Pray Network Forum

One of the greatest tragedies that is sweeping the modern world is confusion and therefore corruption of purpose. In how many areas of life have we confused our purpose and so lost all hope of fulfillment?

IS COMFORT YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?

In John 12:27,28 Jesus said,

"Now is my heart troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"

Purpose was crucial to Jesus. But do you realize what our Lord said here? His purpose was for His heart to be troubled. It was necessary for Him to come into the hour of trouble to redeem us. What is your purpose? Is it to avoid trouble or heartache?

Your God given, soul satisfying, purpose is not comfort. Jesus said He would send us another Comforter. But the Holy Spirit is to be with us in trials. If your purpose is comfort, finding it will bring boredom rather than satisfaction.

WHAT ABOUT PLEASURE?

The purpose of your life on this earth is not pleasure either. God created pleasure. It can be very good as a side dish. But it makes a terrible main course.

The drug epidemic and the sexual revolution that are deadly parasites on our homes, our economy, and all the foundations of society are products of the unquestioned belief that pleasure is the highest human value.

I am aware that many of my readers would already agree with what I am saying. Although I am very pleased if some of you who disagree are reading this. But even those of us who basically oppose such behavior find ourselves tempted, even addicted to internet pornography or some other pleasure oriented problem, because we have been able to indulge in it secretly. I pray for God's deliverance which will certainly require uncovering the rattle snake's nest. Many churches have men's groups where it is safe to confess such things. Pastors may have to find or organize a ministers' group to deal with whatever you need to confess.

But many of us who are free from the most debilitating of these sins are living our lives as if pleasure were more important than anything else. We need to challenge that thinking with scripture, prayer and seeking a higher purpose from God.

IS YOUR PURPOSE SECURITY?

Have you ever been thrilled by stories of risk or sacrifice? They are the bread and butter of TV drama. Would you watch an adventure show in which the leading character never had any higher good for which he was willing to risk or sacrifice? Would you watch the show twice if the hero ran away from every danger in cowardice or cynicism? You would not because somewhere deep in your consciousness you know safety and security are not the purpose of life. I love the statement from Jim Elliott's college journal. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Jesus concluded with the highest purpose of our lives. “Father, glorify Your name!

I intend to write again next week on this subject. I suspect you will be surprised if not shocked at two things that I say should not be your purpose in life.

Engaging in CHRISTmas Conversations

Greetings Neighbors,

   I pray that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that now you are busy preparing your hearts and homes for Christmas. It is such a beautiful time of the year; lights brighten our homes inside and out, generosity flows and the smells of our favorite goodies baking in the kitchen fill the air. More than anything else this year, I am praying that the sights and sounds of people praying, caring and sharing fill our neighborhoods and overflow into our communities and across the nation. I pray that the division that has plagued us this year will be healed through the love Jesus, which is the true message and meaning of Christmas.

   Christmas is one of the best opportunities to share the love and message of Jesus. Our Christian celebration is a culturally acceptable time to invite neighbors and co-workers to gather and celebrate. Our partners at Every Home for Christ have created some great resources to help us engage others in a conversation about connecting or reconnecting with Jesus. Your church can order these three unique Christmas Engagers – absolutely free of charge – to invite people to reconnect with Jesus, the heart of Christmas. Using seasonally-loved topics, these Engagers provide a fresh take on the gospel shown through a Christmas lens.

   So what exactly is an Engager? Engagers are like tracts, but with a much different approach. Each Engager shares a relevant topic or theme that provides a natural jumping off point to easy conversations with anyone. The ultimate goal of the Engager is to lead the conversation to Jesus – each Engager aims to draw interested hearts into the wonderful privilege of actually being able to know God. For ordering information, or to see a current offering of Engagers, go to www.everyhomeusa.org. In January, Every Home for Christ will be releasing new Engagers on a continual basis, so please check back from time to time to order new topics and utilize the resources available to anyone.

  Love and Christmas begin at home; with your family, friends and neighbors. Let’s get out there and deck the halls and fill some hearts with Christmas joy. I challenge you to touch every “neighbor” with the love of Jesus by the end of the year 2020.

    Love is a verb…let’s get moving!

          Kathy B.

For more ideas and inspiration visit LOVE2020.com and take a look at http://www.love2020.com/introducinggiveeternalgift/  for how you can give the greatest Christmas gift of all, #GiveAnEternalGift!

In order to grow towards wholeness,

accepting our brokenness

and gradually becoming more compassionate,

we need the power of the Spirit.

But we are humans

and we must also know the ways of our own bodies and beings…

Each one of us must find our own secret rhythm

of how to rest, relax and find re-creation

for each one of our bodies is different.

We need personal space and time.

God gave the Jewish people the Sabbath

as a day of rest.

Each of us must discover our own Sabbath,

our real nourishment…

We must learn

not just to free ourselves from tension and fatigue

on the Sabbath day, our day of rest.

We must also learn

as the mother must learn

in front of the never-ending needs of her children,

how to respect our energy

and relax in all the moments of our day

filled as they may be with arduous work

or often tiresome meetings,

and crises of all sorts,

and the hundred and one things that have to be done.

To do this we must discover how to harmonize

the active and the passive in us.

if we are just doers,

feeling terribly responsible and serious,

we will crack up one day.

We must nourish the passive part of us,

our hearts made for a personal love,

learning to listen to others,

to marvel at nature,

to rest a moment in the presence of Jesus,

to receive the love of those around us

and be nourished by their trust,

enjoying the little things of each day,

not taking ourselves too seriously,

accepting to become like little children.

­            --Jean Vanier

(from 1000 World Prayers edited by Marcus Braybrooke)

 As I was looking at the forlorn misshapen tree standing in the snow on the cover of a book I was reading last week, I was reminded of the Christmas tree we had at my house when I was a child.  

 When I was six years old, my parents did not have much money to spend at Christmas. In order for my parents to have enough money to buy a present for me, they decided to cut a branch from our juniper tree in the yard for our Christmas tree. I remember at the time, I thought it was ugly, straggly, and misshapen and I was disappointed. I wished they would buy a tree from a Christmas tree lot in town like other families. 

 However, I recently found a picture taken that year with me standing by the branch (tree). After we had decorated it with a garland made of popcorn and cranberries, hung a few ornaments, and silver tinsel; the tree did not look too bad. 

 Now when I remember what the straggly juniper branch looked like and compare it to the beautifully, decorated shaped tree in my home I see it differently. I see the straggly forlorn branch as a person’s life without God or one depleted from nourishment and the beautiful shaped tree in my home as a person’s life filled with God’s love, purpose, and decorated with ornaments representing the fruit of the Spirit.

 God can take a straggly, forlorn life and transform it into a beautiful shaped fulfilled life. Jesus tells us in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  He can change the straggly life into a beautiful new life, a flourishing life, filled with love, peace and joy if we believe in him.   

 Often, our lives can become damaged and appear like a straggly, forlorn tree, misshapen by the trials, challenges, and disappointments of life. However, our lives can be transformed by the renewing of our minds with His Word into flourishing lives. 

 God promises that when we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, giving Him every area of our lives, we will take on a true and proper shape. We will become a flourishing tree pointing others to God. 

 When you see a Christmas tree this year, I hope it reminds you of the new life we can have in Christ Jesus, everlasting life when we invite Him into our lives and trust Him with the challenges and disappointments of life. 

 Do you or any of your family members feel like a tree twisted, damaged, and made crooked by the fears, circumstances, difficulties, or sin in their lives?

Do you or any of your family members feel all alone in this world?

God is waiting to give you and your family members' new life, nourishment, and fulfillment. 

• Ask God to show you, your family and friends areas that need to be humbly submitted to the Lord, laying down all before Him as the wise men did when they brought their gifts to baby Jesus.
• Ask God to help you, your family, and friends to give the damaged, flawed, and misshapen areas of life to the Lord, resulting in flourishing beautiful God-shaped lives for Him. 

 This post was taken from the book Grandparenting with a Purpose available for purchase at http://www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com. You still have time to order it and receive it for Christmas in the US at a discounted price of $10.50. It will make an excellent gift for the grandparents in your family.

A local widow at first rejected and mocked the Christians who had come to live in her neighborhood. However, she was won over by their godly conduct and warm kindness. She has heard the Gospel explained many times, has had a dream, a divine healing, and seen an amazing answer to prayer based on Biblical truth. Please pray that whatever is keeping her from turning to Christ will be taken out of the way and that she and her whole household will become Spirit-filled followers who lead others to Christ.

- See more at: http://www.hisinscriptions.com/blog/boazs-guide-to-holiday-giving#sthash.0t3IKHAG.dpuf

know Thanksgiving is over. Most of us have already unpacked Christmas decorations, and begun preparations for the biggest holiday of the year. But I would like to suggest that we hold on to the Thanksgiving holiday a little longer. In fact, I think we should continue to celebrate it 365 days a year.

Let me draw your attention to a Scripture passage that is so rich that all of you are familiar with it. Philippians 4:6 reads,

"Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known unto God."

This verse clearly teaches that we are to give thanks as we let our requests be known. You might well ask why would we not wait until we see God's answer before we start saying thank you. The Scripture offers such thanksgiving as a statement of faith. But I have had prayers answered with, "no." Haven't you. In fact, some of those I have in time thanked God that He didn't answer them the way I wanted when I prayed. John 15:7-8 gives us this promise of prayer.

"If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples."

I strive to discern His words and will for my prayers. I know that is the only way I can bear spiritual fruit. I also find a wonderful freedom in this promise. I can pray in confidence trusting God to keep me from praying mountains on top of your house or my own.

I also find a great joy giving thanks to God as I pray that He is at work in the most difficult or fearful situation that I pray for, even if I am unsure or mistaken about how He should answer.

So join me in continuing our Thanksgiving all year long. It is a wonderful celebration with or without the turkey.

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http://daveswatch.com/index.html

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

The majority of the world lives without the hope offered by Christ. The open door to God’s throne is a unique post-resurrection-ascension-enthronement Christian notion and unique privilege. That we can pray, pour out our souls to a God who cares, is an incredible privilege. That we get answers from God is beyond incredible. Sadly, prayer is now seen as passé. It is the most under-utilized privilege afforded believers. The average American Christian prays only four minutes a day. God leaves his door open and invites us to visit and bring our troubles, doing so with gratitude in view of his previous grants. When heaven answers our prayer, we should not be silent about such a benevolent God.

Calling God

In the movie Bruce Almighty, a seven-digit number that flashed on Jim Carrey’s display was purportedly God calling. Usually, carefully chosen non-functioning numbers are used in movies. In that movie, the number displayed was a functioning number, at least, when paired with some area codes. A phenomenon followed the airing of the movie across the nation. People added an area code and started calling the number – presumably calling “God!” Those who received the calls “to God” quickly caught on. Many played along. Some found desperate callers on the other end of the line.

A call to a Colorado Network was from a woman behind bars. Only reaching an answering machine did not deter her from leaving a poignant message, “I’m in jail right now. Like I said to you last night, ‘I love you.’” She assured God she was going to change the way she was living and requested His help to return to her family. One person called the number and admitted that they knew this wasn’t the number for God, but wondered if there was another! One medical supervisor, whose seven-digit number matched that shown on the screen was getting as many as 40-50 calls a day shortly after the movie aired. People want to talk to God.[1]

God’s Invitation – “Call Me!”

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet who witnessed the demise of Judah, the destruction of the Temple, and the exile of his Jewish brothers, never lost faith in the power of prayer. “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV). An unknown poet wrote, “When God inclines the heart to pray, He hath an ear to hear; To Him there’s music in a groan, and beauty in a tear.”[2] The desire to pray itself is evidence of God’s work in the heart. It is by grace that we pray.

A Gallup poll some years ago revealed surprising facts about prayer. Some 88 percent of Americans pray to God in one way or another, but only 42 percent dared ask God for material or tangible things – a surprisingly low number. And only 15 percent said they regularly experienced answers to specific requests.[3] God says, “Call me sometime!”

God’s Compassionate Nature

“In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction” Isaiah declared (Isaiah 38:17). The psalmist recalled, “O LORD, You brought me up from the grave. You called me back to life from among those who had gone into the pit” (Psalm 30:3, GWT).We rejoice first that there is a God. Then we are grateful He hears us when we pray, and He cares about us as a loving Father. Prayer is about the relationship, before it is about the benefits.

Just the privilege of prayer is worthy of joy and gratefulness. We rejoice, confident that there is someone on the other end of the line. To withhold our gratitude unless God performs to our expectations indicates the degree to which pride controls our lives. He is God, we are the servants. Prayer is no magic lantern to be rubbed and God is no genie who is there to blindly grant our wishes. That is a pagan idea of prayer! The idea of a compassionate God who hears us weeping in the night and cares is matchless among the religions of the world. And it is distinctively a Christian-Jewish notion.

THIS BLOG IS AN EXCERPT FROM The Great Exchange – Why Your Prayer Requests May Not Be Getting Answers, a new book by P. Douglas Small to be released soon.

P. Douglas Small is founder and president of Alive Ministries: PROJECT PRAY and he serves in conjunction with a number of other organizations. He is also the creator of the Praying Church Movement and the Prayer Trainer’s Network. However, all views expressed are his own and not the official position of any organization.

[1] Mike MacIntosh. Falling in Love with Prayer (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor Books, 2004), 27.

[2] John Julian, editor; A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting Forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns; “When God Inclines the Heart to Pray,” (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1892), 907; From Spurgeon’s O. O. H. Bk, 1866.

[3] Margaret Poloma and George Gallup, Jr., Varieties of Prayer (Philadelphia, PA: Trinity Press International, 1991), 26-52.

Are you praying for the impossible? I begin my daily devotionals by going over key verses through which God has spoken to me. After each verse I have several long term prayer requests. Under one of those verses I have this prayer.

I want to wait prayerfully for You to accomplish what is absolutely impossible in human strength.

I pray for God to help me trust Him for the impossible. But I don't want to pray for just any impossibility. For one thing, if I am praying for anything short of what God desires, I will be praying too small.

I am not absolutely sure what God wants to do in and beyond America in these days. But I believe I know some things God wants us to ask for. I believe God wants us to pray for our culture to be radically turned around.

Several weeks ago I wrote in this blog that there is more to concern us about abortion than its legality. One of the things I wrote was that it is crucial to change our media and our culture's attitude toward sex and marriage if we want to significantly reduce the number of abortions. That is humanly impossible. But I don't think that is enough.

I am listening to Eric Metaxas' book, If You Can Keep It.  He says freedom does not mean to be ungoverned. As the founders of our nation meant it, liberty is the freedom to govern ourselves. Eric quotes Os Guinness, citing the "Golden Triangle of Liberty.” The founders all assumed these three things worked together, liberty, morality, and religion. We cannot have liberty without morality, and we need free religion to sustain personal morality.

I believe a genuine revival sweeping the land will not just change our attitudes toward sex and marriage, but toward all morality, religion and godliness. I have been more and more alarmed at the profanity on television. Some of the shows that never had filthy language or innuendos are now rife with them. The fact that many of us think that is a picky matter is an indication that this is not simply an unholy influence, but a spiritual thermometer of our nation. In Matthew 12:34 Jesus said,

"Brood of vipers!How can you speak good things when your hearts are evil?

For the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart."

I fear this year's presidential election reflects the hearts of America. Especially in a democracy where grassroots movements sway elections we get the government we deserve.

Changing the hearts of this entire nation would be a revival like the world has not seen since the sweep of Christianity through the Roman Empire in the first three centuries A.D.

I don't know what we will see as a result of these prayers. This kind of praying may turn out much like Abraham's intercession for Sodom. The tears of Jeremiah did not change the hearts of Israel. And the move of God on Europe in the early days of the church cost believers dearly. But it was certainly worth every drop of martyrs' blood. Whatever it costs us, such prayer could bring about the greatest revival in history.

Let's pray for the impossible!

http://daveswatch.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/  

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

The Testimony of Thanks

1 Chronicles 16:8-13, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!”  NAS

Happy Thanksgiving Neighbors,

   Giving thanks is a vital part of a Christian’s life. Thankfulness keeps us humble and happy. Giving thanks reminds us of our dependency on God and His generosity towards us. Giving thanks reminds us that we are blessed, no matter what your circumstances, as a child of God you are blessed. Psychologists and other scientists continue to prove what the Psalmist said thousands of years ago; a person with a grateful heart is happier and lives longer. Thankfulness turns your focus towards all the ways you are blessed and lowers your stress. Thanksgiving is our reminder of God’s faithfulness, His daily faithfulness to sustain and even surpass all that you need.

   Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to pray with others, care for others by providing a meal or donating to Thanksgiving food projects and it is certainly a great time to share the love and message of Jesus. I want to encourage you to practice what these verses in 1 Chronicles 16 teach us; this exercise will help form a much needed habit of giving thanks that will help us to focus on the blessing instead of the busyness of this season and life. Thanksgiving will train your heart and mind to seek the Lord and be glad on all days because you will constantly be remembering what God has done, and live in eager expectation of what He will do today.

   Giving thanks sings His praises and speaks of His wonders. Many people are afraid to “witness” to a friend or family member because they do not feel that they have enough knowledge of the Bible to defend their faith or might not have the answers to all of their questions. Thanksgiving makes it easy to share Jesus with other people by sharing our personal testimony of His wonderful deeds. No one can deny His blessings in your life, and many of us have been a part of ministry or even miracles. Many of you are here today because you were restored from a disease, depression or an addiction. Some of you sit here today as a testimony of just being able to get out of bed and fight disease, depression or addiction for another day in His strength, one minute at a time. Some can share the great restoration of a relationship, some can share the great hope they have that one day a prodigal will come home, unfaithfulness will be healed, or communication will be restored. We all have something to be thankful for; don’t be afraid to share your story and give Jesus thanks.

   I am so thankful for all of you who are devoted to a prayer-care-share lifestyle. I am thankful for our Mission America Coalition and LOVE2020 members and partners. I am thankful for the opportunities that Jesus gives us to minister to others and for allowing us to be servants for His Kingdom. Share your testimony of His wonderful deeds in your life with a neighbor, friend, coworker or even a complete stranger. I challenge you to share the love and message of Jesus with all of your “neighbors” by the end of the year 2020.

Love is a verb…let’s get moving!

    Kathy B.

Father, we acknowledge that the hearts of presidents, kings, and all leaders are in your hands.  You are the one who brings people into positions of leadership and you are the one who moves them out of these positions.  The times of nations are in your hands also.  You are sovereign over all.

Lord, what we see in our country disturbs us - the division, the self-centeredness, the moral drift, the challenges to the very foundations on which this country was built.  We see the ingratitude of those who take freedom for granted.  We see the selfishness and immaturity of those who protest an election outcome because they don't like the results.  We see leadership in turmoil.  We see our freedoms - religious and otherwise - being eroded, sometimes slowly and sometimes more quickly.

But Father, we often do not see the spiritual battles that underlie all this.  Please give us eyes to see our country as you see it - beyond the surface, beyond what we hear in the media - to see the spiritual realities.  And give us the will and the commitment to face those realities the only way they can be faced - in prayer.

Awaken your church to the need for prayer for America.  Jesus, teach us how to pray as you prayed, "not my will, but yours be done".  Forgive us when we have prayed our own agendas, bringing you the answers borne out of our own "wisdom" rather than seeking the wisdom of your answers. Cleanse us from the need to be right. Fix our eyes, our minds, our hearts on things above as we pray, so that the ultimate aim of our praying will be your honor and glory in our country and around the world.

Please give our leaders - the current leadership, the incoming leadership, and the outgoing leadership - wisdom in all the decisions they need to make. Reconcile them one to another and enable them to work together for a smooth transition. Give wisdom to Mr. Trump and his team in selecting advisors and people for positions of leadership. We trusted you to raise up the right leadership through the elections; now we trust you in the same way to raise up the right leadership through the appointment process.

Grant Mr. Trump and his team favor in the eyes of the world - not for their own sake, but for your sake - so that you may once again use this country to further your purposes in the world. Build positive relationships with other world leaders.  Build understanding and a spirit of cooperation.

Heal the divisions in our land, Father.  Call your people to humble prayer and to seek your face so that you bring this kind of healing.  Thwart the enemy's attempts to bring division and to increase hatred and strife.  Discredit those who have made it their aim to promote this division and instead raise up others who can bring reconciliation, understanding, and healing.

Father, there is much that we don't know about how our government works behind the scenes - much that is hidden from us, both intentionally and unintentionally.  But nothing is hidden from your sight.  Cleanse our government, Lord God - purify motives, bring repentance for sin, humble those who have raised themselves up in pride and power.  Bring to light the deeds done in darkness so that your truth may be known.

Please restore our country, Lord - bless this nation so that we in turn may be a blessing to the world. Cause us to take seriously the accountability we have for all of the ways in which you have already blessed us.  May your name be honored both in this time of transition and going forward.

Amen.

Are you familiar with the Old Testament principle of gleaning? It is stated in Leviticus 23:22.

"When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap all the way to the edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am the Lord your God."

Landowners, even poor farmers were commanded to take less profit to help the poor and the stranger. The Old Testament book of Ruth paints a vivid picture of gleaning in action.

This is unique among religions. Religions tend to favor the rich and powerful, those who can earn or buy or deserve salvation. But the God of the Bible sides with the poor and disenfranchised. By the gospel we must come to Him as beggars. He receives the spiritually destitute.

In a talk at The 1974 Lausanne conference on World Evangelisation Francis Schaeffer said,

"The Bible does clearly teach the right of property, but both the Old and The New Testaments put a tremendous stress on the compassionate use of your property. If at each place where the employer/owner was a Bible believing Christian, the world could see that less profit was being taken out so that the workers could have appreciably more than the going rate of pay, the gospel would have been better proclaimed than if the profits were the same as the world took and then large endowments be given to missions and other projects."

Okay, how do we apply this principle to our lives? First, I think it is a serious beginning to recognize this truth and start asking the question. How can you apply it in your situation?

And there is a possibility that this blog will be read by some of you who have employees. You could begin asking God to show you how to bring this about.

Others of us ought to affirm companies that pay their employees more than the going rate. I do not know their motivation but the In-N-Out Burgers’ website claims that cook/managers in their restaurants can earn up to $120,000 a year. They need to be held up as a model.

The owners of Hobby Lobby are clear about the motivation of Christian principles in raising the minimum wage of full time employees to $14 an hour. I would like to see companies who do this sort of thing publicly honored. Most of us do not have a large soap box. But you influence more people than you think. I did a little research to verify these figures. But in both cases I was given the information by people who did not have a greater platform than friends and relatives.

All of us relate in small ways to wage earners. For instance, how do you tip in a restaurant. Do you leave a tip for the ladies who clean your motel room on a trip?

I have increased what I tip and not just when the service is especially good. I tip well because I know my waitress might be a single mother struggling to raise her children. I tip because I know that worker works long hours with little compensation, respect, or appreciation. I tip well because I remember that I did nothing to deserve the most important thing in my life. I often ask a waiter if we can pray for him as we pray over our meal. I tip well in hope of removing barriers to the gospel. What can you do that will improve the lives of people who need what you can give?

My father used to have a “personal proverb” he lived by, a saying I heard him repeat many times when I was young. He said: “Keep your expectations low. Don’t trust anybody, and you’ll never be disappointed.” 

To my little ears, this seemed like a pretty good formula for success; after all, who has not been betrayed or disappointed at some point in their life? His proverb, while it reeked of self-protection, seemed a sure guarantee for a pain-free life.

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From Voting to Veterans: Thanking Those Who Fight for Our Freedom

Psalm 18:1-6, "I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears…”

:13-18, “The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, and lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them. Then the channels of water appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my stay.”  NAS

Greetings Neighbors,

   The election may be over but our need for prayer, care and sharing the gospel continues, as a world full of people look to new policies, promises and people to bring positive change to America. We as Christ-followers continue to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and to share the love and message of Jesus to bring about real hope and change to a hurting world hunting for help. We must commit to praying for the politicians who are working out their final days in office and for those who are preparing to begin their time of service to their city, state and nation. I want to suggest that you send the newly elected people an email letting them know that you are praying for them and begin to build a relationship with them for continued times of prayer, support and service. Let them know that they can count on you in prayer, care, share opportunities within your community or ministry reach. They need to know that they can count on you to show up with support and prayer for them when there are controversial votes, meetings, or when protestors are present. They need to know that they can count on your voice and values as much as we expect them to stand up for ours. They need to know that we will serve in places and projects of need and work with them to make our communities and county a place where the love and message of Jesus is lived out every day.

   Voting is just one of many rights afforded to us by those who founded our nation and those who continue to fight for freedom every day. Our United States Military and Border Patrol put their lives on the line every day so that we can wake, work, and walk through our day with freedom and peace. The members of our military and their families make enormous sacrifices, too many to count, so that freedom can reign across America and around the world. Do you have a military family in your neighborhood? Do you live near a military base, fort or camp? Do you have military members/families who attend your church? If you have military members/families near you I beg you to get to know them and find out how you could serve them as they serve our country. Get to know them; does the spouse work, do they have children, is the military member deployed? How can you help them? Does their lawn need raking, their driveway need shoveling in the winter, do they need help with the children once in a while, a friend to talk to or go have coffee with, someone who will climb the ladder when the batteries need changing in their smoke detectors? Let them know that you are praying for their whole family and invite them to your church services and activities. It is difficult for a military spouse to get a family ready for church on Sunday and then sit by themselves through a service filled with couples worshipping together. Be there for them; give them the prayer, give them care they need and as always be prepared to share the message of salvation through Jesus with those who do not know Him as Lord and Savior. Give them the greatest gift of abundant life and eternal hope throughout their days as they defend lives and freedom around the world. Don’t be afraid that you will say the wrong thing; we need to support our military and their families with our friendship and love. Knowing that their family is being cared for helps those who are serving far from home to focus on their mission and to perform their duties with renewed concentration and motivation. We thank God for our Veterans and we want to express our deep appreciation to them this weekend and always. I want to say a special thank you to my husband, dad, brother-in-law and father-in-law for their many years of military service.

There are many ministries including the American Bible Society, The National Day of Prayer, CRU and others who send Bibles and minister to military members and families. For more information please visit www.militarymissionsnetwork.com

   I challenge you to commit to supporting those who protect us through consistent prayer, care and sharing the Word and love of Jesus so that every military member and family experiences the love and message of Jesus by the end of the year 2020.

Love is a verb…let’s get moving!

    Kathy B.

Father, on the eve of our elections, we come to you in gratitude and supplication.  Thank you, Lord, for a country that has free elections and for the widespread ability to participate in those elections.  Thank you for the candidates and for all who have worked so hard on this campaign.  And thank you for the prayer you have raised up from your church concerning this election.

Please protect the integrity of our elections tomorrow.  In each voting place, clear the way for all who are legitimately qualified to vote to do so without intimidation or fear.  Keep away those who are not qualified to vote and who do not have our country's interests at heart.  Protect the polling places from all kinds of danger - from terrorism, from cyber attacks, from anything that would impede fair and honest elections.

Raise up leaders for our country at all levels - federal, state, and local - who will lead in righteousness and who will lead with servants' hearts.  Raise up men and women of integrity and character, leaders who know you and who will serve you first and serve the people before their own interests. Block candidates who would lead out of selfish motives and whose interests are purely for their own benefit.

Raise up an unprecedented level of prayer in your church regarding these elections.  Hear the prayers of your people, and do that which will bring honor to you.  Make this election the impetus for a new movement of prayer for the salvation and repentance of our country and for a renewed strength to fulfill your purposes in the world.

Heal the divisions in our land, Father - both those that have been caused by these elections and those with other causes. Make of your church reconcilers of people - reconciling them first to you, then to each other.  Make of us peacemakers - not those who blindly turn an eye to injustice, painting a thin veneer of serenity over a canvas of wrong, but those who pursue the peace that is real peace because it emanates from you.

Transform your people by the power of your word and by the presence of your Spirit.  Awaken and transform your church, restoring to her a prophetic role in our society. Renew us from the inside out.

Tomorrow in all our elections, bring about the leaders and the results that are pleasing in your sight.  Raise up those who will turn our eyes back to you. Do all this for the sake of your glory.

In the name of your Son Jesus,

Amen.

The Change Challenge

   Well here we are; election week has finally arrived. While millions of votes have already been cast in pre-voting opportunities the decision is yet to be made. As millions more Americans head to the election sites on Tuesday we are blessed to exercise the privilege we have as Americans to choose our leaders from local to national offices. It is really an amazing thing when you think about it. So many countries have their leaders chosen for them while others seize power through conflict and bloodshed. We are blessed to live in a nation where every person has a vote; we are not occupied by a distant king or empire, neither are we left to live without structure and laws. While I have seen long lines at early voting sites, I beg you to stay in line and fulfill the obligation and gift that it is to cast your vote.

  We have listened to candidates pontificate and debate for months and months about how they will bring about “change” for America. Each person believes they have the plans, policies, and procedures to improve America and the American way of life. While I pray for all of the candidates; only Jesus can transform our nation. Only those who follow Jesus, His Word and His ways can bring about the needed change that will turn America in the direction it needs to go with the love and message of Jesus. We must behave as our biblical worldview calls us to live. I still love to quote Dr. Tony Evans, “Do not think that God is going to skip over His own house to fix the White House!” Dr. Evans is right; God’s people must live in obedience to His commands and a prayer-care-share lifestyle if we have any hope of being blessed as “one nation under God” again.

   So as much as you may have talked about this election and its candidates; let me beg you to spend the next few days on your knees begging Jesus to saturate His people with a fresh vision of His supremacy. Ask Jesus to awaken His people with a new fervor for His Word and ways; to convict our hearts of sin and to bring us to a place where we only seek His face and His plan. Humble yourself before Him and confess your desperation for Him – praise Him as King of Kings! No elected official has any power without the hand of God to guide them. Ask Jesus to have a Saul to Paul moment with all of our candidates who do not know Him, and especially with those who persecute Him by making laws that go against His commands and those trying to shut the mouth of Truth across the nation. Beg Jesus to open their eyes to His authority and to bring them to a place of servanthood; first to Him and then to America. Pray from local to national candidates and issues and ask Jesus to show you where you can make a difference every day. Pray up to and through Election Day and then…keep praying.  

   Don’t forget about casting an eternal vote by sharing love and the Good News of Jesus with at least one person before Election Day then share your pictures or stories on social media #CastanEternalVote or by sending them to us at love2020stories@gmail.com.

   I challenge you to go out and share the love and message of Jesus as you pray and prepare to vote, and as always, continue to live a prayer-care-share lifestyle.

Love is a verb…let’s get moving!

    Kathy B.

P.S. Check out our two new radio spotlight shows on Iwork4Him radio posted at www.LOVE2020.com

and www.Iwork4Him.com