Pray Network Forum

Question #4

“What do you believe, and why do you believe it?”

Faith is the final stage and expression of knowledge. These are the final questions of how we know. One of the mistaken notions about belief is that it is little more than supposition. That misunderstands the foundation and force of faith. Belief adds to knowledge the force of conviction and action. Belief or faith places your life on the line for someone or something. A scientist must believe in the consistency of experience or experiment. We all have unquestioned faith in gravity. Faith is a measure of knowledge. Absolute knowledge is beyond humanity. It is reserved for God. He has put enough knowledge in this world to make trusting Him reasonable. But He has limited our knowledge enough that we must step out on faith.

Biblical faith in God is personal and relational. One of my favorite pictures of faith comes from my own childhood. I don’t remember exactly how old I was when this took place, but I was pretty young. We had a pump house slanting down from the edge of our garage. And some old tires were leaning up against the pump house wall. I managed to climb up on to the tires. And standing on the tires, I was able to grasp the roof and pull myself up. I walked up the slanting shingles and put my arms over the parapet around the top of our garage. It was easy to climb onto the parapet and then over the arch onto the porch of our Spanish style house. Up to this time the second story of our house filled my vision. But when I turned around on the porch I realized that I was ten or twelve feet above our driveway. I was terrified. I began to scream and yell for help. My father came out of the garage where he had been working. He looked up at me with a deadpan expression on his face. To this day I can see Dad reaching up with the work gloves that he always wore, and saying, “Jump David!” I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth and jumped into my father’s waiting embrace.

I trusted my father. I was not trusting our paved driveway to catch me. In faith we respond to God Himself. We courageously take Him at His word. This demonstrates as well as anything I know, the need to ask the second half of this question. “Why?” I believed even though I was afraid, because I knew I could trust my father’s word. This question also applies to whatever I doubt or disbelieve. As in most situations that call for faith, I was tempted to doubt. I was tempted to be too fearful to jump. But examining my doubts in that case would not have shown them to be logical, unless it would have been good for me to stay up on the roof in my terror.

As I pen these words I have metastatic cancer. I still do not know the day of my death, but I have sound reason to believe in my own mortality. I may not be close enough to the edge of that cliff to panic. But I know I will be tempted to be terrified when the time comes. That is the natural emotional response to this final leap of faith. But the best reasoned response I can make at this point is to trust God’s words to me, and keep my eyes fixed on Him. http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/

I have a question for those who speak of “praying on the armor every morning.”  Why did you take it off the night before?  I know.  You say you can’t sleep with all that armor on.  The Roman soldiers did, especially when they thought the enemy was near.  The analogy to spiritual warfare and the “armor of God” is in Ephesians 6:10-20, and it is a reference to the Roman soldiers being ready to protect themselves from the enemy.  In all probability Paul was in prison when he wrote Ephesians, and thus was quite familiar with the Roman soldiers and their armor.  While not so described in scripture, Satan is identified by John Milton in “Paradise Lost” as the “Prince of Darkness” and so he is – one who often works in the shadows and attacks in the dark of night.  Why was Isaiah so concerned that there be a watchman on the wall during the night watch (Isaiah 21:11), unless he feared a darkness attack by the enemy? Satan may well attack you in the night when you are armor-less. Let me be clear – I have no problem “praying on the armor of God.”  My problem comes with removing it.  So don’t “pray on your armor” each morning, rather refrain from removing it, and affirm its presence daily.

 

 

Prayer Points

1. With the concentration of Saudi citizens in this area, pray that the Lord would send out Christian workers to this city who are willing to connect with the people of Jubail on a personal level bringing the Gospel in their conversations.
2. Pray that the local church would not only thrive in their passion for Jesus but that it would be brought out to the marketplace and proclaimed to those living in this city.
3. With Western influence entering this region, pray that the Gospel would also enter this region through YouTube, Facebook, television and radio. Pray that follow up and deep discipleship would occur. 

View & pray along with this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7YuuXl4SIo

Question #3

“What do you want, and why do you want it?”

You may be thinking this question does not fit with the others. But it does. Many of our conclusions are affected more by our wants than by our reasoning. I recently heard a joke about a guy who decided he should not eat donuts. But he was finding it very difficult to hold his donut free conviction. And in his struggle he said, “Maybe God just doesn’t want me to stop eating donuts. So he decided that if there was an empty parking space in front of the donut shop when he passed, that would be a sign from God that he was not to stop eating donuts. “And sure enough,” he reported to his small group, “on the fourth time around the block . . .”

What we want influences what we think. And it is important to examine our wants and the reasons for them as we are trying to determine the truth.

In his book, Ends and Means, Aldous Huxley wrote, “I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning; and consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption.”

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/

Morning by Morning, June 13 - Centered in Christ

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of all I am and all I do this day. ...

"Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?' I said to him, 'Sir, you are the one that knows.' Then he said to me, 'These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:13-17).

I don't know the depths of the ordeals I will endure or the trials of tribulation I will face, as I run my race and walk out my journey in faith through this broken and fallen world. But I know I want my robe to be washed in white by the blood of the Lamb. I know I want You to be at the center of the throne of my heart, with my heart full worship day and night in the temple of Your Presence. I know I want to trust You to be my Shelter and my Shepherd, to lead me and to guide me to Your living waters and flowing fountains.

My time today on this earth is just the point where my present touches Your eternity. And my eternity is secure in You. Therefore, so is my present, my past, and my future. So give me the grace to embrace every day, every challenge, every encounter as it comes. With You at the center of my heart and my life, I cry out with all of heaven what I can experience here on earth every day, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb! ... Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!" (Revelation 7:10-12) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

I pray you live out every day centered in Christ, filled with worship, knowing the fullness of your salvation and the joy of your eternity, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
www.Messiah-Ministries.org

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
www.RaphaGodMinistries.com

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Sitting on the northeast coast of Saudi Arabia, Jubail is one of the largest industrial cities in the Middle East. From 1975 until current day, Jubail has seen rapid expansion and an influx of petrochemical workers. Although many internationals come to work at this city Jubail remains predominantly Saudi (73%) thus making it an effective ministry city. 

Prayer Points

PTAP's new Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/PRAYTAP/

Encouragement from the blog of Rev David Wikerson (1931-2011)

http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2017/06/standing-steadfast.html

STANDING STEADFAST

A young doctor once told me about attending a symposium of Christian physicians. He said they raised the question, “What is the difference between a Christian doctor and a doctor who is not a believer?” Their conclusion was simply that a Christian doctor prays for his patients.

I can think of a number of spiritual gifts and spiritual fruit that God might use through a Christian physician. And I suspect some doctors who are not necessarily committed Christians pray at least occasionally for their patients. Still, I suspect they touched the heart of the matter simply out of years of practicing medicine.

Thinking of this made me wonder about the difference between a Christian writer and one who does not believe. I do not want to minimize Christian subject matter. But I think there are differences beyond what we write about. There will be some difference between a Christian journalist and one who does not know the Lord. What about a travel writer? What about a restaurant critic? I believe two differences are foundational; whom we trust and whom we please and honor.

Two ferry boats cross a river. One runs along a cable stretched across the water. The other does not. When the river runs smoothly, the operator of the one without the cable claims his fairy moves faster. And that may be true, although I'm am not sure. But when the river is raging the one without the cable will be swept away in the flood.

A writer who knows Christ has an anchor of meaning and confidence in the sovereignty of God that a writer who does not know the Lord does not have. That is not to say that she is not bewildered by evil or unfairness. A Christian writer may write about evil or tragedy that she has no answer for. But beneath everything she has a confidence that that there is an answer and God knows the solution even when we do not. A Christian writer may suffer from writer's block. But she knows that she can pray for inspiration.

Most of you are far too young to remember the television series The Millionaire. In it Michael Anthony, played by actor Marvin Miller, was “the confidential secretary to the trillionaire John Beresford Tipton.”  Each week on the show at the philanthropist’s Direction he gave a million dollars to an unsuspecting recipient. While Michael Anthony gave wonderful things, a million dollars, a much greater fortune in 1955 than it is now, he did not work for them. He worked for the eccentric trillionaire. He obeyed his direction. The checks were drawn from the wealthy man’s bank account. And the secretary had to please him and him alone.

A Christian writer ultimately writes to please God. God is the source of her insight. He is the one who calls her to write. I am not primarily focusing on how a Christian ought to write. Although we seldom get all of this together, these are fundamental principles of belonging to Christ. A Christian writer seeks to speak from God and for God. She seeks to honor God rather than herself. And in this motive the truth of what she has to say is anchored.

In John 7:18 Jesus said,

“He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.”

Who are you writing for?

Morning by Morning, June 6 - Love, Above All Else

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Speak to my heart, as I listen for Your voice, Good Shepherd of my soul. ...

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Colossians 3:14).

Your Word commands me to clothe myself with love "above all." No doubt, this is a great priority to You and You desire this to be a great priority to me. So help me understand this spiritual truth and clear demand more deeply. Lord, what does it mean to clothe myself with love? ...

It seems I hear You saying, "To clothe yourself with love is to take deliberate action, with the intention of your heart to consciously choose to love."

Yes, Lord. As I hear these words in my heart, I believe You're bringing to mind a picture of me buttoning my shirt, one button at a time. It takes focus and attention, even though it may seem like a small thing. It's not automatic. My shirt doesn't button itself up just because I choose to wear it or want to wear it. I have to take deliberate action to consciously choose to put on my shirt and button it up, one button at a time.

So just as I clothe myself with my shirt every morning, remind me and empower me to clothe myself with love every morning. And may I keep wearing it throughout the moments and encounters of my day. Just like I would have to take deliberate action to consciously choose to take my shirt off, one button at a time, may it be just that deliberate to me if I were to choose to take love off. The moment I touch that top button to begin to take off love, speak to my heart and convict me in my spirit of what I'm about to do.

Remind me to never take off love, but wear it all day, going about every day consciously clothed in love. And as it becomes my way of the heart, let it become my way of life. Help me learn to love, more every day, clothed in love above all else. "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.... if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:7-12).

This kind of love is not the world's kind of love. It's not wish-washy, willy-nilly, touchy-feely love. It's obedient love, faithful love, self-sacrificing love (1 John 4:10; 2 John 4:6). As You explained to Your first disciples, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.... They who have My commandments and keep them are those who love Me; and those who love Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.... Those who love Me will keep My Word, and My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words" (John 14:15-24).

This kind of love requires truth. This kind of love requires action. "Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action" (1 John 3:17). It's not enough to say we love. It's not enough to embrace the world's kind of love. It's our calling and command to put on love, to clothe ourselves with love -- obedient, truthful love -- as revealed and expressed through You, for You are love (1 John 4:16). And as You are, so are we to be in this world (1 John 4:17). This is the way of love You desire and require, above all else. Lord, help me love to love and wear Your love every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

I pray you will be empowered with the desire to love, above all else, to consciously choose to put on love every day and never deliberately take it off, as you seek to be more like Jesus in your world every day, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
www.Messiah-Ministries.org

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
www.RaphaGodMinistries.com

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Dear Prayer Community,

I am announcing my new book: “Making Your Faith Worthwhile – how to address critical and long-standing needs in view of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness”. Readers will learn time-tested, proven principles for addressing pressing needs and achieving unfettered success even amid unavoidable and unpredictable life’s challenges and circumstances. It’s available on amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. More can be found in either of the below links. Thank you.

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Your-Faith-Worthwhile-Long-Standing/dp/1512789062/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496757360&sr=8-1&keywords=making+your+faith+worthwhile

http://www.westbowpress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001131608