http://youtu.be/Cby572i17010

Go to the link to watch a video! This was a trip that changed our lives forever, because you got to pray on site with insight! We also got to see every part of this ministry & spend the day with our sponsored child too! My wife & I can never be the same. But I'll tell you Compassion is a "5 Star" christian ministry from top to bottom, start to finish. It is truely amazing how much they do with so little. They are faithful stewards to the penny and we are eye witnesses of the people of Compassion who just "radiate Jesus" as they serve with true passion! If you never heard of this ministry, I encourage everyone of you to check it out & pray about (& for) this awesome ministry to the children in poverty in our world, that we were called to change! May the Lord Himself bless each one who does! In Christ's Holy name, Marty

Please comment below . . . what's worked? a related resources? a good summertime book?

I love listening to some of the great Bible teaching available on Bott Radio. While I don't believe listening to this teaching is a replacement for my personal Bible study or meeting with my church family for solid Bible teaching and fellowship, it is a great supplement during my commute or even while I put on my makeup in the morning.

One of James McDonald's lessons that I remember vividly from May, 2010 was based on the story of Elija and the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7. You probably remember this miraculous event where the widow poured what little oil she had into borrowed vessels and ended up with enough oil to sell and pay off her debts.

This woman was distraught because of her indebtedness. What has you distraught today and seeking a solution? Pastor James' statement (as well as I can remember it, if not word for word) really spoke to me:

"God will fill anything we bring him.  If we're not being filled it's because we haven't brought him any more empty vessels."

Despite the fact that I have a regular time with the Lord, I am often so focused on intercession for others that I fail to bring myself before Him for filling. I fail to come humbly say, "I need thee, O I need thee." Or I fail to clean my vessel so that it is truly empty for His filling.

Father, I thank you that you can fill anything I willingly put before you. Keep reminding me of my great need for you and then remind me to clean my vessels and put them before you.

"I need the, O, I need thee.

Every hour I need thee.

O bless me now my Savior,

I come to thee."

Annie S. Hawks

Please click on The Least of These to view blog.

Grandparent’s Day of Prayer

This year the Christian Grandparenting Network is declaring September 11, 2011 as Grandparent’s Day of Prayer. It coincides with the National Grandparents Day as designated by a Senate proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Marian McQuade of Oak Hill, West Virginia organized the effort after an initial resolution introduced to the Senate in 1973 failed. Mrs. McQuade managed to gain the support of governors, senators and congressional representative’s support in forty-three states over a period of three years. Finally, in February 1977, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a Joint Resolution to the Senate requesting the President to "issue annually a proclamation designating the first Sunday of September after Labor Day of each year as 'National Grandparents Day'." Congress passed the legislation and on August 3, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation^. citing the purpose as a day "...to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”

In the spirit of this proclamation, the Christian Grandparenting Network, whose mission is to promote effective, godly grandparenting that is intentional about representing Christ to the next generation is calling a Grandparent’s Day of Prayer. It is a way of engaging grandparents in this cause through prayer for their grandchildren and families, our schools and our nation. As your grandchildren return to school in August and September, we invite you to join grandparents across this nation for an intentional day of prayer for our grandchildren. September 11, 2011 is the date on which the call is being issued for godly grandparents everywhere to stand in the gap together for our grandchildren as Esther stood in the gap for her people in a desperate time. The call is being issued for prayer warriors to link arms and go to battle for the sake of the next generation.

For further information about the Grandparent’s Day of Prayer for yourself or your pastor, please contact Lillian Penner, CGN National Prayer Coordinator at lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net or go to www.christiangrandparenting.net .

When last we left Jonah, he was in the belly of the great fish. He was in a bad fix and a bad way. To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, “Nothing clears the mind like the certain knowledge that you will be shot in the morning."

That’s obviously true.

If a man knows he is going to be shot very soon, it has a way of clearing the mind of trivial details. You don’t worry about washing the car if you know you’re going to be shot at sunrise. Someone else can wash the car. You’ve got bigger things to worry about.

So it was for Jonah. But first he has to come to his senses.

I had the chance to spend some time with a man involved in ministry to students. Occasionally he is faced with difficult disciplinary decisions when the young people break the rules of the group. “I’ve dealt with everything you can imagine. Every sort of sexual sin. Cheating. Breaking the law. You name it, I’ve seen it,” he said. This particular organization has an established set of procedures in place to deal with those who get in trouble. And very often they are able to help the young people make amends and set their lives on a new path.

During our discussion the man made two comments that stayed with me. First, he has learned that lying has almost become a non-issue today. Everyone lies, and they lie all the time. It’s almost as if it’s not a sin to lie anymore. Perhaps it is a sign of postmodern relativism that we have come to accept that lying isn’t wrong. Or perhaps it is just a fulfillment of Romans 3:13, “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” After discussing how people routinely lie to cover up their sin, he offered this conclusion:

You can’t help a liar.

You can help anyone struggling with any sort of sin as long as they tell the truth. But you can’t help a liar because you can’t trust anything he says.

The situation is compounded by the fact that when most of us get caught, we confess as little as possible. And that leads to the second key point. The man said that it’s always a good sign when “they tell you something you didn’t already know.” If you knew A-B-C, but the person then adds D-E-F, you know their repentance is deeper than just “I’m sorry I got caught.” True repentance always involves coming clean, and coming clean means owning up to the whole pattern of wrongdoing, not just to the thing you happened to get caught doing.

Three Hard Words

Proverbs 28:13 declares that “he who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." The Bible also says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God desires “truth in the inward parts” (Psalm 51:6) or as Eugene Peterson puts it, “truth from the inside out.” It is very hard for most of us to come to this place of total honesty with God and with others. Most of us face a continual battle to be transparent in all our dealings, especially when we have sinned. You can make a good case that the three hardest words to say are “I have sinned."

No one wants to say that. We would rather do anything, including lying, to keep from saying those words. We’ll make excuses, we’ll rationalize, we’ll twist the facts, we’ll blame others, and we’ll say, “It’s not my fault” or “She told me to do it"or” So what? Everyone else is doing it."

The excuses never seem to end.

Let’s lay down a marker here at the start of this message. It’s a good mark of spiritual health if it is becoming easier for you to say, “I was wrong.” That’s a good sign because it means you are taking responsibility for your own actions. It means you are ready to get your life right with God. It means you’re ready to start growing again.  

They say that every sermon should have an application so let me give you mine even before we get to our text. Here’s what I’d like you to do. Take a Bible plus a notebook and a pen and find a quiet place. Then pray this simple prayer: “Lord, show me the truth about myself.” Those seven words are all you need to say.

Then wait for God to speak to you.

When we pray that way, the answer will begin to come from heaven. Little by little the Holy Spirit will show us our weaknesses, our faults, our mistakes, our bad attitudes, our foolish words, our pride, our arrogance, our need to be in control, our need to tell others what to do, our desire to have our own way, our anger, our bitterness, our lack of mercy, our lack of love, and our lack of compassion. I know from personal experience that if you wait long enough, the Lord will always reveal the truth to you.

It’s hard to do this. God knows that so sometime he forces the issue. Sometimes God puts us in places where we have to face the consequences of our own stupid choices.

He won’t take sin in stride.
He won’t say “Boys will be boys.”
He is passionate for holiness.
He loves us too much to let us go on in sin forever.

That’s a truth Jonah found out the hard way.

In Jonah 2 the disobedient prophet finds himself in the belly of a great fish. We don’t know what sort of fish it was. We do know that the Lord appointed the fish to catch and swallow Jonah alive. It was a divine miracle that the fish appeared at just the right moment in just the right place, with just the right appetite to swallow Jonah but not to kill him or maim him in the process.

Can you imagine what it was like inside that fish?  It’s dark, you can’t move around very much, the fish is swimming constantly, salt water washes over you, seaweed wraps around your body, and unidentified objects knock against you. One other thing. The inside of a fish really stinks. Plus it’s greasy, slippery, and the fish is trying to digest you.

Jonah’s Psalm

Jonah 2:1 says, “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God." While he is inside the fish, he composes a beautiful prayer that takes the form of a psalm.

First, he cries to God for help. “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry” (v. 2). No boasting here. He knows that if God doesn’t save him, he will never get out of the great fish alive.

Second, he confesses that God put him where he is. “You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas" (v. 3). Notice that Jonah doesn’t blame the sailors for throwing him into the deep nor does he blame the storm or the great fish. Jonah sees clearly that behind the ship and the storm and the casting of lots and the raging sea and the great fish, behind all of it stands the Lord of the universe. Jonah bows before God and says, “I’m here because you put me here." It is a great advance spiritually to stop blaming others for your problems. Jonah knows he must answer to the Lord alone.

Third, he feels like he is going to die in the great fish. “The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head” (v. 5). There’s no way out unless the Lord brings him out. Apart from God, he’s Sunday lunch for the big fish and there’s nothing to be done about it.

Fourth, he remembers the Lord is his only hope. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord” (v. 7). Finally Jonah is acting like a true believer. After all the running away, after all the disobedience, after all the prodigality, after all the self-centered living, God has Jonah’s undivided attention.

God will do whatever it takes to bring us to the place where we remember him. He’ll stop at nothing. That includes calamity, sickness, loss, repeated failure and heartbreak.

Whatever it takes to get us on our knees is good for our spiritual growth. Jonah is saying, “Lord, I’ve been running from you for a long time, and now at last you’ve got my full attention.”

Fifth, he vows to serve the Lord. “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good" (v. 9). You can see the spiritual progress he’s making in this psalm. First, he acknowledges that God put him where he is. Second, he accepts God’s discipline. Third, he thinks he’s going to die. Fourth, he finally remembers the Lord. Then and only then does he vow to serve the Lord.

He comes to the great conclusion in verse 10: “Salvation is of the Lord." This is the hardest lesson for any of us to learn. Salvation starts with God and it ends with God. Some of us struggle a lifetime to learn that. Most of us have learn it over and over again. Some people never learn it at all. But there is no salvation, no deliverance, and no getting better until we realize that if God doesn’t save us, we will never be saved.

That’s the advantage of being in the belly of a great fish. It clears the mind so you can think about what matters most. Most of us would probably improve spiritually if we spent a few days in a great fish, or at least someplace without TV, radio, or the Internet. In the terrifying darkness inside the fish, Jonah realized the folly of fighting against God. As the wise man said, your arms are too short to box with God. He’s going to win every time.

What We Know So Far

Let’s wrap up the message with a few observations about Jonah’s journey so far.

1. Although he was a prophet, it had been a long time since he had talked honestly with God.

It’s amazing and frightening how easy it is for church people to go through life without talking to God. Why do you think Jonah prayed in the great fish? For one thing, there was nothing else to do. Without the regular distractions of life, Jonah focused on the Lord. People say to me, “Why doesn’t God speak to me?” To which I answer, “He speaks to you all the time, but you won’t slow down long enough to listen.” The loud clamor of life and the constant pressure to get things done, to meet our goals, and to cross off items on our to-do list, all of it conspires to keep us from hearing the still, small voice of the Lord.

But God knows how to speak to us. And he certainly knows how to get our attention.

It’s a good thing to be desperate if desperation turns your heart to the Lord. I can imagine few things worse than being in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights. But it is better to be in the fish and talking to God than on dry land boasting about your big plans.

You pray inside the great fish because if God doesn’t do something, you will die there.

But notice this. It’s not that the belly of a fish is inherently more dangerous than living in a luxury suite in a high-rise hotel. You can get into trouble anywhere. An earthquake can strike, a tornado can come, a car can veer off the road, catastrophe can strike at any moment. You can be singing a tune one moment and have a stroke the next. It happens every day. No one is immune to trouble, and there is nowhere on earth where you are truly safe from heartbreak, sadness, disease, danger and death.

2. God had to stop Jonah in his tracks in order to get his attention.

Notice the progression. In chapter 1 Jonah acts and keeps messing things up. In chapter 2 Jonah prays and things start getting better. Often our greatest problem is slowing down enough to hear God’s voice.

3. God delights to deliver his people from impossible situations.

Being trapped inside a great fish for three days and three nights is an impossible situation. Even after Jonah gets right with God, he’s still inside the fish. He’ll never get out on his own. So God works an amazing deliverance. Look at verse 11 of Jonah 2:

The Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

The same Lord who appointed the fish to catch him now tells the fish to let him go. By the way I checked out the Hebrew word translated “vomit” and it means . . . vomit. That’s a very good translation.

Some of you have heard of “projectile vomiting.” That’s what happens here. Jonah took a ride on the “regurgitron.” One moment he’s wedged in the belly of the fish, the next he’s flying through the air, and the next he lands on the shore, covered with shrimp cocktail.

All of it meant to teach him and us that salvation is of the Lord.

The Famine Always Comes

Jesus told a parable (Luke 15:11-31) that fits with the story of Jonah. A young man came to his father and said, “Give me my share of the inheritance.” So the father did, and the young man took the money, left his family, and journeyed into the far country where he spent his money on wild living. One translation calls it “riotous living.” He spent it all on wine, women and song. It all worked out until the famine came.

By the way, you can mark it down. The famine always comes sooner or later. You can have your fun and spend your money and live any way you like. You can throw off all restraint. But the famine comes eventually. When the money runs out, you find out that your so-called friends won’t return your phone calls. They were happy to party with you when you had cash in your pocket and a credit card to cover everything else. But when you tap out, your party buddies suddenly disappear.

Now he’s feeding the pigs, hoping to catch a little from the slop bucket. The Bible says when the prodigal son came to his senses, he said to himself, “Back home my father’s servants have plenty to eat. I will arise and go to my father and say, ‘I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ Make me one of your hired hands.”

He began the long, slow, difficult journey home.
Ashamed and embarrassed of what he had done.
Wondering what his father would do.

He needn’t have worried. Jesus said that the father saw his son a long way off. That means he had been waiting, waiting, waiting for his son to come home. Don’t you know the folks in the village made fun of him. “Come on in, old man. That son of yours is gone forever. Don’t waste any more time on him. Give it up.”

But he wouldn’t give up. The father said, “I will not come inside. I am waiting for my son to come home.” Day after day, he waited, watching and hoping for a sign his son was coming home.

One day he saw it. A tiny speck on the horizon.

The father ran to meet his son while he was still far away.
He didn’t say, “Let him come all the way and then I’ll talk to him.”
He ran after him.
He couldn’t wait to see his son again.

Once a Son Always a Son

After his father had hugged and kissed him, the son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” That was the speech he had rehearsed. He was going to say, “Make me like one of your hired hands.” But he never got those words out. The father wouldn’t let him say it.

Why? Because once a son always a son.

A son at home, a son far away, a son in the pigsty, and a son on the way back home.

That’s why the father said, “Go get the sandals. Go find my best robe. Get the golden ring. Kill the fatted calf. My son who was lost has been found. My son who was far away has come home. Let’s get the party started.”

I’ve got some good news. The lights are on in the Father’s house, and the door is always open. The Father stands waiting for his prodigal sons and daughters to come back home. And he doesn’t say, “Clean yourself up first.” He just says, “Come on home. We can’t wait to see you again.”

He doesn’t say, “Prove that you are worthy,” because no one is worthy of the Father’s love. He just says, “If you are tired of living in the far country, if you’re tired of running away, if you’re ready to come home, the door is always open to you.”

What’s the hardest part about coming home? It’s that first step. Oh, how hard it is to take that first step back home to God. Prodigals are scared to take that first step because they are afraid of what awaits them on the other end of the journey.

What if there is no one to meet them?
What if no one is glad to see them?
What if they are greeted with a torrent of angry words?

Jonah and Jesus

They don’t understand that Jesus has paved the way home in his own blood. His death is so great and his resurrection so complete that nothing can be added to the value of what Christ did for us 2000 years ago. That’s why when Jesus himself spoke about this, he called his own resurrection the “sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39-40). As Jonah was in the belly of the great fish, even so Jesus was in the heart of the earth. As Jonah came out of the fish, even so Jesus came out of the realm of death.

The story of Jonah points us to Jesus, and the story of Jesus tells us how far God will go in behalf of guilty sinners. He sent his Son to the lowest place on earth, to the bloody cross of Calvary, the emblem of suffering and shame. And out of that shame he fashioned our salvation.

Now the door to heaven has been thrown wide open. Now all the reluctant Jonahs of the world can find their way home to God. Sometimes we sing “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” I wonder if we shouldn’t change just one word to get the full impact of this story:

Outrageous grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

The grace of God is not just amazing. It’s outrageous! It welcomes the worst sinners into the courts of heaven. It makes a way for even super-religious people to be forgiven of all their sins. And for the rebel who today languishes in the far country, feeling alone and forgotten, God’s grace reaches out and says, “Jesus has paid the price. When you are ready, you can come home to God.”

Father, we thank you that we don’t have to be perfect because if we did, who among us would qualify? We thank you that we don’t even have to scrape off the dirt of our own foolish mistakes. We couldn’t do that if we tried. All we have to do is turn and come home.

Lord Jesus, you are the Friend of sinners. We are so glad because you are the Friend and we are the sinners. Thank you, Lord, for this story because if Jonah can get a second chance, there’s hope for all of us.

Give us grace to come and courage to take the first step. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Time to Join-in and get busy

Place:  Frederick,  Maryland –

Where: the facility of the Great Frederick Fair

Date:  June 18, 2011

What:  Frederick Convoy of Hope

The Frederick, Maryland, area churches and local charity organizations joined together and worked with Convoy of Hope to reach out to many in need in the community region.  About 5000 people came with various needs.  The account presented here is a brief account of the work by involved intercessor.  It is provided to encourage others to do the same when the opportunity arises.

Our intercessory team was led by Rev Ivy Coleman, who is a member of the Pray!Network.  She was dedicated and systematically organized the intercessor’s prayer coverage of the event.  The picture below is Rev Coleman.

Here are the intercessors praying for the event:

We definitely practiced -- that we were to do everything by prayer and supplication-Phil 4:6.  That we did!   How big was this event?  We know that 5000 came seeking help, but we may never really know the impact the prayer had.  We do know, a number of years ago, Rev James Kennedy learned that when there were people praying for those reaching out into the community, the results were significantly greater when they were being prayed for.  So-pray we did, and the following shows prayer by our intercessors.

There were others who came to help at this event, who were not on the intercessory team, to do what ever was needed, --for example giving out food and other needed items.  They, too, were involved in praying –especially with those who came for help.

I have put together a photo journal of the Convoy of Hope Activities that day, and invite you to visit the following links to see them:

http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2011/06/frederick-convoy-of-hope-june-18-2011.html

http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2011/06/part-2-pf-prayer-at-convoy-of-hope.html

http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2011/04/personal-time-with-lord.html

In addition to the photo journal, I have an entry that includes my personal intercessor thoughts about activities like Convoy of Hope, which may encourage leaders to work more closely with intercessors. 

Below are two pictures showing activities of ministering to those who had needs.  The intercessors’ prayers were covering these wonderful workers who took their time to come, help, and share God’s Word.  These pictures do not tell the whole story.  Follow the links to learn more.

Here are  two pictures taken at the event:  Washing of feet and giving out new shoes.

Prayer for those who were helped.

This event was definitely what I would call Isaiah 58 in action.

Perhaps you may want to share some thoughts about what you have seen in this posting and about reaching out to others.  Please do so.

Luke 21:15:

“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist”.

Daniel 1:8-9:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs”.

There was a supernatural ability that allowed Daniel to have knowledge, skill and wisdom. Knowledge, skill and wisdom are the things that you need, to help you get to the top. The kind that your friends and enemies cannot contend or compare with. I pray that, that will be your lot in the Name of Jesus.

In 1998, we had a programme dedicated to teachers. It was a deliverance programme organised to address the poverty of teachers. We prayed the prayers for knowledge, skill and wisdom on that day. A teacher came with her son who is a pilot. She had seven children who still depended on her. This woman had all the problems in the world. She could not ‘make ends meet’ at the end of the month and had to borrow money from her subordinates, even though she was the Vice Principal of her school. Her children were grown and were university graduates, but depended on her. One of them is a pilot and was working with a local airline but it was as if he was not working at all. During the deliverance programme they both prayed fervently on that day.

After a while, there was an advertisement in the Newspapers, that an American airline was recruiting pilots. The young man applied and he was invited to an interview. His performance impressed the airline and he was recruited immediately. When he heard the good news, he fainted. He was given a ten-year contract worth millions of dollars and was given thousands of Dollars to pay off the company he was working with. This job changed his life and that of the members of his family. His mother came to show me the keys to the jeep he bought for her and narrated how ‘power changed hands’ in their lives. He bought her a house and all she needed, and he went to the U.S.A. to assume his post as pilot.

That is what happens when there is a supernatural knowledge and skill imparted into your life. The God of Daniel is still the same today. If you want Him to bestow upon you, the anointing for skill, wisdom and knowledge, He is ready to do it. The God of Daniel is the One you will find in Daniel 1:17. He reveals the truth to His children, through dreams and revelations.

The God of Daniel is the God of Divine Revelation.

Daniel 1:17:

“As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams”.

He can reveal to you, before an interview, all the questions that you will be asked and you will know all the secrets before you get there. Since the beginning of the history of the world, there has never been a man or woman, who has the ability to have divine dreams, who ever failed, but the problem is this; instead of having divine dreams these days, Christians are seeing themselves, being pursued by masquerades in their dreams. They are being harassed by spirit husbands or wives and all sorts of terrible dreams. The God of Daniel is the One, Who is able to set aside, all these terrible dreams and replace them with night visions and revelations.

Beloved, I want you to understand this very well the God of Daniel is the God of revelation. I came from a very poor family; so poor that, Daddy would complain that the soup Mummy prepared was not good enough, forgetting that it was the amount of money he gave her, that determined the ingredients she bought. It was that bad; so, when I got born again I began to pray and God began to show me certain things and I made up my mind, that I will not be poor. You must know where you are coming from so that you can work hard, to get to where you are going. Many people who are supposed to be discreet in what they do, are loud, thus the enemy finds his way into their life. Maybe nobody knows them on the street before, but the day they throw a party and lavish money on people, those who did not know them, would know that they have money to flaunt. I knew where I was coming from and so, I was able to pray and work hard. Later, I got a scholarship to travel abroad. The ticket, school fees, everything was given to me. I knew that if I made noise about it, I would probably not go. I kept silent and prepared. It was on the day I was travelling, that people saw me in my suit, with my suitcase. Sometimes, we need to be discrete, so as not to expose our secrets to the enemy.

During my stay in England, I worked hard and one day my supervisor advised that I should take a break and go to Nigeria on holiday. He persistently told me to take a break. One night, I had a dream, where I saw myself at the Ikeja Airport. Our flight to London was announced and I looked round, but could not find the exit to the tarmac. Eventually I found it, but by the time I got to the tarmac, the aeroplane had taken off and I was left behind. That dream made me to know, that I should not go home so, I told my supervisor that I would not go. Some Nigerian students went and during their stay in Nigeria, there was a ‘Coup d’ Etat’. All borders and airports were closed and no one could travel out. By the time they got back, some of them had missed examinations, some failed woefully. Some could not go back to England because their sponsors were killed in the ‘Coup d’ Etat’ and that marked the end of their career. I could have fallen into that category too. You need divine visions to sort out your life.

The God of Daniel is the God of sovereign power.

Daniel 2:21:

“And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding”.

He is the God, who rules nations; He has the power to remove a king, and replace him with another one. He has the power to crush the pride of earthly rulers. He does not mind giving the sack to anyone whose position is hindering the progress of His children. Today, the strongman that constitutes a hindrance to your breakthrough shall be bound and your breakthroughs shall be released in the Name of Jesus.

I met a young Nigerian in England. I preached to him and he always made fun of me. He was a First Class Material. He cleared his Master Degree with a distinction and he got ready to leave. We all bade him bye. After a few days, I received a letter, which had the etiquette of the maximum prison on the enveloped. I read it and found out that it was that young man. He asked me to come to the prison, to pay him a visit. He asked me to buy a few things and bring for him. He said he realised that what I was telling him was the truth. I made up my mind that I would not go, for fear of being arrested as complice. I put the letter somewhere and the Lord talked to me expressly, that I should go to the prison to see the young man.

When I got there, he burst into tears, lamenting that if he had listened to me, he would not have been in prison. He said he got born again there and had been preaching to the inmates about Jesus, that they only made fun of him. I prayed with him, he confessed his sins to the Lord and we asked God to intervene in his situation. When I got back to town, I informed other brethren and we started to pray. On the day he was taken to court, we were in the court room, praying silently in tongues.

The judge was very aggressive he promised to deal treacherously with him. We had to call on the God of Daniel; we asked for a replacement of the judge, with a more lenient person. At the next hearing, it was another judge that presided over the case. The new judge looked at the brother and asked if it was true that he bagged a First Class Honours Degree in Nigeria, and that he got a Distinction in Masters Degree in England. The brother answered in the affirmative. The judge then said, for an intelligent person to steal money, he had to be mad; therefore, he would not jail him in England, but repatriate him to Nigeria. We knew that the brother was not mad; we knew that the God of Daniel was at work.

The God of Daniel is the God of secrets.

Daniel 2:22:

“He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him”.

He is the God that reveals secrets. All the secrets of the universe are known to God. All the past, present and future are known to God. He can tell the destinies of nations. He can tell you, what will happen in the next five or six years. If there is any conspiracy against you, God can show you the secret. God can make you discover a witchcraft meeting and you will hear their discussions so that you can counter their plans.

As you are there right now, there is a secret about your life, that you would need to know. Immediately you know it, your life will explode. Find out what it is.

Many years ago, we preached a message about destiny and prosperity. A woman was there and when she got home, she prayed fervently. She was learned, had a job, but was very poor. The Lord drew her attention to the piece of land behind her house, and told her in a clear voice, to start planting vegetables there. She thought it was the devil that was making a denigrating proposal to her. She bound the voice in anger because she had a Master’s Degree in Education. The Lord made her to know that He was the One speaking and she complied. She started the vegetable farm and it was as if the whole town was waiting for her. They abandoned every other vegetable and bought hers. It got to an embarrassing stage where nobody else could sell vegetables until hers, finished. Within one year, this teacher that used to be poor, had enough money to build a house with proceeds from vegetable- farming. I pray that the Lord will reveal to you, the secrets that will move your life forward.

The God of Daniel is the God of deliverance.

Daniel 6:20-22:

“And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel: “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Then said Daniel unto the king: “O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt”.

Immediately Daniel got into the Lion’s den, the lions recognised him as the son of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Lions do not eat lions. So they did not touch him.

One day, a friend’s wife was travelling in a Luxurious bus. Suddenly, one of the passengers asked the driver to stop for him to ease himself. The driver stopped and someone came to the woman, to say that a man at the back wanted to see her that he was her husband’s classmate at school. The woman got up to go and see the person. A few seconds later, a trailer ran into the Luxurious bus and all the people sitting at the front where the woman got up from, perished. The amazing part of the story is the fact that the woman could not see the person who came to call her to the back. That must have been God’s angel of deliverance that came to call her out of danger.

The God of Daniel is the God of signs and wonders.

Daniel 6:26-27:

“I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions”.

A sister got married and on the wedding night, she refused the traditional ‘pouring of water’ on her feet. The groom’s mother got angry and promised to show her ‘pepper’. That night, the bride had a dream, where she saw her mother-in-law dip her hand into her stomach and pulled out her womb. She went to the back of their house and nailed the womb to the wall. Although, this sister was born again, she did not know anything about spiritual warfare. She remembered having the dream but did not know that it could have any implication on her. She discovered that she could not get pregnant, even though medical tests and scans could not detect anything wrong with her. She was childless for 16 years. The Lord brought her to MFM and she started to pray fire prayers. One night, she had a dream, where she saw her mother-in-law come into the house, with her womb and she collected it. In real life, the mother-in-law died many years before then. That was how the sister got her breakthrough. She got pregnant and now has children.

I know that the God of Daniel shall visit you today. However, if you are reading this message and you have not yet surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would like you to take that decision, right there where you are. You must be born again, to be a partaker of the blessing of the God of Daniel. Why do not you take that decision today? Right there where you are, the Lord is with you and wants you to come to Him. All you need do is acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner, that you cannot approach God in your sinful state. Repent of your sins right there where you are, confess your sins to Him; name them one by one and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Claim the redemptive power in the Blood of Jesus. Renounce the world of sin and the devil. Jesus is waiting for you. Let today be the day when power will change hands in your life and the miracle of God will take root in your life. God will bless you as you take that decision.

Invite the Lord Jesus into your life. Ask Him to come into your heart and become your personal Lord and Saviour. Enthrone Him over your life and ask Him to take control of all that concerns you. Surrender your totality to Him and decide that you will never go back to the world of sin and the devil.

I congratulate you for this decision that you have just taken. It is the most important decision in life. I pray that it shall be permanent in your life in the Name of Jesus. I pray that the Lord will uphold you with His right hand of righteousness and will keep you from falling. I pray that the Lord will write your name in the Book of Life and you will not by any means rub it off in the Name of Jesus. Say bye-bye to the world of darkness and enter into the Kingdom of Light.

The prayers that I am suggesting below are prayers of divine intervention, by the God of Daniel. As you pray them, the spirits that have been tormenting you will leave you. The healing power of God will go forth and heal all manner of sicknesses and diseases in your spirit, soul and body. Make sure you do not allow any distraction. Every arrow that has been fired at you will go back to the sender. The power of God will fall upon you and you will be delivered from even terminal diseases. The power of God will pop out like pop-corn and things will begin to happen.

Take these prayer points with holy aggression:

- God of Daniel arise and pursue my pursuers in the Name of Jesus.

- Every occultist power searching for my face, die in the Name of Jesus.

- In the presence of those asking for my God, O God of Daniel, manifest Your power in the Name of Jesus.

- Every plantation of witchcraft in my body be uprooted in the Name of Jesus
- I arrest every profitless hard work in the Name of Jesus.

- I cancel every failure at the edge of breakthroughs in the Name of Jesus.

- Every ladder of darkness that the enemy has been using to get into my life, break and burn to ashes in the Name of Jesus.

- Every harassment from the spirit of death and hell cease in the Name of Jesus.

- Let every mark of hatred upon my forehead; be rubbed off by the Blood of Jesus.

- God of Daniel, pass through my life with signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus.

- God of Daniel anoint me for favour in the Name of Jesus.

- Serpents and Scorpions in my body go back to your sender in the Name of Jesus.

- Stubborn witchcraft of my father’s house, die in the Name of Jesus.

- Stubborn witchcraft of my mother’s house die in the Name of Jesus.

** When your star begins to shine, there are some boasting powers that would want to ask questions. These powers would want to impede your movement. Therefore take these prayers with boiling anger.
- Every child of Belial, every child of Belzebub, I cast you out of my progress in the Name of Jesus.

- Listen to me, household witchcraft, your time is up; therefore die in the Name of Jesus.

- Every power that has to die, for my joy to be full die in the Name of Jesus.

- Doors, Gates of my breakthroughs, open by fire in the Name of Jesus.

- Every personal wall of Jericho in my life, crumble in the Name of Jesus.

- I possess my possession in the Name of Jesus.

- I seal all my prayers with the Blood of Jesus.

Read more...

 41 Jesus was indignant.He reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing,” he said. "Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

My brethren at some point and time this man heard the testimony of those who witnessed the miracles Jesus performed and His teachings . Later probably at an distance as to not let his presence be known or risk being stoned or the humility of being ridiculed and cast out  before he himself can witness for the hope that led him to the Saviors will for all to be healed followed with open compassion . Now this hope has been transformed into faith filled with confidence of the Savior Jesus Christ will , he will receive that which he hoped for. To hear " I am willing" causing now an chain reaction turning faith into reality , Glory to God His love endure forever amen.

By Leslie F. Horvath

Watchmen For christ

Facebook Watchmen For Christ

^{18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”}

When you think of Facebook, Twitter, My Space and other social media do you get excited or panic?  Do you want to know more or do you wish they would just disappear?

Whatever your response those communication vehicles are likely here to stay. Sure, they will probably evolve, change names, join forces or spawn new concepts we haven't thought about as yet, but people will continue to use them.

So what do they have to do with prayer?

Well I've found a couple of prayer ministry opportunities through Facebook and Twitter that have actually enhanced and inspired my prayer time. First of all, I regularly pray for people that I have on my pages. Some of them of course specifically ask for prayer about something in their world. However, others I just pray for as I see or hear about the events going on in their world. They tell me about their child going to college, their trip to Florida, a new ministry opportunity or a family celebration. 

When I see their name or situation I pray for them right there and then.  Social media can become a wonderful prayer list and I encourage you to give it a try.

However, my involvement has gone further and yours might as well. I have a website called Keep Climbing. It's purpose is to inspire those climbing their own personal mountains with lessons learned in the climbing world. To help get people to go to  that site I have both Facebook and Twitter pages. As a result I now hear even more about people facing huge climbs such as cancer, job loss, depression, marital problems and grief. As they share their needs with me I pray for them and let them know I'm praying.

My willingness to pray for them has allowed me entrance into the world of hundreds of people who I don't even know but who are encouraged because I pray. If you are involved in social media, would you consider joining the online prayer team for those people?  And if you're still wondering about all that "tech stuff" you might consider putting your foot into the water if for no other reason that to pray better!

 “The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6)

I don’t think I have to convince you about the power words wield. When you think back to eventful moments in your life, there are likely words involved, either encouraging or discouraging. Those words had power. They perhaps changed your course. The tongue is a perfect illustration of the power of small. James makes the point that though the tongue is a small part of the body, it can set the course for a life.

Words are amazing weapons or great healers. Words have to be managed carefully. Once spoken, a word can’t be unspoken. You can’t inhale and pull it back in. Words take on a life of their own. All words are modeled after the Eternal Word: living, active, sharp. If you let words fly in the heat of the moment, someone will have to heal from their impact. You can say, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean that!” but the word is out and it lives in the person to whom you spoke it. No wonder the Word of God is jam-packed with warnings about using words prudently.

Words have the power to tear down, but they also have the power to build up. God can empower our words so that one small word can have so much impact that it redirects the trajectory of your life. God’s work in our lives can be so deep that it changes our words. After all, words come right from the heart. Changed heart, changed words. We can be so much in His presence that we naturally speak His words. Jesus once said of His words: ’These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me”’ (John 14:24).

I’ve always been accused of being exactly like my dad. People say that we are alike in looks, in temperament, in personality, in the way we process information, and in how we communicate. My two sisters, when the three of us are together, will often react to some statement of mine by looking at each other, rolling their eyes, and saying in unison “That’s Daddy talking”.

They mean that I am expressing my own thoughts, but that my own thoughts are exactly like my father’s. If he were present, he’d have said exactly what I said. You might say I’m speaking my father’s words.

As you live moment by moment in His power and presence, he will speak His present-tense word through you. "The lips of the righteous nourish many" (Prov. 10:21). You will speak what you have heard from the Father. When you speak, it can be said of you, “’That’s her Father talking.”’

The Cumulative Power of Words

Words, once spoken live on. Those words you speak to your teen-ager, thinking they are going in one ear and out the other? They are landing and making themselves a home. The words you thought you could throw out in a huff and apologize for later? They’ve carved out a nook and settled in. The words of kindness and encouragement that seemed to be ignored? They are fertilizing dreams. Make it your goal to speak into lives such a preponderance of uplifting, encouraging words that they will eventually tip the balance and move a life from discouragement to hope.

From an upcoming book by Jennifer Kennedy Dean, The Power of Small: Think Small to Live Large. Make sure you are on our quarterly newsletter list so you will know when new products are available.

Some people seem surprised when I tell them that I did not come out of the chute praying. But it’s true. I do not have a spiritual gift for prayer and intercession. I’m just a very ordinary Christian who has a desperate need for genuine, personal relationship with God—a longing that has continued to propel me along in my journey in prayer. Much of what I write, teach, and speak about comes from my experiences along the way in getting to know God through prayer.

What follows is an excerpt from my new Bible study, Prayer Begins with Relationship that released this month. In it, I share a bit about how I have learned—and continue to learn—to practice the presence of God by talking to Him throughout the day in all the details, big and small.

***
For many years, I prayed primarily at set times: morning quiet time, before meals, with my husband before bed, and with fellow church members at services and functions. I did not often talk to God spontaneously, and I did not include Him in much of my ordinary life. Sure, I remembered to bring the “big things” to Him, but the little, daily stuff? I pretty much handled it on my own. It never occurred to me I could talk to God about it.

Since coming to understand some of the concepts I’ve shared in [the lessons in Prayer Begins with Relationship], my prayer life—and consequently my everyday relationship with God—has become more vibrant, exciting, and satisfying. Here are just a few  examples:

• Knowing God wants a reciprocating friendship with me encourages me to take all kinds of things to Him and depend on Him for support. For instance, yesterday I had to make a phone call to someone who is going through a hard time and who is bristly as a result. Before I picked up the phone, I asked God for His input. I sensed Him steering me toward a specific focus and away from things I might ordinarily say. The phone call went unusually well—and knowing He was present with me as I made the call comforted me too.

• Because I know God wants to engage me in two-way dialogue, I’m learning to pay attention to the thoughts that cross my mind so I don’t miss conversations He wants to initiate. Just this morning while I was brushing my teeth before heading to a ministry-team meeting, the names of three people on the team popped into my head. In the past I would have dismissed it as a random, irrelevant thought. But now I asked Him if there was anything He wanted me to know about these people. As we interacted, I heard more details about a specific need they had. So I asked God for confirmation: “If this is really You, would You please bring up the need at our meeting?” He did—through another person. So I knew I was supposed to share and follow through on what He’d said to me earlier. It was exciting to be included in His plan for caring for the folks whose names He brought to mind. I love having Him talk to me!

For most people, connecting with God in dynamic, relational conversation is a process—usually a life-long journey. Don’t expect to jump from brief prayers of intercession to constant conversation with God (I’m certainly not there!). You will most likely experience a gradual deepening of your relationship as new discoveries and joys are added slowly but surely along the way. To get you started, read the ideas below and select one or two you would like to incorporate into your daily life.

____ As you begin your day, talk to God about what you think it will hold. What do you look forward to? What do you think will be hard or uncomfortable? Where do you especially need His help or encouragement? Ask Him to remind you to check in with Him as each of these things comes up during the day—and during the unanticipated events as well.

____ When you read your Bible, expect God to speak to you personally. Listen for His words of personalized encouragement and affirmation, or for fresh discoveries of what He is like and how He wants to relate to you.

____ Picture Jesus with you at your job, home, or wherever you spend most of your day. Think about how close He is and how He wants to help, guide, and encourage you—and just be near you because He loves you.

____ Ask God for help at the beginning of projects and undertakings throughout the day, whether large or small.

____ Talk to God while you’re driving or walking. Tell Him what you see; include Him in what you are thinking about.

____ Pay attention to the “random” thoughts that pass through your mind. The song, person, idea, word, Scripture verse, affirmation, or warning that comes to you may be God speaking to you and inviting your response.

____ When you are praying for someone or something, be sure to interrupt yourself and ask God what He’d like for that person or situation.

____ If you mess up, tell Jesus about it right away. Know that He understands and forgives you. Picture Him looking into your eyes with love, forgiveness, and acceptance.

____ When you see something beautiful or experience something that gives you joy, express your delight to Him.

____ Brainstorm with God. When you need wise and creative ideas, tell Him your question or challenge, then take a sheet of paper and write down what comes to mind.

____ Ask God to help you become more aware of your emotions. When you are feeling anxious, fearful, distressed, confused, embarrassed, upset, lonely (or experience some other uncomfortable feeling), share your heart with Him and ask Him to tangibly meet and care for you.

____ When you are with other people, consciously remember that God is there too. As you interact with others, also listen to God and invite Him to help you know what to do and say.

____ Before bed, review your day with God. Tell Him what was enjoyable and satisfying, as well as what was hard or discouraging. Consider how He might respond to what you share.

At the end of each day, reflect on where you and God kept company that day. You may want to write these in a journal so you can watch how your relationship deepens and develops in the days and weeks to come. Talk to God about what you did together that day and express your desires for the way you’ll practice His presence tomorrow.

Finally, celebrate each deepening of your connection with God, knowing that He is celebrating too!

--Cynthia Bezek

I have had the opportunity to present this workshop in many venues. Recently I presented this during the, Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) conference in, Dallas, TX. The evaluations were outstanding and I consider it an honor to be able to share what the Lord has deposited on the inside of me.

Earlier today during my time of prayer, the Lord encouraged me to share this with others. Therefore, I am posting this blog on the "Pray Network" under the leading of the Holy Spirit. If this is something you or others may have interest please contact me. I would love to come and present under the anointing of, God. 

This workshop was developed based upon my book, Ready to Pray ~ A Spiritual Journey of Prayer and Worship.

Here's the information:

Scripture References:

I Timothy 2:21 reads, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone.”

“…are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Mark 14:37 NIV

Ephesians 3:14-19 says, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”

Description:

In our culture today the intentional prayer of the believers are absolutely critical if we are to see any real change in the lives of people who so desperately need the presence of Christ. Many people have the desire to go deeper in their prayer life, but unsure how to connect with God’s heart. “Ready to Pray” equips you in how to develop and build a powerful prayer life – living out your personal testimony of a life transformed by the power of prayer and having a heart of worship. We will cover the following:

• 
  
• Prayer is an intimate relationship with God.  
• 
  
• Prayer is speaking a love language from our lips to God’s ears.
• 
  
• Prayer is seeking God on behalf of others.
• 
  

Each participant will be able to answer the questions: As leaders…

1. How can we be more intentional in our prayer life?
   
2. How do we connect with the heart of God?
   
3. How can we uncover ways to become more compassionate and committed to a lifestyle of effective prayer?
   
4. How do I press through when I do not feel like praying?”
   

Opposition Heats Up, Believers Denied Water

June 16, 2011

www.gfamedia.org/images/newsupdate/061511-eml11-02a.jpg" />These Christians were meeting in the house in the background when Kushal disrupted the meeting and vandalized the house. www.gfamedia.org/images/newsupdate/061511-eml11-02b.jpg" />When the believers went outside, they noticed that Kushal had also damaged property on the grounds.

Christians in one South Asian village are desperately trying to bear persecution hurled their way by their unbelieving neighbors.  On March 18 the believers were having a home prayer meeting when a man named Kushal Mehta vandalized the roof on the house while the Christians were still inside. He then stormed inside and broke many items there.

The believers didn't say anything to him, but when they came out of the house, they saw he had defaced property outside as well. To prevent Kushal from escaping without legal consequences, they detained him.

The head of the village came to assess the situation and take responsibility for punishing Kushal. In the sight of multiple pastors, the village leader decided Kushal's judgment would occur the next day. However, the next day came and no hearing occurred. The village leader said he would set a day for the final verdict at a later time.

As the village leader delayed bringing Kushal to justice, a second village official, Shoorsen Singh, also ignored the issue. Shoorsen previously said he wanted to kill all the Christians and destroy their homes.

As the days went on, the malicious opposition escalated. A few days after the first incident, a Christian lady was walking home from a nearby well in the village when someone snatched her water pot and left it in the middle of the road to be shattered. The perpetrator warned the believer not to draw any water from the well.

News spread throughout the community that Christians should not draw water from the wells. Later that same day, Kushal's son Sameen broke a believer's water pot.

Out of 65 families in the village, only eight follow Jesus. The non-Christian majority will not even allow the believers to take water from a dirty pond in the village.

This is not the first time the extremists have tried to deny the Christians water, one of their basic life necessities. A previous village leader—a man who wanted to demolish the home of his own brother, who is a Christian—had forbidden the believers from drawing water from seven wells in the village. 

The eight families here desire prayer that God will open the hearts and minds of those who are persecuting them. Also, please pray the Lord will protect these Christians, help them to stand firm spiritually and give them His peace and joy.