Pray Network Forum

Hi there! I'm grateful to be a part of this network. Come see me at my regular blog www.KrisHopes.WordPress.com

It's solely meant for encouragement, exhortation and prayerful care!

Warmly,

Kris

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue
 you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139:1-6).
 
Our identity as humans is under fire.  If you look into the secret lives of people in all walks of life, you find individuals who try to look big on the outside but who are crying deeply for love on the inside.  A worldwide problem is not being able to love ourselves the way that God loves us. Most of us do not do this well. 

I remember a few years ago when we were having awakening services several nights a week here at the International House of Prayer. One of the main problems that kept coming up in many of the services, especially among young people, was self-hatred. The fact that is apparent worldwide is that mankind has a hard time loving themselves in the right way. And this is prevalent among Christians.
 
But if we want the freedom to pray wholeheartedly without limitations, we must have a right view of ourselves. We are God's masterpiece.
 
We live in a world that tells us that we are ok only if we are more beautiful, have a more important job, and are skinnier or more athletic. Then we will be acceptable and life will go our way. The problem is that most of us do not measure up to the ideals we see in the media, and we are listening to the wrong voices all the time. We are constantly bombarded with the wrong messages in school, on TV, and on the internet. Self-hatred comes with seeing our worth and success according to the flesh and comparing ourselves with the values of this evil world.
 
But what does the Bible say to all of us who are seeking God wholeheartedly and truly want to see ourselves through His eyes?

• “As the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in my love (John 15:9).
• “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us… (1 John 3:1).

How many really believe this? If we did, we would walk in a new nobility with our head held high, not because of pride, but because of the remarkable dignity we have as children of God. We are made in His image. We are to see ourselves in light of the truths of Jesus’ work on the cross. We are not to minimize how much God enjoys loving us because He does, and He thoroughly enjoys being loved by us. He loves it when we spend time with Him basking in His love.
 
“Our greatest emotional need is to have the assurance that we are enjoyed by God even in our weakness. Every person was created with a longing to be delighted in and enjoyed by God. A prevailing stronghold in many today is related to rejection and shame. This stronghold hinders our ability to receive God’s love and to enjoy Him, His Word, and the work of the kingdom.” Mike Bickle
 
Most people do not have a clear sense of their personal identity even when they do a great work in the world’s eyes. An example is the famous German philosopher Schleiermacher who did much to shape the progress of modern thought. As an old man he was sitting on a city park bench. A policeman thought he was a bum and came and shook him. He asked this famous philosopher, “Who are you?” Schleiermacher sadly replied, “I wish I knew.” 
 
This sad reality is multiplied by the rich and famous all over the world. Outwardly impressive but inwardly longing to know who they really are. Working feverishly to keep up their image in the public eye, they are looking in every direction for love and personal identity but are not finding it.
 
Why are there so many suicides among young people today? Why so much depression and discouragement? Because our enemy wants to destroy our identity in Christ, and he will do everything he can to tell us how far we have fallen short. He will try his hardest to lead people into such depression so that they will even take their own life because of their agonizing pain. Let’s look at the gravity of this huge problem:
 
Depression is the #1 disability in the world and the strongest risk factor in suicide. Suicide takes the lives of nearly 30,000 Americans every year and is the 10^th leading cause of death. Between 1952 and 1995, suicide in young people nearly tripled and is the third leading cause of death. An average of one person dies by suicide every 16.2 minutes. It is estimated that there were 811,000 suicide attempts in just one year. See 
http://www.save.org for more information.

Crowned with Glory and Honor
 
“You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands” (Hebrews 2:7).
 
Every one of us is important. Every one of us has a God-ordained destiny that only we can complete. No other person in all of history can do and be what God has designed you for. Yes, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. When we know this love deep in our heart that God has towards us, we are empowered to love others deeply and to pray extravagantly. God delights in the person that He made us to be. Don’t despise your appearance, status, gifting, or ministry assignment. It is so important to God. In fact, there is nobody who can do what God has specially designed you for. Remember Ephesians 2:10 every time you get down about yourself – you are His unique and special workmanship. You are God's masterpiece.
 
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
 
God sees us differently than we do. He does not agree with man’s fleshly view of what is weak, ugly, and worthless. He actually chooses the weak things of the world to put to shame what appears strong according to the flesh (1 Corinthians 1:27). We must agree with what He values. We must look at things from an eternal viewpoint, not from the world system.
 
We must focus on who we are in Christ, not according to the flesh and how we look, make money, etc. We must seek who we are according to the Spirit (God’s eyes) so that we can love ourselves. Self-hatred comes from seeing ourselves according to the flesh and then comparing ourselves with others who are big in the world’s eyes (2 Corinthians 10:12). We are new creatures in Christ!
 
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 
(2 Corinthians 5:16-17).
 
We are to acknowledge and hate our sinful desires, but we are to love who we are in Christ. We have no confidence in our flesh (Philippians 3:3-8). We died to our old life, failure and identity (Colossians 3:2-4). God loves our every act of obedience in small and big ways. He sees us as successful. We have a glorious inheritance (Eph. 1:17-18).
 
We can love with God’s love when we know our true identity. Embrace His love today by loving yourself the way He does. He carefully and lovingly knit you together in your mother’s womb with His own hands! Every single part of you inside and outside was fashioned with His master hand. You are His masterpiece. Don’t look at yourself through man’s eyes; look at yourself through God’s. You are His beloved child. You are crowned with glory and honor.

Now one of the most famous phrases spoken here at the International House of Prayer is this: "I am God's favorite!"  And this is so true because we are all God's favorites! We are each uniquely designed by His master hand.

You must watch this video called The Father's Heart and let it touch your heart. Put on some quiet worship music, sit or kneel in God's presence, meditate on Psalm 139, and listen to what God says to you. Write it down, and thank God that you are His masterpiece. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 
 
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you
 when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;
 all the days ordained for me were written in your book
 before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand…” (Psalm 139:13-18).
 
 Intercessors Arise News

• I offer to you four books on prayer with a 20% discount - See the links to find a description and use the discount code - PL6G7Y59. 
  
  Breakthrough Prayer: Praying God's Truth, Destroying Enemy Lies
  24/7 Prayer Arise: Building the House of Prayer in Your City 
  Deeper Still: Secrets to a Deeper Prayer Life 
  Ascending the Heights in Prayer: Touching Heaven, Changing Earth 

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

 When we intercede in prayer, we plead our case before the eternal judge of the universe. Every case we present to God calls for genuine preparation. Without proper preparation a lawyer would make a fool of himself before the judge, his client, his adversary and the gallery of people. Personal Preparation

Before we prepare a case, we must first prepare ourselves. We do this by experiencing salvation, coming to know God and recognizing our position in Christ.

Salvation. Personal preparation to plead a case in intercessory prayer before God's throne begins with the new birth (see John 3:1-5). Without salvation, we are not prepared to face our own trials or anyone else's. But exactly what is salvation?

Salvation begins with a revelation of the absence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the overwhelming awareness of our personal sin before a perfect God. It is vital that we each settle this in our own hearts.

But salvation is more than the forgiveness and removal of our sin. We are empowered to live because the Holy Spirit moves in. A Christian is a person in whom the Holy Spirit lives.

Knowing God. Through the new birth we can truly know God. Being born into His family, we become His children. As children of God who spend time in His Word and in His presence, we begin to know Him as He really is, not as we have supposed Him to be.

We asked several lawyers what makes a good attorney. One of them said, "A good attorney is one who knows the judge and knows how he tends to rule." We might add that a good intercessor is one who knows God and knows how He tends to rule!

An attorney who knows the judge and how he tends to rule has a distinct advantage over an attorney who does not. One can have no stronger position in the heavenly court than to be one of the judge's own children. Who would dare challenge us? Or, as Paul wrote, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31, NKJV)

Position in Christ. In every state an attorney must meet certain requirements, which include a very difficult bar exam. So it is with we who pray. We need to be properly equipped (see Eph. 4:11-13).

The courtroom is an adversarial place. It is a place of confrontation and conflict. As our friend Mickey Bonner used to say, "All prayer is warfare."

If we don't know our position in Christ, we may be easily intimidated by the devil. If we are to be effective in intercessory prayer, we must be secure in Christ. If we are to expect to win a case against Satan we must know that Christ is in us.

It is important to know not only what Scripture says about the case we plead, but also what it says about us. Paul writes to the Christians in Colosse, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority" (Col. 2:9-10, NIV). The New King James Version of verse 10 says, "You are complete in Him!"

Knowing your position in Christ fortifies you before the bar of God. It also fortifies you before your adversary.

Qualities of a Good Advocate

Below is a list of personal and professional qualities that make good attorneys. Let's see how these qualities also help make good intercessors.

Dedication. An intercessor must be committed to Christ, to others and to the task of intercession. There simply is no substitute for dedication. As Phillips Brooks once said, "If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing."

Reliability. It's not our ability that God looks for, but our availability. Paul Daniel Rader once said: "If you can beat the devil in the matter of regular daily prayer, you can beat him anywhere. If he can beat you there, he can possibly beat you anywhere." Or as a country preacher once said, "If your day is hemmed with prayer, it's less likely to come unraveled."

Integrity. In my book Beyond the Veil, I (Alice) write: "If we accept an assignment from God, we can be sure that He will attempt to build integrity into our lives. I love Psalm 26:11-12: 'But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.'

"My paraphrase would read: 'In all my public trust I will walk uprightly and pay strict attention to truth, honesty, justice and mercy. I will not plan evil schemes or use myself to promote my own cause. I will be true to the integrity of the Word. I will live a moral life in private and in public. I stand firmly on principles of proper conduct, and I will not turn aside.'"

Objectivity and empathy. Objectivity and empathy are tricky. Both are necessary, but they must be kept in balance.

If we are empathetic intercessors who cannot find objectivity in prayer, we will soon be consumed emotionally and ultimately overwhelmed with the prayer needs we bear. Remember the words of the old song "Leave It There" by Charles Albert Tindley: "Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there."

On the other hand, if we are objective intercessors without empathy, who cannot feel the needs of those for whom we have been commissioned to pray, our prayer life will grow stale and eventually dry up.

Kind. Kindness is a necessary commodity for the intercessor-advocate, as illustrated by the following story.

An old man carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door with squeaky hinges, he put a little oil on the hinges. If the gate was hard to open, he poured a little oil upon the latch.

Every day he found a variety of ways to use his pocket oilcan to others' advantage. Neighbors thought he was eccentric, but he went on his way, doing all within his power to lubricate the hard places and make life easier and more enjoyable for others.

Do we carry with us the oil of human kindness? When the traffic is backed up, the grocery clerk is rude or your boss decides to come down on you, are you exercising the oil of gladness? Go ahead and do it. It will make your day.

Discipline. The intercessor will not be successful without applying discipline to his or her work of intercession. As the next story illustrate, discipline is vitally important.

A visitor to a famous pottery establishment was puzzled by an operation that seemed aimless. In one room there was a mass of clay beside a workman. Every now and then he took up a large mallet and struck several smart blows on the surface of the lump. Curiosity led to the question: "Why do you do that?"

"Wait a bit, sir, and watch it," was the reply.

The visitor obeyed, and soon the top of the mass began to heave and swell. Bubbles formed upon its face.

"Now sir, you will see," said the modeler with a smile. "I could never shape the clay into a vase if these air bubbles were in it, therefore I gradually beat them out."

It sounded in the ears of the visitor like an allegory of Romans 5:3-5, "Tribulation produces perseverance...character...hope" (NKJV). Is not the discipline of life, so hard to bear sometimes, just a beating out of the bubbles of pride and self-will, so the Master may form a vessel of earth to hold heavenly treasures?

Leadership ability. In his book Wind and Fire, Bruce Larson points out some interesting facts about sandhill cranes:

"These large birds that fly great distances across continents have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stays out in front all the time.

Second, they choose leaders who can handle turbulence. And then, all during the time one bird leads, the rest honk their affirmation.

"That's not a bad model for the church. Certainly we need leaders who can handle turbulence and who are aware that leadership ought to be shared. But most of all, we need a church where we all honk encouragement.

It is safe to say that some of our prayer assignments are also being borne by other Christians. Let's guard our hearts against feeling that we--and our prayers--are "the only reasons" something happens.

The apostle Paul warned us that we are "not to think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3).

High moral character. A Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, who was acquainted with both Christianity and Buddhism, was once asked what he thought was the great difference between the two. He replied, "There is much that is good in each of them, and probably in all religions.

"But what seems to me to be the greatest difference is that you Christians know what is right and have the power to do it, while we Buddhists know what is right but have not any such power."

The monk was right. True freedom is not the right to do as we please. It is the power to do what is right!

A lawyer who lived in the chambers of the temple told a story about an old gray-haired man in the room next to his who knelt down every night and said his prayers aloud. The partition between their rooms was thin, and he heard what the old man said quite distinctly. He was greatly surprised to hear him always say this prayer: "Lord, make me a good boy."

This may seem rather ludicrous. But if you think of it, you will be touched by its beauty. Long years before when, as a little child, that old man had knelt at his mother's knee, she had taught him this petition, "Lord, make me a good boy."

And through the years with their trials and temptations, he still felt the need of offering that cry in the old, simple language of childhood, knowing that in the sight of the ageless God he was still a child.

Just as a good advocate should be a person of high moral character, an effective intercessor must also live a holy life of high moral character.

A team player. Corporate intercession is almost an unknown art. In most places it is individual intercession in a corporate setting. Thankfully, the church is beginning to understand how to gather as a group and approach God as one person!

We are also beginning to network as intercessors. We realize that the more testimonies we have in court, the stronger our case will be. We are grateful for the 61 personal intercessors who faithfully serve us and our ministry in prayer. We take seriously the hours they spend in court on our behalf.

We never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline exerted by intercessors. The abilities to work well under pressure and with minimal supervision are grace gifts that God has given most intercessors. People of prayer, we admire your faithfulness to voluntarily spend the time you do in prayer on behalf of others.

We can experience transformation of our families, cities and nations if we will be willing to labor together.

Eddie Smith is the founder and president of the U.S. Prayer Center, and his wife, Alice, is the executive director. They are best-selling Christian authors and internationally known conference speakers. They are available to churches in the U.S. for weekend conferences, seminars, leadership training, etc. This article is based on their book Spiritual Advocates available here:  http://www.prayerbookstore.com/spiritual-advocates

If this ministry has blessed you, prayerfully consider offering your support:    DONATION

Most women would be happy to have a praying husband. But what if the sounds of intense intercession keep you awake night after night?"Could you come down out of the heavenlies long enough to give me a hand with this dirty laundry?"

Have you ever uttered those words in your home? Some wives have trouble pulling their husbands away from the TV set. Others struggle to keep them from bringing work home from the office. But a growing number of women these days are asking: "How do I deal with my husband, the intercessor?"

First, let me congratulate you women who are married to intercessors. Of all the ministries to which a man could be called, none is more important than the ministry of intercessory prayer. Thank God for men who are committed to intercede for the needs of others, for revival and for spiritual awakening in our world! These men give their families the priceless gift of prayer.

But let's admit it: Having an intercessor for a husband can present its share of challenges.

Tools of the Trade
Communication in marriage is difficult for all couples at times. But understanding a spouse's intercessory burden can be particularly trying.

"He's too emotional" is a common complaint I hear from the wives of intercessors. These women are concerned that their husbands are frequently tearful, weepy or burdened—many times for no apparent reason! Actually, the men themselves may be worried about the same thing. Some male intercessors don't understand intercessory travail and therefore resist the assignment when it comes upon them—especially if they know their wives will think they're weak or strange.

Men have a natural inclination to present a strong, "macho" image to their families. But a posture of weakness before the Lord makes any intercessor effective. This challenge—remaining strong before their families and at the same time weak before God's throne—is difficult for some men.

The husband of one of our closest friends is an intercessor. For some time, he and his wife were both perplexed by what seemed to be his emotional instability. He was apt to burst into tears at the most inopportune moments. His tender heart had become an embarrassment to both of them.

I explained to them that just as wrenches are essential equipment for an auto mechanic, tears are the tools of an intercessor's trade. "Tears are a language God understands," Dottie Rambo's song declares.

And Scripture promises: "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing" (Psalms 126:6, NKJV). When tears have watered the soil into which the seeds of prayer are planted, we can expect a harvest!

It is true that male intercessors, like their female counterparts, are often preoccupied with spiritual things. They seem to be always stuck in the prayer room—if not physically, then mentally. At times they may seem out of touch with reality and so committed to prayer that they are oblivious to the everyday needs of their families.

The call to intercession, however, is not a measure of spiritual maturity. Intercession is an assignment from the Lord, like any other assignment. Intercessors need to grow in wisdom and discernment, just like the rest of us—and wives of intercessors need to be patient and prayerful in that process.

In extreme cases, a prayer warrior may refuse to hold a job or provide for his
family, using his call to intercessory prayer as an excuse. But a mature, godly man knows that his spiritual responsibilities do not release him from his physical responsibilities.

Paul wrote that a man who fails to provide for his own family is "worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8, KJV.) If God calls a man to pray instead of holding an outside job, God's provision for his family will be the evidence. In other words, God's provision usually confirms God's direction.

Some male intercessors are impulsive. They "get a word from God" and act on it immediately. But to assume that they have heard God clearly, have correctly interpreted what they heard Him say and are applying it rightly is presumptuous! With that tough-guy, John Wayne mentality, they overlook the fact that, at best, "we prophesy in part...we see through a glass, darkly" (1 Cor. 13:9,12).

Refusing to wait for the Lord to confirm the word or for their wives to come into agreement actually breeds marital resentment. It doesn't take much of a man to win an argument or walk all over his wife's feelings. It takes quite a man to trust God!

It is crucial that male intercessors allow their wives time to process and participate in important decisions. As Ephesians 5:21 says, we must submit to one another.

A Lesson I Learned
In 1979 my family was living comfortably in a nice house on a beautiful lake in North Texas. The occasional concert or revival meeting paid the bills. Only nine months after moving into our new home, however, I was offered a job in Houston, as the executive director of an evangelistic association.

I felt strongly that God wanted me to take the job. To my surprise, Alice felt just as strongly that He didn't.

I knew there was no use trying to "railroad" her. I had to act from a position of truth.

According to the Word, Alice and I are one. We are to be of one mind—especially regarding something as important as selling a house and moving to another city. And that one mind is to be the mind of Christ.

"Honey," I told her sweetly, "I really believe that the Lord is calling us to this new position. However, it's clear to me that you disagree. So here's what I'm going to do.

"First, tomorrow I will call the ministry in Houston and explain to them that we are unable to accept the job at this time and that more prayer is needed for us to come to a decision. Second, I will not mention this offer to you again. I'm not going to bug you with this.

"Finally, I'm going to trust the whole situation to the Lord. If God has spoken this to me, He can just as easily communicate it to you. And if and when He does, you let me know."

Understand, I knew I could be wrong. Perhaps the job wasn't God's will. God has often used Alice to keep me from making stupid mistakes. At the same time, it could be that she was wrong.

What if, while waiting for Alice's agreement, someone else got the job and I missed God's plan for my life? Was I confident in God's ability to speak to my wife—confident that I could leave this issue in His hands until He had finished working out all the details?

It wasn't easy, but I kept my word not to mention the job again. I was determined not to whine about it, and I refused to say, "If it weren't for you, I could be doing God's will right now!"

Late one night about six months later, Alice came into my study wiping tears from her eyes.

"Eddie," she said, "The Lord has told me that you are to take that job in Houston."

"Oh, Alice, I'm certain that the job was taken by someone else long ago," I replied.

"No, the Lord told me that it is there for you," she said. "Call them tomorrow, and you'll see."

The next morning I called the ministry in Houston and learned that the position, amazingly, had not yet been filled. I also learned that the night before, at the same time Alice had heard from the Lord, the ministry leaders were in prayer, asking God to confirm His will in our hearts.

I accepted the job offer, and we moved. The pay, the housing—literally everything about the job—was better because we had waited those six months. That experience proved to me that Alice and I can submit to each other in the fear of the Lord—because we have a faithful God!

Being a Helpmate
How can you support your husband in his ministry of intercession? Here are some ways to start:

• Avoid the urge to judge or criticize him. Intercession is a difficult job. It is a heavy responsibility to represent life-and-death issues before God's throne. Don't become an additional burden to him. Be a help, not a hindrance.

• Find ways to assist him. Perhaps you can offer to assist more with the administration of the family. I'm not suggesting that you replace him. Nevertheless, there may be ways you can help him when you sense he is under a particular spiritual burden or when he is fasting.

• Guard your heart against jealousy. Don't be jealous of his relationship with Christ. If you don't experience the same level of intimacy with the Lord that your husband shares in intercession, that's OK. Thank God we are all different!

Pursue your own intimate relationship with Christ. Find your own rhythm of prayer. After all, intimacy with Jesus is a journey, not a destination; learn to accept yourself and where you are on the journey.

• Release him to learn. Today there are many opportunities for your husband to learn from other intercessors and teachers. Conferences, seminars and books offer a wealth of necessary training for him. Your generosity in allowing your spouse to learn from others will have far-reaching effects in the kingdom.

Remember, the fruit of your husband's prayers and tears—measured in transformed lives—will be applied to your heavenly account as well. Why? You're partnered with him so he can be a more effective minister of intercession.

Your praying husband is a precious gift, not only to you and your family, but also to the church. Understand him. Help him. Pray for him. And enjoy the blessings of your ministry together.

This article is loosely based on a chapter in "Help! I'm Married To An Intercessor," a book by Eddie Smith, who is co-founder and president of the U.S. Prayer Center in Houston. Eddie is also an internationally known conference speaker and best-selling author. He and his wife, Alice, are available to minister in churches and conferences. http://USPrayerCenter.org

If God has blessed you and this ministry has benefited you, consider a donation to support this work. DONATE

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 213 | Wed 05 Jun 2013

TURKEY: AT THE CROSSROADS?

by Elizabeth Kendal

The 'Great Schism' of 1054 left the church divided into Western (Latin / Roman) and Eastern (Greek / Byzantine) branches. As imperialist Ottoman Islamic forces advanced northwards, the Eastern Church found itself on the front-line of Islamic jihad. In 1095, Byzantine Emperor Alexius I appealed to Pope Urban II for help to defend Constantinople (the magnificent capital of the Byzantine Empire), re-conquer Asia Minor and liberate Jerusalem. The First Crusade was launched. In 1204, however, Western crusaders got sidetracked while en route to the Fourth Crusade. Instead of liberating the Holy Land, they sacked and looted Constantinople, weakening the city irredeemably. Abandoned by the West, Constantinople fell to invading Ottoman forces on 29 May 1453. After a period of killing and looting, the Christian remnant was subjugated and Constantinople - the centre of Eastern Christianity for over 1000 years - became the base from which the 21-year-old Ottoman Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed II - 'The Conqueror' - would launch his jihad into Europe.

May 29 is celebrated annually in Turkey as Conquest Day. This year Turks celebrated 560 years of Turkish rule in Constantinople / Istanbul. In an article for Huffington Post (29 May 2013), Drs Elizabeth H Prodromou and Alexandros K Kyrou report: 'Visitors to Istanbul on May 29th [2013] could hardly mistake the nationalist message of the city draped in Turkish flags for as far as the eye could see, and under the current Islamist government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, secular nationalism has been augmented with a religious message about the fall of Constantinople as a sign of Islam's triumph over Christianity.' Erdogan has even proposed that Conquest Day be declared a national holiday and the historic Byzantine Christian Cathedral of Hagia Sophia - presently a museum - be converted into a functioning mosque. As Prodromou and Kyrou note, '[T]he fall of Constantinople on 29 May in 1453 began an unrelenting, centuries-long pattern of persecution and discrimination against the city's Christian population.' Like most Christians, they regard the 'erasure of Christians from Constantinople . . . [as] one of the tragedies of history'. Later, Ataturk modernised and Westernised Turkey (1923-38), but only after he had ethnically cleansed it of its Christian peoples: Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. Since then, massacres, systematic discrimination and persecution have caused Turkey's Christian remnant to decline to a mere 0.2 percent. As one church leader described them, they are 'an endangered species'. As far as Prodromou and Kyrou are concerned, 'The siege of Constantinople continues today, 560 years after the fall on 29 May, 1453.'

But not everybody in Istanbul was partying on 29 May, with some setting up camp in Taksim Square's Gezi Park in defiance of government orders. Police stormed the camp on 30 May and returned on 31 May with water cannons, tear gas and barricades. The local confrontation has since morphed into nation-wide protests and riots by Turks who are sick of PM Erdogan's corrupt and arrogant dictatorial rule and heavy-handedness. They are also unhappy about his re-Islamisation and re-Ottomanisation of Turkey. Derided as 'the Sultan' by pro-secular Turks and 'the Caliph' by Syria's al-Assad, Erdogan is supremely confident that he is popular and powerful enough to ride out any storm. He plans to run for the presidency in the 2014 elections, after he has amended the constitution to bolster presidential powers. He has already gutted the military and silenced dissent. Yes, Turkey's prisons are full - of generals, lawyers, writers, comedians and artists!

According to Pew Institute (April 2013), only 12 percent of Turks want to live in an Islamic State with Sharia Law. Erdogan's legitimacy rests on his ability to deliver stability and prosperity - not Islamisation. However, by aligning Turkey with the US-Saudi-Qatar Sunni axis against Assad in Syria (contrary to the will of the people who took to the streets demanding neutrality), Erdogan has seriously damaged Turkey's relations with its two main trading partners, Russia and Iran. Furthermore, the brutality of the present crackdown on protesters is generating more opposition. It is even possible that the military, which has been seen handing out gas masks to the protesters to protect them from tear gas and taking the injured to hospital, may not remain loyal to the government.

Turkey is at a crossroads. Could this be an opening for change that will be more than skin deep? Might Islamisation be halted? Might liberty and equality become a reality? Pray for Turkey through these days, weeks and months of turmoil and questioning, for the sake of the gospel and the long-suffering remnant Church.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT -

* God will raise up Turkish leaders who will reject Islamisation and dictatorship and lead Turkey with wisdom, integrity and fairness. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

* the Holy Spirit will give Turkey's Christian leaders - bishops, pastors, lay and ethnic - great discernment and wisdom as they seek to guide the Church through the present crisis, '. . . that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being'. (From Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus, western Turkey; Ephesians 3:16 ESV.)

* God, who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (from Ephesians 3:20,21) will 'remember' Turkey, evangelised by Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos and multitudes of faithful servants and martyrs through the ages to the present day; may this land come to know the love and mercy of God as he answers prayer and pours out his Holy Spirit in grace to awaken and transform.


SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

TURKEY AT THE CROSSROADS?

On 29 May 1453 Constantinople fell to invading Ottoman forces. So the city at the centre of Eastern Christianity for 1000 years became the base from which Ottoman Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed II would launch his jihad into Europe. Ataturk modernised and Westernised Turkey (1923-38), but only after he had ethnically cleansed it of its Christian Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. Since then, massacres, systematic discrimination and persecution have caused Turkey's Christian remnant to decline to a mere 0.2 percent of the population. As one church leader described them, they are 'an endangered species'. Turkey's recent re-Islamisation under Prime Minister Erdogan has caused its pro-secular masses to grow restless. They have now erupted in protest. Turkey is at a crossroads. May God guide his Church and bring awakening to Turkey.


To view this RLPB with hyperlinks or to access RLPB and RLM archives, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

We suggest that churches and fellowships using the Summary above might also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their worship by people who are leading in prayer.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of
'Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah speaks to Christians today'  (Deror Books, Dec. 2012)

http://turnbackthebattle.com/thebook.html 

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology. She is Director of Advocacy for Christian Faith & Freedom based in Canberra, Australia.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly issues direct by sending a blank email
to join-rlpb@hub.xc.org

We would like to assume that much prayer goes into the preparation of sermons. How tragic it is when men stand in the pulpit to speak for God having briefly consulted Him during the week. However, it is possible that even less prayer comes from the lips of those who preach after they have delivered the sermon. We should be just as urgent in prayer after we have preached! Consider the following prayer focuses for praying following your preaching:
- Release all glory to the Father (Eph. 3:20-21).
- Praise the Father as the God of the Word (2 Tim. 3:16).
- Magnify His Word as the source of power in the pulpit (Eph. 6:17).
- Magnify His omniscience and providence in the lives of your hearers, rather than basking in your eloquence (Heb. 4:12).
- Rejoice in the presence of God that His Word does not return void or empty (Is. 55:11).
- Thank the Father for revealing His strength in your weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
- Ask the Father to enable your people to be doers of the Word and not hearers only (Jas. 1:22); not forgetful hearers, but doers of the work (Jas. 1:25).
- Intercede intensely that the enemy will not snatch the Word away (Matt. 13:19).
- Pray that difficulties will not cause hearers to stumble and forget the Word (Matt. 13:20-21).
- Pray that the Word will not be choked out by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Matt. 13:22).
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will captivate the minds of hearers with the Scripture text from Sunday, guiding them into meditation and obedience (Ps. 1:1-3).

Keeney Dickenson - www.prayeridigm.com

My heart resonates with the following statement by A. W. Tozer: "For myself, I would rather be among those who are unknown, unsung and unheralded doing something through the Spirit of God that will count even a tiny little bit in the kingdom of God, than to be involved in some highly-recognized expression of religious activity across which God will ultimately write the judgment: 'This too shall pass!'" (Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts, p. 40).

 A photo prayer journal is a working document to help grandparents pray intentionally for their grandchildren, whether they live far away or nearby. The photo prayer journal will make praying more meaningful. You will feel more connected when you see the pictures of your grandchildren as you are praying for them. I made my photo prayer journal in a three ring binder with a divider for each grandchild, that way I could redo it each year when they start a new school year.

Instructions for Photo Prayer Journal Profile Sheet

On the profile sheet, place your grandchild’s picture in the designated spot and complete the profile with his/her information.

Grandchild’s Profile

(Place your grandchild’s

picture here.)

Profile Sheet For ____________________

Date_______________

Name:

Address:

Telephone #: Cell #

E-mail address:

Birthday: Age:

Grade in school: School:

Teacher:

Church:

Friends:

Favorite activities:

Character strengths:

(You may have other ideas to add to the profile.)

Instructions for Prayer Concern Sheet

Make a page to record the date, praises, prayer concerns, and the hopes and dreams for your grandchild on which you want to focus your prayers. If desired, choose a scripture from the “Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren” or the list of "Prayer Suggestions for the Various Life’s Stages” or other suggestions from the book, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren. Record your concerns about their safety, health, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual growth, strength to resist temptations and the deception of the world.

Suggestions

I am just giving you suggestions to get you started. Use your creativity and make the Photo Prayer Journal to meet your needs. I don't use the photo prayer journal every day, only once or twice a week. However, it does help me connect with the grandchildren more often, especially in my thoughts.

If convenient, take your grandchildren out for a meal or ice cream to ask them for the information needed to fill out the profile sheets, and tell them why you are doing it. You

may also ask them the questions on the telephone, through e-mail, or however you find it convenient. If you are making the journal on the computer, use Print Shop or another program to enhance the pages, inserting your digital pictures, and making as many pages as you need.

You will find more creative ideas to help you with your praying for your grandchildren in he book Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren on this website. http://www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com/.

Lillian Penner

Have you ever visited a narcissistic church? Even worse, do you attend—or perhaps lead—a congregation that is self-absorbed and in love with itself?

Not long ago, I had the unpleasant experience of visiting such a place. I had heard good things about this church, and I had high hopes for what I would find there. And lately I’ve been trying really hard to see the good and not be critical toward other believers.

Of course, you probably wonder how I knew the church was narcissistic. For one thing, the name of the church and the name of the pastor were mentioned about 10 or 15 times more than the name of Jesus. So even though there was considerable evidence that people were in love with their church, I had a much harder time finding evidence of their love for the Lord.

On one level, it’s certainly a good thing that people take pride in their church and their pastor. I’ve met some Christians who are ashamed to tell me where they go to church—a clear indicator that the church has low morale and a downward trajectory.

However, what about Paul’s statement to the Corinthians? “We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5). When the church itself becomes the message, or our focal point is the pastor instead Jesus, it’s a sure sign we’ve become narcissistic. 

And although I realize churches may want to market themselves and let the surrounding community know they are there, shouldn’t we beware not to follow the motivation of the men who built the Tower of Babel: trying to make a name for ourselves? (Genesis 11:1-9)

After my visit to the narcissistic church, I’ve had to search my own heart and ask God to give me a sincere desire to see HIM lifted up: “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory” (Psalm 115:1). As John the Baptist recognized, Jesus only will increase if we allow ourselves to decrease (John 3:30). Help us, Lord.

I was grieved by one additional observation about the narcissistic church: There was absolutely no evidence of God’s presence or anything supernatural. In other words, everything that took place in the worship service could easily have been attributed to human effort instead of any involvement of the Holy Spirit. The singers sang, the musicians played, the preacher preached—but where was God in any of it?

You see, the church is called to be much more than a social club or humanitarian organization. If we’re no different than the Moose Club or Kiwanis, we’re in big trouble. Shouldn’t we reflect our glorious design to be “built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit”? (Ephesians 2:22)

Yes, I understand the need to be culturally relevant and able to reach “seekers” and unbelievers with the gospel. But shouldn’t the Holy Spirit be involved in the process? How will lost people be persuaded to become disciples of Jesus Christ if we’re content just to “play church”?

One of the signs of the End Times is that many people will be narcissistic, even in the church: “lovers of themselves…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:1-7). So what’s the antidote for this terrible malady? My prayer since visiting the narcissistic church is that I will die to myself and fall in love with Jesus more than ever before.

I’ve also been praying for renewed evidence of the Holy Spirit’s fruit and power in my life. Shouldn’t we expect that Paul’s example would also be true of us today? “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Are you content with your Christian life right now? I’m surely not. Rather than allowing me to remain judgmental toward others, God is challenging me to deal with my own narcissistic heart and lack of spiritual power. Are you willing to join me on this uncomfortable—but necessary—pathway to revival?

A Special Invitation to all Children in Prayer Leaders, Coordinators, Praying Youth and Children

You are invited to shape history by participating in the CiP Global Consultation in New York-USA!

                     November 15-18, 2013

“Children and Youth-Investing in the Future: A Time to Pray and Partner for Action at the United Nations”

Just before the UN initiative and continuing into it, there will be another very strategic and crucial gathering of those who are seeking to raise up a global children’s prayer movement that will bring His  transformation to our world and empower the next generation of leaders with a heart for children and youth. If you are a praying child or youth, you are also welcome to take part.

1. Children in Prayer Coordinators from many countries, along with youth and children and other prayer and ministry leaders, will gather to share what we are learning on nurturing children to know the Lord and empowering them to pray for their nations and our world.

2. It will be a time of cross-fertilization and hearing what God is doing through children and youth, sharing the best practices that are emerging in this developing CiP movement.

3. It will be a time of united prayer, listening to God together and receiving His strategies and plans to extend this movement worldwide.

The CiP Global Consultation will also encourage and launch the next generation to become cutting-edge leaders for Christ’s global prayer and mission movement, as children and youth take their positions as equal partners in helping to lead it.

There will be exciting sessions for children only, such as devotional times, hearing God’s voice, plenary sessions, workshops, children’s intercession and concerts of prayer, a prayer cruise around Manhattan Island, fellowship and building relationships while having fun.

There are also workshops for the adults who are interested to start a children’s citywide prayer movement, and on how to network and enlarge this movement in your nation or region.

Space will be very limited so please register now on the website mentioned below. We are praying and preparing for 200 children prayer leaders and 150 adults to come and experience this “New Wave of Prayer”. We believe they will have a deep, transforming encounter with God and become His agents of transformation for their family, city, region and nation.

The criteria for the children are:

1. They must be involved in a local, regional or national prayer initiative (showing prayer leadership among other children).
2. They must fill out the registration form on the website below.
3. Be age 8-16 years.
4. Be able to communicate in English.
5. Children who are confident, of good character and polite.

For more information about CiP Global Conference, please contact: Ps. Tety Irwan at tetyirwan@yahoo.com or Ps. Irma Chon at irma@ccfhilliard.org.

For general information about the CiP Global Conference and to register your interest in participating, please see the website at www.arrowheadregistration.org/?117

Blessings,

International Planning Team

Tety Irwan (Indonesia)

Irma Chon (USA)

Hala Tadros (Egypt)

Jeffrey Chew (Malaysia)

Fung Fong (Singapore)

Onassis Jeevaraj (India)

An Invitation to the International Prayer Initiative for the United Nations, November 18-20, 2013, New York City

For UN Officials, Diplomats, Christian Ministry Leaders, Youth and Children

Theme:

“Children and Youth - Investing in the Future: A Time to Pray and Partner for Action at the United Nations”

Since its inception, the United Nations has been on a mission to ensure that all people have hope for the future.  Whether in peacemaking, food production efforts or education, the goal has always been a better world for future generations.

The children and youth of the world represent our future.  Actually, children are the future.  When the U.N. established the eight Millennium Development Goals, in 2000, the central idea was a safer, more secure future for our children. Many organizations and churches are also deeply involved in sharing Christ’s love through helping to improve the lives of children worldwide.

As the end of the 15-year MDG window approaches, and as governments, agencies and civil society assess and report, one thing will be clear:  There is still so much more to be done!

In recognition of the need for global partnerships and in support of the work of the United Nations' efforts to serve the children and youth of the world, a global consortium of Christian organizations will convene in New York City on November 18-20, 2013.

In conjunction with Universal Children's Day, November 20, the goals of this gathering are:

1. To engage partners from Christian NGOs around the world in a more focused effort to better the lives of children.

2. To seek God together in prayer for His help, guidance and transformation for the youth and children of our world.

3. To express support for the work of the United Nations and member states in their endeavors to create a more hopeful future for the children of the world.

4. To connect U.N. personnel and diplomats with leaders from Christian non-governmental organizations and other ministries for mutual benefit and greater collaborative action on behalf of children and youth.

We hope you will be able to take part in this strategic and crucial initiative in New York City.  We will hear heart-gripping presentations by various organizations on the situation of youth and children and respond with times of concerted prayer and deliberation. Through setting up a booth and/or personal interaction, you will also be able to share your organization’s work on behalf of children with ambassadors, UN officials, other Christian NGOs as well as with hundreds of ministry leaders, youth and children from around the world.

You are warmly welcomed to register at www.arrowheadregistration.org/?117 as soon as possible or at the latest by October 1 if there is still room by then. Space will be limited at the UN so please respond soon. International or out of town participants are urged to arrive by November 18 afternoon and stay together at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey (about 25 minutes from the UN) for which we have negotiated the best possible rate. You can make your booking for the best rate through this website.

Our program will begin on November 18 with dinner together at 6 pm followed by an introductory session of worship, prayer, briefing and sharing. The initiative will conclude on the 20th after the evening session at the hotel at 9 pm. Please book your flights to depart on November 21.

For more information, please contact the International Prayer Council office at  office@ipcprayer.org  or call our administrator, Cheryl Sharps at 1 505 4007437.

Looking forward to seeing you in November,

Warm regards in Christ,

John Robb

Chairman, International Prayer Council

On behalf of the planning team-

Geoff Tunnicliffe and Deborah Fikes, World Evangelical Alliance

John Austin, Christian Embassy

Joel Edwards, Micah Challenge

Roberta Hromas and Mark Pritchett, American Christian Trust

Ian Cole, World Prayer Centre

Jody Wood, New York Intercessors

There are opposing opinions to the phrase that is commonly used regarding a higher intensity in intercession which is “wrestling in prayer”. I’ve used it many times myself when discussing or preaching on that aspect of breaking through with God. One view holds that the battle has already been won two thousand years ago at Calvary and we only need now to walk in our positional victory of rest seated with Christ in heavenly places. And to that I wholeheartedly say, “amen”. The other train of thought is that we are warriors in Christ’s army doing major warfare against a cunning and ruthless enemy who has plundered that which is ours and has taken our loved ones captive and we wrestle in violent prayer against these principalities and powers of darkness. And to that I also wholeheartedly say “amen”. The reality is both views are scriptural. Mere opinion or subjectivity doesn’t count—God’s Word, forever settled in heaven, does. We see this principle of ‘rest’ in our w‘rest’ling in Exodus 14:13 when Moses told the children of Israel to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord”, which was their position of rest. But only three verses later, in Exodus 14:16, God ushered this command to Moses, “Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it” which was an act of wrestling for the prophet of God on behalf of the Hebrews.

I believe that the account of Jacob wrestling with the Angel in Genesis 32 is a spiritual representation of our battle as well to lay hold of God for that which can only be obtained through faith and perseverance. Jacob earnestly prayed, “I will not let you go until you bless me!” and Jacob’s overcoming faith and relentless persistence was powerfully transformed into simply clinging to God in a position of rest when he could no longer fight. There was ‘rest’ in Jacob’s w‘rest’ling after he had done all that he could do, even as Paul the apostle instructed us in Ephesians 6:13, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Stand your ground, soldiers of Christ and rest in your position of victory while you fight the good fight of faith! To each church in Revelation, Jesus assured His people that to those who would overcome, would be given great blessings, authority, power, reward and kingdom rule. Overcoming suggests intense opposition from an enemy out to thwart you in your advance.

 It’s interesting that Christ promised the highest position of honour and authority in Heaven’s domain to none other than the Laodicean Church, the very church that received the strongest rebuke from Jesus. “To him that overcomes, will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev 3:21). Notice that Jesus compares their overcoming to His own—“even as I also overcame”. What did Jesus overcome? The greatest conflict of the ages against the unrestrained powers of hell! Jesus knew the reality of wrestling in prayer better than any of us in the garden when He sweated great drops of blood being in such agony as described in Hebrews 5:7 from the Message Bible, “While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God”. This is the scene of Christ’s passion in the garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal and arrest, but we must not overlook a tiny verse in Luke 22 which is easily skimmed over, which says, “And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him”. (Luke 22:43). That was the Lord’s position of rest during His unimaginable ordeal of wrestling with His determined fate as the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus overcame!

 As the “last days” church, we are required to overcome the very same raging battle against our soul and our salvation. Satan is playing for keeps and he is even now orchestrating his all-out assault against the Church in a last ditch attempt to destroy as many of God’s people as he can. The time has now come when the devil will vehemently attack your faith like never before—he will hurl his fiery arrows of doubt and bitterness and unforgiveness at you with unbridled fierceness—he will oppress your mind with thoughts of lust and adultery—he will bombard your heart and mind with demonic fear and anxiety—he will endeavour to convince you that God has forsaken you—he will cause your friends and even your family to betray you and to be offended at you because of your godly stand for truth and righteousness—but worse than any of that, the devil will attempt to bring you down through a sense of self-achievement and self-satisfaction—the very temptation he effectively perpetrated against the Church in Laodicea and to their shame, it worked! “We are rich and successful and have everything we need!” That is the very battle in this Laodicean age that we must overcome as we ‘rest’ in our w‘rest’ling. In a prophetic time of great departure from the faith, the very overcoming faith which Jude exhorts us to earnestly contend for, our assured position of victory is grounded in two unshakable claims—Claim #1- the immutable Word of God, which is our sword with which we fight the onslaught of lies and deception and, Claim #2- the sin-cleansing blood of Jesus Christ! “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11). It is in this spiritual state of supernatural rest with an unshakable faith in Christ’s victory over sin and the grave that we can wrestle against the hordes of hell even unto death, Rest in that assurance of victory as you fight this final good fight of faith, for “this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith”. Amen!

In 1727, a community of believers in Herrnhut, Saxony, in what is now the eastern edge of Germany, started praying.

They didn’t stop for 100 years.

Advance to September 1999, when believers in Kansas City began praying and worshipping. That group has been praying 24/7 since then.

In both Herrnhut and at International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, Christians listened to the Lord and initiated something radical, diving into extraordinary prayer and worship.

In both places, prayer brought deep transformation of people’s lives, and resulted in many taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Fast forward

In Burleson, Texas in spring 1990, a group of students surrendered to God during a weekend retreat. They heard His prompting to go pray at three schools, after dark on a Saturday night, and obeyed. For them, it was powerful – and inspired the first See You at the Pole that September, when more than 45,000 students prayed across Texas and in three other states. From there, SYATP blew up. Millions have prayed – all over the world.

In September 2013, imagine what might happen if students ask the Lord how prayer might change them, their schools, their communities…their world. And then do it. Not just pray, but seek His face, and turn from sin.

This is the passion behind See You at the Pole in 2013. Not just a prayer meeting before school; donuts and OJ; “been there, done that, go to class.” But students saying, “This week, God…do You want to do something radical through us? We’ll pray before school, after school, at lunch, all night…whatever YOU want us to do. But it starts with us: listening, seeking, obeying.”

What's different about SYATP this year?

This year, it’s not just a day. SYATP will be a Global Student Prayer Week, September 22-28, 2013. At the center of the week is See You at the Pole Day — Wednesday, September 25 at 7:00 AM local time.

The theme for SYATP 2013 is #IFthen, taking 2 Chronicles 7:14 seriously: IF we pray, seek, turn. THEN God hears, forgives, heals.

For See You at the Pole 2013, students are challenged to find new and unique ways, places, and times to pray throughout Global Student Prayer Week—Sunday, September 22 through Saturday, September 28. Whether they attend public school, private school, or home school, they can gather their friends wherever and whenever they can to pray any time that week. 

Then on Wednesday, September 25th at 7:00 AM local time, if possible, everyone is encouraged to gather at a school flagpole to pray at See You at the Pole. This means that, all around the world in every time zone, for 24 hours, students will be praying for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities.

A week dedicated to prayer and launching your on-campus Bible clubs, prayer strategies, and student ministries. 

A day committed to global unity in Christ.

How will this See You at the Pole look in your community this year?

We aren't prescribing that to you! We can, however, offer some suggestions that may help you as you lead students and others in your community.  It might mean an all-night prayer vigil, ending at the school. It might be a series of prayer times throughout the week. It might look like students gathering at your churches for concerts of prayer and worship in the evening. God may bring the depth of His presence, and deep conviction and transforming confession.

We don’t know, but God does. That's where your leadership now, through the summer, and before SYATP is important.

We believe you’ll do the youth in your city a big favor if you challenge them to ask God, and do what He says. Do you dare to challenge them, and release them to follow His Spirit’s leading?

Even more, what might happen if we learn with them how to be better listeners to God's voice?

Learning to listen

If we're convinced that God speaks, and we're convinced that He has a perfect plan for your life, your community, and the schools in it, then our job is to learn to listen well. 

You may have great resources for this spiritual discipline. A good starting point is this article on Listening Prayer: http://www.youthworkers.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/blog.view/BlogID/1550. 

Putting it into practice

Use wisdom as you move forward with this in your youth group and community. How you respond to a student's idea - which may seem totally "outside the box" to you - is a good test of your own spiritual listening skills! Handle their ideas prayerfully, taking them before the Lord and others. Pray with them about it. Encourage them. Use the principles you're teaching about "listening prayer" to evaluate and confirm. 

On that Saturday night in Burleson in 1990, it says a lot that the volunteer adult couple - who were with the students when they felt led to go pray at their schools - allowed them to go. It was an outside the box idea that made a huge difference. 

Who knows what God will do in 2013?

Learn more about See You at the Pole at www.syatp.com. 

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 212 | Wed 29 May 2013

by Elizabeth Kendal 

WELCOME to the intercessors who have joined the list this month.

'O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.' (Psalm 65:2 ESV) May men, women and children everywhere bring their prayers to the Lord, for only he can 'still . . . the tumult of the peoples' (v7). 'All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.' (Psalm 22:27 ESV) Lord, hasten the day!


MAY 2013 UPDATE - During May we prayed concerning . . .

* IRAQ (RLPB 208), where sectarian (Sunni vs Shi'ite) and ethnic (Kurd vs Arab) tensions are escalating along with violence, threatening the tenuous peace and attracting al-Qaeda elements, heightening the risk to Iraq's Christian remnant.

* SUDAN (RLPB 209), where systematic repression and persecution are escalating in line with social disaffection and rebel advances. The fighting between the Islamist, Arab-supremacist regime in Khartoum and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) - an alliance of rebel forces fighting for a secular, democratic state - is deadlocked. Meanwhile, the regime continues to bomb civilians and block humanitarian aid. Continue to pray for a breakthrough.

UPDATE: On 18 May Sudan's defence minister Abdel-Rahim Hussein addressed troops being deployed to the war zones. He declared that the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) will continue their 'holy crawl' until they have annihilated all rebellion from the country, i.e. until they have killed or subjugated all who resist Khartoum's racist policies and forced Islamisation. Meanwhile, the SRF has called on the citizens of Khartoum to join a popular uprising and topple the ruling regime. They are also appealing to members of the SAF to 'stand alongside the people, rather than defend tyrants'. In response, the regime reportedly has been distributing weapons to citizens, calling on them to fight the SRF. Pray for the Church in this dangerous, volatile environment. May the Lord liberate Sudan. (Psalm 10)


* CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (RLPB 2010), where Arabic-speaking Muslim rebels with many foreign jihadis in their ranks have seized control of this French-speaking predominantly Christian state. The coup has all the hallmarks of being a foreign backed and funded operation to effect regime change.

UPDATE: The rebels are restless and not united. Many have protested that while they are hungry and homeless, rebel leader and self-proclaimed president Michel Djotodia has taken up residence in the Hotel Ledger Plaza, a five-star luxury hotel. Pray that the rebels - who continue to kill civilians at will - will splinter and the rebellion will collapse. Meanwhile, Church leaders in CAR lament that the world is more interested in the plight of CAR's elephants (with dozens massacred by rebels) than the plight of the civilian population who are bearing the brunt of the crisis. An Italian Carmelite monk warned Aid to the Church in Need that CAR was at risk 'of being left to its own devices and of becoming a hell on earth'. Pray for the Church in CAR.

* CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (RLPB 2011) and the threat of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

UPDATE: Uganda's Amnesty Act 2000 was due to expire on 24 May 2013. However, religious leaders from northern Uganda petitioned the parliament and on 15 May the Ugandan government extended the Amnesty Act for another two years. The Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative expressed profound gratitude, though there are some complications that will need to be resolved. Most LRA soldiers were kidnapped as children and desire to return home; fear, mostly implanted by Kony, dissuades them. Pray for mass defections and that God, by his own hand, will bring an end to LRA leader Joseph Kony.


MAY 2013 ROUND-UP - also this month . . .

* IRAN: REGIME TARGETS FARSI CHURCH

Middle East Concern (MEC) reports that on 21 May Pastor Robert Asserian of the Assemblies of God (AoG) church in Tehran was arrested while leading a prayer meeting at the church. Earlier all his computer equipment and books were confiscated. Pastor Robert is now incarcerated in Tehran's Evin Prison. After months of intensive pressure, the AoG church in Tehran has now closed. The AoG church in Ahvaz has been closed since December 2011. On 1 May 2013 its pastor, Farhad, his wife Shahnaz, and two members, Davoud and Naser, began a one-year prison sentence. MEC reports: 'The authorities have made clear that they will consider releasing these four and Pastor Robert if the AoG agrees to cease all services in Farsi.' The authorities simply do not want Iranian Muslims hearing the gospel in their own language. May God confound the regime's every effort! On 8 May Pastor Saeed Abedini, a US citizen in Evin Prison, was released from solitary confinement and returned to the general prison population. Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, told Voice of the Martyrs how Saeed experienced God's presence in that 'small dark hole'. [See http://www.turnbackthebattle.com/pdf/Reflections-ThePromisedPresence.pdf ] Several imprisoned believers are in dire need of medical attention. Pray for Iran's imprisoned Christians. Pray for the Church in Iran.


* SAUDI ARABIA: TWO BELIEVERS IMPRISONED OVER CONVERSION
(Updating RLPB 175, 4 Sep 2012.)

In July 2012 Maryam (28), a Saudi convert to Christianity, fled the country. Subsequently, her employer, Henna Sarkees (51), a Christian Lebanese national, was charged with abusing his position by coercing her to convert. Also, an un-named Saudi national was charged with facilitating Maryam's flight from the country. On 11 May 2013 Al-Khobar District Court sentenced Sarkees to six years in prison and 300 lashes for the crime of 'evangelism' (Lebanese media) or 'brainwashing' (Saudi media). The Saudi national was sentenced to two years in prison and 200 lashes. Lawyers for both men say they will appeal. However, Maryam's Muslim father has rejected the ruling as inadequate. He too will appeal, saying, 'We will ask the court to keep him [Sarkees] behind bars until our daughter comes home.' Pray for Maryam, Henna Sarkees and the Saudi national. Pray for the growing but constantly imperilled Saudi Church.


* SYRIA: CONFLICT SET TO ESCALATE; CHRISTIANS STRUGGLING

On Tuesday 28 May France and the UK convinced the European Union (EU) to let its arms embargo on Syria lapse. So, while Russia and the US are trying to organise peace talks in the hope of finding a political path to peace, France and the UK will be free to pump more weapons into the jihad (which, it might be noted, is blowing back into Iraq). The decision will fuel escalation. Meanwhile, sources in Aleppo report that rebels are blockading government-held areas so that food cannot get in unless enormous 'taxes' are paid. Christians are kidnapped almost every day. Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Aleppo, and Bishop Boulos Yaziji, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Aleppo, were kidnapped by Chechen jihadists on 22 April. They remain in captivity. No group has claimed responsibility and no ransom demand has been made. Whilst a spokesman for the opposition's National Coalition maintains that the bishops are in 'good health', nobody has been permitted to have even phone contact with them. Pray for the Church in Syria.


To view this RLPB with hyperlinks or to access RLPB and RLM archives, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

We usually provide a summary to use in news-sheets unable to run the whole of an RLPB. As a summary is not practicable with this monthly update posting we suggest one or more of the above items be used instead.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of
'Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah speaks to Christians today'  (Deror Books, Dec. 2012)

http://turnbackthebattle.com/thebook.html 

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology. She is Director of Advocacy for Christian Faith & Freedom based in Canberra, Australia.

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Corporate prayer loses its effectiveness when intercessors get off track. Here's how you can stay in the flow of the Holy Spirit.As I walked down the corridor toward the large prayer room, several women rushed past me in a panic. They had been praying with more than 50 intercessors from various denominations for pastors in the United States. Eager to find out what was happening, I hurried into the room.

An unbelievable sight met my eyes. Lying on the floor in the middle of the room was a woman intercessor, curled up in a fetal position and groaning as though she were being tortured. Crouched over her was a male intercessor, who was stroking her hair and speaking words of encouragement.

Standing around “the entertainment” were dozens of intercessors—watching. No one was praying now. Their faces revealed many emotions: Some were in shock; others didn’t know what to think; most were simply disgusted.

Asked to correct the situation, I bent down, asked the man to move away and softly whispered into the intercessor’s ear: “Please stop what you are doing. This is not the way the Holy Spirit would lead.”

Gruffly the woman turned her head toward me and growled, “This is the Holy Spirit.”

These kinds of activities are becoming too common in prayer rooms across the nation. If the prayer movement does not establish biblical boundaries and acceptable corporate conduct within the next few years, the work of prayer could be drastically derailed.

Here are some of the flaky intercessory activities with which we should be concerned:

1. Competition in prayer. Moses’ and Aaron’s authority to lead was challenged by Korah and his band with the argument, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face” (Num. 16:3).

Notice Moses’ answer to Korah and his rebellious associates: “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord” (Num. 16:8-11).

Intercessors have a unique position. We are called to draw near to the throne, hear the voice of God and stand on behalf of others. We who occupy this position should set an example of love, grace, mercy and humility.

Yet I find that among intercessors there is sometimes strife, jealousy and competition, just as there was among Korah and his band. In some cases, the prayer room resembles the New York City stock market trading floor, with each participant trying to pray more frequently, prophesy longer and shout louder than the others do.

Why the spiritual tug of war?

No doubt about it—all intercession is war! But like all of life, intercession has its ebbs and flows. Our friends would wonder about Eddie and me if, after three decades of marriage, we were passionately kissing every time they saw us in public. You might see this type of thing in the movies, but meaningful, real-life relationships are developed in private. Eddie and I don’t need to impress anyone or prove our love to others. Our outward displays of affection are merely an indication of an already secure and stable private relationship.

There are times when, in the heat of battle, the corporate prayer room seems intense, loud, demanding and pushy. After all, Scripture says the violent take the kingdom by force! (See Matt. 11:12). But constant warfare should not be the way every prayer time is handled.

Effective, sincere corporate prayer should reveal all the attributes of God—His gentleness, His tender mercy, His unconditional love and His burden for the lost. There are times when the group will experience total silence before God. At other times, a deep travail for the condition of lost souls will be felt. Joy, expressions of love and celebration should occur occasionally among the intercessors. To reduce group prayer to anything less reveals our immaturity in the private place before God.

2. Emotionalism. Our emotions are a part of our soul (mind, will and emotions). They were given to us by God to serve His purposes. But to function properly, they must be brought under His dominion. Paul instructs us, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts [emotions] on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:1-2, NIV).

Our emotions are as flexible and undependable as an elastic measuring tape. One minute we feel happy; the next, we’re sad. We can have a wonderful time of intimacy in prayer, and in five minutes be yelling at our child for spilling milk on the carpet. Emotional expressions are not necessarily an indication of either the presence, or the lack of the presence, of God.

Amazingly, some corporate prayer groups base their entire prayer time on emotions. Hebrews 11:1-2 tell us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good testimony.” It is faith that moves the heart of God, not emotion.

By faith the elders obtained a good testimony. Yet some of these giants of the faith were tortured, jeered at and flogged, while others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned, sawed in two and put to death by the sword (see vv. 35-37).

Most of these mighty men and women didn’t flinch when they were mistreated, misunderstood, persecuted or left destitute. Hebrews 11:38-39 (NIV) says of them, “The world was not worthy of them...These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” Their mind-set was one of faith, not feelings.

God knows I am emotional. Eddie calls me radical. In his book Help! I’m Married to an Intercessor (Regal) he describes me in his own terms:

“Alice is radical about everything! This woman would rather watch the Houston Rockets professional basketball team play than eat. She was a cheerleader in school when her father was the football coach. Alice is a Dallas Cowboys football fanatic as well. When the Cowboys game is being televised, everything at our house comes to a screeching halt.

“Now, I like football. I tend to watch the game casually from my recliner. I drink coffee, read the paper and talk on the phone during the game.

Not her! Alice watches the game on her feet—even in our living room! Pacing, lunging, warning and encouraging the players and coaches, my radical wife is not bothered at all that they can’t hear a word she’s saying!”

Being radical is not bad as long as you work to maintain balance in all areas of your life.

3. Inappropriate behavior. Intercessors have a responsibility to represent the Lord both inside and outside the prayer room. We need to learn that that which is biblical is not always appropriate. Ongoing “weird” activity in the prayer setting is likely to be soulish, if not demonic.

An undisciplined mind confuses soulishness and spirituality, allowing the soul to rule over the spirit. An unruly mind has to be “renewed day by day.” The apostle Paul reminds us: “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18, KJV).

To be filled with the Spirit is to exercise the qualities of the Holy Spirit. What are they? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23).

Egrates, the Greek word for temperance, is translated “self-control.” The Holy Spirit will not control you. You must control you!

One form of inappropriate behavior I am concerned about is an alarming manifestation I will call “ecstasy.” This manifestation is misdiagnosed as travail, but it is not genuine godly travail. When it occurs, a glazed expression forms on the intercessor’s face, and he or she voices utterances resembling expressions of sexual gratification. I have actually seen intercessors positioned in a manner that suggests a sexual act is happening.

Beware, women! We must ask the Lord for spiritual discernment concerning such matters. Proper travailing prayer will not cause physical arousal.

Dutch Sheets makes an interesting point about travail in his book, Intercessory Prayer (Regal):

“First, I believe biblical travail is an important, if not essential, part of intercession for the lost. Second, I don’t believe it is defined by groaning, wailing, weeping and hard work. Natural travail certainly is, and spiritual travail can include these things. I do not believe, however, it must include them, and I’m convinced it is not defined by them.”

Dutch goes on to define travailing intercession. It is “a form of intercession that releases the creative power...of the Holy Spirit into a situation to produce, create or give birth to something.”

Not long ago at a conference, I called for repentance by all intercessors who had ever experienced false travail such as I have described. One woman who came forward for prayer told me that she was a seasoned intercessor who had been praying for over 20 years. But recently she went to a conference where a person laid hands on her for impartation. Impartation is right!

After that incident, whenever she tried to pray she would see Jesus as her lover and experience a physical orgasm. She had opened herself to a false spiritual experience she did not ask the Lord about first. At the conference she received deliverance from the evil spirit that had seduced her.

It is clear that we must be discerning. Ephesians 5:15-16 tell us to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (NKJV).

Evil or not, these are exciting days in which to live, for spiritual awakenings are being seen throughout the earth. I pray we see one here in the United States! To help bring this about, we must be committed to maintaining our credibility in prayer. Decide now to keep a spiritual eye on what’s going on in the prayer room and be a Spirit-led—not a flaky—woman of prayer.

Alice Smith is co-founder and executive director of the U.S. Prayer Center in Houston. She is also an internationally known conference speaker and  best-selling author. Consider booking Alice for your next prayer conference, leadership training, banquet speaker, retreat leader, etc. Books and other resources by Alice can be found at:  www.PrayerBookstore.com

Many leaders are coming to a solemn consensus: Today every praying saint and every prayer movement must focus on two strategic needs facing the Church in our generation: the Crisis of Christology among God’s people; and the need for a re-awakening of believers to the supremacy of Christ for all He is. This must become our overriding passions as we seek God’s face together.

As many of you know, I've written extensively on both of these top prayer agendas in Christ is ALL! (www.ChristIsAllBook.com). Currently, I’m exploring both in-depth with gatherings of leaders across the country in our dynamic, comprehensive 48-hour intensives called The Christ Institutes (www.ProclaimHope.org).

Both passions surface recently in my morning devotions. I was meditating on Luke 19. Suddenly the two themes – the crisis and the Christ -- jumped out at me. I noted that these were the same two challenges Jesus faced on the day He rode into Jerusalem for the last time.

Therefore, I offer you my reflections from that morning, with this singular question: Is there anything here that should shape the primary concerns for which you and I pray in this hour?  Is there any sense in which the “Palm Sunday” drama is repeating itself in our day? If so, how should this guide our individual intercessions and our prayer movements? How should this define our passions as we petition Heaven?

First, however, let me give you key verses from Luke 19 taken from  the New Living Translation (emphasis mine):

 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. ³⁷ When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen: ³⁸ “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

³⁹ But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” ⁴⁰ He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

⁴¹ But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ⁴² “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”

How, here’s what I saw:

1) The Crisis of Christology -- Even Jesus could not help himself; he had to weep – weep! -- when faced with the reality that, despite the cheers of the crowd a few hours earlier, the crisis among God's people -- the crisis of their exploiting Him, diminishing Him and dismissing Him -- was so pervasive that they already were blinded to the "opportunity" God was offering to them in His Son at that very moment, They were oblivious to how in His very presence among them as their King He was ready to bring their city, Jerusalem, into the everlasting shalom (peace) God had promised them.

His weeping was over all they would forfeit of all the riches they could have experienced in Him. It was available to them as He stood in their midst, as He rode among them offering Himself as their long-expected King. But they missed it – they missed Him.

Jesus was not weeping in self-pity -- quite the opposite: He wept because He saw the consequences for them. He knew, because of how they misunderstood what His glorious supremacy was all about, God's purposes for that generation of "covenant people" would be crushed for a season, and the whole city would disintegrate as a result. (This represents another possible, but far less desirable, form of "city transformation", which we talk and pray about so often today.)

He was the only person on planet earth that day that "got it", the only one that recognized the marvelous moment right in front of God’s people.  It was the "time of God's visitation" (NIV in vs. 44) to fulfill for them all God desired for them, now awaiting them in front of them in His dear Son who stood before them.  But they could not see Him for who He really was (and is). It was as if He was invisible to them. And it broke His heart.

I wonder: Do we need to join with our Lord Jesus in His kind of broken-heartedness over the blindness of God’s people to the fullness of God’s Son? Is the real King Jesus “invisible” to much of the Church? Is there reason to be concerned about a critical shortfall in the Christology of Christians in our generation – a shortfall that could rob of us the very work of God in us and through us we so desperately need?  Could the confronting and curing of this crisis open the floodgates for an outpouring of answers to so many of our other prayers – concerted prayers for decades for renewal and revival, for our communities and cities, for our nation and the nations?

2) The Christ to be exalted -- Those familiar words about stones "bursting into cheers" (NLT) struck me afresh as I reflected on them. What I perceived Jesus claimed about Himself, using this anthropomorphic image, is this:

The entire creation is wired to give Christ the supremacy in everything (Colossians 1:18). Not only is creation groaning to be delivered from decay into the resurrection liberation that is the destination in God’s Son of God's children (Romans 8); but it also is poised, eager, determined and even commissioned to secure His praises, one way or another, both now and even more in the Consummation.

And if necessary, according to Jesus, even before the End, hardened, brittle, lifeless rocks (without an ounce of breath in them) are prepared to become animated sufficiently to celebrate His reign, spread His fame and proclaim His name for ALL He is.  Even shale testifies He is worthy of this and no less.

Obviously, initially Jesus meant this demonstration of granite gratitude metaphorically. Yet, I wonder:

Behind his words is there not an poignant prognosis: Because, Scripture is clear that a day is coming when God's Son will be given His rightful place in the universe, by the universe and from all created things that inhabit the universe -- even if, at this moment, multitudes, especially of God's people, fail to do so, just as they were oblivious to the real Jesus when He spoke these words.

May I suggest something? I am increasingly convinced that our labors today as pray-ers and prayer mobilizers must include the role of becoming “Christ proclaimers” (what I often call “Messengers of  Hope”). Not only do we need to intercede for the revitalization of the Church, but, at the same time, we need to impress upon fellow believers the overriding, preeminent agenda for our life together -- the "exalting of Christ and His supremacy in all things and at all times". 

This is not a fool's errand. Rather, we are joining forces with an unending symphony of His praises already ascending from rocks and stars -- from saints and angels -- in Heaven as it will one day be on earth. We collaborate with all of them every time we lift Jesus higher -- especially and primarily when we do so among those who claim Him as Lord (as well as with those who do not).

In doing so, we prepare the way for the fullest answers to all of our other prayers; even as we lay the foundation for a sustainable, transformational revival that is nothing less than the “Christ Awakening” which our generation desperately needs. (Consider Isaiah 40:1-11)

If rocks are ready to explode with tributes for ALL Jesus is (and He says they are!), how can we who know Him and love Him and serve Him remain mute any longer?  In His case, silence is not golden!

In our intercessions and in our conversations – both -- we must address the crisis of Christology and we must declare the supremacy of the Christ. Paul set the example for us:  "Christ we proclaim...to this end I strive with all the energy He powerfully works within me." (Colossians 1: 28-29).  May it be so for each of us: by prayer and by proclamation. It will turn weeping into wonder!

© 2013, www.ProclaimHope.org

I read recently an estimate of how many people are reading books on prayer these days and I wondered how many of these readers were actually praying.  With amazon.com listing 48,000 books on Christian prayer for sale, there is no shortage of reading material, and new books are being published daily. Certainly writing and reading on the subject is needed and valuable, but praying is crucial. There are a few folks who would read a book just out of curiosity, or strictly for information purposes, but most read books to learn and live. The disciples’ request of Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1) did not ask to be taught “how” to pray, indicating they already knew how.  What they desired was to actually practice prayer like Jesus did. So, keep reading and learning about prayer, but don’t forget to pray. Paul E. Billheimer, author of the classic book on prayer, Destined for the Throne, wrote, “Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying.”  Beloved, let us pray!

Read more from Dr. Dan's Monday Morning Manna at http://discipleallnations.org/blog.

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http://discipleallnations.org/blog.

When I entered the Twitter world in May 2012 with @BestBibleTweets, I set a goal that seemed audacious at the time: gaining 4,000 followers within one year. However, that goal was surpassed in just six months, and I’m now reflecting on having reached the new  milestone of 15,000 Twitter followers.

Although this accomplishment is exhilarating in many ways, it’s also a time of sober reevaluation. At each new milestone, I’ve found myself facing honest questions, like “Do Twitter followers count for anything in eternity?” … “Are any lives really changed?” … And “Do my supposed followers even read  my tweets?”

Reaching the 15,000-follower mark seems to have special significance from a biblical standpoint. You probably remember the story of Jesus feeding 5,000+ hungry people on a Galilean hillside. When women and children are counted, it's likely that around 15,000 people were fed, comparable to my present number of Twitter followers.

This is one of my favorite events in the Bible—but it had a troubling aftermath.

After Jesus fed the multitudes in John 6, He began to explain the cost of true discipleship. Instead of just involving miracles and free meals, it turned out that a real follower had to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood”  (v. 53). Hmmm…so much for easy believism or greasy grace.

And while Jesus’ day began with thousands of fair-weather followers, it ended with only the Twelve remaining. The text says that many of those who turned away after hearing His “hard teachings”  had actually considered themselves to be “disciples”  (v. 66). Yes, this is a troubling story indeed.

Jesus finally asked His 12 remaining followers, “Do you also want to go away?”  (v. 67) What a question! You see, it’s one thing to say you’re following Jesus when everyone else is—when it’s the culturally expected thing to do. But what if the tide of public opinion is flowing in the opposite direction? Where will you stand in that day?

Peter’s response to Jesus’ question has often been portrayed as heroic, but I’m not sure that’s quite accurate. He replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”  (v. 68).

Yes, Peter was absolutely correct that there was no one else he could follow who would be able to provide eternal life (see John 14:6). Yet his response could also be interpreted to imply several less virtuous traits: (1) Peter seems to have already given some thought  to what his “other options” might be, and (2) he perhaps would have been open to some other option if it seemed a feasible alternative.

Could it be that Peter was secretly wishing there was some other  Messiah who had a “kinder and gentler” message? Or was he tempted to regret that he and his fellow disciples had left behind their fishing nets, tax offices, and other occupations to put their destiny squarely in Jesus’ hands?

Regardless of what Peter may have been thinking at the time, he made the right choice in the end. So I guess it’s OK to wrestle with God’s call as long as we ultimately heed it.

I hope some of my 15,000+ Twitter followers will read this blog post. And I pray that a few will count the cost and become true disciples of Jesus.

What about you? Are you only following Christ because it’s the socially acceptable thing to do among your friends or family? Are you willing to follow even if others turn away at His hard teachings, after they’ve received their fill of miracles, bread, and fish?

Be honest.