Pray Network Forum

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 5,000 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 5,000-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. It’s one of my favorite events in the Bible—but it had a troubling aftermath.

After Jesus fed the 5,000 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 that 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 5,000+ 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.

"Amazing God Encounters:
Evidence of God's Intervention In The Lives of Ordinary People Today!"

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=> Jesus Kills the Snake god
=> Speaking Foreign Languages the Easy Way
=> Prayer Creates Openness for the Gospel
=> Multiplication of Money
=> Miracle in Asbest
=> Healed of Cancer by a Prophetic Word
=> Amazing Miracle at the Border
=> When the Doctor Prays
=> God's Electroshock Treatment
=> “Ask” and He Will Find…Even the Small Stuff
=> Delivered From Smoking without Asking
=> How Many Souls Can You Win to Christ?
=> Healed While Watching Television
=> Muslims Meet Jesus through Dreams
=> Turn-around in Ben Futuro Prison
=> Angels Protect the Mission Station
=> God Guards Against Muggers
=> When the gods Drown
=> Miraculously Protected in the Jungle
=> The Lame Walk
=> Muslim Leader Inadvertently Helps Church Grow
=> Five Years without Sleep
=> Spear Throwers Find Peace
=> Kidneys Healed, Doctor Amazed
=> Healed by Forgiveness
=> 9/11 Survivor Becomes International Evangelist
=> Fire Walking Ceremony Turns into Gospel Outreach
=> When the Demon Leaves the Bus
=> Samuel the Leper: No Excuses
...and many more!

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Whether you make New Years resolutions or not, I hope you'll benefit from this article.

 10 Tips For Your Resolutions

Eddie Smith

Can you believe it? It's almost 2013! What in the world happened to 2012? Some of us are on Christmas vacations visiting loved ones. Others’ homes are packed with loved ones and their suitcases. Most are probably still trying to finish off the pies, cakes and cookies from Christmas! Alice and I are at home in Houston recovering from Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. We enjoyed a fun day with most of our children and grandchildren on the 24^th. It’s increasingly harder by the year to get everyone together on the same day. Now it’s on to 2013.

New Years is typically thought of as a time for renewed hope. At this time of the year most of us focus on new goals and opportunities. Perhaps like us, you are praying for and looking for God’s direction in the new year. If so, let’s continue to trust Him faithfully and do what is at hand. We should never open the door to worry. Worry is calling into question God’s integrity; or as our sweet friend, the late Zig Ziglar would say: “It’s paying interest on a bill that’s not yet due.” Truth is that very little of what most of us worry about ever comes to pass. Likewise, let’s not become so focused on the future that we lose sight of the present opportunities that we have. Instead, let’s take the next step that the Lord places in front of us, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the moment.

New Years is an exciting time for all! The custom of celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of another is celebrated around the world, and goes back thousands of years into the Roman and Babylonian times. People ring in the new year with lots of noise and fun. Unfortunately, in many cases, it’s also accompanied by drunkenness. Perhaps the most obvious celebrations to those of us who live in the U.S. are the local celebrations in our towns; the watch night New Years Eve services in our churches; and the celebration which is televised from New York’s Times Square each year.

New Years Day is possibly the most celebrated holiday in the world. Here in the U.S., there are many locally- and nationally-televised New Years Day parades. When I lived in Hollywood, California in the 1960s I remember how my neighbors would take their sleeping bags to sleep on the streets in Pasadena to secure a good spot from which to watch the Rose Bowl Parade. I like football and parades. But I don’t love them enough to exchange my warm bed for a night on the sidewalk! 

Many people believe that eating a lucky food on New Years Day is the key to a Happy New Year. While Alice and I will eat black eyed peas and cornbread on New Years Day, which is customary here in the South, we won’t do it for luck. Our steps are ordered by the Lord, not “luck.” <smile> We’ll do it because it’s absolutely delicious!

One New Years tradition is the making of resolutions. I never believed much in New Years Resolutions. My New Years Resolution was usually NOT to make any New Years Resolutions. But I admit that it does offer a good opportunity to pause and reflect on our lives. That tradition dates back to the early Babylonians who some believe made New Year's resolutions as promises made to the gods, like bargaining in hope that the gods would grant some favor in return, like a good harvest. Not surprisingly then it was also believed that to break a New Years resolution brought bad luck. 

The Bible doesn’t speak for or against the concept of New Years resolutions. But it does encourage us to examine ourselves. And gives us many “to dos.” But as we all know, making New Years resolutions is only one half of the battle. Keeping the ones we make is the hard part. Christian researcher, George Barna and his Barna Group, report that 30% of those who make resolutions resolve to improve their health. That’s certainly a worthy goal, since we are stewards of our own bodies. However, we’re told that only 46% of those who make resolutions actually stick with them after six months. 

However, if you are inclined to make some resolutions this year, I’d like to offer 10 suggestions.

1. Most resolutions are based on little more than wishful thinking. Ask the Lord to lead you in the matter. He offers His strength to that which He initiates.
2. Don’t set goals out of emotion or ego; or emulate others. Pick realistic goals, things that you feel equipped to achieve.
3. Don’t allow discouragement from any failure to reach last year’s goals dissuade you from setting goals this year.
4. Don’t pick too many goals. That only indicates a lack of priorities.
5. Be flexible. Life is about balance. These aren’t laws. Be willing to adjust along the way. Goals that increase your stress to unhealthy levels are not good, even if you are able to accomplish them.
6. “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” Break larger goals into smaller goals. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 14:28 about how a man who builds a tower should first sit down and estimate the cost. 
7. Don’t select vague, uninspiring goals. Be specific. It’s not about “losing weight.” It’s about “weighing 15 pounds less by March 1^st.”
8. Write your resolutions down and keep them where you can see them. The resolutions we keep and goals we achieve are those that become habitual.
9. Don’t think that New Years is the only time you can make resolutions. Every day is a day that the Lord has made (Psa 118:24). Rejoice and be glad in it and make it count for His glory!
10. Consider God’s ultimate purpose. He wants to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus. (Rom 12:1-2) So, perhaps a good place to start would be with the “the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit,” which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance and faith. Give yourself a grade for each of these. Which one(s) need improvement? If in doubt, ask someone who knows and loves you enough to help. What are some resolutions you might make to reinforce that/those part(s) of your life?  

Finally, make your resolution commitments to yourself. Always be careful and take your vows to God much more seriously. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 tells us: “ When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.”

Enjoy an abundant 2013!

In his book “Fearless” Max Lucado writes, “Prayer is the saucer into which parental fears are poured to cool. Jesus says so little about our parenting, makes no comments about spanking, breast-feeding, sibling rivalry, or schooling. Yet his actions speak volumes about prayer. . . Bring your children to me. Raise them in a greenhouse of prayer.” ¹

A greenhouse is a glass structure for the growing of tender plants letting in the warmth of the sun to keep the tender plants warm and safe. Just so, the lives of grandparents can reflect the love of God’s Son, Jesus on the lives of their grandchildren. Praying they will grow strong, developing godly character, as they are being watered with God’s Word.

Parents and grandparents cannot protect their children from every threat that comes into their lives. However if we are believers in Jesus Christ we have one to which we can take each need into the greenhouse of prayer. If we don’t know how to pray for them,   we can ask them how they would like us to pray for them or be in communication with their parents about their needs.

In the wintertime, we often place our plants in a greenhouse to protect them from the severe cold weather. When the storms of life are hitting our grandchildren, they need a “greenhouse of prayer” for protection from the evil one who is seeking to destroy their faith. 

In Proverbs we read “God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.” ² Pray for your grandchildren’s parents to be God-loyal trustworthy, living honest lives, having wisdom to teach them to develop godly character. It is easier to teach children godly character when they are young than when they grow older.

Take your grandchildren to a safe warm place, the “greenhouse of prayer” every day so they will grow to be strong godly men and women.

Next week I will share with you an introduction to the Grandparents @ Prayer intercessory prayer ministry, which you will not want to miss.

¹ Max Lucado, Fearless, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2009), p. 60.

²Proverbs 20:7 (MSG)

“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying,

‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.” – Jeremiah 6:14

A family member, who would like to remain anonymous, recently got the flu. Her head and throat ached, she was badly congested, and her cough was horrific. So she asked me to get her some cough drops among the other medications she needed to relieve her distress.

I virtually cleaned out the local CVS store, trying to find anything that might help, and I didn’t forget the cough drops. After researching the ingredients on the labels of several different brands, I found the highest-potency cough drops I could find.

When I returned with my bag of over-the-counter remedies, she was grateful for my efforts. But the cough drops weren’t the kind she had really wanted. Luden’s Wild Cherry Cough Drops were the ones she had in mind.

Of course, I was quite familiar with Luden’s Cough Drops. As a kid, they were my first choice whenever I got a cold or sore throat. And they tasted so good that I sometimes bought them simply as candy.

So I returned to CVS to buy the specified cough drops, and I noticed that their name has changed over the years. They’re no longer even called “cough drops,” but Luden’s now refers to them as “Great Tasting THROAT Drops.” Instead of ingredients to kill germs or open nasal passages, the only active ingredient in this classic product is pectin, the same component used to thicken jams and jellies. And, of course, the “great tasting” part comes from being mostly comprised of sugar and corn syrup.

My encounter with Luden’s Throat Drops is a great picture of why America’s fiscal and moral problems seem to never improve. You see, our tendency is to choose Luden’s Throat Drops—something that tastes good for a moment—over any kind of real cures. And we’re terribly prone to select national and local leaders who will give us candy instead of substantive solutions.

When our nation’s problems don’t get better, we express surprise that the Luden’s Throat Drops didn’t work. It turned out that they weren’t truly medicine at all. But at least they tasted good.

How bad will our national “flu” have to become before we’re ready for true solutions, no matter how unpleasant they may be? When will we cry out to God in national repentance and desperation, asking Him to apply the healing balm of the Gospel instead of the candy-coated solutions of the politicians?

Yesterday I got the following letter from a friend:

Yesterday, the president of Egypt made a decree appointing me a Senator in the congress. I was hesitating at the beginning to confirm the appointment, but now with prayers and thinking , I am more inclined to go

Into the post. The situation is terribly difficult and critical, working in a congress of 80% radical Muslims majority. Too many tasks and laws are put in front of this conference, which may last for few months only!  I need your prayers for extra shoot of wisdom and energy.

Peace and love,

Freddy

Please join me in praying for this dear brother at this important and strategic time that he would be a Joseph or a Daniel.

Melvin

Christmas: A Lot to Think About

By Rick Ezell

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19 NIV).

Mary had a lot to think about.

Did you ever think about what it would be like to be chosen for a special, but very difficult task? 

Mary was living in the midst of biological impossibilities. This alone gave Mary plenty to think about. For the reputation of having a child outside the bond of marriage was going to follow her. And though the message comes from God, and the cause is His intervention, who is going to believe you?

Did you ever think about what it would be like to be compelled to take a trip when you are in your ninth month of pregnancy?

God moves in interesting ways. The Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem, but Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth. So God prepares the way by having Rome do a census. Everyone has to go to his or her town of origin. For Joseph and Mary, this was Bethlehem. I am sure to them, this was hardly good news. Who wants to take a 90 mile trip just to satisfy an emperor's whim? And who wants to do it when you are expecting a child? And on top of that, they both probably walked. They were probably too poor to afford a donkey (even though it is often pictured this way).

When they finally made it to Bethlehem, they would be absolutely exhausted. What happens then? No room is found in the inn.

Did you ever think about what it would be like to be rejected when you are about to give birth?

Can you imagine taking a trip to the hospital, get to the entrance, and they say, "Sorry, we are full"? You can't imagine that, can you? But for Joseph and Mary, when they arrived, there was no place for them to go. Labor had begun; the pains were beginning. And for this couple, so far away from home, it had to seem like nothing was going right. This was like one disaster after another. They could do without these kinds of adventures.

Did you ever think about what it would be like to give birth in a stable?

We don't know how they ended up in the stable. We don't know if it belonged to the inn or they found it some other way. Nevertheless, the birthplace for Jesus was a place where animals were kept. Whether it was a barn or a cave, we don't know, though in that area the latter was more common. Regardless, it would be smelly and damp. And it is here; our Savior makes his way through the birth canal, and is born.

I almost to hesitate to tell you, but the line "No crying he makes" in the hymn has no biblical basis. Jesus probably cried a lot, like most babies. And did all the things that babies do. Even the yucky, disgusting things. Yet at the same time...

Did you ever think about what it would be like to be parents to the perfect child?

I have come across parents that think their children are perfect. And I have known some children that acted like they were perfect. But when Joseph and Mary gazed into the eyes of Jesus, they were looking at divine eyes. And when they kissed him, they kissed the face of God.

There was much for Mary to think about, because though she bore this child, the baby did not belong to her. She really belonged to Him!

Did you ever think about what it would be like to be visited by common ordinary shepherds?

Just a few miles away in Jerusalem was Herod's magnificent temple. So, doesn't it seem that a king should have come? Or how about the high priests and those that served in that temple?
Shouldn't they have come? After all, this is the King of kings.

But who comes? The common, ordinary, and in the eyes of many, the unworthy. Shepherds were viewed as unclean and unfit. And they are the first visitors.

Mary had to think, why are they the first?

I see it simply as this-The uncommon comes to the common to identify with us.

Did you ever think about what it would be like to hear that you are not alone?

Sometimes, we believe that we are facing what we are facing alone. Mary and Joseph may have felt like that, but they soon found out that they were not alone. They were not the only ones to know about their son. God had provided for them spiritual companionship. These shepherds know this baby is the Savior. . This is the Messiah, the Lord.

Mary has all the verification she needs. The shepherds have the sign right. Jesus was in the manger and who expects a baby to be in a manger? This was no coincidence.

For Mary, she had to see that in the midst of all these crazy circumstances that God was in it. And now, God was in her heart. In one transcendent moment, Mary came to realize something. Mary's mind may have been flooded with questions, but one questioned was answered. The question: Who was this baby boy? The answer: The Savior of the world. From that day forward Mary took Jesus in her heart.

Mary treasured all these things in her heart. Will you? He is God, who died for you. Jesus is a heart thing. It is not enough to see him and talk to him. It's not enough to know him. It's not enough to understand him. We must treasure him in our hearts.

Copyright 2012, Rick Ezell

Immanuel

עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ (H6005 Strong's Number)

A close look at meanings of the letters of Immanuel utilizing both the Hebrew Alphabet and the Alphabet used in Abraham's time, shows that the name Immanuel, which is often interpreted "God with us" has a wonderful significance for us.

The name speaks of the urging of the Strong Leader through mighty knowledge and insight (God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit) securing life.—The Strong Leader is Jesus Christ.

Christ came to earth for us through the mighty knowledge and insight of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit and secured life for us, by dying for us at Calvary. It was the greatest action of love that has ever been seen.

Not only is God with us, but He has secured life for us through His Son, Jesus!

All He asks is for us to believe in Him. John 1:12 says “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

Now when you hear the name Immanuel, remember it speaks of why Christ came to earth. He wants us to believe in Him, and when we do, truly God is with us.

©2012 Lewis Turner

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 190 | Wed 19 Dec 2012

CHRISTMAS HERALDS HOPE FOR THE WORLD

by Elizabeth Kendal

We are 12 years into the 21st Century; 64 years on from the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 23 years past the fall of Communism in Europe and the end of the Cold War. Yet the world is not a safer place, especially for Christians. For, while positives have progressed, so too have negatives. And while proud, self-sufficient humanity likes to congratulate itself on the positives, it is not very good at tackling the negatives. For decades now, dangerous religious nationalism has been building in post-colonial emerging democracies such as Sri Lanka, and especially India. It is 33 years since the successful Shi'ite Revolution in Iran and the failed Sunni Revolution in Saudi Arabia triggered the Saudi-funded global expansion of Sunni Islamic fundamentalism, which is pro-Sharia, pro-jihad, supremacist, imperialist and intolerant.

Yet these past decades have been decades of phenomenal Church growth, specifically throughout the non-Western world. In 1960 the Church was predominantly white, Western and middle-class. Today the Church is some 80 percent coloured, non-Western and poor. These Christians - who include many converts - live as counter-cultural, vulnerable religious minorities in increasingly hostile environments in states with poor human rights records. Yet their numbers still increase as the Church continues to grow despite everything the devil throws at it. And that brings us to the key issue: the escalating persecution we are witnessing is Satan's response to Church growth. 'For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.' (Ephesians 6:12 ESV.) Satan is fighting back as should be expected. So how should we respond to this? We are to respond with endurance (Hebrews 10:35-39), prevailing prayer (Ephesians 6:18) and steadfast faith (Isaiah 30:15) in the one who secured our victory by means of the cross.

This year multitudes of Christians will be celebrating Christmas behind barricades and with armed guards to prevent terror attacks and mob violence. Those of us who are accustomed to worshipping in freedom can hardly imagine such a scenario. This year the Indonesian government will heighten security 'in seven areas believed to be prime targets for terrorist attacks ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations'. The areas which will receive special attention are East Java, Central Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Central Sulawesi, Bali and Maluku. From 23 December 2012 to 1 January 2013 'police will heighten security at the 38,499 registered churches across Indonesia'. (Jakarta Globe). Instead of celebrating Christmas outdoors as they like to do, most Christians across northern Nigeria will remain inside their churches, behind the barricades and armed guards. The general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Musa Asake, expressed anxiety about the prospect of Christmas bombings and appealed through CBS News for Christians to pray that 'the Lord will intervene to protect churches'.

One of Iraq's leading Shi'ite clerics, Ayatollah Ahmad Al Hassani Al Baghdadi is currently in Syria, supporting the jihad against Assad. He has just issued a fatwa labelling Iraqi Christians as 'polytheists' [because they worship a trinity] and 'friends of the Zionists'. He has decreed they must choose 'Islam or death' and that 'their women and girls may legitimately be regarded wives of Muslims'. This fatwa may well increase the likelihood of a terror attack against Iraqi Christians this Christmas. Also it is difficult to imagine that foreign jihadis in Syria will let Christians gather and celebrate Christmas in peace and with security when their intention is to eradicate Christianity from the whole Middle East. In totalitarian states such as Eritrea, Algeria and all through Asia, Christians worshipping in unregistered ('illegal') house fellowships will worship, as usual, at risk of arrest. Christians in Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, Maldives and India will also worship at great risk, while Christians in Somalia, Afghanistan and North Korea will worship in total secret and near silence.

But worship and celebrate we all will, for we celebrate the coming of the one who changes everything: Jesus Christ, son of David, Son of God. He came to redeem his people and establish his Church. What started with a band of disciples - most of whom were martyred - he has built into a Church that is hundreds-of-millions-strong. What is more, he is building still and Satan, though he fight with 'the energy of despair', cannot stop him. Though this relentless battle leaves us weary, Christ is resilient. Though we bruise like fragile reeds and fade like spent lanterns, the promise is that Jesus Christ, the Lord of Hosts, will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth (from Isaiah 42:3,4). The one whose coming we celebrate at Christmas is the one who in grace gives strength to those who will trust him, that the battle might be turned back. He is the one in whom we hope. Yes, Christmas is worth celebrating, for Christmas heralds hope for the world.


A CHRISTMAS PRAYER FOR IMPERILLED CHRISTIANS

As we lift our hearts and hands to the God of all Creation, we confess that our hearts are heavy with anxiety for our persecuted fellow believers; we confess that our hands are empty for there is nothing material that we could offer that could stop the violence. But come we do, because we know that while we are limited, you our God are not; for you are the Almighty living God (Psalm 77:10-13) and nothing is impossible for you (Luke 1:37). Indeed you are willing and able to do abundantly more than we could ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We come because we know that you love us with an everlasting love; that you speak, work and rule in our interests; and that you are 'for us' (Psalm 56:9) and one with us (Romans 6:5), having been given to us (the Church) as our head (Ephesians 2:22). And so we cry to you: May the Lord of hosts himself guard his churches and secret fellowships this Christmas. May the Holy Spirit draw all imperilled believers into prayer, trusting that you will answer as soon as you hear it (Isaiah 30:19). And may the name of Jesus Christ be exalted throughout all the nations with songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One (Isaiah 24:16). AMEN


RLPB 191 will be issued on 02 Jan 2013


To view this RLPB with hyperlinks, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog at

http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

For Critical Prayer Requests (CPR) for the nations, see http://criticalprayerrequests.blogspot.com.au

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal's blog 'Religious Liberty Monitoring'

http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com

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 is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology.

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>.

Does the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas”¹ Frank Sinatra made popular in the 50’s make you blue and gloomy? Does the thought that you are not going to see all of your children and grandchildren during this Christmas season make you sad? Grandparents love to be with their loved ones to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. My husband and I will miss several of our family members this year at our family gathering, so we can identify with you if you are disappointed.

However, during my winter morning routine of sitting by the fire, having a cup of tea I was reading from my favorite devotional book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I was reminded of the wonderful gift of God’s presence in my life and the peace that is available to fill my deepest longings when my focus is on Him.

God never meant for us to be self-sufficient, He designed us to need Him so we will stay close to Him and be complete in Him. He is sitting at the right hand of God waiting for us to bring our loneliness and heavy heart to Him.

Very often, I want to figure out how to solve my own issues. Sometimes I try to bury or deny my neediness by pacifying my longings with people or possessions. God carefully designed our longings and feelings of incompleteness, to point us to Him to weather the storms of life.

Sarah Young writes, “When your focus is broad enough to include Me in your thoughts, you feel safe and complete. When your perception narrows so that problems or details fill your consciousness, you feel empty and incomplete.”²

During the Christmas season, we often hear Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a Child is born and He will be called Wonderful Counselor”. A counselor is an adviser, an advocate or one who gives guidance and instruction. With the promise of Jesus as our counselor, ask yourself, “What need am I holding in my heart, that I can trust God with today?”

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the privilege to wrap our neediness, our concerns, our loneliness, and our worries in a package and give it to Jesus this Christmas. He is waiting to receive your package so He can give us a gift, which will be beyond our comprehension.

Prayer

Dear Father, I want to come to you with all my neediness.

Forgive me for trying to bury and deny my thoughts and feelings,

 pacifying my deepest wishes with people or possessions.

Help me to focus my thoughts on You so I will be aware of your presence.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

¹ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pk-SLQPYJ0

² Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004). p 358.

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December 2012
IRM on the web www.prayersummits.net Upcoming Prayer Summits/Events Thanks for your ongoing prayers for IRM.  For a complete list of both upcoming and past Prayer Summits/Events see the  Calendar on our website. The 6:4 Fellowship The 6:4 Fellowship is a pastor-to-pastor community that exists to encourage, equip and connect pastors toward the priorities of prayer and the ministry of the Word.  Every pastor could benefit by being a member of this ministry.  Great encouragement in a great direction. Abide Ministries abide.prayersummits.net	Joy to the World!  The Lord has come!  Wishing You a  "Mary" Christmas Greetings in Jesus!   Merry Christmas to each of you!  Or perhaps I should say, M-a-r-y Christmas to you.  In place of a written article from me this month, please take a look at my 2 minute video Christmas greeting to you! Thanks for your heart for the King and His kingdom! Dennis And... I invite you to take a look at some special Christmas prices on both Living Prayer and United and Ignited.  These prices will only be good through this Saturday, Dec 15th.  But we can get them to you in time for Christmas.   Finally, I urge you to take a look at the just-released book by long-time IRM board member and representative, Steve Hall.  Now is the time to purchase a copy for yourself and consider others who would be blessed by it.  I Want to Know More of Christ is a 365 day devotional on the majesty of Jesus!  You can begin at any time, but why not begin on January 1? Intercessor's Note I have only one request for those of you who intercede for IRM.  Please take some time to give Jesus some fresh worship during this time of year when we are reflecting on His amazing Incarnation! Thanks again to each of you who prays for me and for IRM.  See the calendar for other events to pray for.   We truly appreciate knowing that you are praying. If you have time,  click here when you have taken these requests before the throne. This will take you to a page where you can let us know you are partnering with us so we can thank you personally.    Thanks again for your heart for Jesus and us!   Dennis

International Renewal Ministries 1400 NE 136th Avenue Suite 201 Vancouver, Washington 98684 US Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

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Intercessors Note November 29, 2012 Upcoming Events 2012 Pacific Northwest City Impact Roundtable Dec 3 & 4, 2012  Holiday Discount on Prayer Books In the spirit of giving... We would like to give you a significant discount for the first two weeks of December!  Between the 1st and the 15th you can purchase either Living Prayer: the Lord's Prayer Alive in You OR United or Ignited: Encountering God through Dynamic Corporate Prayer for just $10.00 per copy!  And we will even pay most of the shipping and handling!  No limit.  Consider who would be blessed by these gifts.   A Time of Thanksgiving  What WAS I thankful for?  Your prayers for me over the past few weeks!   Honestly the ministry opportunities I had have gone very well.  Many times there was a clear sense of His presence and clear direction of what should be said or done.  Thanks so much! What AM I thankful for?  Too many things to mention, but one of them is for the anticipation of your prayers over the next couple weeks! From Thanksgiving through New Years, I have fewer outside ministry opportunities, but here are a couple specific ways I would ask you to pray for me and for IRM. This weekend, I have the privilege of preaching for a friend who is recovering from a stem cell transplant.  Please pray as I share this Sunday, Dec 2 with his precious people here in Portland, OR. The following two days, Dec 3-4 I get to help facilitate the 10th annual Pacific Northwest City Impact Roundtable.  About 100 leaders from up and down the I-5 corridor will be gathering at the Luis Palau offices for 2 days of input and discussion on the topic of how the church can be more impactful in their communities through prayer and servanthood.  Please pray for these days.  They have tremendous possibility. Finally, Please pray over the next few weeks as I help assemble a 40 day prayer guide specifically designed for our county.  We anticipate a few thousand of these booklets being distributed.  Right now we are “behind the scenes” taking care of the details.  But we want all aspects of this to bring glory to Jesus!  So we need your prayers. You may find out more at http://www.ccprayerconnect.net.   Thanks again for your love expressed through prayer! Blessings,   Dennis Fuqua International Renewal Ministries   If this newsletter has impacted you in any way we encourage you to pass on the message to others who may be interested. Also, let us know you're praying for us by visiting our "prayer log." Click here.

International Renewal Ministries 1400 NE 136th Avenue Suite 201 Vancouver, Washington 98684 US Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

The last three days have definitely been, “a time to weep . . . a time to mourn” (Eccl. 3:4). Another mass shooting, this time in the Sandy Hook Elementary School of Newtown, CT.  Like many who have been involved in one of these mass shootings and its aftermath (and many others who have not), I sat glued to the TV, listening to reports that were correct, incorrect and partly correct.  Emotions that lay buried, rushed back with images of crying children, frantic parents, worried grandparents, first responders, law enforcement officials, emergency vehicles, news media, yellow crime-scene tape, press conferences, etc. Two statements got my attention and would not let go. “All the students and staff have been accounted for . . . except there is an entire class missing.” The result would be twenty children, 6 and 7 year-olds, killed as they sat innocent in their classroom.  Our Lord, who loved children so very much, said, “It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14). It is comforting to know that nothing about this evil tragedy was God’s perfect will.  In fact, evil did not originate with God.  It originated with man.  With all that is within me, I resist those who glibly say, “This was just God’s will.”  Murder is a violation of God’s command (Exodus 20:13). You cannot take a violation of God’s law and make it God’s will.  The second comment that stuck in my mind was in the form of a question posed by CBS Commentator Bob Schieffer, “Is this the new normal?”  With sixteen such mass shootings in America this year alone, one would have to agree that it is.  I remember the Counselors who assisted in our Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting, telling us that nothing in our minds could comprehend the acts of the lone gunman.  Our minds are like a computer that searches for a file, humming and humming, but not finding it. Likewise, our minds contain no “file” for such senseless acts of violence, especially in places of worship and study.  Further, the Counselors said, “Nothing will be normal again.  You must establish a new normal and move on with life.”  Only those who have been through such tragedies can understand the painful difficulty of establishing a new normal. If for no other reason than the establishment of a new normal, we should pray for the families of the twenty-six deceased, even as we “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

As I think about the tears and grief of the families in Newtown, Connecticut, I can't help but be reminded in this Advent season of the tears and grief of the families in Bethlehem whose babies were killed after Jesus' birth.  And I can't help but think that Advent speaks directly into this horrific event.

I'm certain that Satan would do anything to blind us to the real issues behind senseless tragedies like this.  But this is not a gun-control issue, and it's not an issue of bad childhoods or psychological problems or family shortcomings.  It's not even primarily an issue about school safety, although there are certainly some legitimate concerns there.  At its heart, this is an issue of sin - and that's exactly the issue that Advent addresses.

This is the season where we remember that Jesus came into the world to address this exact problem.  God made him who had no sin to be sin (or a sin offering) for us [2 Cor. 5:21].  We say these things and we believe them, but they can be so abstract.  Events like the shooting in Newtown take sin out of the abstract and paint it in all its ugliness. 

Jesus' coming into the world and giving himself for us freed us from slavery to sin and from the condemnation that results from sin.  But it didn't free us from the pain of sin, as Jesus himself warned us in John 16:33.  But an Advent is still coming - an Advent that will, indeed, free us from the pain of sin by wiping sin away.  Revelation 21 pictures that great day.  Verse 4 tells us that "there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

God has intervened in human history, but he's not done.  That day is not here yet, but it is coming.  Meantime, how do we pray in times like this?  I'm sure there are many good answers, but here's how I'm praying:

• That God will use this tragedy to point out people's need for him and to draw people to himself.
• That God will speak to those who think they have plenty of time to make a decision for him, increasing their sense of urgency.

• That God will comfort the families who lost loved ones.  That he will bring those families together and raise up support for them.

• That God will use his church to minister comfort, peace, and grace - in Newtown to the families affected and more widely to people asking difficult questions.

• That God will intervene in the lives of others who are going down the same path that Adam Lanza traveled, turning them around like he turned around Paul, and preventing similar atrocities.

Inevitably, many will question God's goodness in times like this.  They'll wonder why he didn't intervene to protect the children and adults who were killed.  Some, unable to wrestle with the problem of sin, will even blame God for the tragedy.

God could have dealt with the problem of sin in many ways.  He could have withheld from men freedom of choice, making us little more than automatons with no option but to do his will.  He could have chosen to destroy each person whenever they sinned, in which case there would be no people left.  God had many options.  His sovereign choice was to enter humanity as a baby, dealing with the problem of sin by sacrificing his only Son. 

The answer to sin is not legislation vainly attempting to restrain the violence of men's hearts.  It's not ever more complex and comprehensive security systems attempting to prevent these tragedies.  It's not family counseling in an attempt to help people cope with their issues.  It's a baby, who grew to be a man, who gave his life to save ours.  Advent speaks directly into tragedies like Newtown, and gives us as believers not only comfort that God cares and that he intervenes, but also answers to tragedy that no human source could ever provide.  And the promise of yet another Advent gives us hope and courage as we look forward to a day that will be very different from this one.

I’ve watched the influence of the church ebb and flow for the past 30 years, and I have to confess that in most cases, the message and energy behind a movement was much more impressive than the fruit it created. Maybe my expectations are high, but based on the time, money, energy, promotion and presentations strategy that’s flowed into the public arena in the name of modern Christian ministry, I believe that, if Christ-followers were giving our time and attention to the right things, we would see much more lasting fruit in the world.

Before I go too far into the deep end of the pool where it sounds like I’m just splashing around and complaining, let me preface these thoughts with my confession. I’m a committed member of a local body that is using it’s time and resources to build the kingdom and send the gospel around the world. We’re not a perfect church, and I’m not a perfect Christ-follower. Yet I have to return to the standards by which Jesus gave us to measure myself, and periodically ask “How am I doing? How is my church doing? Are we fulfilling the commands Jesus gave us to make disciples, expand his kingdom and transform the world?”

In business or ministry, it’s easy to be busy – and still accomplish little of lasting value, and the larger the church, the more momentum the congregation can create, and by mistaking momentum for God’s presence and anointing, churches can carry on for years (decades), never fulfilling the great commission in a way that is commensurate with their abilities, gifts, resources, and calling.

Ouch. As Christ–followers, we all know this is true. We just want it to be true of other churches . . .  “those guys over there” . . .  not us.

Looking Back

In the past 40 years, since the Jesus People movement of the 60’s, the corresponding Charismatic movement in the churches, and the explosion of creativity which followed, contemporary Christianity has become its own subculture. Social calendars in every major city are filled with Christian concerts, conferences, cruises, musicians, magicians, comedians, authors, and events in ways that would have never happened just 40 years ago. When I came to Christ, contemporary Christian music was only found in dimly light coffee houses, street corners, and barn pastures. How things have changed.

My lament is not meant to criticize, but revolves around this single idea. As the culture changed, and contemporary Christian ideas became part o the larger church culture, Christians thought, and popular magazines of the contemporary Christian movement proclaimed that the cultural acceptance and transformation would carry with it deeper Christian influence in the world. We thought that because Christian music was appearing on the airwaves along with other top 40 and rock and roll music, that Christianity would be more accepted, and have greater influence. As money flowed into the Christian subculture grew in the name of evangelism, missionary and outreach budgets shrunk, and yet Christian influence in our culture diminished. Something is wrong with this picture.

At the same time Christian concerts, music, conferences, art, t-shirts and book stores have proliferated, the church’s influence on the secular world has measurably decreased. Virtually every survey has revealed fewer people attending churches, fewer people believing and regularly reading the bible as a source of their faith. The country and the church has more divorces, more violence, more single parent homes, and more brokenness. By any objective measurement, the gospel is making less of an impact on the American continent today that is was 50 years ago.

Jesus said that our Father’s will was that we bear fruit, and that our fruit remains, and this is the reason for this retrospection. I’m not writing to condemn or criticize. I’m writing to say, with the exception of a few pockets, the church today has a huge disconnect between our effort, activity, and outcome. We are called to be salt and light in a decaying and dark world. Over the past 40 years, we’ve lost ground.

Spending our Resources for Eternity.

I’m not writing today to propose one size fits all, uninformed solutions. I’m not that arrogant. I’m writing to ask four simple questions.

• Is there passion in your heart for what you’re doing, and for what your church is doing? Confirmation of God’s blessing and purpose is passion. If our hearts are cold, it’s time to do visit the Heart Surgeon, empty our hands of everything that consumes our time and energy, and give him permission to change things, and change me.
  
  
• Are you living on purpose or just spending time?  Jesus and his followers in the church’s first centuries were clear about their mission. They didn’t allow the needs of the day, hour, or moment, extraneous entertainment and time hungry hobbies, and to pull them away from God’s Word, prayer, and doing the things which God entrusted into their care. They knew they were stewards who would give account, not owners who could do what every they wanted.
  
  
• Is there power in your life, church, family, and ministry . . . real, life changing power? The early church and the Christian church throughout history, during times of revival embraced and flowed with supernatural, life-changing, relationship-healing power. Like a vineyard which no longer yields fruit abundantly, maybe it’s time to ask God to prune our lives, and surrender leaves and branches that consume energy without returning anything of eternal value.
  
  
• How is your prayer life?  In Jesus’ life, passion, purpose, and power all flowed from his connection to his Father in prayer. When the disciples got up in the morning, and Jesus wasn’t around, the gospels tell us that they knew He was off praying. In fact, the only thing that the disciples specifically asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. They knew his life flowed from his Father, and they wanted to live the same way.
  
  

At the heart of what I’m asking is this question. Why don’t we have revival? Why doesn’t the church live like, look like and have the influence on the world like the first century church, and like the church in the US during the Reformation, and the first and second great awakening. The late revivalist Leonard Ravenhill wrote that today's Church didn’t have revival because we are content to live without it. While we can’t manufacture revival, every outpouring of God’s power that changed the course of the world was connected to a period when his people loved and obeyed passionately, lived purposefully, walked in the power of God’s spirit, and prayed fervently.

The world is becoming a darker place. Are we the generation that will start the next great awakening?