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TRADITIONAL COLUMBUS DAY POEM - REIMAGINED

Posted by Richard H. Skiba, Jr. on September 4, 2020 at 22:26

I am an unpaid, non-pastoral layperson… and a sinner. While I make no claim to prophecy, one of my life Bible verses is Ezekiel 2:1-3:11

I recently heard a sermon on waking up ourselves and the church (Rev. 3:1-6). Coupling that with a sermon I heard the week before regarding tolerating Jezebel’s/Judas’ (a male version of the name) practices as acceptable within the Faith (Rev. 2:18-29), a prayer of confession and repentance is offered. It may behoove “man’s” organized churches and their religions, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE CHURCH, to adopt this prayer.

Such confession and repentance may begin a healing in America by acknowledging the influence on “man’s” organized church religion, and the resulting effect on secular human society, of a Judas Pope (Dum Diversas, June 18, 1452, information below taken from www.doctrineofdiscovery.org). Then, perhaps, in light of such awakening, confession and repentance, God may provide mankind with His Solution for the problem of white supremacy and its racism.

Organized Church of Men - Prayer of Confession and Repentance

In fourteen hundred fifty-two

Supremacy sailed the ocean blue.

From southwest Europe, they were white;

Pope Nicholas V. gave the right

To grab land with no title claim

And “save” pagans in Jesus’ name.

Then all “new” western lands belonged

To whites, who were all foreign born.

When Europeans were expelled

Americans the role then filled.

Native people, they could stay

Until they got into the way.

Then came the time to free the slaves,

Six-hundred-thousand in their graves,

And still that freedom’s not been found

Did we waste those long in the ground?

In world wars: the winning side,

Our hearts were filled with joy and pride.

We were now leader of the world

How proudly did our flag unfurl!

We now decry supremacy

Exceptionalism is our creed.

We think we do what God has Told

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so bold.

Were we taught as Jesus Hoped?

No, we were misled by a Pope!

We plea now for a troubled nation

Forgive our sin; Send Your Solvation.*

*Salvation is God’s Greatest Gift, but it is not of this earth. Solving the problems humans have created is His Greatest Gift to those still on the earth.

(Information taken from www.doctrineofdiscovery.org)

Papal Bull Dum Diverersas - 18 June 1452

Pope Nicholas V issued the papal bull Dum Diversas on 18 June, 1452. It authorized Alfonso V of Portugal to reduce any “Saracens (Muslims) and pagans and any other unbelievers” to perpetual slavery. This facilitated the Portuguese slave trade from West Africa.

The Bull Romanus Pontiflex (Nicholas V) - 5 January 1455
The same pope wrote the bull Romanus Pontifex on January 5, 1455 to the same Alfonso. As a follow-up to the Dum Diversas, it extended to the Catholic nations of Europe dominion over discovered lands during the Age of Discovery.

The Bull Inter Caetera (Alexander VI) - 4 May 1493
In 1493 Alexander VI issued the bull Inter Caetera stating one Christian nation did not have the right to establish dominion over lands previously dominated by another Christian nation, thus establishing the Law of Nations.

Together, the Dum Diversas, the Romanus Pontifex and the Inter Caetera came to serve as the basis and justification for the Doctrine of Discovery, the global slave trade of the 15th and 16th centuries, and the Age of Imperialism.

From Veteran Prayer Leader, Eddie Smith . . .

Posted by Reimagine Curator on September 1, 2020 at 17:00

August 2020

I (Eddie) don’t like failure. Who does? Perhaps like me, you have had your share of failed attempts. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God would give us a task, clearly laying out the steps to accomplish it, provide everything we need to complete it, and guarantee our success, where we could not fail!?

GREAT NEWS! He has. Let’s look at it together in 2 Peter 1:1-10, (You may wish to follow along in your
Bible.)

The Apostle Peter gives us instructions on building The 7-Story Christian Life.

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:

Paul saw himself as a servant first, an apostle second. He is writing to born again believers.

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Why is grace mentioned before peace? It’s because we cannot know peace until we experience grace (the new birth). Those are amplified through “the knowledge of God,” which means through intimacy with God.

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

I love this, don’t you? To build a building, requires an architect and a blueprint. Christ is our Architect and His
Word is our blueprint. The framework is “all things that pertain to life and godliness.”

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

His “great and precious promises” found in Scripture are our building materials. His purposes are “gold” we mine
from his promises. His goal for us is that we partake of His nature, which is to be like Him. For that to happen, we
must “escape the corruption that is in the world.” We are to be light in the darkness. (Matt 5:16)

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

Faith is the foundation of our “building.” No building is stronger than its foundation. Virtue (moral excellence) is
the 1st Floor. Knowledge is the 2nd Floor, which is where a hunger for God develops. Each of these build on one
another.

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

The 3rd Floor is temperance (self-control). Too many want to yield their lives to God’s control. Heads up! God has no interest in controlling us. We honor Him as we control ourselves, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:23). Self-control is required for one to be patient, which is the 4th Floor. Self-control and patience lead to godliness, which is the 5th Floor. They are characterized by selfless humility.

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

One would expect a mature Christian to be kind. However, sadly, such is not always the case. Brotherly kindness is the 6th Floor. As we mature in Christ, we should exude His lovingkindness. The final floor is Love, the 7th Floor. The top floor of any building is its penthouse. It is the ultimate. This comes as no surprise, because Paul wrote, “the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13)

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Here is God’s GUARANTEE!

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, YE SHALL NEVER FALL.

We hope you have enjoyed our look at this passage.

A PERSONAL NOTE
Alice and I are currently facing some unique challenges. We would appreciate your prayer.

I recently had a successful back surgery. It resolved a back problem from which I’ve suffered for more than 50 years, and for which I’ve had four previous back surgeries. I am so grateful. However, since the surgery four weeks ago, I’ve had an unresolved back inflammation that has kept me from being able to walk normally. I no longer need a cane but am not yet fully functional. Thank you in advance for praying for me.

Like you, we are also challenged by the result of COVID-19. Thankfully, we are COVID-free. However, except for our exciting teaching opportunity at a World Congress in January of this year, everything else has been dropped. Many churches do not yet have public services, and many are struggling financially. Alice’s planned teaching trip to S Korea and a prayer conference at a large church here in Houston were canceled due to the virus. At this point, our next conference-teaching event will be in January 2021. Of course, our expenses continue from month-to-month.

We understand that many are laid off, or out of work. Perhaps that includes you. However, as God enables you, please prayerfully consider placing your gift in the enclosed return envelope. Though not required, your stamp on that self- addressed envelope will save us the postage. AND… Please enclose your prayer requests, even if you are unable to send a gift. We are essentially a prayer ministry, so enclose your most important prayer needs, and allow us to lift you up.

We are grateful for you and are praying for you to remain COVID-free, and blessed. Blessings,

Eddie & Alice

http://www.eddieandalice.com

http://www.prayerbookstore.com

THE LIGHT

Posted by David Young on August 31, 2020 at 17:48

I want to address a subject that is in some ways difficult for all of us. I want to speak first to you who are not religious. There are many reasons for not being religious. And I cannot address all of them. Some of you may say that what I am about to deal with is not one of your reasons for not believing in God or for avoiding spirituality. Interestingly enough, the fact that this is not an issue for you may help you see this more objectively. However, some of you will find this difficult or even painful. But this is important, and I urge you to struggle through it with me. In chapter 3, verse 19 of The Gospel of John in the Bible, says light has entered the world in which we live.

“And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world.”

John 3:19

How is light judgment? That is because this light shines into us and reveals our inmost selves. That can be terrifying. The reality of God comes as a floodlight into our lives. We don't want God or anyone to see what we are really like. And we don't want to think about it ourselves. We fill our lives with many things, seeking anything that might satisfy, and with little success. Sometimes we are busy just to keep from coming to the light and looking into our own hearts.

Later in the New Testament we find the letters written by the Apostle John. In 1 John, the first of these, chapter 1, verse 6, John says that God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. The very nature of God is a floodlight. When we seriously consider God or dare to come near him, his light shines into our lives.

Look with me at the broader context of the verse I began with. John 3:19-20 reads,

“And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

I would like us to consider some related promises that may give you the freedom to step into God’s floodlight.

Forgiveness

God does not reveal what is in your heart to condemn you. John 3:17 says God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world. God sent his son to die on a cross to forgive you and pay the very real consequence of greed, and pride, lust, resentment and hatred that are in us.

Cleansing

When I was a boy we had barn cats. And I remember a number of times that I was scratched by a cat. When that happened, I would go to great lengths to hide the scratches from my mother. Even though cats are always cleaning themselves, a cat scratch will almost always become infected. I suspect this is even worse with barnyard cats. My mother’s remedy was a very painful cleansing of the wound. 1 John 1:7 says the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. And while the honesty before God necessary for this cleansing is painful, there is relief in having been cleansed.

Love

Even when my mother was pouring alcohol on those scratches, I knew she loved me. John 3:16 begins with the words “For God so loved.” Very few things in life are as comforting and sustaining as knowing we are loved. And God's love is unconditional. He loves us in spite of our faults. He will not force his love on us, but he offers it to us without any limit.

Transformation

The Bible promises heart transformation to those who come to Him through Jesus. He gives the power to change us internally. John 3:21, just after verses 19-20 which tell us why we hate the light, says those people who live by the truth come to the light so everyone can see that it is God who is working in us. If you have to clean up your own life you are in trouble. But God changes our deepest motivations.

Fellowship

1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other.” Our pretenses and deception, along with criticism of others form barriers to deeper relationships. But when we have come clean before God he brings us closer and closer to others who live in his light.

Are you willing to step into the floodlight of the presence of God?

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A Prayer for Possessions

Posted by Dan Crawford on August 28, 2020 at 9:11

I went to an estate sale last week. I seldom attend one of these, except this one happened to be in the home of a long-time friend and colleague. I made it OK through the living room, even though I had to see the couch and chairs where my wife and I last visited with this couple, prior to his death. Then I safely navigated the den, kitchen, patio, dining room, bedrooms, even closets, until I found his office. That is where I lost it. There was so much in that room that reminded me of him, things that he treasured, and objects that he had kept. But none of it went with him when he died. I left thinking of my own offices – home and campus – books, file cabinets, pictures, collected stuff from years of global travel and ministry, only meaningful to me. When I am gone, it will all be separated and disbursed. Some will find its way into the possession of folks who will treasure it, other possessions will be discarded. Following my visit, I had two thoughts: (1) Possessions are only bad when they possess you, and (2) “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2). My friend was a perfect example of this balance. Join me in enjoying our possessions, while praying that our minds remained prioritized on things above.

Do your plans always match God's plans?

Posted by Lillian Penner on August 27, 2020 at 15:11

In John chapter 11, we read about Lazarus's death, where Mary and Martha sent word to their dear beloved friend Jesus to let him know their brother to Lazarus had become very ill. They expected Jesus to come immediately to heal their brother, but he did not come. Disappointed, they wondered why Jesus didn’t come right away.

Jesus had a different plan; he told the disciples, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it". He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus very much, but stayed in Galilee teaching and healing the sick on God's timetable.

Two days later, Jesus told his disciples it was time to go to Judea to see Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha said to Jesus, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Mary's response to Jesus

Nevertheless, Jesus went to the grave deeply moved, asking to have the stone removed from the tomb. Martha said, "But Lord, by this time, there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Jesus told her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God." Then Jesus prayed to the Father, and called out in a loud voice,"Lazarus, come out," and Lazarus came out of the tomb. After Lazarus rose from the dead, many who had come to be with Mary and Martha placed their faith in him.

Mary and Martha were disappointed because God did not answer immediately. However, think of all the people he had the opportunity to heal and teach during those two days, believing in him. Jesus, God's Son, knew the Father's plan and His timetable. It was not God's plan to heal Lazarus when he was sick. He wanted to glorify his Son by raising Lazarus from the dead.

He is Still on Time, Even When We Think He is Late

Our finite minds cannot grasp God's infinite ways of answering our prayers. We have no idea how many times He is waiting on us for the proper time to respond. Sometimes God needs to work in our hearts, character, or another person before Answering our prayers. When we get discouraged and impatient, we have to remind ourselves that God's timing is always perfect. He knows what is best for us.

How do you respond when God does not answer your prayers according to your plans?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father help me to trust You.

Please help me to remember that you see the overall picture

and know what is best for me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Written by Lillian Penner, Christian Grandparenting prayer ministry

I have developed “Thirty-one Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren” that many grandparents have found helpful to pray Scripture for their grandchildren. Just by joining the mailing list on the right side of this page you will receive the blogs about grandparenting and suggestions to pray for your grandchildren. I will also email you a free downloadable copy of “Thirty-one Scriptures to Pray for your Grandchildren” you can print.

Pro-Life-For-Life

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 27, 2020 at 11:04

#ItSeensToMe...if we evangelicals were pro-life-for-life, we would look for ways to empower/equip those who choose abortion for primarily economic reasons.
What could happen to the abortion stats if the Church became an advocate rather that an adversary to those trapped in systemic poverty?
#ProLife has to be more than a preaching point or a taking a political stand.

Consider the commentary of friend/colleague John H. Armstrong:

Abortion rates in America continue to fall. It is unlikely that this will change regardless of who becomes the next president. This will be true unless Covid-19 undercuts the American economy in a big way, which actually seems likely at this point. The available data says that abortion rates and the absolute number of abortions have both fallen consistently for the past decade. Both are now at their lowest level since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

Abortion rates, and the number of abortions in the United States, are usually not determined by abortion policies at the federal or state level. What influences them the most? Economic forces. Empirically, the more people are forced into subsistence-level existence, the more abortions will increase.

If this is true, and it most definitely is true, then the best pro-life policy would be to lift more poor people out of desperate poverty. Here is a truly significant pro-life agenda that will accomplish what the pro-life movement desires. Give people the financial support they need and you will save unborn lives. Help people provide for children and they are more likely to desire them. But the GOP runs on pro-life as an wedge issue and then does next to nothing to really help the poor. Go figure. Maybe the pro-life movement needs some new energy that will move us away from the political rhetoric, energy that actually addresses how we can really help people AND save lives?

Reimagine the Sermon

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 26, 2020 at 14:00

#ReimagineDISCIPLESHIP...

thru your next sermon: •Teach~Preach~Reach

• Teach the Word of God (“what” does the text say?).

• Preach the will if God (“so what” does this mean to me?).

• Reach the world for God (“now what” is the Spirit leading us to do; individually & corporately?).

#Reimagine...systemic procedures

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 25, 2020 at 17:04

#ItSeemsToMe...

WANTED: leaders with courage to #ReimagineCHURCH... because the world we share good news with is rethinking basic systems. Agree or disagree, the call to defund police is a sign we need systemic change. Church, hold truth but review/revise models/methods. http://Reimagine.Network

NOMBRES DE DIOS, DÍA 18 PRÍNCIPE DE PAZ, AUTOR:LEWIS TURNER

Posted by Liliana Ester Long on August 25, 2020 at 0:18

D%C3%8DA%20N%C3%9AMERO%2018%2C%20PR%C3%8DNCIPE%20DE%20PAZ%2C%20LEWIS%20TURNER..rtf

BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE

Posted by David Young on August 21, 2020 at 11:46

BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE

Most of us have been troubled at one time or another by these words of Jesus.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15

This morning I heard a marvelous testimony relating to this concept. I am still stirred by what I heard, but I need to be careful not to breach a confidence in sharing it. However, I know that most of you have had similar experiences, and can understand without my giving too many details.

A lady shared this in a prayer request for someone she knew. She had given this person a Bible several years ago, but she had not read it until now. When she came to these verses in Matthew 6, she was stumped. She said, “For God to forgive me, I have to forgive the man who raped me and ruined my life. I could never do that, so I can never be forgiven by God.”

The lady who was sharing with her told us that she understood, because she too was sexually abused as a young girl. And she told about being on a retreat of sorts, where in a very emotional prayer, God gave her the ability to forgive the man.

I told her she was the right person to share with the lady who was struggling with this. She felt she needed to forgive the man, so she could enter into the grace of God. But that is something only God can do in us. We come to Him in our weakness, admitting that we cannot change our hearts. And God, who is drawing us to Himself, transforms us, doing in us what we could never do.

Forgiveness is the sort of thing we will have to struggle with until the metamorphosis that God has begun in us is complete in His presence. And every victory that we have over our unforgiving hearts must be done in us by God.

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#ItSeemsToMe…We May Talk Too Much When We Pray. Or Not Enough.

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 17, 2020 at 12:39

#ItSeemsToMe…We May Talk Too Much When We Pray. Or Not Enough.

By Phil Miglioratti

As I was preparing for a week-long trip out of town, I peeked ahead on the daily cartoon calendar we have in our kitchen. On the back of each day’s cartoon is a riddle or a trivia item, and this is what grabbed my attention, a statistic: “Every day, women speak 7,000 words; men, 2,000.” More unmistakable evidence that men are from Mars and women come from Venus. The Church has applied this statistic in marriage counseling for both not-yet and long-ago couples and in training leaders of mixed gender small groups with good results. This gender-based communication reality is helpful in building healthy marriages and balanced ministries.

But, as I headed out the door for the airport, I began to think of how this 7,000 versus 2,000 word count impacts prayer in our churches.

Do some women use more words than men (and thereby take longer time) when they offer a prayer? Do some men stay home from prayer meetings or avoid prayer groups or remain silent during group prayers because they perceive themselves as having a smaller vocabulary than women? Does the word count disparity also indicate a different tone or approach to praying? Are some men more reluctant to pray aloud because, well, they are also reluctant to speak up in normal social conversation? If women answer in paragraphs, are men who talk in headlines too uncomfortable to actively participate? Does each gender pray differently when in mixed gender prayer situations than in all-women or all-men settings? Does it matter? Is this an insightful statistic or a simplistic stereotype?

While it is possible this male/female differentiation has only minimal relevance to corporate (or even personal) praying, the questions ought to be asked. Behaviors should be observed. Discussions, even debates, could be beneficial. Admittedly, observation is anecdotal and not scientific research, but as a part of the prayer facilitator’s skill-set, it helps him or her discern a possible cause for an ebb and flow of a prayer group. (Is there equal participation? Are only a few persons dominating the praying? Is it a good time to move into pairs or small groups? Has someone spoken too much [female or male] or not at all?) If a particular group or congregation exhibits gender-based differences, prayer coordinators can create gender-specific prayer groups (such as a Saturday morning men’s prayer breakfast) or encourage small group leaders to divide men and women periodically during the time devoted to corporate prayer at their group meeting.

To be clear, these descriptors are merely numbers describing overall differences. Persons who use 7,000 words a day should not aspire to speak only 2,000 (though some husbands might disagree with me) nor should 2,000-a-day speakers start employing long monologues when headlines are adequate (I know, ladies, headlines are not adequate in building and maintaining close relationships). My point is simply that as leaders of prayer meetings/groups/events, we must be listening to more than the content of those we are praying with. We must be aware of whatever might be inhibiting participation, even gender traits, so the experiences we design feel inviting to every person…because it seems to me some of us may talk too much when we pray. Or not enough.

(First published at PrayerLeader.com)

About Phil Miglioratti: After serving as a pastor for over 20 years, Phil now connects people to God through Prayer INC. He also provides leadership to various ministries including the National Pastors’ Prayer Network, Church Prayer Leaders Network, Pray! Network, and The 6:4 Fellowship.

Stop. Light. Prayer.

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 17, 2020 at 12:36

It Seems to Me …

. . . Highway 501 is my unappreciated friend.

Our youngest daughter and her husband moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina a bunch of years ago and settled in the Carolina Forest area–a huge section of dozens of new developments and golf courses. City fathers thought of everything, except quick access to the main road that brings tourist from all over North America in their cars and vans and trucks and sightseeing buses. The access in question is state highway 501.

Making a left turn from Carolina Forest Drive onto this always busy highway can be a breeze (on the rare occurrence when your timing is impeccable) or a long day’s journey into night (when, like me most of the time, you are two seconds too late!). Since Carolina Forest Boulevard has considerably less traffic than the highway leading into fun-in-the-sun Myrtle Beach, our green light time is considerably less than those high speed travelers on the 501. To miss that left turn, means a wait that seems just this side of forever. And, most of those times, I spend those minutes fuming, stewing, complaining, searching the radio dial–in other words, wasting my time.

Where is your “Oh no, I just missed the green arrow!” intersection? Somewhere on the way to work, or on the route to school, or running errands to Target or Kroger/Albertsons or WalMart? Maybe on the way to church!

I’ve begun to think about my wasted time at highway 501 (and so many other unappreciated stop lights) and what could happen if I turned those moments into prayer. Prayers of praise (what’s to complain about, I’m alive and well and with family), protection (travel should always remind me of God’s moment-by-moment protection), provision (give thanks for something God has graciously given), petition (not a bad time to look around and pray for someone in a nearby vehicle who may have zero Christians praying for them).

Maybe the Spirit will reveal several prayer-stops like this to you. Maybe that special stop should be called “patience corner” (Lord, calm me down about being late getting to my destination), another, “yield lane” (Father, I am struggling with ____ but I yield completely to Your will and the work of Your Spirit in and through me). How about a “Stop!” (disobedience) or an “No U Turn” intersection (don’t give up; be persistent).

Next time you find yourself tapping your fingers on the steering wheel counting down the seconds until you get that green light (or arrow), take those moments to commune with the Lord. Prayer leader, when was the last time you prayed for the members of your prayer team? Pastor, is there someone who never quite makes it on your prayer list (possibly your spouse)? What about members of your class or group? Your office or bowling team?

It seems to me . . . that long wait at the highway 501 stop light could become your friend too . . .

Pastor Phil

Originally published by Church Prayer Leaders Network
National Pastors Prayer Network

#ItSeemsToMe … . . . we should be grateful for professors who practice what they teach.

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 17, 2020 at 12:31

It Seems to Me …

. . . we should be grateful for professors who practice what they teach.

The evening session of the conference had just ended and I stopped to say hello to a colleague and friend, a pastor who is on an exciting prayer journey.

Kevin Carrothers, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rochester, IL, was genuinely excited to tell me about the breakout he had attended earlier in the day: Praying Scripture. The conference notebook indicated that breakout would be taught by a seminary professor and, much like many of you reading this, I wondered if it would be strong on theology but lacking in practical wisdom.

Well . . . stereotyping is never a good idea and, as my pastor friend reviewed his experience, totally inappropriate in this situation. He explained to me several of the principles that were taught but also how the professor (Dr. Don Whitney from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) helped the participants authentically experience them. Plus, my colleague’s explanation went beyond regurgitating what he had heard; he was already applying new ideas to his ministry back home. Information was fueling application leading toward implementation. And that implementation would lead toward a transformation in the prayer life of that congregation.

For example, the teacher explained how to pray through Psalm 23, modeled it for them, then gave them an opportunity to practice as part of the breakout. That brief personal experience provided a key insight. Pastor Kevin realized that every Sunday, when he reads the scripture text of the sermon then prays before preaching, he could pray through the scripture instead. A simple change that would model for the members of his congregation how to pray scripture, draw them deeper into his prayer and connect their corporate praying to both the scripture and the sermon. A simple and easy-to-implement change that will also impact how those members pray in their small groups and Sunday classes.

Near the end of the conversation, Kevin shared a bonus insight. According to Dr. Whitney, we need to train church members in how to pray scripture in their personal praying before we attempt to implement it in a corporate setting. When we invite a corporate group to use a new method, the participants are prone to revert to their default style of praying unless they have experimented with the new approach. No wonder so many prayer champions get discouraged after trying something new or different. Another simple insight that has huge implications for those who facilitate prayer.

In that brief conversation, a good conference got even better.

It seems to me, we should be grateful for professors who practice what they teach . . . and be thankful for pastors who internalize and implement what they’ve been taught.

Pastor Phil

P.S. A week later, I received this in an emessage from Kevin: “I have been praying the Word all week and even shared it at our community pastors’ fellowship. It has been refreshing.”

The Heroes and Villains of Christmas

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 17, 2020 at 11:30

Heroes and Villains of Christmas

By Phil Miglioratti

I confess, I’m a huge Beach Boys fan. Love their surf, sand, and streets songs. But alongside Little Deuce Coupe, Little Saint Nick has become a Christmastime favorite.

One of their more experimental songs also reminds me of Christmas; the real Christmas. Though Heroes and Villains tells the story of the westward expansion of the 1800’s, the song’s title is a perfect statement of Christmas.

Too often our experience of Christmas is engulfed by the commercialization of our Lord’s birth into holiday festivals void of spiritual truth and gift giving that maxes out our credit cards. And possibly even more concerning, many Christ followers have not grown beyond a sentimental understanding of a sweet-smelling, no-crying, halo-glowing baby in the arms of loving mother who gives no evidence of a grueling donkey ride and a dark, damp cave for a delivery room.

Christmas, glorious in all that it brings to us (the ultimate revelation of God, the declaration of his transforming love and so much more), was on Satan’s mind since he was tossed from heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). That set in motion a cosmic conspiracy to steal, kill, and destroy our salvation. So, as the song says, heroes and villains, look, see what you’ve done . . .

Villains

Satan (also referred to as Lucifer, the Devil) – the one who is God’s adversary and our accuser. As the serpent in the garden, he deceived the woman as his first attempt to steal the truth from Adam and Eve, kill their trust in the Lord, and destroy God’s plan to bring a savior to the world. Some scholars would claim Satan was involved in the wickedness that caused God to flood the earth (Genesis 6:1-8: for example: “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.”). Is it possible that the serpent was once again striving to pollute the line of descendants from which the savior would be born? Certainly this one who now “leads the whole world astray” had fallen from his privileged place of what may have been leading worship in the very throne room of heaven (Isaiah 14:11-15). Villain for sure.

Herod, in Matthew 2, proves himself another Christmas villain. When he learns of the Magi’s arrival and their quest to see the baby born to be king, he is terrified, not realizing that the kingship of Jesus is the Kingdom of God, not a political position to be used to control and exploit. So threatened was Herod, he ordered the vicious murder of babies in the region, ending their lives and bringing untold pain to the mothers and father who were forced to witness such an horrific act, probably in their own home. Like Lucifer, who was most certainly possessing and deceiving him, Herod succumbed to the threat he perceived in the Christmas birth of Jesus. Villain for sure.

Heroes

Joseph, the most unappreciated, underrated character in this celestial play. We don’t even know what to identify him as; father (yes, but not birth-father); step-dad doesn’t work. Like Mary, he is an amazing human being assigned a one-of-a-kind role in the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. A doubter, you say, ready to abandon the young woman who claimed the impossible for her increasingly embarrassing pregnancy, who needed a special angelic visit in order to not divorce her … or, a man of integrity who eventually exercised a measure of faith that only a few men and women of renown before him had exhibited. How many birth-fathers would have risked all (home, career, safety) by taking leave at 3am with not much more than a backpack to journey uncertain roads through desolate wilderness to escape with the peace child to Egypt. His first child was born homeless, then Joseph made him a refugee to save his life. Nothing less than Hero!

Mary. Thirteen, or so, they say. The older (and maybe somewhat wiser) I get, the more I am convinced the Lord selected a qualified young woman but, I also wonder how many other older women (teenagers and beyond) he had to pass by because they lacked her simple faith, sincere heart and capacity to believe the unbelievable. Her greatest act of obedience was to do nothing. Noting but surrender to a monumental mystery that would radically alter her life forever. Sounds like a disciple of Jesus. A+ hero.

Shepherds. No names. Their Facebook profile would have that standard gray matted photo outline. Their job, low on the pay and respect scales. But their wondrous curiosity earned them the privilege of being the first humans to proclaim the arrival of the mighty God who would become suffering savior. Everyone is invited to become part of the family of Christ regardless of status. And in that family, nobody (even lowly shepherds) is a nobody. Blue collar heroes.

Magi. Just the opposite. Educated. Intelligent. Men of means. Yet humble worshippers. Adventurous. Generous. The first gentiles to worship Jesus. The first missionaries to the nations. The line in heaven to hear their eyewitness account of their marathon trip and then their life-threatening encounter with Herod will stretch long on one of those gold laden streets. I wonder what the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing while these wise men were studying and searching for the child of God? Outsiders who trumped the religious establishment. Slam dunk. Heroes.

Simeon and Anna. Senior saints who may have worn out their welcome in their home church or maybe were ignored as relics of the past, no longer on the cutting edge of the emerging temple movement. Or, is it possible they were considered bothersome, not unlike the flaky intercessors or self-appointed prophets we’ve all run into? If the latter, haven’t we seen how well the Church functions without a wholly dedicated woman of prayer or a never-give-up-on-God’s-promises old man? Sadly, we have. Oh for these kinds of heroes.

I’d be interested in knowing the lessons you think of from these men and women (and broken angel). For me, it is being reminded to continue a relentless pursuit of the character traits displayed in these God-made-extraordinary heroes. And warned that the spiritual disease that demonized Herod and felled Satan is present in me. I thank God that he has saved this villain-potential person, and that he’s been grace-gifted with hero capacity by that incarnated infant who became THE hero who won freedom for every villain who ever lived.

Heroes and villains, look see what HE’s done!

#ReimagineCHURCH...By Asking, Seeking, Knocking, for Sprit-Led Goals

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 17, 2020 at 11:23

#ItSeemsToMe … Next Year Begins Now

By Phil Miglioratti

I know, next year seems far. far, away.

Why think about 365 days into the very uncertain future?

Because the goals we set today will determine how much more prayer-capacity, care-opportunity, share-ability our teams and congregations will have when we return to this date a year from now. Unless we have a destination in mind, we may spend the next 12 months wandering in a wilderness of simply repeating the same kind of prayers and recycling the same meetings and gatherings.

Early in my ministry I devoted significant time to researching the role of leaders and the responsibility of a good leader to set good goals. Two helpful teachings have traveled with me since then.

1) “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” For me, that statement lifted goal-setting from a self-manufactured idea of what I want to accomplish to a loftier objective revealed through the prayer partnership I was developing with the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit can and often has used preachers or speakers, books or workshops, to reveal that objective but the best goals I set for our teams or congregation came directly from the mind of Christ. Lesson learned? When it comes to a question about what goals to set for prayer, the first step is always to pray:

a. Ask – a question

b. Seek – be still and listen

c. Knock – open that door and move forward

Deadline? Obviously that refers to establishing a target date by which to accomplish the objective. If a specific date is not appropriate, consider paraphrasing to: “A goal is a dream with a destination” so that you can be confident as a leader that the journey you are asking your members to take is headed in a specific direction–a place worth the efforts it will take to change/learn/grow.

2) “Every goal must be ownable, reachable, measureable.” Stating a goal is often not adequate. A set of strategic questions will help us dig deeper to strengthen the transformational potential of the goals:

*Is this goal ownable? Will the members of the team or the leaders of church or the members of the congregation buy into the purpose of this specific idea? Will they be able to see a personal benefit to their discipleship? Will they have participated in the goal-setting process?

*Is this goal reachable? With Christ, all things are possible, but have we set a standard (of time invested or persons impacted, for example) that we would like to achieve but will probably not aspire to? Are we over (or under) reaching? Sometimes less is more, if it accurately reflects the level of faith and opportunity He has given to us.

*Is this goal measureable? How will we know when we’ve succeeded? If our goal is to allow for more participation in the prayer experience, (weeknight or Sunday worship prayer) then it will be simple to assess our progress. If the goal is to deepen everyone’s personal relationship with the Lord through prayer, we will need to involve our members in the assessing and evaluating process. In order to measure a goal, the leader must establish a process that includes the persons for which he/she is establishing the objective and create a safe environment for honest discussion, reflection, even failure.

Bonus! “If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.” One year from today, what will those you steward in ministry say you aimed at? And don’t forget, if you’ve aimed and hit the mark, give credit to the Spirit and celebrate the success!

It seems to me, next year begins right now.

Politicized Prayers. Don't Bother.

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 12, 2020 at 11:04

#ItSeemsToMe... it is way too easy for Christians to unintentionally offer prayers that are actually more Republican than righteous; sound more like a Democrat than a disciple. When our political preferences infect our intercessory petitions, we have shifted from empowering the Spirit to employing the Spirit. No one of us is immune from this politicized syncretism.

Our best solution is to leave our political wish-list aside when we pray.

Begin with praise (declaring the goodness of God). Give thanks (declare the grace of God.

A - ASK...for a fresh filling as you surrender to the Spirit ...Ask a question
S - SEEK...a scriptural focus in silence, stillness
K - KNOCK...when you receive Spirit-led, scripture-fed direction, move forward boldly in faith

When you pray for your candidate, also pray for the other.

When you pray about those you consider an enemy of your positions, ask for God's mercy to bring (repentance (a change of mind).

When you have completed your prayer/praying, ask the Spirit to help you review and, as needed, revise.

#ItSeemsToMe...my politicized prayers may be canceling your other-party-platform prayers. God is neither Democrat nor Republican. If you do not believe that, then may I ask that you work and vote for your party but stop bothering God.

#SayALittlePrayer...

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 12, 2020 at 9:17

#SayALittlePrayer...from: “Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬

“Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭TPT‬‬
https://www.bible.com/1849/mat.6.34.tpt

#SayALittlePrayer...

Posted by Reimagine Curator on August 12, 2020 at 9:17

#SayALittlePrayer...from: “Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬

“Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭TPT‬‬
https://www.bible.com/1849/mat.6.34.tpt

LIVING IN THE LIGHT

Posted by David Young on August 11, 2020 at 13:42

Last week I wrote about coming to the light from John 3:21

“Whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/2020/08/coming-to-light.html

I pointed out that this verse says wanting others to know that any good in you was done by God is evidence that you have been born again. That is clearly the point of this statement in the context of John 3. But this truth requires some practical application for those of you who have come to Christ. In the real world we need encouragement. Even if you have seldom thought about this, your tendency as a believer is to reach for His light like plants reach for the sun. We too are Heliotropes. But in our daily lives we need to develop the willingness to be honest about ourselves before God and the world. Let me point out four aids to such honesty.

First we need a Willingness to Repent.

You had to repent to come to Christ in the first place. But repentance needs to be a lifestyle. You continually God to search your heart. Psalm 139:23-25 prays,

“Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I need to pray regularly for God to deliver me from the willingness to look better than I am, while asking God to change my heart.

We need to Desire to Please Him.

Often our willingness to give impressions of ourselves that are less than honest comes from fear of what other people will think of us. The only way to combat this in your own heart is to increase your desire to please our Lord.

We need a Willingness to Trust Him.

You can trust God to grow this desire in your life. You can trust that pleasing Him will be satisfying to you.

And we need a Desire to Praise Him.

Living in the light does not mean we go about moaning over sins. Instead, we are to focus on giving Jesus all the glory for what He is doing in our lives. You can only combat your desire to be honored by growing in your desire to praise and glorify God. You can regularly pray for His name to be glorified.

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