Pray Network Forum

If you are a grandparent who would like to pray more effectively or intentionally for your grandchildren you will want to purchase and read the book, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren. The book provides specific examples to help you pray, such as alphabet prayers, prayers based on Scriptures, Suggestions to pray for School children and prayers for holidays.

 Check out the book on this website for a reduced price of $10.50 including shipping in the U.S. for a Grandparents’ Day of Prayer Special to help you pray more effectively for your grandchildren and their parents. The book is also available in eBook version on Amazon or Redemption press for $3.99. A study guide is available.

We have the privilege to bring all of our concerns and fears to God? He is always available, sitting at the right hand of God waiting for us to come to him. His line is never busy, He never puts us on hold, we don’t have to press a number for our language, we don’t have to leave a voice mail, and He is available 24/7.  

God has given grandparents a sacred trust, an opportunity to imprint a child’s life with God’s faithfulness. This is why Christian Grandparenting Network is declaring the National Grandparents Day as a Day of Prayer for our grandchildren and their parents.

NOW we are calling all grandparents to join in prayer in their churches, community and around the world for an intentional day of prayer on behalf of the next generation. If you a praying grandparent who believes in the power of prayer for your grandchildren and their parents?

Will you join us?

To learn more about Grandparents’ Day of Prayer, view this short video. https://vimeo.com/130942706 indicate participation in the movement and/or organize a time of prayer for grandparents go to http://www.grandparentsdayofprayer.com  You may find additional information and order promotional resources on the website or email me.  lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

Please share this blog with your friends.

May God show favor on your grandparenting,

Lillian Penner
National Prayer Coordinator
Christian Grandparenting Network

Are the Peoples of the Arabian Peninsula Enemies?

 For many Christians those of other faiths are enemies. There also seems to be a quickly growing mentality that all Muslims are the greatest enemy. Once we start looking at anyone as an enemy it makes it extremely hard to love them. If you need to take some time to repent of any negative spirit that is destroying your love for Muslims, please do so. Ask God to replace that negative spirit with a new love.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

Pray that Christians in the AP would reach out to local people in love. Pray that their love will draw the peoples of the AP to the God who so loves this world.

Years ago my car engine burned up because the oil had leaked out. I’m sure the leakage had been going on for a while, but the destruction to my engine happened quite rapidly, mere moments after I saw the warning light on my dashboard.

Lately I’ve been reflecting on my need for “oil” of another kind—the oil of the Holy Spirit. And I’ve also been challenged about the necessity of regularly checking the warning lights on my spiritual dashboard.

Jesus told an intriguing story about this in Matthew 25. In the opening scene, 10 young women are waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. Jesus said five of them were foolish, and five were wise, yet there was only one difference: The wise ones knew they needed extra oil for their lamp.

Unfortunately for the foolish women in this story, “the bridegroom was a long time in coming” (v. 5). Of course, this parable is a rebuke to those who expect Jesus to return so imminently that they needn’t prepare for the long haul, but I believe there’s another message as well: At times our faith, love, endurance, and faithfulness will be tested by our need to WAIT for our Lord to come into our circumstances with a breakthrough of some kind.

In the story Jesus told, as in our lives today, the bridegroom typically comes “at midnight” (v. 6), right when the night seems darkest and our hope is running out. However, midnight represents a tipping point in many ways, when nighttime reaches its zenith and inevitably begins to turn to day.

Recently I’ve found myself humming an old gospel song that says, “Don’t give up on the brink of a miracle.” When midnight is approaching and you still haven’t seen the Bridegroom’s intervention, it sure is easy to lose heart and give up.

Paul writes about this in Galatians 6:9-10:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

So what are the lessons for us today?

First, we must recognize that the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. Because of that, we need to continually check the gauges on our spiritual dashboard, ensuring that we have enough “oil” for the long haul.

Second, instead of falling asleep, as the women in Jesus’ story did, we should live in great expectancy that our Bridegroom may soon come and break through with a miracle in our circumstances. Even though we may have been waiting for quite a while to have some of our prayers answered, the tipping point could be closer than we think.

In the meantime, we’re encouraged to keep “doing good,” using every opportunity to show love to the people God has put in our lives. No matter what “season” we presently find ourselves in, we’re called to sow seeds of faith and kindness. Although we don’t know “the day or the hour,” we can be confident our harvest will come.

When we take these lessons to heart, we’re sure to experience great blessings ahead—whether the Bridegroom comes as quickly as we want Him to or not. 

http://praylikeagourmet.com/book/summer-blog-picnic/

True intimacy is a function of time. If we want to know someone well, we must spend quality time with that person. There really is no substitute for time when we are building a relationship that is heart-to-heart.

A by-product of time spent together is trust. Our everyday experiences of life lived in proximity to others teach us who is trustworthy and who is not. We learn who keeps their word and who fails to deliver. In most cases, we choose our closest friends on the basis of their trustworthiness.

In the Bible, one Greek word for faith – pistis – is translated “trust,” or “full persuasion.” Jesus tells us in Luke 17:5 that faith (here, “pistis”) the size of a mustard seed can cause mountains to move. When sown, even a tiny seed of faith has great potential for miracles. Yet like all seeds, it must grow.  It isn't the size of the seed that matters. It's the nurturing of the seed that's important. 

Please click here to read full article.

How do you end your prayers? You say "Amen," of course. We all do. Why do we do that? That is not how prayers end in the Bible. And while many of us know the verily, so be it, meaning of the word, I don't believe that is the real reason we end our prayers with"amen."

I believe we have a need to conclude our prayers, or rather to solemnize a conclusion to a prayer. Especially with petition, we are saying "This is what I need."

I think it is worth considering the amen of all your prayers. What would be the amen of your life? What is your ultimate need and longing? We may say, "I need this job because . . . " or "I need to be healed so that . . ." What needs do you have that are ends in themselves?

Suppose you tasted the most wonderful food you have ever eaten? And because it was so wonderful you told a friend about it. But the friend asked, "What will eating that get you?" The friend doesn't get it, does he? Psalm 34:8 calls us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

Let me push this picture a little further. Can you imagine falling in love? The two of you decide to get married. But someone at work asks, "Why do you want to marry him? What will that get you?" What would you answer?

And suppose before you were married he was shipped off to Afghanistan? From a letter you learn that he will skype you tomorrow morning at 5:00 A.M. You are thrilled about it and can hardly wait to go to bed tonight so you can get up and talk to him in the morning. But your friend at work asks why you would want to miss sleep just to talk. This is a harder picture for some of you because when you fall in love you fall for a sinner who will disappoint you as you will him. But we are waiting to be wed to the ultimate bridegroom. There will be no disappointment with Him.

What is your ultimate reason, your final "so that?" That is what I would call your ultimate amen. final amen of our lives is intricately connected to the embrace of God that we enjoy in prayer, more even than what you may ask in desperate prayer.  Revelation 3:14 speaks to this. Jesus said, "These are the words of the amen." This statement may be synonymous with His declaration, "I am the alpha and omega." Part of what Jesus was saying is that all things begin and end with Him. To say He is your Amen is to say He is your everything and He alone fulfills your deepest longing.

daveswatch.com/

watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

Grandparents who believe in the power of prayer can make a great impact on their children, grandchildren

 and future generations not only on National Grandparents’ Day but everyday.  

Cavin Harper, Executive Director of Christian Grandparenting Network  (CGN) says. In his book, “Courageous Grandparenting, “Builders and Boomer generations represent the majority of today’s grandparents. There are nearly eighty million of us. Yet on our watch we have stood by in silence and allowed the Father of lies to inject his venom 

into our culture, hardening men’s hearts to the truth.”[1]

However, during the last five years, thousands of grand

parents have united on National Grandparents Day to make it a Day of Prayer for their grandchildren and their parents.  On September 13^th we have yet another opportunity to link arms in prayer across this nation and around the world. Will you help us in this cause? 

 We need your help

We need grandparents to help us promote this event and who will take the lead to arrange an event-calling grandparents to join in prayer on September 13. This event could be in your church, in your home, in a retirement complex, or any meeting location you choose. 

It’s not a complicated process; Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN) will provide you with step-by-step guidelines, resources, and online tools to help you create a successful event that will engage grandparents in prayer in your

church or community. Just invite some grandparents in your home for prayer and a snack on Grandparents’ Day of Prayer.

To learn more about becoming involved, please follow the steps below.

Check out the website for blogs, endorsements, testimonials and promotional materials and free downloads.

http:/http://www.grandparentsdayofprayer.com.

Then complete the form to indicate your participation.

Free Resources Available for distribution at your event.

(Download and print)

1. 31 Scriptures to Pray for your Grandchildren. Spanish a

nd English   Downloadable FREE

2. Suggestions to Pray for School children. (Preschool-College)

            Downloadable FREE

3. Suggestions to Pray for College students. 

          Downloadable FREE

4. Suggestions to Pray for the Different Life Stages (Infants through married grandchildren)

          Downloadable FREE

5. Placemat with “31 Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren.”        

           Downloadable FREE

6.  E-book - “Reflecting on my Grandparenting Jou

rney” by Lillian Penner     Downloable FREE

For additional information, contact Lillian Penner

National Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network  lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net.

Join Us in Making National Grandparents Day on September 13, 2014  A Grandparents’ Day

of Prayer

We need your help to promote  Grandparents Day of Prayer.

Will you forward this post to your friends?

By Lillian Penner

You have just been issued a summons. You must appear in court immediately, and not as a juror. You have been called by the prosecution to take the stand as a defendant in a case with a high dollar value. If you lose, your sentence could include a lifetime in prison. What's worse: you have been wrongfully accused.

If this sounds like I am being dramatic, rest assured, I am not. The first paragraph is entirely true. As a Christian, you are - at this very moment - being called by the devil (the prosecution) to take a defensive stand against his false allegations.

Click here to continue reading.

“Second wind is a phenomenon in distance running, such as marathons or road running, whereby an athlete who is too out of breath and tired to continue suddenly finds the strength to press on at top performance with less exertion.” – Wikipedia

I meet lots of people who are weary today. Many of them are fellow baby boomers, who get tired more easily than in their younger days.

But weariness is an epidemic affecting people of all ages, and often it has little to do with physical stamina. The weariness is typically more emotional, spiritual, and relational than physical.

I’m referring to a weariness that goes beyond anything Starbucks or Red Bull can cure. Can you relate?

When that kind of weariness hits, it makes us want to quit…give up…throw in the towel…or simply curl up in the fetal position. As General George Patton once observed, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

Marathon runners experience this. Usually around mile 20 they “hit the wall,” feeling like their energy has vanished and they can’t possibly run another step. There seems no hope of making it to the finish line at mile 26.2.

Yet long-distance runners often testify that something magical happens if they press on a little farther. Just when it seems the race has been lost, they suddenly get their “second wind.”

I need a second wind today, don’t you?

Some days I just want to quit. Other days I think I have just enough energy to sprint a little further until I keel over. But what I need is simply a second wind—energy enough to complete the race, all the way to the finish line.

Fortunately, Jesus understands that life is a marathon, and He offers a second wind to those who’ve hit the wall:

Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Whenever I read this beautiful promise, I’m struck by Jesus’ offer to provide “rest for your souls.” When my body is tired, I can simply take a nap or a vacation. Although those solutions may be helpful, they fall far short of what I truly need: rest and refreshing that penetrates all the way to my soul.

Another stunning thing about Jesus’ offer is that it’s not a 3-point or 5-point self-help plan, so common today in our sermons, articles, and books. Instead, it just has ONE central point, on which everything else depends: “Come to me…”

This promise of Jesus was foreshadowed by another great Bible passage about what we can do when we hit the wall and are weary of life:

The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary…
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Notice that “even youths”—not just the elderly or baby boomers—“will become weak and tired” and “fall in exhaustion.” But the good news is that God offers us a second wind, “new strength,” when we cast our burdens on Him and spend time in His presence.

Too many Christians are relying upon the “wind” they received at their conversion, often several decades ago. No wonder we run out of steam when we do that.

 What we need, instead, is a fresh infilling with the wind of the Holy Spirit. That kind of “second wind” will change everything. 

Yemen, Arabian Peninsula Day 24 - July 11, 2015 As Muslims are praying and fasting during Ramadan, we pray for them.

God did this [war, hardship] so that they [Yemeni] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, Christians focused on Yemen are asking us to pray Acts 17:27 and Psalm 22:27 with them.

There are four major factions fighting each other in Yemen and there are outside forces also part of the uprisings. The situation changes daily. Pray for the establishment of stability, law and order all across the country.

Pray for the groups of believers in two main cities and for the scattered ones in others that they might be established in Christ. Pray that local believers would become family to one another, and be forgiving and including one another. Pray that God would help them focus on being trustworthy as opposed to trusting, that they would desire to give honor rather than seek it, and that they would count others as more important than themselves.

Pray that the foreign workers would live out and model to local believers how to love one another. Pray that workers inside Yemen would set an example by modeling a kingdom lifestyle, that they would show wisdom to know when to stay and when to leave, and that they would have love for the other workers.

Pray that workers outside Yemen can rest in God's sovereignty rather than in their frustration at not being able to go into Yemen. Source: Christians in Yemen

As the new Shiite Houthi rebels from the north of Yemen dissolved the government of Yemen, their supporters waved banners saying; "Death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and a victory to Islam." According to AP writer Ahmed Al-Haj, this new rebel government faces one of the most violent al-Qaeda groups anywhere in the world in southern Yemen. Pray for the country of Yemen. With such words of death and cursing, they do not know the judgment they will face. Pray that God will move Yemen away from civil war, involving Shiite, Sunni, al-Qaeda, and other tribes, and into a place of peace (The Bible, Philippians 4:7). Source: The 10/40 Window Prayer Points for Every Nation (April 2015)

United Arab Emirates, Arabian Peninsula

Day 21 - July 8, 2015 As Muslims are praying and fasting during Ramadan, we pray for them.
I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Christians in the UAE are asking us to pray Revelation 3:8a and 1 Timothy 6:10 with them.

Pray that the leaders of the UAE will have wisdom and tolerance, even allowing citizens to change their faith. Pray for the government to be able to keep the country safe from insurgent/terrorist groups and provide policies that encourage young people to be more motivated to work hard for the good of their country. Pray for the UAE's relationships with other countries in the region, like Iran (tension over disputed islands). Pray for further disillusionment with Islam and rejection of the radical groups that would lead to discovery of the truth that will set them free!

The number one prayer is for unity, not uniformity, among the expat churches in the UAE. Pray that they will partner together for the sake of the gospel. Pray for the Lord to send mature and capable leaders to disciple the many new believers who come to faith in the UAE and for sound Bible teaching.

Pray for the church people to be taught to share their faith with locals so that an indigenous church will arise in the major cities and villages of the UAE.

Pray that workers will be united and focused on the important things and not be distracted by the materialism, comforts and amenities in the UAE. May we first be people of prayer, asking God to move miraculously in our land. Pray we will seek and find new avenues and opportunities to engage local people as the country changes politically, economically and culturally. Source: Christians in UAE

There is a new book that can be found in bookstores across the United Arab Emirates. Reverend Thompson of Abu Dhabi wrote it, and the book is fully approved by the ruling UAE family, even including a forward by Sheikh Nahayan. The book is called Jesus of Arabia, and it presents many stories of Jesus in an Arab context. The Appendix covers many arguments that Muslim Arabs have with Christianity. Pray for this book to move Muslims closer to a better understanding of the way Christ loves them. Pray that many in the UAE will be drawn to Christ through this book (The Bible, John 12:32). Source: The 10/40 Window Prayer Points for Every Nation (April 2015)

During the summer, many grandparents vacation with their

grandchildren. It is a great opportunity to spend extra time with the possibility of quality interaction. Now imagine you are camping with your grandchildren in the mountains. You have cooked your campfire stew for dinner and you are relaxing around the campfire beside a big lake. It is perfectly still; there is no wind. The lake is a mirror reflecting a beautiful sunse

t. Sticky-fingered grandchildren delight in s’mores while skipping stones across the lake’s glassy surface. They are enthralled with the traveling waves seeing who can make the biggest ripples.

 Grandpa tells Grandma, “Just as the kids are making rip

ples in the water with the rocks, we can make ripples in the lives of our grandchildren with our prayers.” Our prayers for our grandchildren to invite Jesus Christ into other lives and to walk with Him throughout their lives will have a ripple effect on

their families, friends, their world, and their future.

 Another way we as grandparents can have a ripple effect on the lives of our grandchildren is by the way we live ou

r lives, investing time, energy, and effort in our own spiritual walk with the Him, our example will have a ripple effect on our children, grandchildren, and future generations.

My Great-grandfather’s Prayer

I found a letter in my family archives written by my great

-grandfather in Poland, addressed to my grandfather who had immigrated to America. In the letter, he wrote that he was praying for my grandfather and his future generations. 

It was a special blessing for me to see in writing that my great-grandfather prayed for me before I was born. His prayers had a ripple effect on my grandparents, my parents, my life, my children and my grandchildren.

Be a Prayer Warrior

God has placed our grandchildren in our families and given us the awesome opportunity to partner with Him on their behalf. He has given my husband and I nine grandchildren to

pray for and He has given you your grandchildren. Our grandchildren are our mission field.

If you did not have a Christian heritage, you have the privilege to start the ripples in your family. Prayer is the greatest gift we can give our family. Material things are needed but they are temporary. Our prayers will affect them for a lifetime.

Sometimes, as we get older and limited physically, we might feel useless. However, if we have grandchildren, God has a purpose for keeping us on this earth.

As grandparents, let us pray deliberately and pass on our love for God to our children, grandchildren and future generations. This ripple effect of specific prayer communicates our love and acceptance, as well as giving them an example of living a God centered life.

Our precious grandchildren and their parents need intentional praying grandparents as we live in a culture of spiritual, social and moral decline?

To receive resources for grandparents go to stay up to date on the right, enter your email address and your name, or email me. Then I will send you a downloadable copy of “31 Scriptures to Pray for your Grandchildren”, a scripture verse for each day of the month.

For additional information contact me at info@gdptpr.com

 “Your faithfulness continues through all generations;”

(Psalm 119:90a)

By Lillian Penner,

National Prayer Coordinator

Christian Grandparenting Network

info@gdptpr.com

Author: Grandparenting with a Purpose

www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com

In 2 Cor. 4:17 Paul says our earthly suffering is working for us an eternal weight of glory. This statement gives us an interesting insight into the word, "glory.” The Bible's use of words for the glory of God actually change the meaning of the words in at least four languages. The Greek word translated in 2 Corinthians 4 is "doxa." We take the word doxology from doxa. But before the Bible was put into Greek the word only meant importance in the opinion of people as trite as popularity. Our English word glory comes to us from the Latin word gloria. It too originally held the shallow meaning of the Greek word. The Hebrew word for glory was much more substantial. It reflected the reality of God. Its root meant weighty or significant. Anywhere we find the glory of the Lord people and even the earth is shaken by the weight of His significance.

The use of doxa for this Hebrew word in the Greek Old Testament, increased the power of the word infinitely. The word went from a trend to an earthquake or a thunderstorm. Or it might be better to call it a divine lightning storm. Even though the word began as weighty, it describes the shikina glory that settled on the mercy seat in the tabernacle. It was the glory that shown on Moses' face when he left the presence of God. And the glory of the Lamb is what will light the holy city described in Revelation 21. Our words in English Latin Greek and even Hebrew have come to mean unapproachable splendor. So we can sing "shining in the light of his glory."

If you truly come into the presence of God in prayer you will be overwhelmed by the recognition that God's glory is brighter than your darkness. His weight is greater than your needs or wants. If you have experienced the lightening storm of God's presence, nothing else can be as significant in your life. In His presence our prayers will be shaken by His Glory.

Let me point out three facets praying the glory of God.

The first thing that may come to your mind is praise. Praising His Glory

Isaiah 42:12 equates glorifying God with declaring his praises. We glorify God in praise. This can be in private as well as public worship. It can also be in witness of his glory to people we come in contact with each day.

Praying God's glory includes Praying for His Glory.

One of the most stunning examples of this is found in John 12:27-28. Jesus begins this passage by grieving over His coming sorrow. "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour." Instead, Jesus simply prays, "Father, glorify your name." At that a voice came from heaven saying, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." Some of the crowd said it thundered. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus. He said that the voice had come for them not Him. God answered by glorifying His name as Jesus asked.

Finally, you pray His glory by Praying for His Glory Through You.

God is working His glory in us. When you begin to catch a glimpse of the glory of God, you realize how preposterous that is. How could Almighty God gain any glory from me? Well, if we return to 2 Corinthians 4:17 we see again that through the light and temporary troubles that we face God is working an eternal weight of glory."

O God, may it be so! By Your power bring it about.

BLESSING OF THE AGES

On the day when your inner child
Curls up in fetal mode With thumb in mouth
And blanket clutched

May a thousand memories of childhood play
On rocks, in creeks
On lookouts, in hideouts
Call out to you, caress you
And carry you onward

When the inner crisis of mid-life
Grabs your throat tight at midnight
And drowns you in droves of unrealized dreams
May you find a pause on the path
A rock on which to rest
With a view above the valleys
And a peace in the present

When your soul feels as useless
As hunched-back old man
In nursing home wheelchair
May you awaken in the world around you
A renewed hope in humanity
By welcoming care and concern
With a single, simple smile

May the wonder of children be yours
May the dreams of youth be yours
May the pragmatism of adults be yours
May the wisdom of elders be yours

And may the Ancient of Days
He who looms large and long over your life
Your past, your present and your path yet unknown
Whisper deeply and daily
Into the depths of your soul

–David Brazzeal from www.praylikeagourmet.com
(in the spirit of John O’Donohue’s “Beannacht”)

Another "delicious" review of PRAY LIKE A GOURMET. 
"Not since Richard Foster's Prayer (which Brazzeal often cites) have I read a better book on the various practices of Christian prayer, and Pray Like a Gourmet is filled with so much creativity that I could never do the book the justice it deserves in a review."

Thank you Little Friar.

http://the-little-friar.blogspot.ca/2015/07/pray-like-gourmet-book-review.html?spref=fb