Pray Network Forum

Two new blog posts for February:

READ the whole blog, February 2017 ION Prayer Focus at:

https://ionprayer.com/2017/01/31/february-2017-ion-prayer-focus/

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Using Mobile Apps for Prayer & Prayer Mobilization

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In this day of technology, how might we use Mobile Apps for Prayer and Prayer Mobilization?

Recently this topic has come up several times. I wondered after my last conversation if there were articles out there that might help people to see how effective using apps in prayer is.

Well did some research, found out there is not very much written. So decided that maybe I could share from time to time some of the apps we are aware of and how we use them.

Sharing about using 3 specific apps for Prayer and Prayer Mobilization:

1. WhatsApp

2. Echo Prayer App

3. SignUp Genius

1.  WhatsApp 

More info at – https://www.whatsapp.com/ 

Prayer updates via WhatsApp

You can offer a prayer alert service on WhatsApp. This might be used to share urgent prayer requests from around the world with individuals or with groups. Or to send out a quick praise report when needed! When you are out in the field, you can let those who pray for you receive up to date reports. You might use this with your prayer team members who connect fairly regularly. This app saves you from having to pull up your email on the run!

WhatsApp allows you to connect via text message alerts, send images or video or audio message embedded into your message. You can use this to help people to feel connected in a deeper way and will help remind them pray.

 2.   Echo App

More info at – https://new.echoprayer.com/

Whether it be to simply keep track of prayer requests, give space to engage with God, or simply help remind people to pray… Echo is a tool to help Christ-followers engage with God.

Read Echo’s purpose, watch the demo  –Here is a link for you to see the demo: http://www.echoprayer.com/front/demo.php

 SignUp Genius

More info at –  http://www.signupgenius.com/ 

SignUp Genius will allow you to make up “projects” that you can then ask people to sign up for.

Two areas you might use it for prayer mobilization:

1. Think about how this might work for you to use to get people to sign up as individuals or groups such as if you are running a 24/7 Prayer Event. Each person can sign up for specific hours for praying.

2. When you are trying to sign people up to be on prayer teams or connect together on a prayer project where tasks or sections of jobs have to be done, this is the app to track everything with.

READ the full blog post at:

https://ionprayer.com/2017/02/07/using-mobile-apps-for-prayer-prayer-mobilization/

I have been much alarmed over the violent, blasphemous and obscene language in books and other entertainment, on social media, in politics, and in daily conversation in these days.
Of course the problem is deeper than the coarseness of our speech. In Luke 6:45 Jesus said “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
I see a lot of medical professionals in these days. I pray for each one. And I want to witness to them. Several times I have them use bad language with me. And while I continue to pray for them, I make a point not to comment on their fault language. I want my witness to be the gospel. It alone deals with the heart where the real problem lies.
While I believe God will speak to them through me, God must strike the heart. In Isaiah 6 the prophet told about God meeting him in the temple. God speaks thunderously to our hearts. Isaiah cried out,."Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, for I have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts."
I want to be open a to soul shaking, life changing encounters with the living God. I always need Him. And I am praying for our nation, for our leaders, and for individuals I come in contact with to be open to a life changing encounter with Almighty God! Nothing less than a personal encounter with God will change our hearts. Nothing else will change what comes out of our mouths.

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/
http://daveswatch.com/index.html/

Most of us who blog also deal some with editors. For more than forty years I had wonderful experiences with magazine editors, including those who didn't accept my offerings. To be honest my dealings with editors has been mixed lately. And it occurs to me that I have not thought much about the pressure and difficulties facing editors in these days. It is also important to note the crucial responsibility in the hands of Christian editors. Finally beginning to grasp these things, I have begun to pray regularly for editors. I don't mean I pray they will look favorably toward my writing. I have always done that. But I have begun to pray for their lives, their families, their relationship with God, and their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

For the entrepreneur, possibility is greatly exaggerated. The question is not if one will get those two minutes with a successful gadzillionaire; it's what one will do with them -- particularly at the inevitable moment of the question, "What do you want from me?" When Steve Jobs cold-called Bill Hewlett out of the phone book, and Bill asked him that question, Jobs' answer was, "left over electronics parts." I don't know how much Jobs had thought about that answer, but one of the things that I have realized is part of my gifting is the weeks and months I spend beforehand preparing. For that is the moment where the entrepreneur is called out, and it quickly becomes obvious whether the entrepreneur is serious enough to warrant even those two minutes in conversation.

So I recognized that moment in Nehemiah chap. 2: "Then the king said to me, 'What would you request?'" Nehemiah had a quick answer: to rebuild Jerusalem! But then the king wanted details. On the spot, Nehemiah was able to rattle off:

• a "definite time" for project delivery (v. 6)
• travel permits needed (v. 7)
• resources needed for completion, broken down by sub-project (v. 8)
• extraneous security measures (v. 9)

Now, it could be that, after what appears to have been a quick, internal prayer, these things simply came to Nehemiah even as he was speaking them. Automatic mouth. I know that happens. It's happened to me -- I once wrote an entire sermon that way. But I sense here a kindred spirit who thought these things through as he spent days fasting and praying beforehand (1:4). Particularly since he displayed a fastidious devotion to executive administration later on. He was, after all, a career bureaucrat as well as an innovator.

So here I beg consideration for a wider understanding of fasting and prayer. Beyond reaffirming God's perfection and sovereignty, beyond the appeals and partial admission to the spiritual realm, there can also be a place for intense work sessions and planning -- complete with flowcharts, outlines, epic-generation, timelines, and spreadsheets. And I have to add here that the strongest relationships are formed in work partnerships. When rolling up one's sleeves to figure out the details of God's plan to change the world, there's nothing quite like having the Almighty alongside, doing likewise.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. -- Colossians 4:2

If you're paying attention at all to events in our country these days, you may be struggling as I am with being thankful.  Our country has been polarized - not in an instant, but over time.  The polarization surfaced with the election of President Trump, which unleashed a level of hatred and violence that I have not seen in my lifetime.  I am  astonished and saddened to see how uncivilized some facets of our society have become - from the riots at the inaugural address to the riots this week at two universities - supposedly places where ideas can be traded and discussed intelligently.  It's hard for me to pray with thanksgiving as I pray for our country.  I find my faith challenged in new ways.

To the believer, however, being "watchful" means more than just seeing what's happening on the surface.  It means seeing the spiritual battles beneath the surface.  It means understanding the truth of Ephesians 6:12 - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." And since the battle itself is a spiritual battle, we fight it with spiritual weapons:  "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4).  Not with vitriolic speech, or torches and rocks; not with protests designed to silence voices we don't agree with; not with property destruction or injury caused by the unthinking actions of those under the enemy's control.  But with prayer; with the truth of God's word; with hearts of grace, love, and forgiveness; and with the hope that only the Christian has in the return of our Savior.

The violence we're seeing in places like UC Berkley and New York University is just the surface reflection of a much greater evil.  The actions of the demon-possessed that we read in the New Testament are not more shocking than what we're seeing on our TV screens today.  The cure then was a spiritual cure - the power and grace of Jesus.  And that's the same cure we need today.

So where does the thankfulness come in?  How can we be thankful in the midst of all that we see, and the fears caused by the blind hatred running rampant in our society?  Many key Christian leaders, like David Jeremiah and Dave Butts, believe that God is not done with America - that he has a purpose for this country in the years to come.  That, despite our moral decline and the fact that as a nation we have lost our way spiritually, God still plans to use us to bring about his purposes in the world.

Could it be that all this activity of Satan that we're seeing is a response to God's preparations for a revival in this country?  Would Satan bother with us if God was done with us?  I suspect not.  I wonder if all the evil we're seeing now is Satan's desperate attempt to prevent the plans God has for the United States. 

So, why am I thankful?  I'm thankful because the gates of hell - whether in the courtrooms and other public places trying to eliminate God from the public conversation, or in the violence and hatred of so many of the protesters - will not prevail against God's church.  I'm thankful because I know the end of the story.  I don't know how many chapters are left, but I know that it ends with every knee bowing, every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Do I pray for God's justice and judgment on those whose hatred overflows into violence?  Yes, I do - but not for their destruction.  Rather, I pray for a judgment that will turn their hearts to Christ.  I pray for Nebuchadnezzar-like experiences where God reveals his power in a way that those who have set their hearts against Him cannot deny or refute.  And, to the best of my limited ability, I pray watchfully and thankfully.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  -- Ephesians 3:20-21

If you were to look at me you might simply see a short, bald Sri Lankan looking guy. But when I was in 9th grade I played on my school’s football team. Fortunately for me the school was one of the largest in the state at the time and so had a “A” squad, “B” squad, and “C” squad which meant that I got the opportunity to play. Actually I received the award for Most Improved Player, which probably speaks to the fact that I had never played on a school football team before and had much to improve. 

Near the end of the season, the defensive coach decided that he would teach me how to play outside linebacker. Apparently when you are on the “C” squad it doesn’t matter how short you are to play different positions. I was told that as outside linebacker I only had 2 jobs: either cover the tight end if he went out for a pass or play “contain” which basically is not allowing any runner between me and the sideline. 

When the day of the game came the defensive coach was not there but rather the drill sergeant, no nonsense offensive coach. On one of the first plays of the game I realized I had a problem. Even though I only had two jobs I didn’t know which one to do on which play. Sure enough they ran right where I was supposed to be and nearly scored a touchdown.

Drill sergeant coach pulled me from the game and put me on the bench. For the rest of the game we were getting killed at the position I was supposed to be playing. No one else on the team knew how to play my position. I may have asked to get back in the game at that position but I know I didn’t try to hard.

As I travel the country speaking at churches I see a lot of Christians sitting on the bench when they should be in the game. They have the right jersey on, but are content to sit on the sideline spiritually. They will leave the praying and other spiritual activities to the super star Christians. God is still looking for people who say, “Here am I, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)  As I mention in my Manifesto on Engagement, too many Christians are not engaged and so their faith has become boring.

Which type of spiritual football player are you? Are you content to sit on the sideline and leave the praying, loving and action to other Christians? Even if you have messed up, is your heart and actions saying to the Coach, “Let me back in the game.” Prayer is where the action is. Will you get into the game?

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by President Theodore Roosevelt: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. 

Excerpt from the speech "Citizenship In A Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910  Theodore Roosevelt http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html (Emphasis mine) 

Do you know what meditation is? Most of you have meditated on scripture from time to time. But have you ever meditated on the person of Christ. We sing, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” I recommend doing just that as a spiritual discipline. You might remember a favorite event recorded in the Gospels and spend time thinking about Jesus in that situation. You might also meditate on some things Jesus said or did that are hard to understand or disturbing.

But let me introduce you to a different kind of meditating on Jesus. Come with me to a seminal event in the life of Jesus. In Luke 24 we read that after His resurrection Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. And later they said their hearts burned within them as He taught. In the Bible the word “heart” refers to the center of your being. Their lives were set ablaze as Jesus taught. But notice how He taught them. Verse 27 says,
“Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the scriptures.”
Let those words soak in a minute. “In all the scriptures.”
Now go with me to John 5:39. Jesus said,
“You pour over the scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about me.”
Do you see what I'm getting at in these two scriptures. The Bible teaches that every Scripture points to Jesus. So can you meditate on Jesus in scripture, in the New and Old Testaments. All meditating on scripture should be meditating on Jesus.
Let me give you an easy one. John the Baptist said Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” So, what light does that shine on the Old Testament sacrifices? Here's another. When the people were about to die of thirst in the wilderness Moses struck the rock and water came out. 1st Corinthians 10:4 says that rock was Christ. Jesus is The Rock that was struck so we would not die in the wilderness.
I need this say that this is not always so easy. You need the Holy Spirit to enlighten His word as you meditate. But it is important to know that scripture is not about you. It is about Jesus. What about the story of David and Goliath? Well, if you read that as if it were about you, you would try very hard to be courageous. And you would fail most of the time because you would be trusting yourself rather than God. Instead, can you see Jesus as your hero giving you courage? When you meditate long enough on any Scripture the Holy Spirit Will begin to show you Jesus. Your heart will begin to burn in you as well. And your life will be changed.

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/index.html/

I have written off and on since I was in college. But I did not begin my most industrious writing until I was diagnosed with cancer. After I retired from pastoring I began writing full time. So my writing has been integrated with my cancer in the past few years. My writing has actually been a means of dealing with and praying for my health.
Here are some ways I connect with God in my writing: Concentration, Prayer, a sense of Calling, Personhood, Satisfaction, and inspiration. I will leave it to you to decide if any or all these things are actually prayer.
I couldn't title something "Better Than A Pain Pill," without mentioning Concentration. The concentration of writing can be a form of prayer. I have to admit that concentration is not enough to deal with severe pain. But at least in the early years concentration has been a good friend.
Actual Prayer is part of my writing discipline. I don't necessarily pray for my cancer or my pain while I am writing. But I do break my writing up with prayer. And any prayer is a blessing.
A sense of calling is crucial for the kind of writing I do. God has spoken personally to me in Habakkuk 2:1-3. I know many people that I think should write. Some of them can tell marvelous stories. I know some, especially pastors, who have so much to say and hold people spellbound week after week with their sermons. But many of them just don’t want to write. I tell them writing is an opportunity to expand their pulpit. But I have come to realize that they need a sense of calling from God to write. Interestingly enough, I have read books by secular writers who admitted with some embarrassment that they sense a calling from God.
I am not yet the person God plans for me to become. But there is a sense in which I am the person God created me to be. In that sense my personhood can be an obedient response to God. I would like prayer to be, or at least become, the heart of my personality. I believe someone's personality makes her a writer or keeps him from being one. I am not sure what this is. I suspect it is different with every person. I certainly don't want these words to discourage anyone. There are so many things to discourage writers. It is easy enough after a dozen or less rejection slips, to say, "I guess I am just not the writer-type."
There is also a great deal of satisfaction to writing, especially when you have a sense of the calling. That satisfaction is a type of answer to prayer. This even applies to individual books and articles. Knowing God wants me to write something brings joy even in pain.
Nothing is as satisfying to me as a sense of inspiration as I write. This is not to be confused with the inspiration of Scripture. My inspiration is not even close to that level. But I often sense God speaking through my writing in the same way I see evidence of God speaking through sermons. This does not make me great, although it certainly makes what I write better. But I am not called to be great, or popular, or even successful. I am called to faithfully communicate what I believe God wants me to say. And if that is not prayer, it is closely related.

http://daveswatch.com/

http://watchinginprayer.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

The more social media responses I read of people responding to prayer requests, the more I realize how much we have failed in teaching people about prayer.  When Bible Schools and Seminaries opt not to teach prayer in their curriculum, assuming that students already know how to pray and how to lead others to pray, they graduate ministers who are weak in prayer, who in turn are unable to teach or lead believers how to pray, and thus folks know not how to even respond to the prayer requests of their friends.  I’m sure the requests are sincere, as are the responses, and I want to assume that responders actually pray, sending their prayers to God, not to the person making the request.  Other than perhaps making the needy one feel good, responses that say things like, “Prayers coming your way” and “Sending prayers your way” and “Prayers going out” indicate a knowledge gap in the very basics of prayer. The Bible is clear that prayer is to be directed to God. “Call to Me” says the Lord in Jeremiah 33:3. The Psalmist records God saying, “Ask of Me.” You are to make the “desires of your heart” known to God (Psalm 37:4).  You are to go “boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 14:6). And in the end, you are to yield to God’s will by praying like Jesus, “not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39).  And for goodness sakes, whoever decided, “sending good thoughts your way” was a substitute for prayer?  We need to ask like the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1) and then teach us how to respond to the prayer requests of others.  And while you are praying, pray that those in academic authority will allow proper biblical prayer it to be taught.