Please email office@ipc.org for a copy or to be added to the e-mail list for monthly issues.

Slaughter of Innocence (Revisited)

Emmanuel (God-with-us), why? Is it Your will that children die?
That fear surprise our trusting hearts
and keep our faith at bay?

Of course we know that's not Your plan.
But ever since the world began
it seems that evil stalks its prey
and steals our peace and joy.

Please help us find the means to cope
amid this season of true hope
that calls to mind You came to earth
to know our grief and pain.

In Newtown or in Bethlehem
where Herod-madness strikes again,
may Rachel's tears be wiped away
by One who weeps with us.

13 December 2012

Author - Jonathan Graf

In a recent interview with Outreach magazine, Washington D.C. pastor Mark Batterson hit the nail on the head in describing the difference between a praying church and one that does not really pray.

"Prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do. So if we’re not praying, then the best we can do is the best we can do, and that’s not good enough. When we get on our knees, the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting. Prayer creates the culture and gives people a heart for evangelism, because when you get into God’s presence, you start to get His heartbeat. “

My ministry for the past 15 years has been to try to get pastors and church leaders to understand that prayer will make a difference in their ministries. They need to fight for it and convince reluctant and belligerent leaders who do not value it or recognize its importance (or remove them from leadership if possible if they won’t buy in).

So many churches—in fact, probably most churches in the Western world—are simply operating in their “best we can do strength.” They are ministering out of obedience to the Word, but not out of dependence on the direction and presence of the Holy Spirit and His power. They see some results, so they think they are fine.

But imagine what each church could do if they actually moved beyond their own strength, into the realm of relying on God’s strength for ministry. I still remember when Tommy Barnett spoke at a Prayer Quake prayer leaders’ convention a decade ago. He talked about his church's struggle to get people involved in corporate prayer, praying for direction and power of the Spirit for their church. But that emphasis had a profound effect on the ministry of First Assembly of God. He said in the four years that they had been significantly praying, his church saw more people come to faith in Jesus Christ through their ministry than in his previous 42 years of ministry combined!

Pastor, prayer leader, church leader, as we enter 2013, I challenge you to consider prayer. Fight for it in your church! It will change the way you do church, as it invites the power and presence of God in your midst.

Jonathan Graf is the publisher of Prayer Connect magazine and the president of the Church Prayer Leaders Network.

I recommend three resources to you in your quest to grow prayer in your church:

 The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson will inspire you of the power of prayer. It is available at prayershop.org

 Be Jesus in Your Neighborhood  and Shine His Light will inspire your people to pray for, care for and share Jesus with neighbors and friends

(C) 2012 Prayer Connect magazine.

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 189 | Wed 12 Dec 2012

CHRISTMAS IN THE FREE WEST
- where repression looms as God is forgotten

by Elizabeth Kendal

Secularism essentially mandates the separation of Church and State. It ensures that the Church does not rule over the State (as happened when Popes ruled over states in the Middle Ages) and the State does not rule over the Church (as happens in totalitarian states even today). Traditionally secularism mandates openness wherein all views can be explored and tested in liberty and with security. Movements that seek to eradicate Christianity from the public square are usually driven by cultural totalitarians seeking to remove something they despise and recognise as a threat. Religious repression in the West is mostly led by atheistic humanists who are embarrassed by, ashamed of, or in denial about the West's Christian foundations and heritage. The aggression and shrillness of this intolerant and repressive 'new secularism' leaves many Christians shocked and intimidated. What is required though is courage and conviction: not to cling to tradition; but to assert confidently the value of those Biblical truths that make Judaeo-Christian culture truly great.

In Sweden, whilst public schools are by law non-confessional, Advent services are part of the compulsory curriculum. In an effort to balance Sweden's Christian cultural tradition with the 'new secularism', the government has ruled that Advent services be held - for the sake of tradition - but without prayers or any mention of Jesus - in deference to 'new secularism'. Because there is as yet no law regulating what a pastor can say inside his own church, the school principal will bear the responsibility. Consequently, if the pastor will not consent to delivering a prayer-less and Christ-less Christmas, the principal must decide not to have the compulsory Advent service in the church.

Last year the Scottish government promoted a 'Winter Festival' program, highlighting the main events of the Scottish winter - Christmas was not included. In January 2011 the European Union (EU) Commission issued three million secondary school diaries which detailed Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Chinese festivities and Europe Day, yet made no reference to Christmas or Easter. Responding to complaints, an EU Commission spokesman said that in the interests of political correctness, future school diaries would make no references to any religious festivals.

Unless there is a return to the Lord, Western civilisation as we know it will perish - a consequence of forgetting the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:11-20). 'And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. (v19)' Actually it would be good to see a spiritual struggle for Europe, for at present Europe is in fact surrendering, ashamed of its own Christian foundations and heritage. The West urgently needs revival.

'For whoever is ashamed of me [Jesus Christ] and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.' (Luke 9:26 ESV)

'So everyone who acknowledges me [Jesus Christ] before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.' (Matthew 10:32,33 ESV)


PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL -

* use this Christmas season and even the 'new secularist' opposition to acknowledging Jesus Christ:

    to impassion Western believers, infusing them with a fresh realisation
of what they are celebrating, whom they are celebrating and why all this
is worth celebrating;

     to awaken Westerners to what they will lose if they do not 'wake up, and
strengthen what remains and is about to die . . .' (from Revelation 3:1-6
ESV).

* in his grace and mercy bless the West with revival, so that Christians might overflow with passion, zeal and boldness to declare, despite hostility and in the face of opposition, '. . . I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes . . .' (from Romans 1:16 ESV)

* accept as an offering the risky, counter-cultural gospel witness of his faithful ones, blessing it and using it as seed for revival and to bring many who are new to the West to faith in Jesus Christ.


SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

CHRISTMAS IN THE FREE WEST

Whilst public schools in Sweden are by law non-confessional, Advent services are part of the compulsory curriculum. This year, however, the government has ruled that, though the Advent services are still compulsory, in public schools they must be Christ-less and prayer-less, to try to balance Sweden's Christian cultural tradition with the 'new secularism'. Last year the Scottish government promoted all Scotland's winter festivals except Christmas. This year the European Union Commission published three million secondary school diaries that detailed the feasts, festivals and holidays of all faiths except Christianity, even omitting Christmas and Easter. The West has forgotten the Lord. Revival and returning to him are urgent or else anti-Christian repression, intolerance and hostility will only escalate. Please pray for a Christmas awakening in the West.


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/


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

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.

For her new book 'Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today'

see http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Back-The-Battle-Christians/dp/0980722365

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>.

When I realized December 12, 2012 was coming this month, I got really excited. Wow…12.12.12…so full of biblical significance. And it won’t happen again for another 100 years.

In a nutshell, the number 12 in the Bible always represents ORDER and INCREASE. Order is shown by God’s instructions to arrange the Israelites according to 12 tribes and Jesus’ selection of 12 original apostles. This theme extends all the way to the end of the book of Revelation, where the New Jerusalem is described as having 12 gates, guarded by 12 angels, with a wall that had 12 foundations (Revelation 21:12-14).

I don’t know about you, but I really need God’s divine order in my life. Sadly, I sometimes find my focus to be much like the early creation: “without shape or form” (Genesis 1:2 CEB). I need God’s Spirit to fill my heart and hover over my life, bringing His order to my time, relationships, priorities, and resources.

But in addition to God’s order, I also need Him to give me His supernatural increase. I’m asking the Lord to multiply my resources so I have more at the end of the coming year than I do at its beginning. Psalm 115:14-15 says that “the Lord, who made heaven and earth”…wants to “give you increase more and more, you and your children.” Let it be!

One story in Scripture beautifully illustrates the different strands of the 12.12.12 message. In Mark 6:34-44, Jesus and the 12 disciples confronted the same dilemma many Christian leaders face today: overwhelming needs and limited resources. The disciples logically concluded that they were unable to feed the hungry multitudes, so they should just “send them away” (v. 36).

Have you ever made a similar decision? I have. But Jesus, of course, had an entirely different perspective on the situation: “You give them something to eat,” He told them (v. 37).

As the story continues, we see a fascinating progression of questions—the same thought processes we must use today:

• What is the need? Sometimes we face a crisis in our own life, where we need God to bring His order and increase. More often, though, we’re called upon to remedy a need in the lives of others. This is what the disciples faced in Mark 6. And they analyzed the need quite well, even calculating the immense amount of bread required to feed such a huge crowd.
• What do we have? God never requires what we don’t have, but He does expect us to freely surrender what we DO have. He can turn a simple shepherd’s staff into the rod of God…use the jawbone of a donkey to slay the enemy…or kill huge giants with a slingshot and a stone. So it’s no problem for Him to multiply loaves and fish. However, the miracle can’t begin until we put our resources—no matter how meager they may seem—into His outstretched hands.

• Have we put things in order? It’s interesting that the disciples had to put things in ORDER before the INCREASE came: “He commanded them [the disciples] to make them [the crowd] all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties” (vs. 39-40). If you’re waiting for your increase today, it may well be that God is waiting on you to first make the necessary preparations. Perhaps you remember the story in 2 Kings 3:16-20, where God told people that if they would be faithful to dig trenches in the valley, He would be faithful to fill the trenches with water.

• Do we have our “baskets” ready? Often I hear believers say they’re expecting God to bless them with an increase, yet they’ve done absolutely nothing to demonstrate faith and expectancy for that kind of outcome. After Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes they had given Him, the disciples “picked up 12 full baskets of broken pieces” (v. 43). In the hands of Jesus, their paltry resources not only were enough to meet the need—they were MORE than enough. You see, that’s what increase looks like. Rather than being like the Israelites’ hand-to-mouth existence while eating manna in the wilderness, it’s a life of overflowing abundance, a cup that “runs over” and blesses others (Psalm 23:5, Genesis 12:2).

The 12 disciples brought their resources to Jesus and the unruly crowd into order. The miraculous result was 12 full baskets of leftovers. Aren’t you grateful for the message of 12.12.12?

I pray today—for myself and for you—that we’ll allow God to order our lives according to His perfect plan. May we put all of our resources into His hands, trusting Him to supernaturally bless and multiply them. And may we have our baskets ready for the INCREASE!

When God impresses upon our minds some pleasing thought, everyone is happy.  What about when God sends a displeasing word?  What about when we pray for health and illness lingers? What about when we ask God to send us to a particular place and God sends us elsewhere? What about when we intercede for God to perform some specific act and God does just the opposite? What about when we petition God for rain and no rain falls?  Can we follow God when the response we get from our prayers is a response that is not to our liking?  One day, the Captains of the remnant forces came to Jeremiah with a request for prayer and guidance.  When the prophet agreed to pray and then to tell them what God said, they replied, “Whether it is pleasing or displeasing we will obey the voice of the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 42:6). Nowhere in Scripture or in human experience, are we promised that God will answer our every prayer with pleasing responses, no matter how hard or long we pray, nor how many people we enlist to join us in our requests.  Sometimes, in spite of our efforts, God’s answer is displeasing to us.  Following God when directions are displeasing surely is a mark of spiritual maturity.

Read other blog posts from Dr. Dan at www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

As a child, I was pretty naïve about life. I grew up in a carefree, upper middle class, suburban family, not much different from Ozzie and Harriet or Leave it to Beaver. I always assumed I would have a fairly easy life, accomplishing just about anything I wanted, and accomplishing it in my own strength.

When I became a Christian at age 18, I was pretty naïve about the life awaiting me on my journey of faith. Surely the Lord would guide me to a wonderful life, full of His provision and free from any serious trials or conflicts.

But a funny thing happened on my way to the Celestial City. To my surprise, the highway to the abundant life contained some potholes and speed bumps. My trip to the Promised Land turned out to be a hazardous journey, somewhat akin to an obstacle course.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a great life. But “easy” wouldn’t be the first adjective I’d use to describe it.

I’ve experienced times of financial lack, as well as times of prosperity. I’ve been blessed with excellent health, but have also had a few physical trials to overcome. I’ve been known as a visionary, but sometimes have felt deep discouragement and even depression. And although I’ve had many great relationships, I’ve also known my share of conflicts, some of which are chronicled in my new e-book, The Complete Guide to Church Splits (www.ChurchSplits.com).

Perhaps you can relate to what I’m describing. Like the Israelites, God has delivered us from Egypt and set us on a pathway to the Promised Land. Yes, we’ve come to some roadblocks—like the time when the Israelites’ journey was blocked by the Red Sea—but now we can look back and see great victories.

Yet if you’re like me, you probably aren’t as naïve anymore. You’ve had some experiences you wish had never happened…some things you would like to forget.

After the Israelites’ triumph over the Egyptians at the Red Sea, they faced a trial of another kind:

Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea…And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet…

…Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters (Exodus 15:22-27).

What a fascinating story. God’s people had escaped from captivity in Egypt and had seen the Lord part the Red Sea and miraculously deliver them from Pharaoh’s army. But then they found themselves in a desolate wilderness, where there was no water. Finally, they discovered abundant water at Marah—but the water was bitter.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar place. Despite your sincere attempts to follow God’s leading, you’ve sometimes found yourself in a barren spiritual desert. And right when you think there’s some hope, the water turns out to be bitter.

We live in tough economic times in America, and many believers are finding their faith and their relationships severely tested. They feel frustrated at themselves, their boss (if they still have a boss), their spouse, their church, and perhaps toward the entire Christian life. To compound the frustration, they see a federal government that is increasingly hostile to their beliefs and values. It’s a baffling time if you’ve always had an idealistic view of life.

The truth is, we’ve all encountered the bitter waters of Marah at one time or another. However, there’s good news in this remarkable story: Bitter waters can be turned sweet.

How can this transformation occur? By applying the cross (the tree) to the situation. This requires something more than passive doctrinal assent, however. Yes, “the LORD showed [Moses] a tree,” but nothing significant happened until “he cast it into the waters.”

When applied by faith, the cross provides everything we need to reverse our toxic situations or attitudes. Through the cross…

• We receive forgiveness from God and are reconciled into an intimate relationship with Him.
• We forgive each other, as He has forgiven us.
• We die to ourselves, making it possible to obey God and serve others.
• We see our unfair and toxic circumstances from the vantage point of God’s love and His ability to triumph over evil with good.

Perhaps you’re saying in your heart at this point, “But Jim, what if I’m the only one trying to apply the cross to a toxic situation? How can it possibly work, if everyone else isn’t on board?”

Well, you are partially correct. You might not be able to transform the whole world around you into an oasis of sweet waters. Yet whenever you touch the bitter waters you face with the power of the cross, two things automatically happen: Your own attitudes change, and God is free to bring transformation to others around you as well.

But if you’ve been waiting for GOD to turn your bitter waters sweet, He may be waiting for YOU to embrace the cross and apply it to your circumstances. And instead of waiting for someone else to initiate the healing process, you may need to take the first step. Are you ready?

The story ends with an incredible message of encouragement. When you embrace the cross and die to yourself, you’ll soon be transported from a desert wilderness to a whole new land of blessing—to “Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees.”

Today I had a question burst into my brain when I was reading about Elijah on Mt. Carmel after the Lord had defeated the prophets of Baal.

He had just declared to Ahab (the king) that he should go down to his camp at the base of the mountain and to have something to eat and drink because he, Elijah could hear the sound of a heavy storm coming.

We kno

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 188 | Wed 05 Dec 2012

NIGERIA: THE TERROR OF JIHAD

by Elizabeth Kendal

As was reported in RLPB 187 (28 Nov), up to 20 Christians were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday 25 November in a twin suicide bombing at St Andrew's Protestant Church inside the Jaji military barracks in Kaduna. Investigations indicate that the bombers may have been residents of the barracks and might have built the bomb on site, which would explain why they were granted access to the church without being searched. This raises fears that other military establishments could be similarly targeted. That same week Boko Haram gunmen attacked the headquarters of the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abuja, freeing 30 detainees and killing two policemen. Guards were under strict orders not to shoot. But Nigeria is at war! In Boko Haram's own words on 29 November, 'Jihad [holy war] started now, jihad started now, O enemies of Allah.'

On Saturday night 1 December a band of jihadists attacked Kupwal, a remote village in Chibok Local Government Area (LGA). (That is about 160km south of the Boko Haram stronghold of Maiduguri in Borno, Nigeria's most north-eastern state.) They invaded the Christian district and according to survivors entered 'carefully selected' homes, slitting the throats of the occupants. They then set fire to homes and sacked the whole neighbourhood to chants of 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the greatest). [See http://quran.com/7/4 .] At least 10 people were killed whilst dozens escaped with serious and life-threatening injuries. Observers believe Boko Haram was either responsible or at least complicit.

On Sunday morning 2 December, some 50 Islamic gunmen in cars and on motorbikes attacked a police station, immigration and customs offices and three churches in Gamboru Ngala, Ngala LGA. (That is 140km north of Maiduguri, Borno State, near the border with Cameroon.) Before launching their attack, the jihadists destroyed the mobile phone masts to prevent communication and so compound the crisis. With shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' they opened fire on police, killing five. The churches were torched and Christians living and doing business in the border town were targeted. About two weeks earlier, leaflets had been distributed in which the Islamists declared their intention to impose Taliban-style rule, e.g., women were told to wear the veil and cigarettes were banned. A tailor was subsequently shot for continuing to make clothing the Islamists deemed un-Islamic.

In a 30 November column, author and analyst Raymond Ibrahim explained why persecution such as that described above is 'Islam's Achilles' heel'. Persecution committed by dominant Muslims in Muslim communities - i.e. Muslims who cannot claim to be 'oppressed' or 'aggrieved' - against vulnerable minority Christians is simply impossible to justify. Such persecution exposes Islam as supremacist, totalitarian, intolerant and imperialistic; as a movement that will not rest until the 'other' is totally subjugated. 'And to Allah prostrates whoever is within the heavens and the earth, willingly or by compulsion, and their shadows [as well] in the mornings and the afternoons.' (See http://quran.com/13/15 )

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL -

* rise up on behalf of his traumatised and terrorised people and intervene to rout the enemy and deliver his Church.

'And he [King David] said, "The LORD has burst through my enemies [the Philistines] before me like a bursting flood." Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim [the Lord who bursts through]' (2 Samuel 5:20b ESV).

* bring healing and comfort to his bleeding, broken and grieving people; may he provide all their needs and make his loving presence felt so as to sustain their sorely-tested faith, that they might be 'more than conquerors through him who loved us' (from Romans 8:31-39 ESV).

* give the Nigerian authorities divine wisdom and insight, strength and commitment that they might excel in their battle against the enemies of the state and the enemies of the LORD.

* re-assure the church in northern Nigeria of his protection who is their 'strong city' (Isaiah 26:1). May the church in the south, and indeed the rest of the world, join this battle by praying for the north (Romans 15:30; 2 Corinthians 1:11).

* bless every Nigerian missionary and every witnessing Nigerian with divine courage and power from the Holy Spirit, for this is first and foremost a spiritual struggle (Ephesians 6:12).

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

THE TERROR OF JIHAD IN NIGERIA

A full-blown Islamic jihad is raging in Nigeria and it is terrifying for the Christians of the north on the front-line. On Saturday evening 1 December jihadists attacked the Christian district of a remote village in Borno State. Entering 'carefully selected' homes, they murdered the occupants before sacking and burning the entire neighbourhood to shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the greatest). Ten were killed whilst dozens fled with serious and life-threatening injuries. On Sunday morning 2 December jihadists attacked another village in Borno close to the Cameroon border. With shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' they opened fire on police, killing five, before torching numerous government facilities and three churches. Only weeks earlier, Christians were threatened with violence if they did not leave the area. Please pray for Nigeria.


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/


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

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

http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at http://rlprayerbulletin.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>.

Any thinking believer who is an observer of culture will have to admit that the nation is going in the wrong direction.  In 1 Kings 18:36, 37 we find one of the greatest prayers in the history of faith.  It is here that Elijah is taking on the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah.  They had been shouting and praying and cutting themselves for almost an entire day.  Likely they were exhausted.  When it came near the time for Evening Sacrifice Elijah called the people of Israel to come near to him.  It is important that he did this at this precise time.  The reason is that he was fulfilling the laws concerning sacrifices so that even the non-believing Jews would not ignore or ridicule him over violation of the laws. 

A Thought: Do things properly so that the message is not distorted by sloppy methods.

Here is the prayer:

“O Lord…”  Elijah recognizes that God is the master and that he is the servant who is owned by the master – Yahweh.

“… the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Jacob had his name changed by this time).  This is a reminder of all that the Lord had done in the lives of the greats of their faith.  He was reminding them if God can be actively involved in the lives of the greats than He can be actively involved in our lives.

“… today let it be known that You are God in Israel…”  Here is the big idea in his prayer.  He wanted God again to be the spiritual leader of Israel.  He wanted Jehovah to show Himself in such a way that the people would repent.  He wanted national repentance because that was the heart beat of God. 

A thought:  It is still God’s heart beat for national repentance.

“… and that I am Your servant…” This means that He wanted what God wanted.  He was not in charge but was the “servant – one who acts on behalf of another”.  He was saying that I am at His beck and call.

“… and I have done all these things at Your word…”  The prophet is saying that he is not acting in his own power or desire but in the power and desire of Almighty God.

”Answer me, O Lord…”  This is the second request in the prayer.  He wants God to honor His Words that the servant had stated for Him.  It is not so much that Elijah wanted to be rescued but that the Father would show His power to the disobedient people so that He would be honored and praised again.

“… answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord are God…”  Here is the main request again.  Simply stated it is:  O Lord you are our Savior, show Yourself in a way that the people may know that you are God and repent.

“… and that You have turned their heart back again…” Did you notice that he has not asked for himself to be saved?  He never asks for the fire to fall and burn the sacrifice.  He only asks that God reveal Himself in such a way that it will lead to a national repentance.

You know the results:  Fire fell and consumed the bull, water, wood and altar.

        The people shouted and repented that the Lord is God.

        The nation was restored.

We as a nation have been warned that the Lord is not pleased with us.  Now it is time for a prophet led by God Almighty to rise up from the dust heap that we have become and say to country that it needs to repent.

Prayer:  Lord, would you rise up this person and show them what You plan to do.  Would you plan “the” event that will lead to national repentance to that person?  Even so Father would you make it quickly, the mess is getting greater in scope.  In Your Name, i pray.

Not all times are equal. There is a growing awareness in these days that God is calling people all over the world to seek Him as never before. The challenges we are facing are far greater than the solutions any political system can offer.

Seek God for the City 2013 helps open the way to pray God’s desires and purposes for our cities with fresh, clear, confident prayers for ordinary people to pray in difficult days. These prayers are designed to help lift your prayers beyond your own concerns and needs, and to call on God to fulfill His greatest purposes.

Seek God for the City is a proven tool that unites and encourages churches in persistent prayer for spiritual awakening throughout whole communities. This 64-page booklet is designed to unite and focus prayer through the forty days leading to Palm Sunday. The dates next year are February 13 through March 24, 2013.

If you haven’t ordered copies of Seek God for the City 2013, do so right away at www.waymakers.org. It’s brimming with solid, biblical ways to pray in hope. It starts February 13, so contact us soon. Our WayMakers team feels that it could be the best we have ever produced.

We offer a complimentary review copy to leaders in recognized positions of pastoral or prayer leadership. Call our office at 800-264-5214 to request a review copy.

With a grateful heart for each of you,

The WayMakers team,

Steve, Barb, Christine and Stephanie

PS. We have three special versions that will be released in December:

1. The 2013 App format for your smartphone or tablet
2. A Spanish translation of Seek God for the City 2013
3. A children's companion version

I don’t like blogs. I write content for half a dozen blogs on a regular basis, but I have to confess I only tolerate these 21^st century publishing platforms. The source of my displeasure is that an ideal blog post, so I’m told, is 400 to 600 words, just enough space to make an unsubstantiated claim, or spout some cultural cliché. Like seeing and smelling the golden off brown skin of a Thanksgiving Day turkey, 600 words doesn’t get down to the meat and bones of an issue. A blog leaves me hungry for depth, meaning and life changing content.

This topic, praying for revival, is the perfect example. Readers have as many varied expectations of this topic as the number of people reading these words. For some, praying for revival is an evening-long special service, or week-long series and accompanying heightened emotional fervor. Like listening to a carnival barker, we are drawn in by promises of amazing and wonderful ___ (fill in the blank) _________, and a few days later, as the tents are pulled up, and the trucks packed, we feel better, but possessing no lasting change . . . not really. We are still hungry for spiritual change.

A blog post is a lot like what the church accepts for a revival. We read short paragraphs and bullet pointed ideas, feel better, and then life goes on as normal.  No, I don’t like blog posts, and I’m not satisfied with this accepted definition of a revival either.

The term revival was coined to describe periods in history through which entire cultures were affected. Significant portions of the population returned to a deep religious faith and renewed religious practice. The First Great Awakening in the US happened prior to the Revolutionary War, and was responsible for the distinct God-centered message in our countries founding documents. Franklin, Jefferson, Washington were greatly influenced by, among others, David Brainerd and George Whitefield. The latter was an English cleric who preached with the Wesley brothers. Together they were responsible for the revival which saved England from the social and moral turmoil which nearly destroyed France during the late 18^th century.

During America’s Second Great Awakening (1830-1860), traveling preachers like Jonathan Edwards and Charles G. Finney traveled New England by horseback. Their preaching emptied bars, taverns and closed burlesque theaters. They didn’t preach against the businesses, rather their message of holiness and a Holy God affected measurable cultural change. The power of God’s Spirit was so intense that accounts of Edward’s sermon “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” include the story of men and women falling out of their pews, holding to the hard wood seats for fear that the ground were going to open, and they would be sent directly into the flames of hell.

Finney would arrive in a town, and take a room overlooking the town square for prayer and fasting. In one New England town, Finney wrote in his autobiography that after 3 days of intense intercession, men and women wandered out of the bars, and stopped each other on the street, wondering why they felt so unsettled. Finney’s sermons didn’t boast the benefits of heaven as much as he assailed his hearers with the fear of hell. He wouldn’t offer an altar call until his listeners knew their fate apart from Christ. Only then were they invited to repent, and receive new life. This process sometimes took days, and Finney didn’t stop preaching until his hearers “brought forth fruit, suited for repentance.”

At this point, I must backtrack. I started this post with a bit of a complaint, and now I’ve continued to question our modern view of revival. My purpose is not to assail churches, or insist that revival preaching must be hell fire and brimstone. No, my point is much more radical. If we are to pray down heaven’s favor and men’s salvation, we must have an accurate vision of the revival we seek, and not settle for counterfeits.

Genuine revival praying and revival itself brings forth fruit, identifiable visible and measurable fruit. Revivals like the ones recorded in history books are measured by the visible affects they left in our culture. Genuine revival is centered on repentance and holiness, which creates evidence that an entire people group is fundamentally changed. Revival brings transformation in the way men and women conduct their businesses, relationships, and families. Revival is built on the foundation of prayer which leads to and starts with repentance, which interestingly enough means “transformation or metamorphosis” in the original Greek.

So here are my obligatory blog bullet points:

• Can we have revival without prayer? No, I don’t believe we can. Beginning with the Elijah’s sermon on Mt Carmel and Peter’s sermon in the Book of Acts, revivals begin with intense, extended prayer.
• Can we have prayer without revival?  Yes, we can, for that is the state of the church today. We pray, yet the Christian church is losing numbers and influence in our post-Christian, secular nation.
• What will it take to pray down revival in a way that one brings the other, so that we see genuine revival in our times? I close this short blog post with my real point.

I’m writing to cast a vision, and I do so with the words of late revivalist Leonard Ravenhill. “The reason the modern church doesn’t have revival is that we are content to live without it.”

1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear . . .
6b . . . Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.
8 The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. (Is 59. 1-2, 6b-9)

Every revival mentioned herein began from a place where God's people acknowledged their evil hearts and deeds, and then accepted God's terms for renewal. If my people, who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray, seek my face, and turn from their own wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. 2 Chr 7.14. 

Being old has its benefits. And I don’t just mean the senior coffees at McDonalds.

I’m old enough to know that “what goes around comes around,” and King Solomon had it right when he observed that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). History really does have a habit of repeating itself, particularly if we fail to learn its lessons the first time around.

But recently I’ve come to appreciate another benefit of having lived awhile: I’ve seen that God is a skilled Artist who delights in “connecting the dots” in our lives. Perhaps you haven’t lived long enough to see this fantastic divine pattern yet, but I believe you will in time.

By “dots,” I mean whatever experiences, events, relationships, successes, failures, pains, or pleasures you’ve encountered during your life. Some of these dots you’ve no doubt categorized as “bad,” and other ones you’ve probably described as “good.” And if you’re anything like me, many of the dots in life simply seem random—without any apparent purpose…making absolutely no sense at the time.

Yet I have good news for you today—news so good you probably will find it hard to believe: As time goes by during your life, the Lord will increasingly connect the dots and reveal an intricate, well-planned masterpiece. Yes, He’ll connect even the dots that once made no sense. And if all the dots still don’t seem to be perfectly connected by the end of your earthly life, He will surely finish the job in eternity.

By the time God gets done with His handiwork, EVERY dot will be connected, and NOTHING will be wasted. He will find a use even for your most painful dots or and the events you considered your greatest failures.

You see, the Bible has been right all along when it told us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Read that one more time. It doesn’t say just SOME thing work together for good—it says “ALL THINGS!”

Now take a few minutes to consider some of the “dots” you wish you could erase from your life. Believe it or not, God can do something good even with those painful or ugly dots. In the next few weeks, I’ll be launching an e-book on preventing, surviving and recovering from church splits. Sad to say, I’m one of the world’s foremost experts on the subject—but the Lord is going to use my painful and unwanted experiences to help thousands of pastors who are dealing with such things in their own churches.

And if you still doubt God’s ability to turn around tragic events and use them for His purposes, consider King David. I’m sure he wished he could erase his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah (see Psalm 51). But Bathsheba ultimately gave birth to Solomon, and she ended up in the family lineage of Jesus, the Messiah! (Matthew 1:6) God is great in mercy, isn’t He?

And in case you think God only loves you or offers you His favor when you are “good,” let me share one more connect-the-dots illustration.

Although I’ve never been much of a stargazer or astronomer, the Big Dipper is one constellation that’s always blessed and intrigued me. First of all, note that it’s not a “dipper” at all until you connect the dots of the various stars.

But what amazes me about the Big Dipper is that it’s continually tilted in such a way as to pour out its contents. My friend, that’s exactly how God wants you to see His love and favor for you. It’s not something that comes and goes, nor is it so fragile that it can easily be lost. In fact, Paul assured us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God…nothing (Romans 8:28).

So take heart today. Nothing has happened in your life that is too awful for God to forgive or to redeem for His glory. Go ahead and give Him the dots—all of them—and you’ll be amazed by the beautiful tapestry He’ll produce.

The men’s ministry in our church recently held a daylong event, and I had the privilege of being part of the prayer team. As the guys gathered in the gym surrounded by camo-netting, motorcycles and 4x4 ATV’s,  I was welcomed into the church's prayer chapel by the presence of God’s Spirit. I expected to fight with my roaming mind to stay focused on the prayer-task at hand. I expected to consciously have to still my mind, and wait for my emotional wheels to coast to a halt before I would really enter into God’s presence.

Instead God’s Spirit met me at the door, and for the first hour, I was overwhelmed by a single idea. I sensed God ready to meet with me, not standing off in the distance waiting for me to fight my way into his presence. While I didn’t hear an audible voice, I overwhelmingly sensed God say:

 “You are here to ask me to do things for you, but you don’t have to ask. You don’t even have the right to ask for anything of your own accord. I want your prayers on the basis of my promises to you. I want to answer your prayers, and I offer you my grace, power and presence on the basis of my Unchanging Word.”

As I’m writing this, I’m having a hard time describing how this single idea transformed my prayer expectations. I often spend time in extended prayer. I have my prayer lists, and I pray for my kids, my church, my finances, family and country. I ask God to glorify himself, reveal himself, and cover those who spend their lives in service of the ministry. I have my shopping list that I lug into my prayer closet, but so often I feel like I have to walk up hill before I can talk to God. I have to clear away the brush in my mind to find a peaceful place in the middle of my mental forests before I pray. For those of you in an intercessory ministry, I trust you understand the struggle my inadequate words are trying to frame

Prayer is hard work, and if we don’t pray, there are events in the kingdom that will likely never happen, miracles left undone, souls left unchanged. I do, and God will; if I don’t, God won’t. It’s hard to dance with this humble task without becoming arrogant in the execution.

Yet that day, God reminded me that I am in a covenant with him, and He wants me to pray. God wants and waits for me to enter into his presence. I don’t have to come up with the perfect formula of words before God hears me. He has promised to hear me . . . hear us, and we get to stand before him on the basis of his unchanging commitment to us, our Father, Redeemer, Savior and Friend.

Years ago, a musician named Scott Wesley Brown told this story. Sitting in a prayer meeting, he waited his turn while trying to find the perfect words to impress God and the people around him. He didn’t feel the pride in his heart until a young girl spoke up and said slowly:

“Dear God, A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.   
Father, I don’t know what to say, so here are all the letters I know.
You put them together in the right order. Amen”

Irritated at first, Brown was humbled by the time the girl finished. He wanted to get it right, to impress and declare. The girl just wanted to pray.

When I go into prayer, do I remember that prayer is a conversation? I hear it all the time, but too often I act as if it’s all up to me. Why aren’t more people coming to the prayer meetings? Didn’t Jesus call all of us to pray? Why are there so few people in the prayer room this morning? It’s so easy to be quietly proud in my prayer closet. That morning in the prayer chapel, God illuminated my pride from his perspective.

I pray because he asks me to come. I can expect an audience because he promised to answer. I am welcomed because of what Jesus sacrificed for me. I can love, because I was first loved. If there’s anything I have to get right in my prayers, it’s humility, and the conviction that God will keep his promises when I ask. Now I can ask in faith.

As you’ve probably already discovered, it’s painful when our fondest dreams turn into nightmares. Although we may not be as honest as Abbie was in her prayer, at times it would seem a great relief to eliminate our dreams altogether. Wouldn’t it be easier to just become a zombie or a mind-numbed robot…putting your life on autopilot and eliminating any new initiatives or risky adventures?

Becoming a Dreamer Again

If you’ve become a disillusioned dreamer, you’re not alone. Yet it’s important to see that not all “dis-illusionment” is bad, for we all have “illusions” in our lives that are not from God. (Remind me to tell you that story about the Perfect Church sometime…)

Jesus’ death on the cross was the most disillusioning event in history. His closest followers were devastated, going from their grandiose expectations at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (John 12:12-19) to hiding out in a locked room for fear of the Jews (John 20:19). Peter and some of the others even sought comfort in turning back to their old occupation of fishing (John 21).

And the pain of disillusionment can be felt in the words of the two disciples walking to Emmaus, “We had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). How sad! These men “had hoped” they could count on Jesus to fulfill their dreams, but now their hopes were past tense.

However, at the very time these discouraged men were feeling this way, the resurrected Lord Jesus was walking right beside them! What a great lesson. When our dreams are dashed to the ground and all hope seems lost, the Source of ALL hope is right there with us, ready to open our eyes again to new possibilities.

You’re Never Too Old

Perhaps you think you’re simply too old to dream. My generation of fellow Baby Boomers was perhaps the greatest generation of dreamers to ever live. But now we’re getting OLD, as my kids can attest to.

So is it time to admit defeat and simply stop dreaming dreams? No way! In fact, God has a prophetic word just for us: “In the last days...your young men will see visions, your OLD men will DREAM DREAMS” (Acts 2:17). Let it be, Lord!

No matter how old or young you may be, I encourage you to keep on seeing visions and dreaming dreams. Yes, as Abbie recognized, dreams sometimes are scary or even painful. But we’re entering into days when we’ll need God to raise up a new army of dreamers—taking bold action to impact the world for His kingdom.

From a Prayer Summit experience debrief:

"This was very new and unfamiliar territory for me...outside of my box. Well, one thing is sure...my box is just too small!"