pray (54)
Point 2: Prayer for enemies inspires proper attitudes (Matthew 5:44). When Jesus told his followers to love enemies and pray for persecutors, he compared that response to God’s response to us. God sends rain on both the righteous and the wicked. God is never a victim and always has the initiative. Human behavior does not manipulate God.
Point 3: Stephen prayed for Saul (Acts 7:60 & 8:1). Triumphing over the perpetrators of this 9-11 evil takes radical initiative.
Application: Consider “adopting” a terrorist for prayer from ATFP.org .
The Israelites understood this matter of inches. They went to great lengths to surround Jerusalem and other cities with walls, several inches thick. Inside the wall the Israelites found protection, safety and comfort. They knew God’s purposes were a priority. They knew they would find people who were like-minded. Outside the wall was a different story. There was no guarantee of their safety outside. It was just a matter of a few inches.
Today, we as believers in Jesus Christ are not called to remove ourselves and live behind a secluding wall, but rather to bring a wall of protection to those around us. Our battle is “against powers and principalities,” and we build a barrier against attack when we “pray in the Spirit at all times” (Eph. 6:12, 18).
This is why we have a 24/7 Prayer Wall for the nation at GetAmericaPraying.com.
Safety. Protection. God’s ways. It’s just a matter of inches.
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.
John Quincy Adams wrote that standards “may be ranked among the necessaries of life to every individual of human society … the knowledge of them … is among the first elements of education.”
In our newly formed country, various colonies began with different standards of weights and measures. Imagine the economic chaos and strained business relationships in a nation where a yard was never guaranteed to be the same length! It wasn’t until 1832 that we set a standard of measurement for the first time.
Our founders understood the necessity of setting standards on moral issues as well. James Madison wrote, “We’ve staked our future on our ability to follow the Ten Commandments with all of our heart.” On another occasion he wrote, “It is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity toward each other.”
Standards are critical, whether in commerce or in relationships. We see this theme throughout Scripture. Hannah understood this as she prayed during her dedication of Samuel, “For the Lord is a God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed … for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and He has set the world upon them” (1 Samuel 2:3, 8). The mother of one of Israel’s greatest judges clearly understood that it is God who determines what is right and wrong.
Surrounded by a pluralistic society based heavily on tolerance, let’s intercede that solid, godly standards would be reestablished. Tolerance and apathy have left our nation with differing standards, resulting in economic chaos and relational tension. Paul wrote about this type of predicament in his letter to the Corinthians: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). As he worked to build the Church, he understood that the Son of God, the final King of Israel, is the author of standards that existed before humankind.
As we focus our prayers this month, let’s pray that our Foundation, Jesus Christ, would be recognized. May His weights and measures, and His divine judgment, be our frame of reference and our standard for coherence.
As Joshua was finalizing all of the details of Israel’s conquest of Canaan, we find a remarkable verse: “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45). Every promise the Lord had made to the Israelites concerning captivity in Egypt, plagues, wandering in the wilderness, conquest, and the peaceful new land, etc. was fulfilled. Hundreds of years of history came to pass in perfect alignment with the Lord’s will!
Almost as an exclamation point to His sovereign will, this chapter gives a special glimpse into God’s heart for a nation. The Lord disperses his priests to serve the people in every part of the country. The Lord is very specific about which of the priestly clans were to go to each of the 48 “cities of refuge” listed in scripture. These priests would later set up synagogues and act as mediators and intercessors for God’s people.
As the final ingredients of the Jewish nation, these safe havens were places of mercy and justice; mercy for the one who unintentionally killed a fellow Jew, and justice for the family of the deceased. It is here that we find that not one of the Lord’s “promises to Israel failed.”
As we intercede for our country, we as the dispersed priests in the land must remember God’s promises for our nation, praying that every one of them would be fulfilled. Our lives as intercessors are evidence of His “special possession” (1 Peter 2:9-10) as we declare His praises and watch for unfolding answers. What a privilege to glimpse firsthand the Lord’s heart to administer justice and mercy for His people here in America!
Do you think our Founding Fathers knew that they would set in motion a country that would send more missionaries and more relief dollars to foreign countries than any other nation in the history of the world? No. These men of prayer could not have known, but their conviction and obedience worked hand-in-hand with God’s faithfulness to pave the way for far-reaching promise.
Ask our Lord, what is it that You still desire to accomplish? By faith, let’s continue to intercede that our nation’s leaders would not derail the Lord’s promises for this country.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Obama talks openly about his personal faith in Jesus Christ
Speaking at the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast, the President talks about how he came to embrace Christ ‘as my Lord and Savior’
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries
WASHINGTON, DC (ANS) -- President Barack Obama took the opportunity of set the record straight at the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast held on Thursday, February 3, 2011, about his personal faith.
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President Obama speaking at the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast |
He surprised the crowd of about 4,000 faith-leaders at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in the Hilton Washington International Ballroom, by speaking about his Christian faith in a most personal way.
In his most unusual speech, Obama called that faith “a sustaining force” in his life and he acknowledged persistent questions about his religion and offered what many believe were his most detailed comments about his spiritual beliefs and practices.
In his speech, the President said, “A call rooted in faith is what led me, just a few years out of college, to sign up as a community organizer for a group of churches on the south side of Chicago. And it was through that experience, working with pastors and laypeople, trying to heal the wounds of hurting neighborhoods that I came to know Jesus Christ for myself and embrace him as my Lord and Savior.”
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The Obamas at a previous National Prayer Breakfast |
Obama went on to say, “My Christian faith, then, has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time. We are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we’re being true to our conscience and true to our God. ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, as well.’”
Prayer Life
Obama then revealed that “When I wake in the morning, I wait on the Lord, and I ask him to give me the strength to do right by our country and its people. And when I go to bed at night, I wait on the Lord, and I ask him to forgive me my sins and look after my family and the American people and make me an instrument of his will.”
Obama went on to say, “Fortunately, I’m not alone in my prayers. Pastor friends like Joel Hunter and T.D. Jakes come over to the Oval Office every once in a while to pray with me and pray for the nation. The chapel at Camp David has provided consistent respite and fellowship. The director of our Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership’s office, Joshua DuBois – a young minister himself -- he starts my morning off with meditations from Scripture.”
Then, on the subject of personal prayer, Obama said, “While I petition God for a whole range of things, there are a few common themes that do recur. The first category of prayer comes out of the urgency of the Old Testament prophets and the Gospel itself. I pray for my ability to help those who are struggling. Christian tradition teaches that one day the world will be turned right side up and everything will return as it should be. But until that day, we're called to work on behalf of a God that chose justice and mercy and compassion to the most vulnerable.”
He also said, “I pray that God will show me and all of us the limits of our understanding, and open our ears and our hearts to our brothers and sisters with different points of view; that such reminders of our shared hopes and our shared dreams and our shared limitations as children of God will reveal the way forward that we can travel together.”
Father Played No Role In His Faith Journey
With the controversy that has swirled around him since he became the 44th President of the United States [and the first African-American to hold that office], which has mainly concerned rumors that he was a Muslim, he explained his relationship with the Lord and the role his father, who was said to be Muslim, did not play a role in his decision to follow Jesus Christ.
“My father, who I barely knew -- I only met once for a month in my entire life -- was said to be a non-believer throughout his life,” said the President.
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The young Obama with his mother |
“My mother,” Obama continued, “whose parents were Baptist and Methodist, grew up with a certain skepticism about organized religion, and she usually only took me to church on Easter and Christmas -- sometimes. And yet my mother was also one of the most spiritual people that I ever knew. She was somebody who was instinctively guided by the Golden Rule and who nagged me constantly about the homespun values of her Kansas upbringing, values like honesty and hard work and kindness and fair play.
“And it’s because of her that I came to understand the equal worth of all men and all women, and the imperatives of an ethical life and the necessity to act on your beliefs. And it’s because of her example and guidance that despite the absence of a formal religious upbringing my earliest inspirations for a life of service ended up being the faith leaders of the civil rights movement.”
Twists and Turns
President Obama talked about how his “faith journey,” has had its “twists and turns.”
He stated, “It hasn’t always been a straight line. I have thanked God for the joys of parenthood and Michelle’s willingness to put up with me. In the wake of failures and disappointments I've questioned what God had in store for me and been reminded that God’s plans for us may not always match our own short-sighted desires.
Abe Lincoln’s Words
“And let me tell you, these past two years, they have deepened my faith. The presidency has a funny way of making a person feel the need to pray. Abe Lincoln said, as many of you know, once said, ‘I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go.’”
Obama noted that the godmother of his two daughters, Kaye Wilson, had formed prayer groups all around the country as he campaigned for the White House bid. He acknowledged his own prayer life, waiting before the Lord in the morning and evening. The president recognized the need for humility, and jokingly said his wife Michelle was the catalyst to that answered prayer. As “debates have become so bitter,” Obama noted that “none of us has all the answers.”
The president went on to say, “The challenge I find then is to balance this uncertainty, this humility, with the need to fight for deeply held convictions, to be open to other points of view but firm in our core principles. And I pray for this wisdom every day.”
He also stated, “When Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time, we are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we’re being true to our conscience and true to our God.”
Obama had been largely private about his beliefs and religious practices, following controversies during the campaign about his Chicago minister. He and his wife have attended church services in Washington only a handful of times in the past two years. When at Camp David, they attend the private Evergreen Chapel.
Mark Kelly
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The Giffords during happier times |
NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who was seriously injured during last month’s shooting rampage in Tucson, also spoke at the breakfast and gave the closing prayer and which he remarked about her steady improvement and he urged the national to keep her in its thoughts and prayers because “it's helping.”
He said, “Every day, she gets a little bit better. The neurosurgeons and neurologists tell me that that's a great sign. The slope of that curve is very important.”
Giffords, was injured on Saturday, January 8, 2011, when a gunman opened fire during a constituent event in Tucson. Six people, including a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl, were killed, and 13 others were wounded. Giffords, whose condition was upgraded from serious to good last week, is undergoing long-term rehabilitation at a hospital in Houston, where Kelly lives and works.
“I was telling Gabby just the other night, two nights ago, that, you know, maybe this event, this terrible event, maybe it was fate,” he said. “I hadn't been a big believer in fate until recently. I thought the world just spins, and the clock just ticks, and things happen for no particular reason.”
Kelly told the crowd, which included a representative from the ASSIST News Service, that he has come to believe, however, that things happen for a reason, “that maybe something good can come from all of this. Maybe it's our responsibility, maybe it's your responsibility, to see that something does.”
Hospital officials say Kelly has been a constant presence at Giffords' bedside.
Three Trips to Space
On Thursday, he made reference to his three trips to space and the humbling feeling of looking out on “the Earth as God created it in the context of God's vast universe.” He described a realization that struck him one day as he gazed on a makeshift memorial that had sprung up in front of the Tucson trauma center where Giffords was initially taken for treatment.
“That reminded me that you don’t need a church, a temple or a mosque to pray,” he said. “You don't even need a building or walls or even an altar. You pray where you are. You pray when God is there in your heart. And prayer isn't just asking. It's also listening for answers and expressing gratitude, which I've done a lot lately.”
He closed with a prayer that Giffords’ rabbi spoke in her hospital room the day of the shooting.
“In the name of God, our God of Israel, may Michael, God's angel messenger of compassion, guard over your right side. May Gabriel, God's angel messenger of strength and courage, be on your left. And before you, guiding your path, Uriel, God's angel of light. And behind, supporting you, stands Raphael, God's angel of healing. And over your head surrounding you is the presence of the divine.”
Note: The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February each year. The founder of this event was Abraham Vereide and is actually a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners that have taken place since 1953 and has been held at least since the 1980s at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue N.W.
| Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 47 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link.Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available here |
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“Is there anybody else praying?” This question came from an incredible prayer warrior who called the office recently, admitting that she felt dejected and alone. Telling her about the thousands who intercede for the nation, our staff had the privilege to spend the next 30 minutes encouraging this dear lady in the Lord. When the phone call ended, she knew the assurance of unity and joy.
This is exactly what Jesus prayed for the disciples in John 17. He realized that God’s protection is foundational for both unity and joy. His first request for the disciples in verse 11 was, “Holy Father, keep (protect) ... those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” Protection from what? Protection from discouragement and anything that limits our effectiveness. He continued the prayer in verse 13 by asking that we might experience the full measure of His joy. He knew that the lives of His disciples, His intercessors, would be difficult—even impossible—without our Holy Father’s provision of protection, unity, and joy.
It could be easy to understand unity as a result of joy, but in reality the two are mutually dependent. This is found in verse 22, which is often overlooked, but very important. We have a chance at unity because “the glory which [the Father] gave [Jesus]” has been given to us, “that [we] may be one.” Experiencing God’s glory through each other is critical. Unity and joy are two sides to the same coin, and God’s glory is the source of both.
Protection, joy, unity. As we consider how we are to intercede for our country this year, I challenge you to consider these foundational elements in the life of an intercessor. Ask yourself two questions: 1) Are you experiencing joy? 2) Are you experiencing unity with the body of Christ? Your answers may indicate the level of your need to pray for God’s protection.
I challenge you to pursue joy and unity with great effort. Like the faithful intercessor who called our office, take joy in the knowledge that your burden to pray is not an isolated task. You are not alone. While Jesus kept His team of disciples encouraged by His presence on earth, He prayed for believers to connect in Spirit-filled fellowship in His physical absence.
That day has come. Let’s ask that God’s destiny for our country would unfold through the unified prayers of His Church. Take time this year to pray for protection, experience His joy, and pursue unity in the Body.
Hello And Welcome To My Page,
I just found this site today buy some way of a click here and a click there .... lol. It is a great site indeed and I'm liking it already, I hope to meet some very interesting Prayer Peeps to link up with soon. Do you have any tips or new things you can share with me about this site?
Hope to meet you, hear from you, pray with you soon.
Many Blessings to you,
Star!
Hello and Welcome to My Page!
I just joined this wonderful site and I'm already liking it alot. How are you enjoying it here? Can you tell me whats new and exciting here since you've been around? I ended up here because I am one who love to PRAY which of course I have much to PRAY for.
Well I hope we can connect to PRAY soon as I BELIEVE that when we PRAY the answer is on it's way. Have a wonderful day and thank you for stoppin by. Leave me a quick note if you like and let's link up.
Many Blessings,
Star!
(This blog is copied from my personal blog at http://www.onlybyprayer.com.)
This month we are looking at God as our Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace. Peace is a promise that Jesus gives to his followers.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
When we need an example of someone who demonstrated peace in the midst of chaotic circumstances, we need only look to Jesus.
In Mark 4, He and the disciples were in a boat when a storm blew up and waves engulfed the boat. Jesus was asleep in the boat and the disciples frantically woke him up. Jesus’ words to the wind and the seas were “Peace be still” (Mark 4:39).
In the middle of a hungry crowd of 5,000 people the disciples wanted to send everyone away because they had no idea how they were going to feed all those people. Jesus, however, instructed them to feed the people. I can imagine the disciples’ incredulous looks, because I am sure I would have been doing the same thing myself. I know how I worry over whether I have enough food to feed my guests at Thanksgiving, let alone 5,000 uninvited guests! Jesus told them to take stock on what they did have, then blessed it and kept passing it around.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was deeply distressed. Yet, he had the presence of mind to maintain His composure when the guards came to arrest Him and even healed the high priest’s servant after Peter cut his ear off (Luke 22:51).
We need to ask the question, What was the source of Jesus’ peace?
I think that many of us naturally would say that of course Jesus would have this peace because He was God. But, we also need to remember that He was fully man, too, and had to experience life as a man.
I believe Jesus’ peace was because of one main thing: prayer.
All throughout the scriptures, Jesus took time to get away from the crowds of people to go to pray. Mark 6:46 is one example. “And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.” This was just after the feeding of the five thousand. Praying to His Father kept Jesus calm and in unity with God’s plans. It also gave Him security. Jesus knew where He came from and where He was going.
This begs the question, Do you know where you came from and where you are going?
Is your identity tied up in Christ? Do you have the assurance that He has got your past sins and mistakes covered and that You belong to Him? When we have that settled in our lives, when we have asked Christ to forgive us of our sins and to take control of our lives, it gives us the assurance we need to face the future with confidence that God has our backs. No matter what we face, He is there with us.
Tomorrow we are going to further explore how prayer and peace are tied up together in our lives. Until then, pray on!
I thought "how can I describe God in a way that's different than the way most people do? Omniscient,
Omnipresent, Omnipotent...sure. But then what?
Creator, Father, etc. is what I typically read and hear. How can I describe You differently, Lord?"
I went to bed and awoke the next morning with the phrase "fruit of the Spirit" in my mind. At first,
I was a bit perturbed. What has that to do with God? Those are qualities that are to be seen in us.
Then it began to be clear to me. They are, in a sense, "a photograph of God". So the chapter presents
him as Phil Miglioratti did in his recent newsletter article. God is loving, he is joyful (He sings over us),
he is peaceful (my peace I give...), etc. as you've pointed out.
So, Phil, I appreciated the confirmation and the remembrance of that day in my journey.
Eddie
...everything changes when Christians get power. When Jesus said "Love your enemies," he was talking to people who didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. Sure, they could rebel (and they did), but it was always short-lived and futile in the wake of Roman retribution. American Christians today stand in a very different situation than did Jesus or Paul.
Power changes love, somehow seducing it by reminding us what we have to lose. And when love has something to lose, it wavers. The love of Jesus is unhindered, unwavering, exuberant. I don't know if brown is the new black or if Muslims are the new Nazis But I do know that there is no "new love" to offer our enemies in this world. The old one, demonstrated so well by Jesus, works just fine, and remains the only answer, albeit a disturbing one, to this perplexing question.
Are Muslims the New Nazis?
Dave Datema, General Director, Frontier Mission Fellowship
Mission Frontiers March-April 2010
Others have the same experience as in the following testimony my daughter shared with me.
The single woman who had her own business assessing properties felt the economic impact of the last few years. Few people called her with requests to have assessments done. In fact from November through March she had only two assessments. She sought work otherwise to hold her over, but was considering filing for bankruptcy.
As she walked her dog in the park one morning a young woman came up to her. "God told me to go to the park this morning and to pray with, pray for the woman with a dog. You are the only woman here with a dog, so I must be supposed to pray for you." She prayed for the business woman's needs and crisis and then left the park. No names exchanged as far as I can tell.
Within 24 hours the struggling business woman had 10 phone calls for assessments. After five months with only 2, she could only know that this had to be of God.
I was told of this God mandated personal prayer time from my daughter who is related to the woman. Because the woman has also struggled with her beliefs, I am praying it is a turning point for her faith to be deepened and her own prayer life to grow.
