In the 15^th century, Martin Luther wanted to renew genuine worship. For centuries monks had kept the scriptures and sacred music locked away in monasteries. But after printing press put the Gutenberg bible back in the hands of the common man in the 1450’s, Luther worked to put worship back in the hands, and minds of the common man to fuel the revival that swept Europe. History says that Luther wrote new hymns to bar tunes and folk songs. His goal to implant the seed of God’s word deep in the hearts and minds of his listeners centered around these common melodies. He hoped that when men  went about their daily routines, the Holy Spirit could bring to mind eternal truth. Charles Wesley continued this approach when we wrote over 6000 songs for Christian worship on the 18^th century.

Between Luther and Wesley’s day, the Protestant Reformation gave birth to another explosive renewal in the arts. Symphonic composers like Handel, Beethoven and Mozart rose to the forefront of their craft, and many of their works were dedicated to the King of Kings, and Lords of Lords. Today, concert hall audiences still stand and sing along at the climax of Handel’s Messiah. Imagine pipe organs and orchestras performing the Halleluiah Chorus on stately cathedrals and vaulted concert halls throughout the last 3 centuries. Classic music in the 21^st century, Handel and Beethoven were contemporary musicians of the 16^th and 17^th century.

In the 20^th century, the Jesus movement and the charismatic outpouring that flowed across the American church gave birth to another revolution in contemporary music. Even though the traditional church was hesitant to change, today contemporary Christian music is on its way to becoming traditions for the 21^st century church.

Worship is never about the outer form, or style of music. Worship is about the heart of the worshipper. Whenever our hearts are more concerned about what is on the outside than the whole hearted devotion on the inside, we are in need of another revival. Real worship must be genuine, contemporary worshiper, heartfelt, and surrendered.

Looking into the scriptures, another idea is essential to genuine worship. Abraham stood at the foot of Mt Moriah. He’d waited for 25 years for his son Isaac, raised him for another 13, and now he’d traveled three days to a mountain’s name whose name means “God will see” to offer him, at God’s request, as a sacrafice.

Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. (Gen 22.5 KJV)

Abraham’s worship included:

• He was obeying God, without hesitation.
• He was going with the full intent of sacrificing his son.
• His faith and relationship with God was so deep, that he knew that Isaac was the son that God had promised.
• He intended to kill his son, not to please god, but to obey him
• He knew that he would also return with his son, because God is faithful to keep his promises.

Genuine worship, praise and prayer that changes our hearts and pleases God includes personal cost. Abraham learned the lesson by obeying God, and trusting him with the results. David also said that he wouldn’t offer a sacrifice that didn’t’ come at personal cost to himself, and he learned these hard lessons the same way – by what he did.

And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, "To buy the threshing floor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (2 Sam 24.20-24 KJV)

Genuine praise, worship and prayer aren’t about how we feel. These essential pieces of a Christ-centered life aren’t about the environment around us, or the music we listen to. Genuine worship flows from a heart that’s surrendered to God, loves Him, gives up your rights voluntarily, obeys Him and follows wherever He leads.

By Eddie and Alice Smith
U.S. Prayer Center, Houston, Texas

Sadly, as we enter 2013 we can’t help but notice that much of the twenty-first century church is in disarray.

Despite Paul’s 2,000-year-old admonition against division in the church (1 Cor. 12:22-25), it’s plain to see that the body of Christ is severely splintered. Among the divisions are:

•  Denominationalism

•  Racial tensions

•  The gender gap

•  The Charismatic versus non-Charismatic issues

•  Minister and laity distinctions

Although in the past twenty years we’ve seen some encouraging reconciliation in the church, the lost world might rightly ask, “Why are these Christians trying to reconcile me to God when they are not even reconciled to each other?”

It’s an excellent question, and one that deserves an answer. After all, reconciliation implies relationship!

But there is something else. Along with the need for reconciliation, we must offer the Lord new wineskins. God wants to pour out the new wine of revival upon his church. In fact, he has saved the best wine until last. It is a purifying wine, a healing wine, and an empowering wine. New wine however, requires new wineskins. (Mark 2:22) As someone has rightly said, “All new wineskins have one thing in common. They are freshly dead.”

To become new wineskins and truly live, we must die to ourselves and abandon the old. So the church today is in a state of flux. The only thing we can count on in the future is change! But as long as the church looks like a sieve, fraught with disunity, it will never hold water, much less new wine.

We are on the brink of what may be history’s last great revival and a worldwide harvest of souls. God is renewing the nature of the church (his bride) as he prepares her for earth’s final spiritual battle to be followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb.

However, Jesus said, “A house divided against itself will fall” (Luke 11:17). As unity enables, so also disunity disables. For 2,000 years, a disabled church has tried,

• To reach a disabled world

• To fight against the kingdom of darkness

• To complete the Great Commission

As a result of our divisions, not surprisingly, we have accomplished little. After 2,000 years of opportunity, much of the world is yet to know God and the eternal salvation that could be theirs through his Son, Jesus Christ. Two thousand more years of the same from the church will produce the same pitiful results!

That is precisely why we need watchmen (intercessors) who will “stand in the gap in prayer,” and for gatekeepers (pastors), who will move into their Kingdom positions to work effectively with them.

(Source: Eddie and Alice Smith’s book, Intercessors & Pastors: The Emerging Partnership of Watchmen & Gatekeepers, pages 5-6)

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.

Developing a Dynamic Prayer Life

"To the average Christian the command "pray without ceasing" is simply a needless and impossible life of perfection. Who can do it? We can get to heaven without it. To the true believer, on the contrary, it holds out the promise of the highest happiness, of a life crowned by all the blessings that can be brought down on souls through his intercession. And as he perseveres, it becomes increasingly his highest aim upon earth, his highest joy, his highest experience of the wonderful fellowship with the holy God."

God passionately desires that we partner with Him in prayer. We have a dynamic role in determining the measure of the quality of our life, because God opens doors of blessing when we pray. But we have to rise up in prayer and partner with Him or we will not see these blessings. It is wise to develop a dynamic prayer life. God seeks for those who will stand in the gap and pray (Ezekiel 22:30).
 
Why does God love our prayers? It seems to be a mystery, doesn’t it? 
 
Prayer and intercession draws us into intimacy, and at the same time, humbles and transforms us. When we bring our needs to God in prayer, we interact with God’s heart. He loves when we verbalize our prayers. He wants us to ask in order to receive (James 4:2). He even withholds blessing if we do not ask. God will answer and be gracious to us if we pray and ask (Isaiah 30:18-19).
 
When we pray we are in governmental partnership with God, and we are changed on the inside as His Word abides in us. We are filled with His heart, and our effectiveness in prayer increases. We then decree His decrees with power from on high (Job 22:27-28). Wrong things are made right, the sick are healed, those bound in sin are freed, and revival is released in geographical areas. It’s marvelous! 

God initiates prayer by declaring His will in His Word. We respond by praying His Word. Then He answers us by releasing His blessing because of our prayers. Our prayers are actually very powerful even during those days when we feel they are very weak. Prayer and intercession cause us to internalize God’s Word because when we speak His ideas back to Him, our minds are illuminated and our hearts are touched. His Words impart life (John 6:63). His Word builds us up and delivers us (1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12; Acts 20:32; James 1:21). God’s mind then dominates and saturates ours, renewing us as we pursue Him in prayer.

I love to hear stories about Charles Finney because my husband comes from New York. Charles Finney was a lawyer from New York in the 1800’s whom the Lord used greatly to bring about revival. He soon quit his law practice and went into times of prayer and fasting. In 1857, in just eight weeks, 500,000 people came to the Lord through his ministry, and 80% of them continued on with the Lord. That was a large number of people in those days.

What was the secret of his spiritual success?  

Daniel Nash and Abel Clary were two men who believed in prayer. They would go ahead of Finney to the cities where he was going to preach, and they would cry out to God in prayer for those cities. Within three months after Nash had died, Finney’s traveling ministry stopped, and he became a pastor.

These amazing results were because of prayer!   

In the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus exhorts us to cry night and day. We must learn to be steadfast in prayer with great endurance. Satan’s warfare against us is to undermine our faith by tempting us to lose heart and confidence in prayer. The Bible promises us that we will reap if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:7-9).

If we look at Jesus’ disciples, their request was not to have a big ministry or great fame. They asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). They saw that everything that happened in Jesus’ ministry was because of His prayer life. Throughout the Bible we see that those who God used greatly were men and women of prayer.

“Christ, who in this as well as in other things is our example, spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much. He had His habitual place to pray. Many long seasons of praying made up His history and character. Paul prayed day and night. Daniel’s three daily prayers took time away from other important interests. David’s morning, noon, and night praying was doubtless on many occasions very long and involved. While we have no specific account of the time these Bible saints spent in prayer, the indications are that they devoted much time to prayer, and on some occasions long seasons of praying were their custom.”


Action Plan for Your Prayer Time

It’s good to have a prayer action plan. This will help you stay focused and will keep your mind from wandering. Realize that you are speaking to a real person who loves you. Be attentive, and focus your mind on the Father who sits on His throne (Revelation 4). Let’s look at some ways we can develop a dynamic prayer life:

• Have a personal Bible plan. Daily read several chapters in the Bible or whole books of the Bible. There are several Bible plans. Find one that is helpful for you.
  
  
• Pray the Bible. Pray the apostolic prayers and other biblical prayers. Pray phrases from the Bible during your prayer time.
  
  
• Have a prayer list for others. Include specific places (cities, nations) and people (friends, ministries, unsaved, governmental authorities, etc.).
  
  
• Pray for strategic social issues. Pray about current disasters and social crises. Pray regarding the issues of abortion and homosexuality, etc. Pray for Israel and human trafficking. 
  
  
• Have a personal prayer list. Pray for your personal circumstances such as your physical, financial, and relational situations. 
  
  -Pray for your own heart (intimacy, fear of God, purity, speech, a spirit of prayer).
  -Pray for your mind (your understanding of God’s purposes, a spirit of revelation of God’s emotions, will for your life, and end-time purposes).
  -Pray for your ministry (anointed hands and words, contending for God’s purposes, authority and conviction in  your words, insight into the secrets of God’s heart, fruitfulness).

• Pray for wisdom. Here at the IHOP, Mike Bickle encourages us to pray for the following:
  
  -Revelation of God’s personality and Word with wisdom to walk out the practicality of love and humility (Ephesians 1:17).
  -Knowledge of God’s love for me (Ephesians 3:17-19; 1 John 3:1).
  -Revelation of God’s will for my life (Colossians 1:9). 
  -Revelation of God’s end-time purposes (Daniel 11:35; 12:10). 
  -Personal revelation of eternity (Psalm 39:4-6; 90:12), the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), the Judgment Seat (1 Cor. 3:11-15), the resurrected body (1 Corinthian 15) and hell (Revelation 20:11-15).

When we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8). As we spend time with God, we get to know His love for us in a deeper way. We grow in confidence that God loves us, and we discover His heart for us. God’s light drives out darkness and energizes our spirits (Luke 11:36). 

Our spiritual capacity is enlarged when we pray. We experience the supernatural impact of God’s light in our lives. We then turn away from sin, and we come to the realization that I am my beloved’s, and His desire is for me (Song of Solomon 7:10). We delight in God and His Words, and He delivers us (Romans 7:22-25). He washes us with His Word. The devil can’t get us with his accusations and condemnations (Revelation 12:10) as we spend time in prayer. We can learn to live in victory and wisdom.

Let’s pray and ask God for His light to enter our hearts (Psalm 43:3). Let’s pray for His Word to grip our minds (Psalm 119:18, 105, 130; Colossians 3:1-3) and help us to make quality decisions to walk in righteousness daily (Psalm 24:3-6; 119:11, 32). May His Word empower us to obey His commands and daily set our hearts on wholehearted obedience.

God’s end-time strategy is day and night prayer. He is calling us to believe and develop a radical prayer life. It will be costly and sacrificial, but it will be well worth the effort (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 1 John 3:16-18). We are celebrating the life of Jesus in prayer. We are standing for justice and freedom for mankind. The end-time prayer movement will be full of the Spirit and the Word of God. Our prayers will not be lifeless, but they will have power to change nations and cities. As you come to Him in prayer:

• Picture what God wants to do in and through your life. 
• Picture with the eyes of faith what He wants to do in your city. 
• Picture the answer in your mind, and pray towards that vision. 
  
  

Your prayers will influence those around you in a powerful way. Developing a dynamic prayer life is the wisest thing we can do with our life. Nothing will happen without it.  
  
“They may start from different points, and travel by different roads, but they converge to one point: they are one in prayer. To them, God is the center of attraction, and prayer is the path that leads to God. These men do not pray occasionally—not a little or at odd times. But they pray in such a way that their prayers enter into and shape their very characters. They pray so as to affect their own lives and the lives of others, and to cause the history of the church to influence the current of the times. They spend much time in prayer, not because they watch the shadow of the dial or the hands on the clock, but because it is to them so momentous and engaging a business that they can scarcely quit.” Quotes by E. M. Bounds

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Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org

Today was my church's 33^rd anniversary celebration, and I think it was a sign of God’s pleasure over us and his joy that 33 people were baptized on Saturday and Sunday between the three services. During the 9:15 service, a few prayer warriors met in the our Lighthouse prayer chapel and interceded through the early morning service, and for the next 33 years. We prayed for our church’s future history, and in this ministry we call the Outlet Prayer Ministry, we often wrestle with silent questions:

• What does God want?
• How can we get there?
• How can we glorify Him?
• We ask God to draw more KCC’ers into a saving relationship with Jesus.

At the core of these questions lies the idea of revival, and getting back to the influence on the world around us that the early church exercised. After Peter’s first sermon, over 3000 people were saved and baptized. (Acts 2) Throughout Acts, sermons brought conviction and conversation. As we prayed this morning, two ideas bubbled to the surface.

1) The apostles waited on God’s promise of anointing and power at Pentecost before they began to preach the gospel. Jesus had asked them to wait for this promise before venturing into the world with his message of grace and forgiveness. One the Day of Pentecost, just before God’s power fell, Luke writes that the apostles were “all together, and in one place.” Did the detailed doctor repeat himself, or is this an important component to the day’s miraculous events?

In another translation, this phrase is rendered “the apostles were together in one place, and in one accord.” It wasn’t enough for them to be physically together. They had spent the 10 days between Jesus ascension and Pentecost praying, reading the scriptures, and building deep community. I imagine that they talked through Peter’s denial, Thomas’s doubts, James and John’s desires to have the first place in line, and how Jesus had to appear to them two or three times before they were ready to really, really believe. They came to a place where they were not only all together, but they were in one accord, ready to speak to the world about this life-changing Jesus.

2) The church had lost everything. Those who believed in Jesus cowered in that upper room for fear of the Jewish leaders and the Roman guards. For three years these young idealistic disciples followed Jesus around the country learning his Way, Truth and Life. They had gone all in, and now Jesus promise was all they had.

These conditions describe the hearts that God found when he poured out his power, and the church began to change the world. They didn’t have any allusions about building kingdoms, businesses or fortunes. The One they loved most had been cast out, and eventually crucified by those who were threatened by his power. As his followers, they could not expect to be “better than their Master.”

I’m not writing to suggest that Christians should choose a path to deliberately create conflict with the world around us, or that being a ‘real’ Christian means selling everything we own and finding a room to rent in a hotel somewhere. I’m saying that Jesus brought his followers into a place there they could honestly say that they had Him and only Him on which to rely. They waited in that place, and in that place God poured out his power which equipped them to change the world.

As we prayed this morning, we prayed and asked for God’s power to once again fall, and continue to fill KCC, our people, staff and services in the years to come. Yet in the midst of our prayers, I had to confess that too often we are dependent on ourselves, serving divided interests, and at odds with each other. . .  and yet we still ask God to come and do great things. Throughout the scriptures, God connected the dots between the condition of his peoples’ hearts and lives with his ability to answer their prayers in great ways. As we start our 34^th year, let’s pray with King David, and ask God to:

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Ps 139. 23-24

If you’re feeling bummed out about the direction of your nation right now, I can relate. And so can the prophet Jeremiah.

Yet as Jeremiah wept during the devastation of his beloved city, Jerusalem, his initial reaction was not to blame the Babylonian invaders for his agony. He blamed God, concluding that his nation’s afflictions had come “from the rod of God’s wrath” (Lamentations 3:1-20 TLB).

You have to admit, this was a very logical conclusion. The Lord had promised to defend and protect His people if they walked in His ways. So the Babylonians weren’t the real problem—it was an issue between God and His people.

As Jeremiah witnessed the troubling events befalling his nation, he reasoned, “[God] has turned against me…and surrounded me with anguish and distress.” And he also was baffled by the fact that “though I cry and shout, he will not hear my prayers!”

Jeremiah was having a very bad day. Perhaps you can relate.

To make matters worse, there seemed to be no quick or easy solution: “He has walled me in; I cannot escape.” Perhaps you’ve wanted to just leave the country in your frustration. But escape is not the answer.

And while Jeremiah knew that God promises freedom to His people when they trust and obey Him, he must have been horrified by the realization that “he has fastened me with heavy chains.” How traumatic!

But the chains of the Babylonians were not much different from the chains of debt we now find ourselves in as a nation. One estimate says that every baby born this year will immediately owe $250,000 as their share of the national debt. Chains of bondage, don’t you think?

Jeremiah probably once had a plan for his life, but now everything had changed. Instead of getting closer to his destination, just the opposite seemed true: “[God] has filled my path with detours.” Perhaps you’re one of the thousands of people who’ve had to defer your retirement plans because of “detours” in the economy. I can relate.

If you find your lamenting today, you no doubt feel a need for comrades who understand and sympathize. But Jeremiah wasn’t given this luxury. He felt very much alone, even rejected: “My own people laugh at me; all day long they sing their ribald songs.”

Hmmm…sounds like a cultural war is going on, doesn’t it? While Jeremiah lamented, the people around him laughed. Seemingly without a clue about the destruction they were facing, people mocked God’s prophetic message and chose to flaunt their worldly ways. Jeremiah must have faced opposition from leaders who, like some today, belittle godly people for “clinging to their guns and religion” instead of embracing cultural trends.

Recognizing peace and prosperity as two key pillars of every nation truly blessed by God, Jeremiah was disturbed to realize that both were slipping away: “All peace and all prosperity have long since gone, for you [God] have taken them away.”

As Jeremiah surveyed this dismal situation, he made another quite logical deduction: “The Lord has left me…All hope is gone.” And who could blame him for feeling melancholy, even bitter?

Fortunately, this wasn’t the end of the story. Jeremiah went on to describe how the Lord broke through the dark clouds of disillusionment and gave him a sudden ray of encouragement:

Yet there is one ray of hope: his compassion never ends.

It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.

Great is his faithfulness; his loving‑kindness begins afresh each day.

My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him.

The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him, to those who seek for him (Lamentations 3:21-25 TLB).

What an incredible change in Jeremiah’s perspective! From his gloomy place of lament, he saw an amazing ray of hope. From the pit of despair, he saw the Lord’s compassion and faithfulness. From an attitude of blaming God for his anguish, he ended up praising God and declaring His goodness.

So what about you? If you are experiencing a time of lament today—concerning your own life, your loved ones, or your nation—may the Lord break through the clouds and give you a fresh glimpse of His faithfulness.

Like Jeremiah, the apostle John faced some frightening times when he wrote the book of Revelation. Yet everything changed when he saw “a throne in heaven and Someone sitting on it” (Revelation 4:1-2). Praise God, He is still faithful, and still on the throne.

As a Christ-follower, I have a laundry list of things, important things on my prayer list. Children, finances, job issues, friends going through tough times – I can go on. God I need this. God, I want you do that. I don't know about you, but when I pray this way, focusing on my laundry list, my prayers seem like they bounce off a brass ceiling, and fall to the ground around me. I'm not saying that we shouldn't pray for situations like these, Yet if all I do is ask for stuff, it's not long before I sense something in my prayer life is missing. I wind up spiritually dry and unexcited about the eternal.

There are no rules when we pray, yet God's Word gives gentle instructions. We can't manufacture God's power. Yet when we pray, and follow his pattern, He promises He WILL show up. The purpose of a prayer ministry, any prayer ministry, is to find and follow God’s pattern in order to find God’s promised response. Based in God's Word, we know when we pray and wait expectantly, our Heavenly Father does what we can't. The acronym ACTS is a great way to focus on his pattern as a guide.

Adoration (Praise): Psalm 100 says: “Enter into God's gates with thanksgiving, and come into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him, and bless his Holy name. (Ps 100.4) When we gather together, intercessors should resist the temptation to start with our laundry list. Instead we take time to praise, and worship God for who He is. We take time to recognize we are coming into the courts of the Creator of the Universe, and He is worthy of our praise.

Confession: Psalm 66.18 says: “If I regard, (or hold onto) iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Jesus encourages us to take this idea seriously. He says that when we come to worship, if we remember that we have something against someone, that we should leave our sacrifice, and reconcile or make the situation right before we come to worship. Does this mean I have to be perfect before God will hear my prayers? No. It means that God expects that we live what we say we believe, and do what we can to live in right relationships with others.

Thanksgiving: Phil 4.6 says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Thanksgiving naturally flows from a heart that is filled with worship, and that has been cleansed of sins. We are naturally thankful when we can see God's greatness, our humanness, and how Jesus has bridged the gap. Thanksgiving differs from praise and worship in that worship lifts up who God is, thanksgiving focuses on what God's done.

Supplication (Intercession) : 1 Thess 5.16-18 says: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Finally we get to our laundry list, but when we start by focusing on God, and his requests of us, theirs is a change in my attitude. After focusing on God's glory, dealing with our sins, and spending time thanking Him for all the things He's done in our lives, my laundry list isn't all about me anymore. It's about God, His glory and how we can be a part of His plans.

If you’re involved in a prayer ministry or prayer group at your church, I challenge you to change your focus for the next few times you gather. Put your laundry list in the pocket of your bible case until you spend time in God’s presence, longing for him instead of stuff. In Jeremiah 29.11-13, God says that when we seek him, we will find him, when we search for him with all our hearts. The condition resides with us. We have to lay down our agenda, our to do list, our expectations and wait on him before we will see clearly to pray according to his priorities.

“To the average Christian the command ‘pray without ceasing’ is simply a needless and impossible life of perfection. Who can do it? We can get to heaven without it. To the true believer, on the contrary, it holds out the promise of the highest happiness, of a life crowned by all the blessings that can be brought down on souls through his intercession. And as he perseveres, it becomes increasingly his highest aim upon earth, his highest joy, his highest experience of the wonderful fellowship with the holy God.”  Andrew Murray

As we each face many challenges and blessings in life, it is critical that we put prayer first in our schedules.  I sense in my heart that we are entering into very deep waters. We always have enough time for the things we value. The greatest key to success in the Christian life is to put God and prayer first. Too many things in life are crying out for our attention. Everything we do must be done through the power of prayer.   

We must learn to put prayer first on a daily basis. It is something we have to give our utmost attention to. The enemy is TOO clever, and he will try to steal our time. This is where he will resist us the most. We need to have a vision for prayer. Vision determines priorities, and our priorities determine our destinies. Put prayer as a high priority in your life.

In Acts 12:5 we read about fervent prayer for Peter by the church. They prayed with intense earnestness. Peter was in trouble! The word “earnestness” in the Greek means “stretched-out-edly”. Their souls were stretched out with intense earnestness toward God. It was like a runner using every nerve and muscle stretched out toward the goal. Jesus also prayed with intense earnestness in Luke 22:44 so that even his sweat became as drops of blood. God desires that we learn to prioritize prayer and seek to be a man or woman of intense earnestness in intercession. The Bible speaks about devoting ourselves to prayer in Colossians 4:2. The Amplified Bible says:

“Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer life, being both alert and intent in your praying with thanksgiving.

Dorthy Haskins in her book A Prayer Guide to Prayer tells about an excellent concert violinist who was asked the secret of her mastery of the violin. She responded, “Planned neglect.” She explained how so many things demanded her time. After breakfast, she would do her normal duties such as straightening her room, cleaning and several other things that seemed necessary. She would then turn to her violin after finishing all her work. But she was unable to accomplish what she should on the violin. So she reversed the order, and neglected everything until her practice period on the violin was completed. That was the secret to her success. How often we are like this violinist and put prayer at the end of what needs to be done. It can be last on our list! It must be first. It must be prioritized in our lives, if we want to have a life dedicated to God’s glory.

We must learn to put prayer first now and not wait. The world is getting worse with each passing day as crime and terrorism increase. With earthquakes killing thousands, financial difficulties, unusual weather patterns, plus lawlessness, famines and needs everywhere - if ever there was a need for prayer, it is now. But you and I don’t have to wait for an emergency situation in our city. We already live in an emergency situation - God has sounded the alarm - Millions do not yet know Christ. The hour is urgent! Throughout history, there were praying individuals who knew the seriousness of the hour and prioritized prayer every single day. Let’s look at some of these examples from history.

Historical Examples

“Christ, who in this as well as in other things is our example, spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much. He had His habitual place to pray. Many long seasons of praying made up His history and character. Paul prayed day and night. Daniel’s three daily prayers took time away from other important interests. David’s morning, noon, and night praying was doubtless on many occasions very long and involved. While we have no specific account of the time these Bible saints spent in prayer, the indications are that they devoted much time to prayer, and on some occasions long seasons of praying were their custom.” E. M. Bounds

These prayer warriors put prayer first in their everyday life. Even though some of them had ill health, busy lives or were very old, they still were able to put prayer first.

• 84-year-old Anna - She was very old but prayed and fasted night and day for decades. See Luke 2:36. 
• David Brainerd - He spent whole days in prayer as he cried out for the salvation of the Native Americans. 
• E. M. Bounds - He was an eager and intense man of prayer. He prayed with faith that believed God for the impossible and wrote many outstanding books on prayer. 
• John Hyde - He was a missionary to India who paid a high price for prayer. He spent thirty days and nights in intercession and was ranked as a mad enthusiast in prayer.

We influence others as we, ourselves, spend time in prayer. Our short prayers are effective when we have prayed long ones. We must learn to prevail with God just as these men and women did. Jacob had victory because he wrestled all night with God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Bible exhorts us to “Pray without ceasing”.

The Cost of Putting Prayer First

Those who pray receive a blessing for now and for eternity that far outweighs the cost. They learn the secret to a joyful and strategic life. But choosing to prioritize prayer has a price tag. It will cost us to put prayer at the top of our responsibilities, but it is well worth the effort. It will cost us:   

• Time - We must devote ourselves to prayer. We may have to give up other good things in order to do the best thing. See Colossians 4:2.
• Energy - Prayer can be hard work and very intense physically. It will take concentrated energy to pray. God may call us to pray in the middle of the night. See Isaiah 64:7.
• A Pure Motive - Prayer is often done in secret. We need to have a pure motive when we pray. God will reward us openly. See Matthew 6:6.
  
• Faith - We don’t often see results immediately when we pray, and this takes great faith. But God does answer prayer in a powerful way if we persevere in faith. See Hebrews 11:1, 6. 

Let’s rise to a new level in putting prayer and intercession first. May God help us to keep it central in our busy life. May He give us the grace to put prayer first, not only when emergency situations arise in our own personal lives, but also as we live in the emergency situation we all face in the end times. I pray that God will encourage your heart to count the cost and say, “yes” to the ministry of intercession. I make a conscious choice to put prayer first every day of my life. I pray that you do the same.

Here at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, every year the staff renews their commitment to prayer. Each year they make a Sacred Trust before the Lord as to what hours they will spend in the prayer room. They actually put it in their weekly schedules. Prayer and intimacy with God is central at IHOP and all work springs from that central commitment. Full-time staff spend 24 hours weekly in the prayer room. Although a high commitment, God gives grace to pray. You may want to make a Sacred Trust before the Lord as to how much time you will block out in your schedule for prayer, worship, and time with God. This helps you keep prayer first in your life. You may also want to watch the webstream here at IHOP to encourage your prayer life - See IHOP Prayer Room.

“They may start from different points, and travel by different roads, but they converge to one point: they are one in prayer. To them, God is the center of attraction, and prayer is the path that leads to God. These men do not pray occasionally - not a little or at odd times. But, they pray in such a way that their prayers enter into and shape their very character. They pray so as to affect their own lives and the lives of others, and to cause the history of the church to influence the current of the times. They spend much time in prayer, not because they watch the shadow of the dial or the hands on the clock, but because it is to them so momentous and engaging a business that they can scarcely quit.” E. M. Bounds

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Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org

Sometimes I seem to have more faith to pray for other people’s situations than I do for my own. Their “giants” seem smaller than mine. I can pray for their needs longer without being tempted to give up. I can envision miracles more easily in their circumstances than in mine. I know it doesn’t make much sense, but that’s just how it is.

A while ago, God put it on my heart to pray with unusual (for me, it was unusual) faith for a friend’s rather large burden. I am pretty sure this will be a long-term prayer assignment, but that doesn’t bother me. I am confident that what I’m asking for is God’s will, and I am confident that He can do it, so I am asking Him to do what seems humanly impossible, but is an easy thing for Him. It is a joy to pray for my friend’s situation—and to watch God respond in small yet undeniable ways.

Meanwhile, quietly and on her own, my friend had been praying for an “impossible” situation of mine. It’s something that frankly, I hardly even talked to God about anymore—I’d prayed for it for so long without seeing any signs of an answer that I’d all but given up. Somehow it came up one day, and I learned about her quiet intercession for me. So I asked her about it. She told me she really believes that God is going to come through for me in it—so she keeps praying. The fact that it felt hopeless to me didn’t faze her; she had faith to spare.

It was fun to realize that God had given her spare faith for my need, and He had given me spare faith for hers. It was like we were trading faith. And in the process, our faith in God for our own situations is increasing.

I point out to her the little ways I can see God working in her circumstances. And she does the same for me. We’ve talked about how hearing things from the other’s (more objective) perspective, boosts our faith: God really does seem to be doing something here!

Maybe there’s someone in your life who needs some of your faith to intercede for their “impossible” burden. What do you think, brother, sister . . . can you spare some faith to pray for them?

Ever traveled through a major city, and had the opportunity to see a one of the nations' “Grand Central Stations”? Chicago's is called Union Station, as is the transportation center in Kansas City, St. Louis and Los Angeles and Washington DC. Each of these are modeled after the architectural wonder in New York, the majestic Grand Central Station. Built in 1871, Grand Central Station rivaled the Eiffel Tower for its architectural grandeur. At the beginning of the 20th century, cities with extensive public transportation systems built these hubs to link bus, rail train and local metro trains to simplify the process of getting from point A to point B. 

I've traveled though Chicago's Union Station often, and recently rode the Subway in and out of Manhattan. I marvel at the number of people processed across the ticket counters and through the turnstiles daily. Standing in the station during rush hour is another life changing experience. The vaulted ceilings and marble pillars amplify every conversation. It's not the kind of place where you can have a quiet private conversation. During rush hour, you can barely hear yourself think above the din of travelers and public announcements.

I can only imagine how at times, Jesus' life must have been like standing in the middle of Grand Central Station at rush hour. After gaining popularity, Jesus was often met by throngs of people who wanted to hear the itinerant rabbi teach, or press Him for a miracle. Yet Jesus was always on task, focused, and never lost sight of his Father's purpose for his life.

This was His secret. 

And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. Mark 1:34-36

Jesus was focused on his calling and ministry, the things that were important to his Father because he regularly made time away from the crowds, clamor and tumult of public life and career to talk with his Father. Prayer was His priority. Prayer was his vital breath.

I can look over my Christian life, and see that during the times I made a daily prayer time a priority, I was much more focused, stable and centered on my life in Christ. When I let the crowd push into my life and push prayer out, hearing God was like trying to talk to a friend while standing in Grand Central Station during rush hour.

If you want to your prayer life to continue to grow, I want to invite you to join me and commit to daily prayer, away from the crowds, centered on God and his word. we eat every day, get to work, spend time talking to our family, etc. We make time for what is important. Maybe it's time we stop submitting to the Devils schemes, and make time for the most important task of the say. Whether you pray alone or in a group, you will experience God's power and presence in a new way. Nothing turns up the temperature of your spiritual life than standing in God's presence, knowing you're heard and sensing His presence and personal reply.

I have a secret to confess. It's been over 30 years, and I have to come out of the closet – or at least out from behind the couch. I was 6 years old, and one night after my mom herded me off to bed, I crept back down the stairs, and hid behind the couch in our family room. Just out of her line of site, like a moth to a flame I was pulled into one of 1966's most innovative TV programs. I watched with wide eyes as Gene Roddenberry's “Wagon train to the stars” told the story of the Enterprise and its five year mission to go where no man has gone before. Yes – I have to come clean – I am a closet Trekkie.

This is no surprise to my wife or kids. When the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager spinoffs hit the airwaves, I remember pulling my kids onto my lap, and along with a bowl of popcorn, we watched Captain Picard continue the mission that my childhood heroes Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock began. The names had changed but the story was the same. Men, women and aliens banded together to face the unknown, out-gun old enemies and out-smart new ones. For those who are wondering . . . yes . . . we even attended a Star Trek convention or two.

One of my favorite episodes in that original series featured displaced society adrift in a hollow, round spaceship. War had left their planet uninhabitable, so their society's leaders built a 'world' inside a space-going ball. The catch was that the citizens believed that they were on a planet. an artificial 'sun' rose and set, and the entire world was designed to replicate home. After three generations drifting through space, their outside-in spaceship was the only world they'd ever known.

The episode's conflict because the spaceship was off course, and drifted toward an inhabited planet where it would crash and create galactic destruction. As the story raced toward it's climax, Kirk and his cohorts faced the challenge of convincing the inhabitants that they were on a space ship, not a planet. The Federation heroes had to help the helpless, and convince the society that what they believed was wrong, and what they experienced on a daily basis isn't real. There was a larger world outside of themselves. They had to change their reference point, and accept a new reality based on truth which resided outside of their experience, or face certain doom.

A minor character from this show intrigues me yet today. An old man, an outcast that most of the characters considered crazy was written into a brief scene. As Kirk, Spock and the boys tried to convince the society of their need to shed their wrong beliefs, this old man crept out of the shadows and spoke forbidden words.

“I believe you. I know we're not on a real planet. . . For the world is hollow, and I have touched the sky.”

A prayer ministry is built from the same conviction. This world is hollow, and we can touch the sky. We can touch Heaven with our prayers and connect with a new Reality which resides outside ourselves. When we do, we discover God's perspective. When I am affected by His point of view, my world can . . . and must change, and I can no longer stay the same.

The world is hollow, and we can touch the Sky. We don't have to settle for the world as it is, and Jesus calls us to go out into the world and work to bring about change. We are to make disciples, feed and clothe the poor, heal the sick, and see God change lives one at a time. It starts with prayer, because God's power must first work in my life, before I will grow to a place where He can work through me.

If your small group would like to learn more about prayer, and making deep, life changing prayer a part of the culture, contact Tim Burns and the Outlet Prayer Ministry at Kentwood Community Church, Grand Rapids, MI (http://www.kentwoodcommunitychurch.com/opmblog) We can help you with resources and ideas on how to encourage your congregation or small group to set an intentional time to pray together for your church, neighborhood, church, and state. As a group you will grow closer together, and individually God will work in your heart and life as He draws you closer to Himself.

For the world is hollow - join me - let's touch the Sky.

Three Strategic Prayers for Our Spiritual Leaders (Part Two)

Daniel Henderson

Three Strategic Prayers for Our Spiritual Leaders (Part One)

Daniel Henderson

Prayer is my Passion Intercessory Prayer Ministry Daily Intercessory Prayerline will be Launched on Monday, August 1, 2011


Our Prayerline Conference Access Number: 1-218-632-0650

Conference Passocode: 8888#



Our Prayerline is open Daily 7 days a week for Intercessory Prayer and also to receive Prayer request.

Hours of Operation:
Early Morning Prayer 6am Eastern, 5am Central, 4am Mountain or 3am Pacific

Monday - Friday


Evening Prayer 10pm Eastern, 9pm Central, 8pm Mountain or 7pm Pacific

Monday - Friday


Evening Prayer 11pm Eastern, 10pm Central, 9pm Mountain or 8pm Pacific

7 Days a week



August 2011 3rd Watch Prayer Schedule:

3am Eastern, 2am Central, 1am Mountain or 12am Pacific

August 1st Monday

August 6th Saturday

August 12th Friday

August 15th Monday

August 22nd Monday

August 29th Monday

August 31st Wednesday


To Contact us or to Submit a Prayer request you may email us at:

prayerismypassion@blessedmail.com

Yours in Kingdom Building,
Pastor Lisa Martin aka Virtuous Lady
Visionary and Overseer of
Prayer is my Passion
Intercessory Prayer Ministry

may NOT BE racism, sexism, denominational-ism, doctrinal differences, and etc. It may be the division between the "watchmen" and "gatekeepers."

Old Testament walled cities had massive gates, with gatekeepers; and watchtowers on either side of the gates, with watchmen. The purpose of the watchmen, not surprisingly, was to watch. The purpose of the gatekeepers, was to open and close the gate. The problem? The gatekeeper couldn't see over the wall and the watchmen couldn't open and close the gate. They were co-dependent on each other. Not only that, but the entire city was at the mercy of their partnership.

What has that to do with us?

In our book, "Intercessors & Pastors: The Emerging Partnership of Watchmen & Gatekeepers," we liken the intercessor (Christian whose primary mission is prayer) to the OT watchman; and pastors to the OT gatekeeper. It may surprise you to know that there tends to be a division between these two roles around the world. Of course, there are a small percentage of pastors who are intercessors. And it's true, to one degree or another, they appreciate each other's roles, but rarely do they operate in a strategic partnership. Why is that?

Eighty-five percent of the adult members of the last church we served as pastors were intercessors. Prayer was our primary purpose. Prayer meetings were our most exciting events. People, even pastors, from other churches attended our church's prayer meetings. One pastor said, "I come because when you people pray, things change in our city." We understand the significance of this partnership.

The first assumption is that the separation between intercessors and pastors it's because they are so different. After all, there are more female intercessors and more male pastors. True, perhaps, but that isn't the primary reason. Think about it. Opposites would attract, wouldn't they? Remarkably, the primary reason for this division is because they are so similar! Intercessors are actually quite pastoral. Who knew!? <smile>

Example:  Intercessors care for people. Why else would they commit so much time praying for them?

So then, what's the problem?

Intercessors tend seek information. They often ask their pastors about the direction of the church and needs of certain people and circumstances. Their pastor may think they are nosey, when the truth is, INFORMATION is the FUEL for INTERCESSION. Pastors need to know how to inform their intercessors properly. They need an effective communication system.

Intercessors may appear to be "independent." That's true of some. Some have never learned the interdependent nature of the church. There are immature intercessors just as there are immature pastors. They must be "pastored" (equipped for their ministry.) Pastors should know that intercessors are not only pastoral, they tend to be visionaries. They need focus. If their pastor fails to clearly communicate the vision of the church, they will be drawn to their own focus, or to someone else's.

These are just a couple of many issues that we discuss in our strategically important book, "Intercessors & Pastors."

• What do intercessors need from their pastors?
• What do pastors need from their intercessors?
• What does the partnership look like?
• Why is it critical to the mission of the church?
• What is the kingdom dimension?
• What does the future hold?
• How does this partnership relate to end times?

Don't miss this book! This is the fourth updated version and the first time we've produced it also as an ebook. Order the ebook version and read it mere minutes from now! Get yours here:

eBook $14.99 USD:

http://www.prayerbookstore.com/Intercessors-Pastors-eBook-Version-IPeBook.htm

pBook $14.99 USD:
http://www.prayerbookstore.com/Intercessors-Pastors-Intercessors-Pastors.htm

How can a pastor "do what he (she) sees the Father doing?" (John 5:19) For one thing, Jesus said that the Father rewards openly those who pray to Him in secret! Most pastors know their elders and their deacons. They know their home-group pastors, Bible teachers and others. Sadly, too few can even name their intercessors, let alone are they rewarding them openly, as the Father does. Get the book! Your church, your city and the Kingdom depend on this partnership.

Kingdom Greetings Intercessors and Watchmen,

I am very excited to Announce the Launching of the Prayer is my Passion Intercessors Prayer line on Monday, August 1, 2011. We will be covering the 7 Mountains of Prayer Daily @11pm Eastern 7 days a week. Prayer is our Passion!

The 7 Mountains of Prayer is a Prayer Focus Guide:

1. Church/Religion

2. Business

3. Government

4. Family

5. Education

6. Media

7. Arts/Entertainment

The Prayerline will be open to receive Prayer request also. We are still in need of Seasoned Intercessors to Moderate the Prayerline. If you are available for 1 hr a week or more and interested in Early Morning Prayer, 3rd or 4th Watch Hours of Prayer please inbox me.

We would like to have a Moderator for Early Morning Prayer between 5 to 6 am EST. 3rd Watch Hour of Prayer is between 12am - 3am and 4th Watch Hour of Prayer is between 3am - 6am. Please only serious inquiries inbox me. Moderator Training will be provided weekly in July  and a Certificate of Completion will be received. There is Power in Prayer and Prayer is our Passion!

Yours in Kingdom Building,

Pastor Lisa Martin aka Virtuous Lady

Visionary of Prayer is my Passion

Intercessory Prayer Ministry

http://prayerismypassion.socialgo.com

www.freshmannaministries.net

Hi!

Every Friday night from 10pm to midnight we're traveling from church to church to pray for revival and unity, and to pray for wild blessing over the pastors, staffs and their vision.

We'd love to connect with you (or your pastor)!

Check out the site at www.revivallab.com and you can request a date for the team to pray in your church.

Here's the plan:

There’s an increasing hunger in the body in Detroit for a move of God, and our heart is simply to gather these people together and to pray. I had the privilege to give leadership to a similar prayer movement in Colorado Springs and the impact was truly amazing. Every Friday night we’d be in a different church in the city, and at times we’d pack 150 people or more into a tiny church building—people whose only motivation was to bless God and bless the church.

The protocol is intentionally simple:

1.       After I give a short briefing for those who have never been to theLab, we spread out and pray fervently in tongues for around an hour and a half.

2.       I will give direction at times throughout the night as we focus on different issues. For example, I may call everybody together to pray over the church’s leadership, or we may move outside and pray for homes and businesses in the area.

3.       We will close with 20-30 minutes of reading scripture together.

Here are some points that will help in understanding the vision of this ministry and the flow of the evening:

1.       We chose the 10pm-midnight Friday time so as to ensure everybody in the Detroit region is free to participate. We’ve found that’s almost always a wide open spot on people’s calendars.

2.       A primary call is for pastors and ministry leaders in Detroit to travel with us every Friday night as we move from church to church. What a powerful statement of unity it is when pastors from other church devote two hours a week to pray for blessing together over another church!

3.       We are believing for 1000 intercessors to develop through this ministry. People from churches all over the city are being positioned to simply pray together for revival in Detroit. Can you imagine seeing 1000 people show up to pray together in Detroit every Friday night?

4.       During the time when we’re praying in the Holy Spirit, we don’t allow time for prophetic words to be shared. We simply pray. However, we do encourage post-event reports to be sent in through a contact form on the website. Also, when we are reading scripture, we don’t include commentary along with the passage. We simply read the scripture. No teaching, no preaching, just the Word of God.

5.       We ask that you have the doors to your property open by 9:45pm the night of the event.

6.       Please have every interior room (classrooms, sanctuary, etc.) open so we can pray in them. We pray over the children’s ministry, over the worship department, etc.

7.       If possible, please have a microphone available for me so I can be clearly heard as I give direction.

8.       Invite your entire church to participate, and ensure your leadership team is there so we can pray for them.

9.       Plan on joining us the following Friday at the next church, and then the next and the next!

Here's an article published by Pray! Magazine regarding the prayer movement in Colorado Springs:

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO—Faced with dwindling attendance at prayer meetings, many church leaders address the problem by publicizing more, trying to find more “convenient” times to meet, and just plain coaxing. But a Colorado group has done the opposite. They picked what many people would consider an inconvenient meeting time—10 p.m. until midnight every Friday—and they don’t publicize at all. The results have been remarkable.

“It has the feel of an underground movement,” said Pastor John Burton, who coordinates the meetings. “We all show up in the middle of the night at a church we’ve never been to—there’s a certain mystique about it,” he said.

“Secret Prayer,” as it’s called, began almost a year ago when several pastors who believe God is sending revival to their community decided to pray with and for one another. “What we want to see more than anything is unity,” Burton said. “We need to love each other a lot. That’s what God is going to use to bring revival more than anything else, and prayer does that. It’s hard to hate anyone when you’re praying for, loving, and blessing each other.”

The format is simple. Each week a different church is targeted to receive prayer. Intercessors show up at that church, read Scripture and pray however the Holy Spirit leads. Usually they pray through the church, blessing and interceding for the various ministries that take place in each area.

Attendance varies, but is usually anywhere from 50 to 200, Burton said. It’s a very diverse group of pastors and lay people, with representatives from different denominations, ethnicities and church sizes. The largest participating church has more than 10,000 members; the smallest only a couple of dozen.

The biggest result is that people are always encouraged, Burton said. One story that particularly sticks out to him is of a little Baptist church the group prayed for late one Friday night. It had only about 30 regular attenders. But within two or three weeks of the Secret Prayer meeting, attendance had doubled.

Although many churches request repeat visits, and sometimes the group will do that, Secret Prayer more typically aims to pray in a different church each week in order to reach as many churches as possible, Burton said. Churches and intercessors find out about the meetings mostly by word of mouth, although there is a website and they have made up business cards to hand out to people who inquire.

We can’t wait to pray with you!

John Burton
theLab