Pray Network Forum

Selah is not translated in our English Bibles. We just have the transliteration of the Hebrew word. But if you follow its usage, you can get a good grip on its meaning. It is used at the end of each stanza of Psalm 46. I have italicized it for you.

Literally, Selah means, step up. It could have been a musical notation. I like the speculation that it was used when the people ascended Mt. Zion with singing. As they came to a pause in the music, they would all take a step, or several steps, up. They would pause to take a step nearer to God. 

There is a delightful little poem in Spurgeon's Treasury of David.

But as I said, whatever the meaning of the word, the most telling thing about selah is where it is placed in the text. Selah is a call to be still and know God.

Selah is used as a pause to reflect. 

Yesterday we held our third session in our prayer class themed around Paul Miller's book, "A Praying Life".  We continue to have very consistent attendance - evidence that God has placed a hunger for deeper prayer lives in our congregation.  It's exciting to think about what he might do with that hunger!

This week we covered chapters 6-8 of the book, and I divided the session into three main topics based on those chapters:

• Letting helplessness drive us to prayer
• Letting circumstances drive us to prayer
• Letting anxiety drive us to prayer

The topics seemed to connect well, and there was good engagement in the class.

At the beginning of the first week, Richard, who is co-teaching the class with me, asked people what they wanted to get out of the class or any specific struggles they had in prayer, and we created a "parking lot" out of those items.  Yesterday's session really hit on the "praying continuously" item on that parking lot, as we discussed the different ways that God draws us to prayer through things like helplessness, circumstances, and anxiety.

A couple of highlights:

• Prayer doesn't automatically relieve anxiety - it is prayer with thanksgiving that brings God's peace (Ph. 4:6-7)
• The way Paul worded this means that we are to give thanks even before we see the answers.
• This type of thanksgiving is rooted in the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 - being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  (We discussed the faith of the centurion whose servant Jesus healed from a distance in this context).

One of the parking lot items was the question of if there is a "wrong prayer".  We touched on two examples of wrong prayer:

1. The Israelites asking for a king
2. The Pharisee in Jesus' example of the two men praying in the temple.

In the first case, a wrong prayer is prayer for anything that puts something other than God on the throne of our lives.

In the second case, a wrong prayer is prayer that is all about exalting ourselves rather than God (the same type of prayer that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6).

Next week:  Chapters 9-11!

(Adapted from HOPE, The Anchor of The Soul)

The Anchor of Perspective

Understanding that Jesus really rose from the dead has transformed the lives of people who have followed Him down through the ages. They could minister in the midst of plagues at the risk of their lives. They gladly died to help their neighbors, and loved ones, and people they didn’t even know. They were willing to stand for the Bible and the truth of the gospel even in the face of martyrdom.

We see this in the death of Stephen. He could even pray for the men stoning him, “Don’t hold this sin against them.” And he could pray, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit,” because he knew the Lord was there to receive him. And this was not a unique testimony. Others have said similar things at death. He cried while he was dying, “Look, I see the throne in heaven and the son of man standing at the right hand of God.” I cannot help but wonder what his attackers might have seen if they had looked. Stephen was certainly convinced they would see Jesus as he saw Him.

The Anchor of Prayer

My heart throbs at the simple prayer of Stephen, and so many others who have died with prayer in their hearts and on their lips. When you come to know a risen Savior it radically changes the way you pray. And such prayer gives you hope in the face of life or death. Prayer is itself an expression of hope.

Are you cultivating the habit of prayer? This is crucial because you know you will face difficult circumstances. You will come under spiritual attack. 1 Peter 4 begins,

And 1 Peter 4:12 says,

You need to know, if you do not already, that your enemy will do everything he can to keep you from praying. If you are in the habit of spending time in prayer, you will still be able to pray when your enemy is telling you God doesn’t hear, or things are too bad for you to pray.

Some years ago I went to a training conference at Jefferson Baptist Church. Their primary program is helping people pray extended time every day. More people attend that church each week than the number of people who live in the little town of Jefferson Oregon. And they attribute their growth to prayer. At the conference they encouraged us to commit to pray for an hour every day. You have to rearrange your life to spend a full hour daily in prayer. But that is the kind of habit that will terrify the enemy and keep us praying when we are tempted to give up. 

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I was asked to take the lead at a Prayer Breakfast for Dr. Adam Greenway, the 9th President of Southwestern Baptist Seminary. Having served on the faculty of this institution for more than two decades, Dr. Greenway is one of my former students. So I gladly accepted the invitation to lead. However the date of the Prayer Breakfast was changed to a day when I was to be out of the state. Thus, I never led the Prayer Breakfast. But why let preparation go to waste? I will share my thoughts with my friends, and ask you to pray for leaders that you know. So, have another cup of coffee and consider this a virtual prayer breakfast. In preparation, I faced the question - what do you say when asked to lead such an important meeting – for the President of a large, influential, global-impacting, institution? One of my favorite Old Testament passages is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” There are so many applications that can be made with this passage, but time was short, so I had planned to focus on “in all your ways.” Many are the “ways” of a leader. Varied are the needs for prayer support. Each person present was to select a “way” and pray accordingly. Think about it this week. If you could pray for a “way” of an influential leader, what would you choose? How about selecting a leader that you know, and pray that for them. Then my Prayer Breakfast preparation will not go for naught. Pass the coffee please.

Lord Jesus, You are a Warrior and the Supreme Commander of Heaven's Armies. All power on earth and in heaven has been given to You.
Lord God, we want to pray for all our military and their families.
We pray for safety and peace of mind, for hope and joy, for encouragement and energy, for perseverance and special grace for every moment on the battle fields and at home.
We pray for those who make decisions that impact our military profoundly that they will do what is right in Your eyes, according to Your purposes.
May our military know that You are with all of us and that nothing can separate us from You.
Gratefully in Your safe grip, we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ-followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage people where we live, work and play with the Gospel. 

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Last summer, a couple of the Elders of our church felt a nudge from God that we needed to move in the direction of being more of a praying church.  A group of about a dozen people began to gather every other week (it was the off-season for our small groups) to pray for the church, for our community, and for the development of the prayer ministry.

A core group of three of us continued to meet after the summer to make plans for launching a prayer ministry.  In this blog, which I expect will run over several months, I plan to document our journey, as well as to seek input from those who have traveled down this road in their churches.

First, I have to say that I am so grateful to be a part of a church where the leadership is actually pushing more of an emphasis on prayer.  This starts with our senior pastor.  

Our first initiative was to be a 10-week "equipping class" on prayer, open to the congregation.  More on that later.  We had planned to have a congregation-wide prayer service in the middle of that class, on the last Sunday of March.  But our senior pastor pushed us to put together our first prayer service for this coming Sunday (December 29), even realizing that many folks will be out of town and that we don't have a lot of time to publicize the service.  That's how much he wants to push forward in prayer.

So we met yesterday and planned out the service.  We're looking at 60-90 minutes, with an introduction from one of our Elders, then a worship song or two and some quick instructions.  We've chosen 6 topics for our prayer time, each one focused around a key aspect of our life as a church or on a local outreach program or a mission program.  We identified a facilitator for each topic (and a backup); these facilitators will be responsible for speaking for 3-5 minutes on what they're thankful for in this past year of ministry and key ways they see God moving in 2020.  Then we'll break into groups for prayer.  We'll alternate between sharing and prayer, to keep ourselves focused on one topic at a time and to help people stay engaged.  At the end, we'll offer a personal prayer time where a few of our elders will be available to participants in the service to pray with them personally.

We have no idea if God will bring 6 people or 60 to this first prayer service, but we're anticipating eagerly what He will begin on Sunday.

I would really value prayer that God will prepare the way for this service, making key facilitators available and placing it on people's hearts to come and pray.  I'd also be interested in hearing the experiences of others who have started a prayer service in their churches - what worked, what didn't, etc.

I'll report back next week!

We all have Prayer Lists.

Most write their own list. Some simply memorize or visualize who they pray for. Many follow the printed list in the Sunday bulletin. Apps send them to our smartphones.

The difficulty with Prayer Lists is not having enough people, places, or things to pray about; The problem is how to keep it fresh. AND, how to give ourselves permission to take a name off the list! (Personally, I find that even when a person passes, I feel a responsibility to pray for their spouse or family; a good thing but not helpful in keeping my list from ever expanding).

To #reimagine our Prayer Lists, we need to keep centered on Christ, tethered to Scripture, and constantly guided by the Holy Spirit. New ideas or formats are helpful, as long as we are not replying on the methodology.

Our desire is for our Prayer Lists to be "transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how we think. This will empower us to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life of prayer, satisfying and perfect in his eyes." (Romans 12:2; The Passion Translation)

With that understanding, here area few ideas to prompt your own thinking

• Stack new requests at the top; review older entries periodically from the bottom up
• Cluster names by needs (health, relationships, finances, salvation, justice, neighbors...)
• Cluster names by the first letter of the first name then pray for those in a single cluster 
• Divide names/needs in 7 daily groupings (Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday, etc.)
• Use these categories; choose one for each prayer item based on their primary need or the best objective for them:
  • Worship • Fellowship • Discipleship • Leadership •Stewardship • Citizenship

Whatever your format, always begin with an A.S.K:

• Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you so he will guide you in knowing who to pray for and what to pray for them
• Seek the Spirit's leading with silence, stillness, scripture, song, scripting your thoughts
  • Praying for fresh leading each day produces discernment that will empower you to pray beyond the obvious need. The obvious issue may be the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, the Holy Spirit wants to use to draw you into related issues that are not obvious but equally important.
  • “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again." (Mathew 6:7; New Living Version)
• Knock ... when the Spirit makes your focus for that person or situation or issue clear, approach God in prayer "boldly and with no hesitation."  (Hebrews 10:19; The Passion Translation)

...And, always end with "so that..."

• Pray like "Epaphras, a servant of Jesus Christ...He always prays for you (so) that you will grow to be spiritually mature and fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. .. (Colossians 4:12)
• When you pray for someone or something (a congregational need or a cultural issue) add these two words before you conclude your prayer: "...so that..."
• This adds a disciple-making element to every prayer. Whether the obvious need is for healing, or wisdom, or repentance, or spiritual insight, your prayer connects their presenting/temporal need with their greater need to become like Christ.
• Every prayer should become a petition for both their felt need and their growth in Christ.

Please add your comment, additional scriptures, formats that have helped you #reimagine your Prayer List!

I have had several striking coincidences this week. I am reminded of something I recently read, and you have read or heard many times. A hard-bitten detective in a mystery novel said, “I don't believe in coincidences.” Accidental coincidences are an unlikely explanation of many things that take place.

This week I wrote a pastor friend whom I have not seen in several years. I said I was praying for God to do more in their services this Sunday than he knew to ask for. He wrote back that for months they had been praying Ephesians 3:20.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us;”

This was a divine coincidence.

At about the same time I wrote a blog on God preparing the way for revival. I had not yet posted it when I saw a blog written by a friend in which he prayed for God to do whatever He needs to do to bring about revival in America. I was encouraged by his prayer so similar to my blog. This morning I noticed that today's devotional in John Piper's SOLID JOYS was on the same scripture as my blog. 

Let me point to two coincidences in Scripture. One is in the 24th chapter of Genesis that I just came to this morning in my regular devotional reading through the Bible. Abraham sent his servant all the way back to Mesopotamia to find a wife from among his own people for Isaac. The servant makes the great journey coming to a well outside the city. Now finding the right girl seems like an impossible task. He prays for the Lord to show him the girl He has chosen for Isaac by having her water his camels. He had not finished praying when a girl comes to draw a pitcher of water. He asks her for a drink. She quickly agrees, and offers to water his camels. Sure enough, this was Rebekah who came from Abraham’s extended family.

Another is in Mark 14. Jesus sent two disciples into Jerusalem as they came to it for the first time in over a year. 

“Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”

These things happened just like Jesus said. 

Seeing God at work in these situations is more reasonable than telling ourselves, “This just happened.” When we see such coincidences, we need to consider what God may be up to. It is reasonable to assume some things about some coincidences.

GOD ARRANGED THEM.

God is not barred from His creation. He plays an active role in history, and in our lives. When you see something like this you can assume that God is at least as aware of it as you are. And it is worth asking yourself and asking Him if He arranged what took place.

GOD IS SPEAKING.

When you see something like this, you can assume that God put you in the place where you would see it. He could have done these things without our knowing. My friend who wrote the prayer that was so much like my blog wrote me that God often sends us such assurances. It is worth asking what God is saying to you when things like this happen. Abraham's servant and the two disciples sent into the city knew the Lord was speaking to them. God is also speaking to you in these Scriptures. And you need to ask what He may be saying in your situation.

GOD IS PREPARING.

In both of these Bible accounts, God was preparing His children to be ready for what He was yet going to do. We too need to be ready to participate in what God is preparing to do in our day. In the devotional I mentioned, John Piper, in preparing people for Christmas encouraged us to, “build God-centered anticipation, expectancy and excitement into your home — especially for the children. If you are excited about Christ, they will be too. If you can only make Christmas exciting with material things, how will the children get a thirst for God? Bend the efforts of your imagination to make the wonder of the King’s arrival visible for the children.”

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Good praying often requires preparation. For example, Jesus commanded His followers with the words "watch and pray."
Also, Paul challenged all believers when he wrote, under the Holy Spirit's influence, "continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." (Col. 4:2)
Apparently, watching has a vital role in our prayer activities!
The Greek word for "watch" is "gregoreo", which means, basically, "to be awake or vigilant." Webster's defines "watch" as "keeping awake in order to guard" . . . or, "to be on the alert."
In boot camp, one of my D.I.s always used the phrase, "Be aware of what's goin' on!"
The wise intercessor is aware of the needs around him, and the needs of the world (he is well informed), and he is aware of the Spirit's promptings, as the Spirit always knows the Father's will. Listen for local, national, and world news, with wisdom. Read about mission activities and needs. Be ready to pray with wisdom and insight . . . always asking the Spirit to guide you.
Church . . . Pray Attention . . . Pray On!

The Scripture I want to look at in this blog actually addresses only men. However, I believe ladies can read over our shoulders and get a firm grasp on some things that we need God to do in our marriages. My experience is that ladies are much better at doing that than men.

The verse is 1 Peter 3:7.

“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

The goal of Peter's admonition points to a great spiritual power afforded to husbands and wives. In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said,

“If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”

The depth of unity that can be developed between husbands and wives brings an Earth shaking power in prayer. Need I say that our enemy the devil will do anything he can to hinder our united prayer. Let's look prayerfully at what the Holy Spirit teaches in this verse that will enable us to overcome the barrage of the enemy.

DWELL WITH

Peter begins by telling men, “live with your wives.” There is a mindset related to this. We need to develope an attitude of unity with one another in marriage. It is God's will for the two of you to become one. Thinking together requires time together? We should desire for our unity to be as complete as that of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bound together in ultimate love. This may be counter productive to say, because such unity is absolutely impossible for us. But I can say, Men, we are to live in union with our wives. We are to bind ourselves to them with the love of Christ.

UNDERSTANDING

Possibly the most crucial thing God tells us here is to live with our wives with understanding. If you think this is easy, you probably haven't tried. You will not think like your spouse. In the 1990s John Grey wrote, Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus. He made a clear point that men and women don't think alike. Although I believe the differences commonly pointed out by social scientists are too uniform and simplistic, we are different. You will not be able to understand your partner by reading a book. You will have to spend time with your wife to begin to understand her. You will have to spend time thinking about what she needs and wants. Most of all you will need to pray about it. If God does not show you how she is thinking, you will remain obtuse. And while this is a life-long endeavor, what God shows you should change your attitudes and behavior. If you are not considerate, you don't understand at all.

HONOR HER

We are to put our wives on a pedestal of the love of God. First, because they are the weaker vessels. I am aware that all women are not physically weaker than men. And there will always be ways in which the wife will actually be stronger than her husband. But there is something precious about her weakness. Treat her like fine china.

Then we are to honor our wives as spiritual equals, “heirs together of the grace of life.” Of course, this is how we begin. But in many, possibly most cases, the wife has matured beyond her husband spiritually. And in every case, God will give each of you strengths and gifts that He has not given the other so you can draw from one another.

The point of all this is that you can pray for one another and pray together. Each person in a marriage ought to have a list of things you consistently ask God to do in your partner. These should include some things you feel like you need from your spouse. They should include things you know your spouse   needs, possibly from you. And you need to pray for the purposes God has revealed for the person with whom you are partnered.

And because our lives are so busy, we need to work at finding time to pray together. Every couple may do this differently. You may need to be patient with your partner in this. But make it a goal. You can even pray for God to help you find time and incentive to pray together. Who knows what God will do in answer?

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HOPE IN A WORLD OF EVIL

“We know that we are from God, 

and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

1 John 5:19

I don't think we should need the Bible to tell us that we live in an evil world. Can you explain Germany's Third Reich without reference to evil, both in those who planned it and those who did not oppose it? What other explanation can you give for Joseph Stalin putting millions of his own people to death? How many millions died in China's Cultural Revolution or the Killing Fields of Cambodia? How else do you explain mass shootings in schools and churches across America?

Although I suspect some of you reading this would deny it, every human heart is infected with evil. But God has given us hope, even in the face of evil.

Hope In The Law of God

Few people in these days would think of hope coming from the law of God. But it is a great source of hope for those who see it from the right perspective. The law was not given to save us from our sin. The law shows us God's standard of right and wrong. Those who see the law as a means of getting right with God will not find any hope in it. But when we come to the law of God with transformed hearts that hunger to do what pleases God, we find joy in God's laws. The law teaches us what righteousness is. 

The Ten Commandments even show us the sin beneath our sins. Let me show you one facet of this. The first commandment is, “I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other gods before me.” Deuteronomy 6:5 applies this.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and all your might.”

The final commandment is, “You shall not covet . . .” In Colossians 3:5 Paul identifies covetousness as idolatry. These two commands frame the 10 Commandments. Whichever command we break shows that we love other things more than we love God. Strengthening my devotion to God goes a long way toward freeing me from the grip of sin.

There is hope in the judgment of God. Relationships depend on righteousness. We could not have them without honesty, decency, and love. Without these things society disintegrates. The law teaches that God will yet judge evil that ruins our world. In the end God will make all wickedness and injustice right. Yale professor, Miroslav Volf grew up in Croatia. In his book, Exclusion And Embrace, he wrote that not retaliating against those who wrong us depends on our understanding that God will eventually judge evil.

“My thesis is that the practice of non-violence requires a belief in divine vengeance . . . Imagine speaking to people whose cities and villages have been first plundered, then burned, and leveled to the ground, whose daughters and sisters have been raped, whose fathers and brothers have had their throats slit…Should we not retaliate? Why not? I say–the only means of prohibiting violence by us is to insist that violence is only legitimate when it comes from God. . . If God were NOT angry at injustice and deception and did NOT make a final end of violence, that God would not be worthy of our worship.”

Hope In The Power of Prayer

We can pray for God to deliver us from the evil lurking in our hearts. I can pray for God to work in the lives of people around me. Our prayers are to be entwined with needs that God shows us in the lives of others. 

We can pray for God's forgiveness where it is not being practiced. God hears our prayers to comfort the broken-hearted. Our hearts need to break with the needs of people in a world of evil. I have often been amazed by what God does when I and others pray.

Hope In The Promises of God

Even in evil times we can cling to the promises of God. The powerful affect of God's promises take hold of our lives as we hear and come to know them. Throughout the New Testament we are encouraged by the words, “We know.” Hope blossoms in our hearts as the Holy Spirit helps us understand what God has done for us. 1 John 5:20 continues from the verse I quoted at the beginning of this blog. It said we are from God even though the world is in the grip of the evil one.

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

If you are struggling with despair because of wickedness around you, you will only break free by focusing on the promises and blessings of God until you begin to worship and praise Him with all your heart.

Hope In Fellowship With God

Evil is always personal. It is crucial to see the words from the Lord's Prayer  correctly translated,

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

1 John 5:20 is also personal. God Himself has come to give us understanding to know Him. Hope in a world of evil only comes through personal fellowship with God in Jesus Christ.

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What a joy it is to have that precious little grandchild come running into your arms with hugs and kisses. The six-year-old calling to tell you she lost her first tooth or your seven-year-old grandson excited about making his first goal in his soccer game.

In addition to senior discounts, grandchildren are one of the rewards of growing older. Mary H. Waldrip says it well, "Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old."

 I grew up in a Midwest rural community many years ago. I didn't encounter the temptations and pressures my grandchildren are facing today in this media-driven culture. Our society is teetering on the brink of moral and spiritual bankruptcy. I pray for protection from the evil deception in the world around them.

 I now have nine grandchildren, ages ranging from sixteen years to thirty-seven years, four are married, and we have five great-granddaughters. As a long-distance grandmother for many years, I was not fully aware of my grandchildren's immediate needs. I prayed that God would bless them, give them good health and protection. Ultimately, I became frustrated and felt something was lacking with my vague and general prayers. I asked God to show me how to become more deliberate in praying for them.

After reading Grandma, I Need Your Prayers by Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, and When Mothers Pray by Cheri Fuller, prayers for my grandchildren changed dramatically. The books were full of practical advice, encouraging me to use specific scriptures in praying, motivating me to pray regularly and accurately for their emotional, physical, and spiritual well being.

I want to share some of the practical advice I pursued.

• I developed a Photo Prayer Journal in a three-ring binder with a section for each grandchild. Each section had a profile sheet with the grandchild's picture and information about their school, church, friends, and activities. Followed with several blank pages on which I recorded my prayer concerns, hopes, and dreams for the grandchild.
• God's Word became a manual for learning how to pray more effectively for my grandchildren. Praying scripture unleashes the supernatural power of God in their lives. When I pray, according to God's Word, I am in line with His will. As I started claiming God's promises and personalizing the scriptures for them, I experienced more confidence and boldness in my prayer life.
• New channels of communication opened with my older grandchildren when I asked how I could pray for them. For the younger children, I consulted with their parents to keep abreast of specific concerns. Then I was able to pray more specifically for them.
• A primary prayer for all my grandchildren is that they will come to realize how much God loves them. God will always be there for them. They will accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and spend eternity with Him.
• Paul tells me in Romans 8:26, "when I don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes for me. The Holy Spirit knows the needs of my grandchildren, so I ask him to intercede according to His will." It is comforting to me that I can put my concerns in God's hand, leaving them with Him. It shifts the responsibility on God, instead of carrying the burden I
• The love I have for my grandchildren would like to control their lives and keep them from pain, disappointment, or discouragement. Humanly, I want to rescue them and pray, "Don't let anything bad happen to them." To which the Lord may say, "I need to allow disappointment, pain, and failure so they will learn to trust and obey me so I can pour my blessings on them." I must pray for God's will in their lives.
• God has created my grandchildren for a unique purpose. I pray they will discover their dreams, be motivated to pursue them, and trust He will provide the resources.
• I need to communicate with my grandchildren that I love them and accept them even though I may not accept their behavior. I like to call them on the phone, send cards for holidays, note cards, or e-cards to offer encouragement, and let them know I love them and pray for them.

Blessings as a result 

I want to share part of a letter from my married granddaughter. It is a confirmation that praying for these precious grandchildren is never a wasted effort. She wrote, "My grandmother's phone calls, cards, and emails were encouraging and made a significant impact on my life throughout my teenage and college years. Her prayers and encouragement have been rock-solid reminders of God's truth. Amidst my crazy and incredibly life-shaping year, her prayers helped me surrender the craziness of my life to God."

 My prayers for my grandchildren have strengthened my relationships with them. The Photo Prayer Album has been an excellent tool for me to stay connected to them. Whether they live nearby or far away, praying intentionally for them keeps me in touch. Often my prayers can be more potent than my presence when I let them know I am praying for them.

Best of all, praying God's Word has enabled me to pray with His power, direction, and wisdom. As their grandparent, I can have a significant role in stabilizing and influencing their lives by praying for them during these turbulent years. It has given me fulfillment and satisfaction in praying for them.

The seeds of prayer we plant today will yield a harvest of blessing in the future. My prayer is that you have been challenged to pray strategically and deliberately for your grandchildren. In Isaiah 44:3, God told the Israelites, "I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants." God still promises to pour out his Spirit and blessings on our descendants. Don't we want that for our grandchildren and future descendants? 

 The greatest long-lasting gift we can give our grandchildren

is the gift of our time and prayers.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer-Director for Christian  Grandparenting Network

THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 

who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

Do remember the thrilling anticipation you experienced as a child as Christmas drew near? There is something very appropriate about that thrill. On Christmas we celebrate the hope of human history and of all mankind.

FINAL PREPARATIONS

Luke's Gospel has the fullest account of the birth of Christ. It begins with an angel appearing to aging Jewish priest named Zechariah. We read this from Luke 1:13-17

“The angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’”

I have an inkling of how this wondrous news struck Zechariah and Elizabeth. My wife and I wanted children from the time we were married. But children didn't come. We went through the ordeals of gynecologists and urologists with no results. After six years, we had pretty much given up. We moved to a different state so my wife went to a new doctor who was thrilled to tell her she was pregnant. Our daughter was a wonderful answer to prayer.

But Elizabeth and Zechariah were far beyond seven years. They were well into old age before God proved that nothing was impossible for Him. It does not surprise me that Zechariah was skeptical even while standing before the angel. When he asked how he could know this was true, the angel answered.

“I am Gabriel. 

I stand in the presence of God, 

and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”

The words “bring you good news” translate only one word in the original language of the New Testament. It is the word from which we get our word evangelize. The angel was sent to Zechariah with life changing news! His son would be the forerunner to prepare the way for the Lord.

A WONDERFUL PROMISE

Six months later God sent Gabriel to Mary, a young girl in a backwater town in Galilee. He told her she would give birth to a child who would be called the Son of the Most High. Mary asked how she could have a child, since she had not had relations with man. Gabriel answered. 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

This is the climax of everything in The Old Testament. When she went to visit Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea, Mary's very soul magnified the Lord. God was keeping age old promises.

“He has helped his servant Israel,

 in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

    to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.”

Isaiah 9:6 reads,

“For to us a child is born, 

to us a son is given.”

It is important to see that the child was born on this Earth, but the eternal Son was given. John 1:1-5 speaks of Jesus when it declares,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

THE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The final prophecy of Christ's birth in the Old Testament determined the place He would be born. Micah 5:2 says,

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

    one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

    from ancient days.”

The best known announcement of the birth of Christ was to a band of anonymous shepherds near Bethlehem. You can probably imagine yourself with those shepherds trying to stay awake when the angel appeared.

“In the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.'”

Immediately the angel was joined by an entire angel army.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest,

    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'”

The shepherds must have stood there in stunned silence before one of them said the obvious. “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” When they arrived, they found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was actually lying in a manger. They went away telling everyone what they had seen as the angel had told them. And everyone who heard it marveled. Surely no one was as amazed as Mary. Luke 2:19 tells us.

“Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

We too can ponder these marvelous events. 

When their days of purification according to the law were completed, they took the child to present Him to the Lord and make sacrifice. There was a man in the temple named Simeon. The Lord had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Christ. He met Mary and Joseph when they brought the child Jesus into the temple. He took the baby into his arms and praised God. 

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

    according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation

that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

    and for glory to your people Israel.”

Luke 2:29-32

LAST MINUTE COMPLICATIONS

Of course, God knew that the powers of this world would oppose the gospel and the kingdom of God. Mary would pay a terrible price. Simeon said to her,

“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Mary would stand beneath the cross and endure something of the price her son paid to redeem our world. Everyone is not happy to see signs that God who created is intervening in our world. The good news reveals what is in the hearts of all who hear it to this day. 

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

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Today, there are over 70 million grandparents in the United States plus many more around the world. Grandparents represent one-third of the population with 1.7 million new grandparents added to the ranks every year in the U.S. Grandparents lead 37% of all U.S. households in this country — that’s 44 million households nationwide. (Google)u

How GRANDPARENTS CAN IMPACT THE WORLD?It is estimated that there are over 30 million Christian grandparents. We have reached a time in history when the grandparents must rise as one to cry to God.  I believe if 30 million Christian Grandparents who believe in the power of prayer and deliberately praying the enemy will be crushed. Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. This is a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Our grandchildren and their parents not only need our support, but they also need our earnest and united prayers. They need our united prayer, a genuine, unified prayer for our hope and dreams for the next generation to be realized.

Ken R. Canfield PhD., Founder, National Association for Grandparenting and Grands Matter! “There is a spiritual renaissance brewing in North America and at the core of this renewal are praying grandparents.  As is the case in every major awakening in past centuries, humble and passionate prayer is a catalyst, which spiritually connects generations.  That’s why I highly recommend Lillian Penner’s book, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren.  It is a straightforward and practical guide to remind us all to pray.  It has inspired me.  For any grandparent who hungers for supernatural strength and insight, and who labors on behalf of their children and grandchildren this book is a must-read”     

The “Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose, Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren is designed to encourage and equip grandparents to intentionally pray for their grandchildren and their parents.

I am grateful many of you have previously purchased the original Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren.  Since I have had many requests for a study guide to go with the chapters.  I have expanded the book with additional chapters and a study guide for each chapter, which you will find useful.

•    I have found there are many hurting estranged grandparents today with heavy hearts, so I am addressing that issue in a chapter. Is your grandparenting Painful or a blessing?

•    I include a section looking at a view of the culture our grandchildren and their parents are navigating today. 

•    God’s Design for grandparenting plus several additional chapters and Scriptures to Pray for Teens and Scriptures for Grandparents to pray for themselves.

The book retails for $14.99, however, it is available for a discounted price of $15.00, including shipping and handling costs in the U. S. for a limited time. The book is available at www.grandparentingingwithapurpose.com

This book will challenge you and give you resources for this spiritual battle with the enemy. It will show you how to be an intentional disciple-maker and prayer warrior to impact the next generation.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-prayer director for Christian Grandparenting Network. lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

I took my pastor to lunch recently, celebrating Pastor Appreciation Month. In the course of the conversation, I asked him how he felt the specific call of God to be a pastor, since he had previously been a Student Minister and a Church Starter. His answer was similar to mine – an early call to vocational ministry, made specific in time. I had taken a “Pastor Appreciation” survey on social media, assuming that pastors would want their church members to pray for them. I asked, "What should be the most important prayer request a pastor has for the people?” I got a variety of answers, all good, all correct, and all necessary, but I didn’t get the answer I was looking for. Among these answers, someone should have said a pastor needs people to pray that he keep his calling from God always fresh in his mind. A few years ago, I had a conversation with a man who was struggling in his position as a pastor. When I asked him about his call to ministry, he had no answer. He had entered the pastoral ministry because it seemed to him like a good thing to do. He was learning, as others before and after him, that the call is crucial. Ministry is difficult enough to manage with God’s call, impossible to do effectively without it! In his Pastors College, Charles Spurgeon once said, “We must feel that woe is unto us if we preach not the gospel; the word of God must be unto us as fire in our bones.” An older pastor advised me once to “try to do something else and if you are miserable, get back to your calling to be a pastor.” Being the son of a Pastor, plus having been pastor of two churches and Interim Pastor of more than twenty-five churches, not to mention spending more than two decades teaching want-a-be-pastors, I have the highest respect for those who feel called to the pastoral ministry. I believe Paul was absolutely right-on when he wrote to Timothy, “It is a true saying that if a man wants to be a Pastor, he has a good ambition” (1 Timothy 3:1, TLB). So, as you pray for your pastor during Pastor Appreciation Month, pray that the call of God is never far from their mind.

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." (Isaiah 6:1-8)
It would do wonders for our world if every Christian had an Isaiah Experience each day. Far too many have lost the sense of the Holiness of God! You must never forget Who it is that you are relating to and serving. You serve a Holy God! His presence is Holy! Yes, He wants you in a deep, personal, intimate relationship with Him, but none of that changes Who He is. You must always approach Him in the understanding that He is the Almighty God! But, He desires you absolutely approach Him!
Beloved, somehow God gave this vision, or experience, to Isaiah. Isaiah “saw” these things! And because of what he saw, some things in him were changed forever! Allow me to point out a few things.
First in verse 1, God’s presence filled the Temple – His glory is everywhere!
This was a Holy place! The result is powerful worship! This worship was not based on the angels, nor on the gifts of singers, nor even the charisma of a preacher! This worship experience (as all should be) was based only on the Holiness of the full Presence of God!
My friend, for you to be effective for the Kingdom of God, you must place a high priority on worship of the King, both personally and corporately. And beloved, if you ever leave a worship experience feeling less than satisfied, because of the music, or the people, or the prayers, or the preaching, you were not worshiping the Holy Presence of God, you were worshiping yourself!
Now notice verse 5 “Woe is me!”
Believer, you can never be in the Holy Presence of God and not see and feel a contrast between His Holiness and your anything less! Worship in the Presence of the Holy God should cause you to examine yourself in the glow of His Light. Then be honest enough before God to repent, confess, and become cleansed. If you cannot experience God somehow in the course of your worship (in the Word spoken or sung), that may be the first thing you repent of!
Lastly in verse 8, Isaiah heard the Voice of God!
Here is what I believe is happening in these verses of Isaiah. Isaiah finds himself caught up in this tremendous worship experience where the Presence of the LORD is powerfully overwhelming. Beloved, you are the only reason you might not experience this each week!
Isaiah sees the Holiness of God, and by contrast, he sees his own sinfulness, and also the sins of his own nation. He confesses, repents, and God forgives and cleanses. Now, Isaiah is in right standing before God, and he is therefore privileged to hear God speak.
It is as if Isaiah is listening to a conversation in the Throne Room. God is either speaking to angelic beings, or possibly a dialog within the Godhead (Trinity) Itself. And instead of God directly speaking to Isaiah, He asks the question: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
God allowed Isaiah to see the need, and then volunteer to meet the need! Isaiah then said, in response to what he heard: “Here am I; send me!”
Worshipper, sometimes God will direct you to go meet the need; sometimes He just reveals to you the need. In either case, He expects you will have made yourself available, both to Him and what He is doing! This should be you living a yielded, surrendered, life to your Holy God, daily!
I challenge you to make this your priority for the rest of your life; whether that is one more day, or 40 more years. God is not bound by time, but with God, timing is everything, and He has an expectation that you will show up on time! ---In other words, when He is ready to move or act, He expects you will have made yourself available, both to Him and what He is doing. Pray On!

#ReimaginePRAYER ~ Pondering Repentance ... and Revival and Renewal

Revival has ben hijacked by a specifc stlye of church protocol.

It refers to a annual series of meetings designed to produce an emotional response from the gathered faithful prompted by loud, fear-based ("hellfire and brimstone") preaching.

While the contrition and confession may have been sincere, the modes and methods utilized failed to produce a Spirit-led, Scripture-fed congregation of mature disciples.

• Repentance is more concerned with what changes inside than outside:
  • Begins with a response to the Holy Spirit (often sensed by feeling sorrow or grief over our sin)
  • But must be ore than that emotional response; our sadness must produce a cleansed, pure "heart"
  • ...and that must produce a change of mind (think differently; Romans 12:2)
  • "The Lord isn't slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to (repent); ie, turn from sin and no one to be lost." (see 2 Peter 3:9)
• If we confess our sins is more than saying "sorry"
  • We must concur that what we have done, how we have thought or where we have failed to be act obediently, is sin
  • Confess = "agree with God that what the Spirit have convicted us of is truly sin
  • Conviction without contrition is weak; that sin will easily repeat 
• Three Transforming Questions
  1. What? ... is the sin God wants me to repent (turn) from?
  2. So What? ...why has the Lord pointed this particular issue to me (why is this sin hurtful to the Lord? to the Body of Christ? to our Christian witness?
  3. Now What? ... does the Spirit want to do in me, to make me more like Christ? (ask someone to forgive me? change an attitude? resume a spiritual discipline? research the issue biblically?)
• What is the difference between reviving renewing and repenting?
  • Repenting is a change of mind/direction; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • Reviving is to re-vive; regain life
  • Renewing is to restore something old to a fresh (but not necessairly new) state

Many of our grandchildren are attending college and universities, some are Christian, and some are secular colleges.  The grandchildren attending secular universities are taught a secular worldview and probably navigating ungodly influences. We need to pray for our grandchildren’s deep spiritual needs, the needs of their souls.

Barna Research President, David Kinnaman’s new book writes in his new book

Faith for Exiles. The percentage of young-adult dropouts has increased from 59 to 64 percent. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. 18–29-year-olds who grew up in church tell Barna they have withdrawn from church involvement as an adult after having been active as a child or teen.

 I would like to encourage you to pray for the campus where your grandchild is attending. Pray he/she will get involved in a Christian college ministry on their campus for Christian fellowship and community.

Let’s pray the next generation will have the passion and energy to be godly leaders to change the world. The following are suggestions to you can pray.

WHAT TO PRAY FOR:

• ASK GOD WHAT HE’S ALREADY DOING THERE—
• Do some listening prayer, asking God questions such as,
• “Lord, what are YOU praying for this campus?”
• “Who are you moving in here right now?”
• “What are the barriers to your work here?”

Spend time listening and write down anything you hear or feel.

  * PRAY AND LISTEN

Ask God to show you what revival would look like on this campus.

Write down anything you see or feel.

   * PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS

Pray that Christians already on this campus would be bold, have faith, and be courageous. If there are any Christian groups or churches already on campus, pray this for them as well.

   * PRAY FOR PEOPLE IN POWER    

Pray for professors, administrators, student government, and other leaders on campus.

I hope you will find these Scriptures helpful to pray for your college student.

 Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren in College

Dear Father, I pray that: (Insert your child’s name)

1. 1. Peace

________ will not worry about anything, but pray about everything.    Philippians 4:6

2. Protection from the Enemy

________ will be alert and watch out for the temptations from the enemy, standing firm in his/her faith.  I Peter 5:8, 9

3. Responsibility

________ will learn to be responsible for his/her own actions and behavior. Galatians 6:5

4. Salvation

________ will believe that Jesus loves him/her and died for his/her sins so he/she can have a personal relationship with you and enjoy eternal life. John 3:16

5. Security

_________ will always remember that you will never leave nor forsake him/her.  Joshua 1:56

6. Self-control

________will live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct and devotion to God.  Titus 2:12

7. Servant’s Heart

________will develop a servant’s heart, serving wholeheartedly, as to the Lord and not men. Eph. 6:7

8. Anxiety

__________will cast all his/her anxieties and disappointments on you. I Peter 5:7

9. Spiritual Growth

_______will be rooted and built up in his/her faith, growing strong in the truth as he/she is taught.  Colossians 2:7

10. Guard

________ will guard his/her heart, for it is the wellspring of his/her life. Proverbs 4:23

11. Thankfulness

_______ will learn to give thanks in everything, no matter what happens.  I Thessalonians 5:18

12. Timidity/Fear

_______ will not have a spirit of fear and timidity, but the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. II Tim. 1:7

13. Trust the Lord

 ________ will trust You with all his/her heart and not depend on his/her on understanding Proverbs 3:5

14. Wisdom

 When ________ needs wisdom, he/she will ask you for it, You are waiting for him/her to ask.  James 1:5

15. Hunger for God's Word

___________will hunger and thirst for your Word. Matthew 5:6   

Listen to this awesome inspiring short video called the Haystack prayer meeting.

Haystack Prayer Meetings 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtA2QizrMgQ

If you would like more information about praying for our college campuses go to everycampus.com.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network.     lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net