK, so some of you have already branded me as a heretic. "How can this guy not care about revival?"  Others are at least curious and will read on. Maybe one or two (my best friend and wife perhaps) can't wait to hear more.

Trust me, at least here at the start, when I say that I would love to see revival in my city (Austin), country and the world. I've read about the great revivals in our past (of which there have been few) and heard many messages and exhortations to pray for the next one. I certainly don't criticize others of you who long for a revival of some sort in your lifetime.

But let me tell you why I'm not currently spending a lot of time praying for one.

First, I'm not sure what I'm praying for if I do.  Am I asking for large crowds to pack stadiums, for millions to suddenly march to their statehouses and kneel on the steps, for churches to suddenly be filled with worshipers? What would a revival in the classic sense look like?  And if revival isn't going to occur like it has in the past then what do I ask God to do today?  I would suggest most of us don't have a clue.

If some sort of spiritual awakening is going to happen then perhaps only God knows what it will look like and He wants us to simply till the soil well in our churches and communities so that fruit will easily grow.

Second, there are a lot of other things that need the passionate prayers of God's people right here, right now. In America we need our government leaders and politicians to get a grip on reality and start leading our country with wisdom, discretion and integrity. Marriages in our churches are tanking every day. Families are struggling and priorities are way out of line when it comes to the things of God and what really matters for eternity. 

It seems to me that if we pray for God to work in lives and  homes from the inside out that the revival we seek will more likely occur in some way than if we just pray for the revival itself.

Third, I don't see much Scriptural evidence or encouragement to pray for or seek revival. We are admonished to be holy, to go into the world and make disciples and to love God and people radically.  I feel more compelled to pray for those things to be true in me and in other believers and see what God does as a result.

Finally, I think we are often praying for something that God can do much more subtly and slowly. I remember a man in my former church who was put into a coma to basically save his life. I don't remember all the details but I do know that he miraculously lived but had to be revived from his coma slowly.  Revival isn't necessarily going to be quick or stupendous. We may never see the kind of revival, at least on the surface, that we've seen in the past.

However, God can still do something amazing in our churches, cities and country. Perhaps he'll do it one person or church at a time. Maybe we won't see it while it's happening but we'll look back five years from now and realize that Christians have been renewed and revitalized by the power of the Holy Spirit. I've written elsewhere that God is doing something special in my city of Austin, Texas. It's happening slowly but it's happening. Somehow I'd rather keep praying for that.