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Northeast Network Members Should Check Out Awaken Conference

Posted by Jonathan Graf on October 19, 2010 at 18:38

Few things work better than a conference to encourage, challenge and equip people to go deeper in their experience with Jesus Christ and prayer. Year after year, the Church Prayer Leaders Network receives comments from those who have attended our conferences telling us how much the event impacted them.

Our next event will be held October 29-30 in Lititz, PA (Greater Lancaster). It's theme is Awaken: Praying the Fullness of Christ into Our Lives and Churches. The keynote speaker is David Bryant, perhaps the most passionate voice on the centrality and supremecy of Christ in the United States today. Each attendee will receive a free copy of Bryant's recently revised landmark book, Christ Is All!.

The cost is $45 (includes lunch and free book), but until Sunday, October 24, use the code Eastern8 at registration check-out and receive a discount of $8.00. Group rates are available and pastors and their spouses can register for half price: $22.50 (pastors must call 812 238-5504 to register at that rate).

Practical workshops will also be presented by Jon Graf and John and Kery Shuey of KingdomQuest Ministries.

Why not come a day early and enjoy Lancaster County.

Click here for more information.

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Prayer request, i dont know if this is the right place to post this, im new

Posted by Delia Mary Smith on October 18, 2010 at 20:25
I put this picture of me and my husband on our wedding day as my profile picture because he needs prayer desperately. His name is Eddie and he has walked so far away from the Lord. He has walked out on me and our 14 month old son and is living with another woman. He was once a beautiful man of God. And I know that he can be that beautiful man of God again, but he is SO blinded by satan. Thank you in advance for your prayers. I appreciate them more than you'll ever know. I want my Godly husband back and our son deserves a Godly Daddy to lead and raise him. His name is Noah if you'd like to pray for him too. God bless you, bless you indeed! Please do not hesitate to write me if you need prayer too. I'd love to!
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Praying for the Persecuted, Part 2

Posted by Andrew R. Wheeler on October 17, 2010 at 17:30

Earlier I wrote about "taking the offensive" in praying for the Persecuted Church. This idea has been on my mind more and more as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church approaches. Lately, God seems to be bringing scriptures to me to teach me a broader perspective.


Consider the story of Esther. It's a really familiar story about how God raised up Queen Esther to save His people from destruction during the time of King Xerxes in the Medo-Persian empire. I re-read Esther today, and once again noted the familiar prominent place given to prayer and fasting in the success of Queen Esther's request (Esther 4:16). Again I saw Mordecai's loyalty and integrity and Esther's courage. Again I replayed the popular verse, "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14), which has so often been used to challenge Christians to action.


But this time through the book I was ambushed by a sentence tucked away at the end of Chapter 8, almost as an afterthought: "Many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them" (Esther 8:17). It seems that God had more in mind in the unfolding of this story than just Esther's and Mordecai's rise to power, more than just retribution against the enemies of Israel (such as Haman), more even than the salvation of His own people in the midst of their persecution. God also had in mind the spread of His word and the salvation of people from other nations.


Going back to the fasting and prayer in 4:16, I'm trying to picture how the Jews in the city of Susa would have prayed. I can picture them pleading with God for mercy, asking to be rescued from their enemies, perhaps even confessing sins. I can see them asking God to reverse the king's order and possibly even to bring on their enemies the destruction planned for them. I realize this is somewhat speculative, but I don't picture them praying for the salvation of foreigners. Such a focus never appeared in Mordecai's or Esther's words. The emphasis was on their immediate need and calling on God to rescue them in their time of trouble.


It seems that God is always up to more than we understand. He is, as Paul says, "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). Over and over in Scripture we see God responding to issues like persecution in ways that go way beyond the immediate people involved. So, as IDOP approaches, I'm trying to stretch again in my prayers and ask God for more than just protection of His people and more even than the conversion of the persecutors. I'm starting to become aware that the story is wider than I had imagined, and I'm beginning to try to pray for God's wider work in the world even as I pray regarding specific instances of persecution. Something tells me that this learning journey isn't over yet.

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We need more men praying...another great message from Dave Butts @ Harvest Prayer Ministries!

Posted by Martin (Marty) Ferenc on October 15, 2010 at 7:32
Praying Men Can Make A DifferencePrintE-mail

by Dave Butts

Most church prayer ministry teams are predominately female. There’s a reason for this. In most situations, women pray more than men. C. Peter Wagner notes that of those who have been identified as being primarily intercessors, about 80% are female. Consider why this is so, remembering that we are dealing in generalities here. Women are typically more compassionate than men, which naturally leads them into praying for others.

Again, generally speaking, women are more spiritually sensitive than men. This awareness that something is happening spiritually brings about prayer. Certainly in many, if not most churches, they have had the example of praying women set before them. Women go to the prayer meeting while the men go work on the building. Stereotype? Yes…but all too often very close to the truth.

What God has perhaps allowed in the past is no longer permitted today. God is calling men to step up to the plate and do their part in prayer. The Lord today is calling ALL of the Church to prayer….both men and women, young and old. Look just at the spiritual warfare aspect of prayer. John Piper writes, "Until we know that life is war, we won’t know what prayer is for." Prayer involves battle against spiritual forces in the heavenlies. Men —how do you feel about sending your mother or wife out to do battle while you sit at home? Isn’t that what we’ve been doing when we have looked at prayer as women’s work? It’s time to take the place of the warrior, alongside the women, as we do battle together in the Lord’s strength and victory as a people of prayer.

Consider also the issue of spiritual leadership in the home. It’s very apparent in Scripture that the Lord expects Christian men to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. Here is a truth though, that is not always understood: spiritual leaders pray! If a man is not praying, he is not a spiritual leader. Prayerless men have abdicated their place of spiritual authority and left their families open to attack. You see, this is not an abstract discussion, but a matter of very practical issues for you and your family.

I believe the place for married men to begin is to develop the habit of praying with their wives. Most Christian men do not do this. Several years ago, Leadership Journal shared how most pastors don’t pray with their wives either. There are always excuses why we don’t, but they remain mere excuses. Couples that pray together are forging strong bonds that will not easily break. A survey was taken that noted just 1 in over a thousand couples who prayed together saw their marriage fall apart. Match that up against the close to 50% figure for all other couples, including Christians.

When my wife, Kim, and I were first married, we made a commitment to pray together. We found that there never seemed to be just the right time of day to do this. We finally decided the only way it was going to work for us was to get up a half an hour earlier in the morning. Our prayer time is precious to us. I hear from Kim about the things that are important to her by just listening to her prayers. She hears me praying over her day and asking God to bless her, as I also hear her pray for me. It is a wonderful time of sharing together before the Lord, and strengthening one another.

There are some days we don’t pray together. The schedule is out of the ordinary, or we’re on a trip, or one of us is especially tired. That’s ok. It’s not a legalistic requirement that we never miss a day of prayer together. Don’t put yourself under condemnation. Praying together is a great gift to give one another. Whether it is in the morning or evening, for 5 minutes, or for an hour, it is vital for Christian couples to learn to pray together.

I believe that God is calling men to lead out in prayer as part of His strategy for retaking planet earth. As men begin to respond in prayer, God begins to move in amazing ways. Dr J. Edwin Orr said it this way, "When God gets ready to do something new with his people, He always sets them praying."

God is doing a new thing today. If you want to be "in" on what God is doing, you must begin praying with greater passion and intensity. If you want purpose and meaning to life, and if you want your life to really count for God and to make a difference in this world…PRAY! Prayer is what God is calling His people to do today as a part of His plan for this world.

God is moving all things toward completion. I don’t pretend to know when. But I do know the key. It is evangelism. And the key to evangelism is prayer. Let me show this to you scripturally.

Jesus said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). The gospel is going to be preached to all nations…Jesus said so. Do you want to be a part of the fulfillment of these words?

Jesus ties together prayer and evangelism in Matthew 9:37-38: "The harvest is truly plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Then, in 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul urges prayers to be lifted up because God wants everyone saved. Again prayer and evangelism are brought together.

There are two passages of Scripture in Revelation that you may not have noticed before that are exciting in their presentation of prayer and evangelism: "Each one has a harp and they are holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Revelation 5:8). "Another angel, who had a golden censor, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand" (Revelation 8:3-4).

After each of these incidents, in which the collected prayers of God’s people are poured out before God, angels are loosed upon the earth to cause events intended to bring people to repentance and salvation. God uses the prayers of His people to bring about the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom.

The second passage in Revelation comes in the midst of a half an hour of silence. Author Walter Wink explains the connection well: "Heaven itself falls silent. The heavenly hosts and celestial spheres suspend their ceaseless singing so that the prayers of the saints on earth can be heard. The seven angels of destiny cannot blow the signal of the next times to be until an eighth angel gathers these prayers…and mingles them with incense upon the altar. Silently they rise to the nostrils of God.

"Human beings have intervened in the heavenly liturgy. The uninterrupted flow of consequences is damned for a moment. New alternatives become feasible. The unexpected becomes suddenly possible, because God’s people on earth have invoked heaven, the home of the possibles, and have been heard. What happens next, happens because people prayed. The message is clear: history belongs to the intercessors."

Dick Eastman, of Every Home for Christ, said it this way: "God’s ultimate purpose for mankind, the completion of Christ’s bride and the establishing of His eternal Kingdom on earth will result only from the release of the prayers of God’s saints."

Graham Kendrick and Chris Robinson wrote the hymn, All Heaven Waits. See if their words call to your heart and stir within you a passion to be a man of prayer

"All heaven waits with bated breath for saints on earth to pray,
Majestic angels ready stand with swords of fiery blade.
Astounding power awaits a word from God’s resplendent throne.
But God awaits our prayer of faith that cries, "Your will be done!"

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Talking Politics in Church

Posted by Dave Kubal on October 14, 2010 at 10:14
“You can’t talk politics in the church; everyone knows it’s against the law.”How often do you suppose this will be said over the next few weeks? It will be said enough that it would be good for Christians to understand what the law is and where it came from.For the first 178 years of our country’s history, politics were freely discussed in churches. In fact, one of the early leading preachers, Dr. John Witherspoon, signed our Declaration of Independence, helped author the Articles of the Confederation, and even served on more than 120 congressional committees as an elected official from New Jersey. He was the President of the College of New Jersey (now called Princeton), whose motto was “Dei sub numine viget,” which means “under God’s power she flourishes.”As Witherspoon’s example shows, our founders did not have a problem talking about politics in church. On May 17, 1776, the Continental Congress declared a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer for God’s guidance in the war. That same day, Dr. Witherspoon delivered a sermon titled “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men,” and he publically addressed England’s attempt to control the colonists’ laws. Witherspoon said, “I call this claim unjust, of making laws to bind us ‘in all cases whatsoever’…If your cause is just, you may look with confidence to the Lord, and intreat him to plead it as his own. …The cause in which America is now in arms, is the cause of justice, of liberty, and of human nature. So far as we have hitherto proceeded, I am satisfied that the confederacy of the colonies has not been the effect of pride, resentment, or sedition, but of a deep and general conviction that our civil and religious liberties….”(If you would like to learn more about our country in the form of a historical Bible studies series, go to IFAResources.com and look for the “Country of Character” series.)There was complete freedom to talk about politics up until 1954. On July 2, Representative Lyndon Johnson made a motion on the floor as the House was debating the 1934 IRS Tax Law when he said the following:Mr. JOHNSON of Texas: Mr. President, I have an amendment at the desk, which I should like to have stated.The PRESIDING OFFICER: The Secretary will state the amendment.The CHIEF CLERK: On page 117 of the House bill, in section 501(c)(3), it is proposed to strike out “individuals, and” and insert “individual,” and strike out “influence legislation.” And insert “influence legislation, and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”Mr. JOHNSON of Texas: Mr. President, this amendment seeks to extend the provisions of section 501 of the House bill, denying tax-exempt status to not only those people who influence legislation but also to those who intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for any public office. I have discussed the matter with the chairman of the committee, the minority ranking member of the committee, and several other members of the committee, and I understand that the amendment is acceptable to them. I hope the chairman will take it to conference, and that it will be included in the final bill which Congress passes. [Emphasis added.]And with that short interchange the Church was “muzzled.” There was no debate. There was not a committee that looked into this, it just happened. Subsequent writings of both his staff and Johnson himself indicate that he never intended this legislation to apply to churches, just “non-profits.”Why did he do this? History is not clear-cut, but he was in a difficult reelection campaign, and two outspoken anti-communist non-profit organizations in Texas were neutralized because of this legislation.To summarize, today’s interpretation of the law is that, yes, you can talk about politics. It must be done in a non-partisan manner with an effort to educate people about issues. To understand today’s interpretation of the law check out the Pew Foundation’s excellent publication on the issue:“Religious Organizations…are prohibited from participating or intervening, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective public office. This prohibition encompasses a wide array of activities. It precludes direct political activity, such as the making of statements, whether oral, written or in an electronic medium, supporting or opposing any candidate, political party or political action committee (“PAC”), creating a PAC, rating candidates and providing or soliciting financial support (including loans or loan guarantees) or in-kind support for any candidate, political party or PAC. It also precludes indirect political activity of a sort that reflects bias for or against any candidate, political party or PAC, such as distribution of biased voter education materials or conduct of a biased candidate forum or voter registration drive.”The Church in America needs to understand where our laws came from and why our laws exist. The most important question we need to ask ourselves is, what is God’s perspective on the law? If the laws are unjust, as Witherspoon put it, “you may look with confidence to the Lord, and intreat him to plead it as his own…the cause of justice, of liberty, and of human nature.”Now when someone says “you can’t talk about politics in church,” you can give them an answer with depth and confidence.
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The Mid-Term Elections Have Already Begun

Posted by Dave Kubal on October 14, 2010 at 10:10
Experts estimate that at least one third, maybe as high as one half, of voters will vote before the official election date. All states allow for absentee balloting, but 32 states (plus the District of Columbia) allow early, in-person voting. Georgia, Vermont, Maine and South Dakota have allowed in person voting since September 21. Candidates have factored these facts in, realizing that their campaign cannot simply put on a last minute push to convince people which way to vote.

As Christians consider their need to intercede for these elections, we need to have the same understanding. People are making up their minds and casting their ballots right now! If you have considered praying for the election, but have been putting it off, now is the time to ask the Lord to intervene in our country. A great website to find issues and candidate information is iVoters.com.

“Can a corrupt throne be allied with you – one that brings on misery by its decrees?” Psalm 93:20 serves as a great reminder for all believers to pray for honest and truthful elected officers who will enact laws that bless people. Let’s begin praying this scripture over our election today!If you would like to encourage your family or friends to pray for our country, consider our historical Bible study called “Legacy of Character.” The study tells stories of our Godly heritage with practical application for today. Go to IFAResources.com for more info.

Here is a complete list of early voting states, taken from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Early Voting

The following states permit no-excuse, in-person early voting at election offices, and in some cases, at satellite locations:

Alaska Montana
Arizona Nebraska
Arkansas Nevada
California New Mexico
Colorado North Carolina
District of Columbia North Dakota
Florida Ohio
Georgia Oklahoma
Hawaii South Dakota
Idaho Tennessee
Illinois Texas
Indiana Utah
Iowa Vermont
Kansas West Virginia
Louisiana Wisconsin
Maine Wyoming
Maryland
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Church Growth thru Radical Prayer

Posted by Reimagine Curator on October 12, 2010 at 0:27
"We have real statistics that demonstrate that the week we added intercessors in all of our services, our weekly commitments to Christ doubled from that point forward."

Chris Galanos, Experience Life Church, Lubbock, TX as quoted in Outreach Magazine
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Voices Together for Lord's Day, 10 October 2010 Psalm 119:97

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 10, 2010 at 2:30
Psalm 119:97
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

As I meditate on Your law, as I dwell on the beauty of Your word, as I make these the furniture of Your temple, then You manifest Yourself to me, and live with me. Thank You, Lord.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each
third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our
voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on
October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive
a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival.
You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can
connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our
prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a
Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials
available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl
Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer
guide.
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Voices Together for Saturday, 9 October 2010 Psalm 28:8-9

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 9, 2010 at 2:30
Psalm 28:8-9
The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Praise You, my Lord and my Master, You are my strength, my refuge and my shepherd. You do carry me through the Wilderness of Man, You lead me step by step to carry Your message of hope and deliverance into a wilderness of despair and bondage.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.
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From "Life Action Ministries" newsletter, article by Dave Butts of Harvest Prayer Ministries! Awesome!

Posted by Martin (Marty) Ferenc on October 8, 2010 at 15:48

Praying Big

Dave Butts
Fri, Oct 8, 2010
Permalink
Praying Big

For the last seven years, I've served as chairman of the National Prayer Committee here in the United States. I have a real burden to pray for our nation, and as I look at our nation, I see a desperate need for revival.

But as I travel across the country, I sadly have to admit that I'm not hearing the kind of praying that will produce revival. I don't hear bold praying. Instead, I hear "wimpy" praying.

Do you know what I mean? "Well, God, I've got an idea, and I'm not sure if You're interested, but if You are, here it is. Now do whatever You want."

This kind of prayer comes out of our mouths, dribbles down our chins, and falls on the floor. There's nothing that causes it to rise to heaven. There's no power there, no confidence, no faith.

The Bible teaches us to pray differently. In fact, God's Word commands us to pray boldly, to pray with confidence: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16, emphasis added).

A TRAGIC PICTURE

The apostle John gives us a picture of the beauty and majesty of the throne room in the book of Revelation. Around the thrones of the Father and the Son are four living creatures—angelic beings whose sole task throughout all of eternity is simply to cry out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty" (4:6-8). And around these four living crea­tures are twenty-four elders with crowns of gold, and they're continually taking their crowns and casting them at the feet of the Lord and worshiping Him (vv. 9-11).

As if that were not enough, John says the throne room of heaven is filled with many thousands of angels who are gathered together in joyful assembly (5:11-12). What an awe-inspiring place!

But in my imagination, at the back of the great throne room is a little door. When we begin to pray, the door opens, and we walk out into the very center of the throne room. And then we intone, "Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for all You've given us. Lead, guide and protect us. In Jesus' name, amen."

As we leave, you can hear the angels saying, "That's it? That's all he's going to ask for? He had the attention of the Creator of all things, and he closed his eyes, muttered a few little phrases ... and left?!"

With this picture in mind, the pressing question for the church today is, "How can we move from wimpy to bold praying?"

HOW TO PRAY BIG

There's a group of Christians whose story is found in the book of Acts who, I believe, give us a very practical model for how we can learn to pray with boldness. Their story is found in Acts 4, and providentially we have a transcript of their prayer meeting:

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day....

Then they called them in again and command­ed them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.... After further threats they let them go.

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them....

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness...."

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Wow! I want us to look at their prayer, because there are several principles here for bold praying:

They paid attention to Who they were talking to. Sometimes we have a tendency in prayer to rush into God's presence with our prayer list, but we don't consider Who's on other end of the conversation. But look how they began this prayer: "Sovereign Lord, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them" (v. 24).

Here's an extremely important principle: When the focus of prayer is our needs, faith fades.

That's one reason we so often find ourselves scared and timid in prayer. For example, we find out that we've lost our job or we have cancer or a loved one is dying, and suddenly we're overwhelmed by fears and concerns and anxieties. We bring these concerns to the Lord, but we're not really focusing on the Lord—we're looking at our need!

These early Christians were able to pray this amazingly bold, effective prayer because they began by paying attention to Who they were talking to. Their focus was on the power and promises of God, not the serious predicament they were facing. This simple change of focus can change your prayer life forever.

They prayed according to the Word of God. The disciples began their prayer by quoting several verses from Psalm 2 back to God (Acts 4:25-26)—and then they based the rest of their prayer on that passage of Scripture. Why would they do that?

The psalm they chose is all about God's Messiah. It talks about how the nations and the kings of the earth are going to rise up against the Messiah. But as you read on, it tells how the One who sits enthroned in heaven scoffs at them (v. 4).

And then about halfway through Psalm 2, we are privileged to listen in on a conversation between God the Father and Jesus the Son. Jesus is speaking, and He says of God, "He said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession'" (vv. 7-8).

Do you get this? The Father promised Jesus the nations as His inheritance!

The early church, led by the Spirit, saw this, and they said, "Wow, this is great! The Father has promised Jesus all nations, and Jesus told us to preach the gospel to the nations. Now, the authorities in Jerusalem just said, 'You can't preach anymore.' So, Lord, grant Your servants boldness to proclaim Your Word, and, Lord, get involved. Do whatever it takes to allow the Word to go forth with power so that Jesus can receive His inheri­tance." That's why they prayed the way they did.

Here's the point: Their prayer was not a way of getting things from God. It was the way God had chosen to accomplish His will on planet earth. They understood that their lives and circumstances were for the purpose of participating with God on earth.

This truth represents everything in prayer. If you get this, you get it all. The God who initiates prayer has given us the amazing privilege of praying for His will, and as we do, His power is released to accomplish it. That's why Jesus taught us to pray, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).

They prayed big prayers! What would a little prayer have been, in their circumstance? Well, imagine it. The believers are crowded into a house in Jerusalem, stand­ing with leaders who have just been released from prison. Someone is probably cleaning the wounds Peter and John received from getting roughed up by the authorities—maybe wiping off some blood or dirt. Just weeks before, these same authorities had killed Jesus. How would you have prayed?

I think my prayer would have been: "Help us! Protect us! Keep us safe!" But that was not their prayer. Instead, theirs was a big prayer that focused on the plans and purposes of God.

It is not wrong to pray a little prayer. I pray a lot of prayers for protection. There's nothing wrong with that ... unless that's all you ever pray.

What God is waiting on—and what the world desper­ately needs—is for the church of Jesus Christ to rise up and begin to pray the big prayers that shake heaven for God's kingdom to advance on earth.

They had no sooner finished their prayer than the build­ing began to shake, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit again, and they immediately began to speak the Word of God with great boldness (Acts 4:31).

According to the book of Acts, within five weeks of that prayer meeting, the teaching of Jesus had filled the streets of Jerusalem. Within the lifetime of everyone in that prayer meeting, they had turned the world upside down.

When is the church going to experience this kind of power again? If it's going to happen in our lifetime, we've got to learn to pray big, with great boldness.

___________________________

Dave is the president of Harvest Prayer Ministries in Terre Haute, Indiana.

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Voices Together for Friday, 8 October 2010 Psalm 28:6-7

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 8, 2010 at 2:00
Psalm 28:6-7
Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. (7) The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

As I go into this day, I need Your strength and shield. I need Your hand covering me and Your wisdom guiding me. Help me, Lord, to see exactly what is needed and to present those requirements with clarity and grace. Cause those who have the control of these resources to look with grace upon my requests.
The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.
Read more…

It Seems To Me ...

Posted by Reimagine Curator on October 7, 2010 at 18:55
It Seems to Me . . .
Phil Miglioratti
. . . sometimes more is, well, more!

Recently I was invited to lead a weekend prayer emphasis at a church. The pastor had invited me to preach and teach several times in the past few years so I was not new to the congregation. It was quickly obvious these members enjoy their fellowship and have a gracious gift of hospitality. But their pastor's increasing appetite for prayer is challenging this church that prays to become a praying church. My challenge was to turn a weekend prayer emphasis into a lifestyle learning experience.



We designed a wall-to-wall schedule:


• Saturday afternoon the congregation had their annual picnic which included a prayerwalk for each family.
That evening, after a long day of fun and food, three dozen leaders and teachers met for a workshop on how to facilitate Spirit-led prayer in small groups and classes.
• Sunday school classes, youth through adult, met together for a workshop on how the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6) is the offensive weapon for every armored believer. This word (rhema) of the Spirit from the word (logos) of God gives each of us immediate instruction on who and what to pray for and how to pray in agreement with our Lord.
• Sunday's message was a case study of Epaphras (Colossians 4), a wonderful New Testament example of how to pray proactively toward the life transforming purposes of God for every believer (confidence, maturity) (and even for cities!).
• Sunday afternoon was another prayerwalk, this time targeting the people (neighbors), places (schools, churches, government offices) and things (local issues) of the community.
• Sunday evening concluded with a prayer adventure: a Spirit-led, Scripture-fed, Worship-bred, Congregation prayer gathering. The final segment was devoted to debriefing what we had experienced and learned that day.

Frankly, I was concerned we were asking too much. Young families have already busy schedules on the weekends. Senior saints do not appreciate several trips to the church facility in just 36 hours. Leaders had ongoing weekend ministries. I had prepared myself for underwhelming attendance.

As the weekend went on, I noticed better-than-I-anticipated crowds and, maybe more importantly, folks who demonstrated a voracious appetite for all things prayer. Like their pastor, they were seeking first the kingdom. Default prayer styles and systems were no longer satisying. Their interest was more than a need for a change-of-pace . . . it was biblical (what does the Scripture say about prayer and praying?), theological (how must we think differently in order to pray differently?), personal (how can I apply this concept to my daily intercession?), and congregational (how does this impact our standard, traditional way of praying when we assemble?). They were exchanging a prayer-life for a life of prayer.

On paper, the weekend emphasis was more like a weekend conference. In my mind, too much for any one person or family or even ministry. But, in reality, for many it was an appreciated (and maybe overdue) opportunity for a full course meal. I left, encouraged they had been more than informed; God had further transformed them. Passion was building. Prayers were changing.

It seems to me, sometimes more can really be more!

Pastor Phil

www.praynetwork.org

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Voices Together for Thursday, 7 October 2010 Psalm 28:3-5

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 7, 2010 at 2:00
Psalm 28:3-5
Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. Because they do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Lord, protect me from those temptation which take root in my soul and lead to evil desires. Give me the strength, wisdom and discernment to recognize the very first sprouting of desire and the power to root it out, pull it up by its roots and discard it. Let these temptations not grow into those desires characterized by lust, greed, pride, self-will, impatience, anger, ...

The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.
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Voices Together for Wednesday, 6 October 2010 Psalm 28:1-2

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 6, 2010 at 2:00
Psalm 28:1-2
Of David. To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

I need You, Lord, every hour I need You. Be with me, O my Savior, be with me today. Guide my hand and my mind, let the meditations of my mouth be pleasing in your ears, let every step of my feet be set securely in Your path, let all that I am be used in Your service today.


The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.
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Millions Worldwide Pray for Jerusalem on October 3rd, The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem

Posted by Miriam Rodlyn Park on October 5, 2010 at 13:00

Christians Around the Globe Unify to Pray for Jerusalem and to Feed Her Poor

At a time when division seems to reign in nations, in politics, and between religions, millions of Christians joined in both prayer and in their deeds on October 3rd for the sake of Jerusalem and all of her people, during the 9th Annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (www.daytopray.com).

Churches from over 175 nations, including underground Christian churches from seven primarily Muslim countries and mainland China, joined in prayer on this day for God’s peace, His purposes, and His blessing to be on Jerusalem and her many people groups. According to the New York office of Eagles’ Wings, the prayer initiative’s sponsor, groups of believers in Tanzania even took twenty-four-hour shifts – without food or water – in order to fast and pray for peace for God’s Holy Land and her people – Jew and Arab alike - during the thirty days leading up to October 3rd.

A special Jerusalem gathering was televised live globally on GOD TV, from the Tayelet Haas Promenade overlooking the Old City. Led by Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns, founder of Eagles’ Wings and co-chairman of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, those who addressed the local audience of hundreds and the global audience of millions, included Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat; Dr. Michael Little, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network; Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of Efrat; Knesset member Yoel Hasson; and other international leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Arab communities.

Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns declared: “We are not gathered here as a religious experience; we are gathered here because we believe that prayer makes a difference…Where man’s peace plans fail, God’s peace plans come to pass…Today a generation past the Holocaust, the Church of Jesus Christ will not be silent. We will lift our voices in the United Nations, in the European Union, in our churches, in the universities, in the White House, and we will lift our voices in the four corners of the earth…It’s time for God’s people to not just hear the shofar…but be the shofar!”

Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat told the crowd and TV audience, “The best way to pray for Israel is to pray in Israel, and today, more than ever, your solidarity is extremely important to us.” Rabbi Riskin also expressed his gratitude for Christian support, “I thank you because you are truly our brothers and sisters of Abraham.” Representing the next generation, a young Christian Israeli Arab, Emil Haloum, asked G-d in both English and Arabic, “Lord, let Jerusalem be a role model for all the cities of the Middle East…let the peace of Jerusalem become a reality, not a dream.”

In one of the highlights of the evening, Dr. Stearns presented a financial gift from the Christian community to feed many Israelis – both Jewish and Arab - who live below the poverty line including children, elderly Holocaust survivors, new immigrants from persecuted areas, and families caught in the political strife of the Middle East who lack even one hot meal a day. This effort challenged both individual believers and churches alike, to add practical action to their prayers for Jerusalem by feeding Israeli’s most needy. (www.daytopray.com/feedisrael.aspx).

In addition to the individual church services, college campus gatherings, and regional prayer rallies, a “virtual prayer room” was created by the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem’s 24-hour prayer call. Throughout the entire day, believers from 32 states and several nations called in to unite in spirit and to pray in their native languages for God to bless mightily the city that He calls His own in Scripture.

The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem is a global, grassroots prayer movement occurring on the first Sunday of every October, connecting the Christian and Hebrew calendars. It involves tens of millions of believers and is endorsed by over 1,200 prominent Christian leaders worldwide, including Jack Hayford, Paul Cedar, Dick Eastman, Ron Luce, Kay Arthur, John Hagee, Jane Hansen Hoyt, K.P. Yohannan, T. D Jakes, Ravi Zacharias, Mosy Madugba, Kenneth Copeland, Samuel Rodriguez, Joyce Meyer, Lance Wallnau, Larry Stockstill, Bishop Charles Scott, Newsboys, Thomas Wang, Sunday Adelaja, and many more.

For More details on the Jerusalem Event, see: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=190077
To Watch the Jerusalem Event, go to On Demand Viewing at God TV (http://www.god.tv/)

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Supreme Court Justices Pray Together

Posted by Dave Kubal on October 5, 2010 at 10:47
We should join our Supreme Court Justices in praying to our Supreme God to guide and direct this fall’s Supreme Court session. The tradition of “Red Mass” began in 13th century England, and has been practiced in the U.S. for the last 57 years. Red Mass is a Catholic mass held on the first Sunday in October at a cathedral in Washington. This year, a majority of the Court’s Justices (five in total) were present, along with Vice President Biden. The Archbishop of Washington, who officiated the mass, said, “They come to ask the blessing of the Spirit before the new session, but also give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, particularly that we are a nation of laws.”Here are prayer points for some of the cases that will be heard this term:* On 10/6 Snyder v. Phelps will be heard, concerning Rev. Fred Phelp’s protection of free speech to protest at military funerals. Pray for the love of Christ to come through along with unity in the body.* On 10/13 Skinner v. Switzer will be heard, on the question of inmates’ ability to use DNA tests. Pray for justice and truth to reign.* On 11/2 Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment will be heard, concerning California’s attempt to block the sale of violent video games. Pray for the youth of America that they would grow up in a country where there would be protection from violence and not the celebration of it.* On 11/3 Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn will be heard, over an Arizona law that allows residents to designate a portion of their taxes to school tuition programs, most of which were given to religious schools. Pray for an accurate interpretation of the First Amendment and the “establishment clause.”
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Voices Together for Tuesday, 5 October 2010 Psalm 27:11-14

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 5, 2010 at 2:00
Psalm 27:11-14
Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Lord, to look upon You in the land of the living, to see Your goodness there, in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the here and now, to see and live in the not yet and the yet to come. Wait for You, wait for the full revelation of Your presence, give me strength and courage.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.

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Who is Called to Pray for Jerusalem Today?

Posted by Miriam Rodlyn Park on October 4, 2010 at 10:17
Isaiah 62: 6 in the NIV translation says: “I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You, who call upon the Lord, give yourselves no rest and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”

My Question to us today is simply this: Does this verse apply to you and to me today? And if our answer is “yes”….then what are we called to do about it? And if not… why not?

Obviously, in this blog, I can only hope to touch on some issues but it is my hope that this will provoke us to further prayer & exploration on this question, in light of God’s Word and current world events.

First, because this verse is from the Old Testament rather than the New, some might argue that that this verse – and the multitude of others like it about Jerusalem from the Old Testament - are not as relevant to our Christian lives today as the verses from the New Testament.

Yet Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” Paul wrote this verse in 66 or 67 AD, and since the New Testament was not even fully written or circulated until about 100 AD, I would submit that Paul – the former Jewish Pharisee - was definitely including in his definition of “Scripture”, what we call the Old Testament. In fact, it is helpful for us to remember that the entire early church was made up of Jews who followed the Jewish Rabbi Jesus, who believed in a Jewish Messiah, who attended a Jewish synagogue, who honored the Jewish festivals and Shabbat, and who accepted the Jewish Sacred writings. There was not one non-Jewish name that appeared in the leadership of the Jerusalem Church until after 135 AD.

Even Jesus said He had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them (Matt. 5: 17) and theological scholars like S.A. Cook warn us against arbitrarily severing the two Testaments. So for our purposes today, let’s proceed as though God just might be talking to us about something for our lives today.

Now In this verse, God says that He has placed Watchmen on the Walls of JERUSALEM.

1. Is there an actual city called Jerusalem? Not a metaphor but is there an actual piece of real estate called Jerusalem in this world today? If there is, then God just may be talking about THAT particular piece of land. And this is not some wild stretch of the imagination because in Scripture, God calls this city of Jerusalem the “City of God”, “The City of The Lord”, “The Mountain of the Lord of Hosts”, and “The City of the Great King”…Jesus.

Now as those “grafted into the Covenant of Abraham”, we can - when praying & reading Scripture - interpret “Jerusalem” to mean our own city here in America, but we should also remember that the secondary application of Scripture should never deny the primary one.

Three times in the book of Joel, and also in Leviticus 25: 23, we are told that the land belongs to God Himself and given the amount of Scripture where God talks about this land and His purposes for it, I think we can safely assume He really cares about what is happening there right now, and what will happen there in the future.

2. Does this city need watchmen today? YES – by all means! Today, we are seeing the actual fulfillment of prophecy from Zechariah which says that Jerusalem “is becoming a “cup of trembling” or as the NIV reads, “a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples [the 22 Arab nations around Israel] reeling”. Just read the headlines and listen to the world news and you will see - as exemplified by the actions of the United Nations and the European Union - how all the nations are beginning to turn against her, just as the Prophet Zechariah warned. (Zechariah 12: 1 – 4; Zechariah 14:12; Ezekiel 38:16)

It is not just a battle over land as political leaders say, it is not just a battle between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, it is not just a battle between the Israel Defense Forces and the terrorist groups of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, nor is it a battle between the Democratic values of Israel and the Theocratic beliefs of the surrounding Arab nations; it is ultimately a battle over WHO will be worshipped on that Holy Hill….Jesus – the King of the Jews, the Savior of Christians, and the Messiah of both – or Allah, the false god of Islam.

Because Jerusalem is THE very place where Jesus will return one day, Jerusalem IS the center of this End Time Battle. He is not returning to New York City, nor Tokyo, or Colorado Springs. No, Zechariah 14:3 and Micah 4:1 & 2 tell us that when Jesus returns, His feet will stand on the Mt of Olives, a very literal place in the very real city of Jerusalem today.

3. Do we know when this will happen? NO…but we do know some prerequisites that must take place before it does:

Jesus said in Matt. 23:39 that He would not return UNLESS and UNTIL the very people that had once rejected Him would welcome Him back as King Messiah saying “Baruch Haba Bashem Adonai” – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

For them to welcome Him back, the Jewish people have to be in the God’s Land where Jesus lived and ministered. The Bible repeatedly tells us that although the Jewish people were scattered by God throughout the nations, that “there would be a day” when He would re-gather them into the land of their ancestors never to be uprooted again. This spiritually historic event happened in 1948 when God brought beauty out of the ashes of the Holocaust and Israel not only became a nation, but miraculously survived the immediate attack of 5 powerful Arab countries.

Jerusalem too would have to be restored as the capital of the Jewish people, just as Zechariah prophesied, rather than be controlled by Islamic invaders. This incredibly significant event has also already happened - in 1967 - when Israel miraculously won Jerusalem back in a defensive battle against the Muslim nations, making it the first time since 606BC that Jerusalem was the capital of an independent Israel.

God still has other plans for this land and its people… many of which are being fulfilled right before our very eyes while others have yet to happen. For example - Paul tells us in Romans 11 that God plans a national salvation of the Jews; he calls it “their fullness” in verse 12. But in order for this to happen, a significant revelation will have to take place in the minds & the hearts of Jewish people because the sad fact is that Christian nations have historically been the source of persecution for Jewish people for the last 2000 years: The Crusades by Pope Urban, the Pogroms in Christian Russia & Poland, the Inquisition in Catholic Spain, The Holocaust in Lutheran Germany, and the mounting anti-Semitism throughout Europe & the West today. Many atrocities were done to Jewish people in the name of Jesus that did NOT reflect the Spirit of Jesus. You and I have the opportunity here on earth to live out the life of the real Jesus – The One Who “ever intercedes”- revealing the true nature of The One we worship and serve.

God is looking for His Watchmen today - those who hear His voice, know His Word, and know His heart - for His Holy City and for “the apple of His eye.”

Well - WHO are the watchmen that God is addressing in this verse? Is it simply for the Jewish people to pray? Is it simply for the Messianic Church to pray? Is prayer to be done only by those intercessors who have a burden for the Jewish people, or for Israel, or for Jerusalem?

The verse says that God is speaking to “YOU WHO CALL UPON THE LORD…” Have you called upon the Lord for salvation? Have you ever called upon Him for the healing of a loved one, or for the healing of a broken marriage, or for the return of a prodigal child? If you or I have “called upon the Lord”, then God is talking to YOU and to ME.

Other translations say “You who make mention,” which is even today a Hebrew business term describing the duty of a secretary to remind her boss of what he has scheduled to do for the day. Have you ever reminded God of His Promises to you, for your family, for The Church? Well if you or I have, then it means us as well.

God has only attached His Name to two groups of people – two groups who share in the Covenant; one group is The Church and the other group is the Jewish people (Deut.28: 10 and Numbers 6:27). One group is called “The Root” according to Paul in Romans 11, and the other is called “the branches” that were grafted in through Jesus.

Think about this. There is no nation in history that was twice destroyed. Jerusalem - Israel’s capital and religious center - was twice destroyed. The people en masse were twice taken off the land. The last captivity was for 1900 years and the language was all but extinct. So for this nation to be reborn and have the same capital, the same language, and the same religion, has to be seen as the supernatural & sovereign act of God!

God’s Hand is STILL intervening in the affairs of our world, on behalf of His Holy City.

And what does God tell us to do? God is telling us in His Word to pray …to pray day and night, to pray without ceasing, and to pray without earthly sides. He wants us to pray from His perspective, not from politics, and for His plans, not the worlds’. There are many good things for which we should pray, but when we take what is special to God and make it special to us, He takes what is special to us, and makes it special to Him.

We are called to stand in the gap and to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, here on earth – in His Holy City, in this spiritual center of the world – upon which hinges the future Kingdom of God and the redemption of all mankind.

Furthermore, God tells us that we are to pray UNTIL HE ESTABLISHES Jerusalem as “A PRAISE” in all the earth…

And when will Jerusalem be “a praise” in all the earth? It will be when we see ALL that that God has planned and purposed for His Land, for His people – Jewish and Christian, as well as for the ALL the nations – come to pass through “the city of the great King” - Jerusalem. It is THEN that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the GLORY of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)





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Voices Together for Monday, 4 October 2010 Psalm 27:8-10

Posted by John Nunnikhoven on October 4, 2010 at 2:00
Psalm 27:8-10
You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek." Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.

Seek Your face, Lord, O how I want to seek Your face, but sometimes it seems beyond me. Teach me and lead me in the way everlasting, I can feel the hunger for Your presence, let it grow in me. There have been tastes, little nibbles, I want it all, a full meal.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is calling men to unite together in prayer for revival. Register now to join us each third Thursday of the month, 9:00-10:00 PM Eastern time, as we lift our voices together by teleconference to pray for revival. Join us on October 21st at 9:00PM EDT

You must register for this special activity. Each month you will receive a reminder and materials to help you in preparing to pray for revival. You will also be given instructions on the various ways that you can connect with our teleconference. For those who are interested, our prayer coordinator, Carl Waggoner, is available to help you begin a Prayer for Revival group in your home or church, using the materials available through this ministry. To register, send an e-mail to Carl Waggoner, ccwaggoner2001@comcast.net and he will forward the prayer guide.
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