Praise Thursday

Praying for Laborers for the Harvest

Luke 10:2 is a reminder that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. We are to beseech the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.

What does beseech mean? It means to ask urgently and fervently.

Today in our series inspired by the book The Battle Plan for Prayer, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, we are being asked to urgently and fervently pray for people to serve in some form of ministry.

Jesus was moved by a deep compassion for people, because all of us experience times where we are hurting, empty, wandering and searching for purpose and meaning. Matthew 9:36-38 says Jesus had compassion for the crowds, because they were like “sheep without a shepherd.” That’s us, sometimes, and maybe more than we want to admit. We’re wandering. And so many people we come into contact with are also wandering. So we need ministers of the gospel committed to shepherding the sheep.

Jesus’ solution to overwhelming needs was always prayer. If we are praying for God’s kingdom to come, then we must also pray for more people to seek that kingdom FIRST and serve that kingdom.

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Remember that just one person committed to serving the kingdom and bringing the gospel and God’s Word to people in need can impact marriages, families, businesses, churches and a culture. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are examples of this from the bible.

Too many times we are too caught up in our own personal needs and entertainment and we forget about the spiritually lost. Millions still need to hear the gospel. Yes, the task seems enormous, but nothing is impossible with God. His kingdom calling should be a high priority for our prayer life.

Any follower of Jesus is called to be a laborer in God’s harvest field. That labor can take the form of praying, serving, giving and going. When we obey this global mandate, we become part of an army of others who are doing the same.

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So, how does this work practically? Locally, we need to be praying for our pastors. The work they do is eternal and vital, but also draining and demanding. The expectations we sometimes place on them are endless.

But we also know the enemy is constantly on the attack against them. He tries to wear them down. Wear their families down. Tempt them. Many of their responsibilities are private – like study and preparation, spiritual counsel and dealing with conflict. We can pray that the Holy Spirit is their partner in these times that are quiet or confidential.

Ephesians 6:19-20 says:

^“19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

So we can pray for protection around our pastor’s heart, marriage and home. That he or she can confidently, freely and unapologetically fulfill his or her ministry. That the Holy Spirit will help them draw many to the Gospel.

You can also pray for pastors from other churches locally, regionally or globally.

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Locally and globally, we can also pray for other types of ministries like family counseling ministries, Christian schools and colleges, humanitarian aid ministries and YES, Christian media! Pray I Corinthians 15:58 over them:

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Pray for present and future missionaries – both domestic and foreign. Pray that His word and salvation will be known and embraced. You can ‘pray the word’ again over them – Colossians 4:2-6:

^“2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Pray for the lost in the nations around the world – God has a heart for ALL the nations! America and its 320 million people only represent 5% of the global population of 7 billion!

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This week’s prayer:

Lord, give me your heart for the nations. A heart of love and compassion for the lost. A renewed love of the gospel and a deep admiration and concern for those who are already giving their lives in service to you. Provide for them, encourage them, prosper their work and embolden their hearts. Raise up and equip more workers for Your harvest fields. Fill them with your spirit, deliver them from the evil one and empower them to boldly proclaim and represent You and Your Word to the world, until you return. Help me to be obedient to your voice and do my part in advancing your kingdom on earth. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

January 4, 2018 0

Praying for Authority

Actions and decisions made by people in authority create a significant impact on those within their sphere of influence- both good and bad. Think of a business owner who leads with integrity and excellence, as opposed to one who cuts corners, breaks laws, and routinely passes blame. Think of a father who loves, supports, and wisely trains his children, compared with one who ignores or abuses them. Think of biblical examples like Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Ancient Israel, whose different ways of responding to God at Mount Sinai resulted in the Ten Commandments on one hand and a golden calf on the other. Our authorities can either help us in doing the will of God or they can make it harder for us to pursue.

Since the influence of people in these positions can cause such a ripple effect, and because and because their various roles are fraught with hard choices and difficulty, the Bible commands us to pray for all those in leadership over us.

Prayers for their salvation, for their ability to lead or govern, for their commitment to the highest standards and priorities, both professionally and personally.
But while each of us, in one way or another, answers to authorities higher than ourselves- supervisors, parents, officials, law enforcement- most of us also represent some kind of authority over others: children, employees, students, anyone who looks to us for guidance, direction, and instruction, So this biblical command of prayer equally applies to these relationships as well – prayers for both them and for ourselves, that we who ‘keep watch over their souls” will take responsibility seriously and perform it with great care and honor, knowing we will give an account for how we handle the job.

We tend to think of authority in terms of organizational charts and the ordinary tasks of each day. But it’s more importantly a God-ordained arrangement. “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” So prayer creates a revolutionary spin on the natural tendency to resist or resent authority. God’s call for us is to realize that unless they are asking us to sin our obeying of authority (in all other situations) is actually obeying Him. And by praying for those in authority we are working in the best interest of everyone.

Authority basically orbits around the four centers of activity: family, church, government, and employment. In our families, for instance, children should be praying for their parents; parents for their children; wives for their husbands; husbands for their wives. This is all part of how God works within a family both to bless its individual members and to make it a force of kingdom influence. Families operate best when following God’s design.

The proper ordering of authority within the home, combined with prayer for one another, strengthens every ligament of relationship while leading each person to see themselves as ultimately submitted to the Lord. Caring and helping one another. Praying for one another. All out of obedience to Him.

In the church we’re not only called to submit our pastors and leadership but also to steadily pray for them, praying for the hearts and their submission to Christ so that we and others can imitate their faith and example. What a change from the all too typical dislike and disapproval of church leaders, whispered and overheard in homes and back hallways. Our love and support of them is meant to make their work a joy, which in turn blesses the entire church and its ability to stay focused on its true calling.

But like Jesus did for his disciples and like Paul did for the churches, even so pastors, too, should be praying for their people, feeling a burden of concern for them. They must recognize the gravity of their authoritative role in teaching people faithfully, guarding their hearts, and leading them well under the lordship of Christ, who is the “head of the body” – the one who takes “first place in everything”.

In government, as well as in the workplace, the same sort of praying applies. Be faithfully praying for your country’s top leaders and elected officials, even those whose views differ from yours, knowing their leadership touches the lives of many people under their jurisdiction. God still uses imperfect authorities to carry out His perfect purposes. The Lord, of course, is able to turn the heart of a ruler and our impassioned prayers and petitions are part of how He does it.

Pray also for your boss and management at work. Like all those in authority, they are charged with these four overarching responsibilities, among other things 1. Providing direction, instruction, and an example to follow. 2. Protect with boundaries and rules. 3. Praise those who do right and 4. Punish those who do wrong. Let these areas of influence guide your praying. You might even add a fifth- pointing others to Christ – because any leader in any job, in dedicating his or her position to God, can be used as a force of spiritual change, both in the lives of the individuals as well as the culture at large.

Prayer and authority are a powerful combination. Prayers targeted upward in support of those who lead us, as well as prayers targeted downward for those under our care.

Ultimately, Christ is the reason all things were created, “both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for him.” So even in praying for people in our offices, schools, and other everyday settings, we are living out a holy calling. It is both highly practical and exceedingly eternal. God is honored by this kind of praying. And because of it, His will is more readily and pervasively done.

“Father I acknowledge that all authority is from You and that all of my authorities only have power because of You. I choose to pray for the biblical, governmental, family, employment authorities You have placed over my life as a demonstration of my submission to you. Please draw them to salvation and give them a fear of the Lord in all their decisions. Use them to guide, protect, praise, and discipline me in order that I might do your will even as I do the same for those under my authority. Use me to be a blessing. Grant me favor so I can daily help people live out their full potential under Your total authority and Lordship.”

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly

December 28, 2017 0

Praying for Family

This week, as we continue our series inspired by the Kendrick brothers’ book. The Battle Plan for Prayer, we’re focusing on how to do pray for family.

So how do we engage in praying for the ones we love?

If you are married, you start with your wife or your husband. Your marriage is to be a real-life application of the gospel to your children, friends and everyone else who knows you.

Ephesians 5:25 reminds husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Wives, in verse 22, are asked to support and honor the leadership of their husbands as they would honor the Lord.

What this all means is that we run to Christ for love, joy and peace, then take all of that and pour it into our marriages. We pray for each other, asking for God to direct when disagreements happen, which they inevitably will. When that happens, we should be committed to listening respectfully, confessing openly and extending patience and kindness. We should be hard to offend and quick to forgive!

The example we are setting in our marriages is too valuable to let the voices of other people become more important than our spouse’s voice.

We can also pray that our spouse is devoted to Christ, surrendered to following His Word and His lordship. We can pray that each of our spouse’s relationships are marked by love and unselfishness, especially the ones that are strained. We can pray for peace, healing and restoration where things are broken.

We can pray that God would keep our spouse clearly aware of God’s desires, knowing how to handle each day’s decisions. We can pray that God keeps us, as their partner, attuned to their needs so we can be a voice of clarity in their lives.

We can pray David’s prayer in Psalm 20:4 for our spouses: “May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.”

The Lord will guide our marriages as we are more specific in our praying for them.

Satan is in the business of causing confusion in our families, so we must pray against that.

The enemy also wants to confuse our kids, distract them, apply unneeded pressure to them and doubt their sense of worth and identity.

Our role as a parent is to stand in the gap of these areas, listening to our children and knowing the condition of their hearts. Praying with our kids, with our arms around them and then praying for them even when they are not physically with us.

We are to intercede for our children in prayer for their protection, their friendships, their character and their ability to stand up to temptation. Our children may not realize the level of spiritual opposition to claim their eyes and their interests. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

But WE KNOW the level of opposition. We’ve felt it. So…defend your kids in prayer. Claim God’s promises of victory in their lives. Pray for God’s spirit to go ahead of them wherever they may be. That they may draw others to Him.

If your kids are older, then pray that they will remain faithful to God in their generation, love him and keep His commands, like it talks about in Deuteronomy 7:9. Oh, and all of this also applies to our grandchildren!

Alex and Stephen share in this chapter that the Psalmist was thinking about multiple generations when he wrote:

“so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.”

Just like we’ve shared throughout this series, we can ask God to ‘unlock’ the Word so that we can pray specifically for our family and future generations.

The battle plan for prayer for your family is simply awaiting your dedicated attention to it! To make it a priority…to make your family a prayer target. Prayer is the most effective investment we can make along with all the other ones, like love, time, physical and emotional support, sweat equity and financial generosity.

Today’s prayer:

Lord, I bring my family before you today – their needs, struggles, their goals, their concerns, their present and their future. These loved ones of mine are actually yours, Lord, and you have graciously shared them with me. Help me to best express my gratitude to you by never failing to pray for them, to seek your will for them, and to ask for your wisdom as I relate in love and loyalty towards them.

Give me discernment as to their physical and spiritual needs in each season, and help me faithfully lift them up to you in faith, love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. May many generations be blessed because of my prayers. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Our Christmas Gift Exchange winners are Jeff from Mount Vernon and Brenda from Fredericktown – congratulations!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Hannah

December 14, 2017 0

Praying for Other Believers

“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” (Philemon 7)

Perhaps some of the most commonly spoken words from one Christian to another are “I’ll be praying for you. “And perhaps the most commonly unspoken words are the prayers that would have been said if those promises were truly kept.

This week in our series inspired by The Battle Plan for Prayer, Alex and Stephen Kendrick remind us of the importance of praying for other believers.

We need each other‘s prayers. It’s one of the most loving things we can do for each other. Your brothers and sisters in Christ, at any challenging point in their lives, need to be able to take a deep breath and realize they’re not alone; that their Christian family has their back. They need the assurance that you and others are praying. Especially if you said you’d be praying.

Paul described this as being “on the alert. “Something we do “at all times.” We pray “with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18) Notice how all- encompassing this command and expectation is.

The early church in Acts was so involved with one another they were constantly “taking their meals together,” enjoying what the Bible describes as “gladness and sincerity of heart”. As a result, despite a rash of persecution and life-threatening challenges in the days that followed, we see God’s spirit working miracles among them. We read about bold witnesses for Christ. We read about people coming to faith by the dozens. We see sin exposed and repented of. We see teamwork. We see abundant generosity and unselfishness. We see regular demonstrations of God‘s power. We see everything we wish happened in our day, in our churches…

…And one of the ways we can contribute most effectively to a revival of church unity today is through the active practice of praying for each other as believers. It heals us. It unites us as one.

Almost all of Paul’s letters in the New Testament were written to different churches. But no matter how close his personal relationship with them, he wrote assuring them that he was genuinely, consistently, perfectly, praying for them. Romans 1: 9-12, Philippians 1:3-4; the book of Colossians, they all show examples of this.

Our routine should follow the faithful footprints of this example. Encouraging other believers. Thanking God for them. Worshiping with them. Bringing their concerns before the Lord, both physical and spiritual.

You can use The Lord’s Prayer as an example of how to pray for others…

“Father in heaven, I pray for my brother (my sister), praising your name for them, asking you to fill their hearts with worship for you today. May their primary desire always be to advance your kingdom, wherever they happen to be, whatever they happen to be doing.
May they align themselves on the earth with your will, just as surely as you’re will is followed and accomplished in heaven.
Provide them, I pray, with their daily bread – with everything you know is required for them to thrive and be cared for. And grant them repentance, forgiving them of their sins even as you forgive me of mine.
Keep their relationships free from bitterness and difficulty as we forgive those who sin against them. Please, Lord, protect them from temptation, from allowing them to be overloaded with adversity.
I deliver them from all evil, from every scheme and attack of the enemy, from every weapon intended to defeat and discourage them. For yours, Lord, is the kingdom, The power, the glory, forever. You have already given them victory through the finished work of Christ. So I pray for them today, and I pray in his name, amen.”

Now that’s strategically targeting a prayer.

Too often, prayer request times between believers become: “Pray for my aunt’s kidney condition. Pray for my cousin’s colon cancer. Pray for my brother’s big toe.” And while we all need and appreciate prayer towards physical health, we must be careful not to prioritize temporary physical needs over eternal spiritual ones.

The apostle Paul prayed for God to reveal his will and love, to strengthen and equip people toward spiritual fruitfulness and for them to increase in their knowledge of God and faithfulness to God. We can learn so much about how to pray for one another.

Think of how a commitment to prayer for our fellow believers could energize our relationships and our shared sense of mission.

CLOSING PRAYER: “Lord, thank you for the church you’ve given me, and for the friends and families you’ve enabled me to know shared faith in Christ. I pray you would cement our relationships even further by helping us commit to pray for one another. Lord, be pleased by how we love and care for each other. May your name be glorified as you work in our midst. We will be watching you, and we will be praising you. Bless us, I pray, that the world would see your power and the difference you make in our lives. Amen!”

Thanks for listening!
-Joe, Hannah and Lilly

December 7, 2017 0

Praise Thursday: Praying for the Lost

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²⁰We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

2 Corinthians 5:20 is a great reminder that as believers, we should place a high priority on praying for the lost – those who haven’t put faith in Jesus Christ and haven’t established a relationship with him.

This week, as we continue our series inspired by the Kendrick brothers’ book. The Battle Plan for Prayer, we’re focusing on how to do this: pray for the lost.

If we’re honest, we pray for ourselves more than we pray for anyone else. After all, who among our friends and family knows our hopes, struggles, and concerns more completely than we do? Our next prayer targets, after ourselves, are most likely the people closest to us, followed by other friends and relatives.

In Romans 10, Paul shared his heart’s desire and prayer for the salvation of the people. Then in I Timothy 2:4, we learned that God wants “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Even John 3:16 proclaims that God‘s love motivated him to send his son for the salvation of people all over the world.

So there’s no question God is pleased and glorified when people turn to him and receive him by faith, through Jesus Christ. It should challenge us to pray for the lost.

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So we know we should pray for the lost. We know from 2^nd Corinthians that God “reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation”, so here’s a question: why aren’t we praying fervently and faithfully to that end?

One reason? The enemy stands against us and our prayers. His plan is to prevent as many people as possible from hearing and receiving the good news. 2 Corinthians 4: 3-4 says, “our gospel…is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is in the image of God.” Satan knows he’s lost the war. His desire now is simply to cause much damage as he can… While he can.

BUT…we can stand against him in prayer, asking God to open the eyes of the lost and reveal to them their need for a savior. We can ask him to send us and others to tell them about his love and forgiveness. When we embody the fruit of the spirit, and live gentle, patient lives with a clear testimony and lifestyle, Paul said “perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2: 25-26)

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Our prayers against the enemy’s tactics, along with our obedience to Christ, can create opportunities for more people to hear and understand the truth of the Gospel. That’s why Paul asks the church: “devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of Thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may proclaim it clearly.” (Colossians 4:2-4)

God can be trusted to grant us these openings to share our testimony of how Christ has changed our life. Our story can open the hearts of others. We can pray for these opportunities! When we pray and look for them, we won’t have any trouble spotting them. But we must be ready and willing to take advantage of them when they appear. This leads us to the next part of our prayer strategy: readiness.

When the time comes to open our mouth and speak, we need the boldness to say what ought to be said. Paul prayed in Ephesians 6:19, “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth will make known with boldness the mystery of The Gospel.” We need the same kind of readiness and confidence that Paul had. The challenge is to not allow embarrassment or the fear of rejection to stop us from sharing the most important message in the universe. Otherwise, we’re communicating, “my comfort level is more important to me than your salvation. “

That’s why we should pray for boldness like Paul…not to overwhelm people by our intensity…but so that we won’t back down from saying what God leads us to say with the right heart and demeanor. The Holy Spirit does what only he can do: bring repentance.

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Jesus himself said the reason he came to earth was to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10.) As part of his body on the earth today, we can view this as a critical part of our purpose. In everything we do, and every situation, we need to be ready to share the love of Christ with a lost, dying world.

But, our prayer shouldn’t be limited only to those within our area of influence. Let’s pray for people we will never meet. Pray for missionaries to be given the boldness to share. Pray for leaders to hear the gospel. Pray for those in the spotlight and who influence. Pray for the unreached people groups who desperately need someone to come share the good news with them.

So how do we pray for the lost? We pray for God to begin working in their hearts to prepare them to receive the truth. We pray against the enemy that he would be prevented from blinding their eyes and hearts. We pray for opportunities and boldness, both for ourselves and others, to share the gospel with them.

We pray for conviction of sin to agitate their hearts, bringing about true repentance and a desire for Christ’s cleansing. And we pray for God‘s blessing, guidance, protection, and the presences to be on all of those who obey him and who keep him.

The awareness that we were also once lost should raise our urgency to pray. Time is limited. Opportunities may be limited as well. So let’s obey what God has called us to do:

The word boldly and freely declares in Romans 10:13, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And we get to be a part of it. Through prayer.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, give me a greater heart for the lost, a heart that doesn’t ignore them or work around them, but rather breaks for them. Hurts for them. Guard me from even subtly downplaying their need for you…or considering their salvation someone else’s job to worry about.

Open my eyes as I travel throughout each day, watching for you to open doors so I can give effective testimony to your goodness and faithfulness.

And do battle against our enemy, oh Lord; that he would not succeed in blocking the truth from getting through to those who are dying without it, without you.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this kingdom priority. Help me see it is a privilege, not a burden – willing to sacrifice for the incredible sacrifice you made for me.

November 30, 2017 0

Praying Extraordinarily

Psalm 77:2 says, “I sought the Lord and my day of trouble. My hands were continually lifted up all night long.”

Many times, our prayer strategies go to the next level when situations reach a point of desperation. Health, finances, family struggles…these unexpected moments of intensity call for ‘drop everything’ prayer. It’s when you call or text friends to pray. Rally the church…prayer chains…everybody praying. Desperation can still be strategic.

This week, as we continue our series inspired by the Kendrick brothers’ book. The Battle Plan for Prayer, we’re focusing on how to pray extraordinarily.

The experience of Esther in the Old Testament led to the necessity for extraordinary prayer. You may recall how she, a beautiful young Jewish woman, was selected as a candidate for Queen of Persia when the king deposed his own wife. But from inside the palace, Esther learned from her childhood guardian, Mordecai, about a plan to exterminate the Jewish people.

The situation was dire – no less for Esther than anyone else. She wasn’t yet in a position to approach the king with any petition without permission. Customs of the day meant she could be lawfully killed for attempting to enter his presence. But she made a courageous call for extraordinary prayer: “So, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go into the king, which is not according to law; and if I perish, I perish“ (Esther 4:16).

The result of their praying was miraculous. The mastermind of the genocide was killed instead, hung on his own gallows, and Mortdecai, the Jew, was raised to a key position of leadership, charged with the state-sanctioned program of protecting the Jews from for the persecution. That’s the kind of prayer model the Bible guides us to follow.

There are three important elements of the extraordinary prayers in Esther: corporate prayer, fasting prayer and fervent prayer.

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CORPORATE: Extraordinary prayer is a team effort. We read about this in Acts. The apostles gathered after Jesus’ ascension into heaven and prayed together.

When Peter was literally thrown into prison under heavy guard, “prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God” (Acts 12:5). The night before his execution, chained between two soldiers, Peter was trying to sleep. Then an angel appeared, set him free and let him past the guards and gates on his way back home. As one old time author has said “the angel sent Peter out of prison, but it was the prayer that sent the angel.”

FASTING: They prayed with fasting. We know that fasting is one of the keys to prayer. But serious matters call for unusual sacrifice with focus, devotion and dedication.

God, through the prophet Joel, commanded his people to return to him “with all your heart…with fasting, weeping and mourning,“ (Joel 2:12).

Jesus, at the outset of his earthly ministry, prepared himself for the challenges ahead by committing to 40 days of fasting in Matthew 4:2. By taking time to deny the daily demands of our flesh to focus all of our attention on God, we can go more deeply and intimately into focused prayer in times of difficulty, strain, and emergency.

We fast because we mean business. Fasting together means we’re united in appealing to him and hearing from him. When it’s done in sincerity, God consistently honors it.

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FERVENT: They prayed fervently, persistently and passionately. Circumstances can reach a point where our survival instinct alone can produce fervent praying. When the men on board the ship with the prophet Jonah began fearing for their lives, they called earnestly on the god they didn’t even know, begging for mercy from the storm (Jonah 1:14). God spared them.

But many situations in our lives and world are just as severe and call equally for fervent prayer. Sin is in our nature, pride is in our churches, heartbreak is in our homes and persecution happens among our brothers and sisters. The seeds of hardship and hospitality against Christians – experienced even now and many nations of the world – are already here on our shores. But is the church of God broken and surrendered? Are we willing to be “miserable and mourn and weep when necessary?” (James 4:9)

We know without a doubt that difficult times will come (2 Timothy 3:1). Jesus realistically told his disciples, “you will have suffering in this world,“ in John 16:33. “Do not be surprised “Peter said, “at the fiery ordeal among you.” When these problems reach an insurmountable breaking point, they require an unusual power that will only result from extraordinary prayer.

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All of us tend to revert to a default level of praying – most likely an easier and more comfortable praying then we like to admit. But Jesus, in his own life, would ramp up the fervency of his praying depending on the need of the moment. From a joyful request, to praying all night, the crying out on his face before going to the cross.

Fervent prayer touches God’s heart. “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). But imagine what the combined, persistent, united prayers of many righteous people, each of them fasting and praying, might accomplish. It doesn’t just connect – it works miracles, moves mountains, ushers in revival, and changes the course of nations. Extraordinary prayer can produce extraordinary results!

Lord God Almighty, I praise you that nothing is impossible with you. Train us and lead us into extraordinary prayer. Help us throw off any sin, surrendering ourselves completely to you. May we see the needs of our city and our nation the way that you see them. Unite believers in my church and community an extra ordinary prayer. May we walk in love, I agree and heart, fast and faith, and unite in for rent, persistent prayer. Bring revival and spiritual awakening to our land. Be glorified through us, oh God!

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly

November 16, 2017 0

Praise Thursday – Preemptive Prayer

What would you do if you knew someone was getting ready to attack you? If you were the leader of a country and you knew attack could happen any day? You would start doing everything possible to prepare – looking at resources, evaluating troop placements and developing a strategy.

This is what Chapter 27 talks about in The Battle Plan for Prayer. Alex and Stephen Kendrick remind us that our preemptive plans start in prayer. Last week, we talked about OFFensive prayer – seeking to take new ground for the kingdom. So, the spiritual battle for our heart is real. The Bible reminds us that we have a real enemy who is out to steal, distort, distract and destroy.

Christ himself recognized Satan – he resisted and rebuked him throughout his ministry on Earth. I John 3:8 says, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that Satan is simply a symbol of evil. He is not a fable. Not a figment of our imagination. The Bible specifically mentions Satan by name in more than one dozen books. So, taking a posture of preemptive prayer is critical.

Today we’re talking about taking a stance of preemptive prayer. Because we have a real enemy seeking to attack us at any moment. How do we know Satan is real? We have the story of Peter in the Gospels.

Jesus taught Peter and the rest of the disciples to preemptively pray, “do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:13). Then, on the night of Christ’s betrayal, Jesus warned him, “behold Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you” (Luke 22). Later that same evening Jesus instructed him to “keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

But…Peter fell asleep instead, and a few minutes later he was awake and off guard. Peter emotionally overreacted, hacked off a man’s ear, abandoned Jesus, then adamantly denied Christ three times instead of being loyal like he had promised a few hours earlier. He never prayed preemptively, so as a result he wept bitterly, was devastated and depressed for days, until Christ restored him.

We must learn to pray preemptively, lifting everything in our lives to the Lord. Prayer is the way we spiritually fasten in our armor and ask God to protect us before stepping into the heat of combat.

How can we pray preemptively? By understanding how the enemy attacks. If we know his moves, we can prepare and pray more specifically.

The book gives us four of the devil’s signature schemes.

#1 – Distraction. Psalm 55 reminder that David wrote, “I’m restless in my complaint and I’m surely distracted because of the voice of the enemy.” Satan will constantly try to get us off track.

#2 – Deception. Jesus said whenever Satan speaks lies because he speaks from his own nature, “for he is a liar and the father of lies.” That comes from John 8:44. Strongholds, addictions and sins are founded upon lies…promises never delivered…false advertising. Sin will fail you, let you down and leave you empty. We are not strong enough to stand on our own. We need God’s presence and the Bible’s trustworthiness.

#3 – Derision. Satan’s lies include running you down or running down (deriding) someone else in your mind. Bringing up things from your past. Falsely presuming someone else is guilty. Yes, we’ve been forgiven in the blood of Christ, but he keeps reminding us of old wounds and inciting doubt. In order to the fight the accusations, you need to be studying the Word; to help you find your identity in Christ. We also continue to pray for wisdom and discernment.

How can we pray preemptively? By understanding how the enemy attacks. If we know his moves, we can prepare and pray more specifically.

The last scheme is #4 – Division. One hallmark of the gospel is the unity it brings to everyone, since we are all one in Christ. But Satan knows that the “house divided against itself will not stand” (Mark 3:25).

Anger and argument among God’s people may not destroy the gospel, but it can destroy our testimony and our effectiveness in sharing it. Disunity paints Christians and our faith as weak, hypocritical and phony. So, we can’t live foolishly, ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). We should pray for God to help us stay focused on his will.

Ephesians 6 reminds us of the spiritual armor: truth dispelling his lies; righteousness from Christ worn around our chest and lived out in bold active and grateful obedience. Prayer is how we stay together. It’s what unites us and it’s what helps protect us.

The question is not whether the enemy is coming out to engage you in battle. He will. Seen or unseen. The question is whether you’re going to prepare in prayer first, or wait until the devil has you in his grip before you call on the One who has already defeated him.

Lord, thank you for alerting us in your words to the tactics and activity of the devil. Thank you also for equipping us with spiritual weaponry to stand firm and push back against his assaults and his campaign of lies, distortions, distractions and accusations. Help us not to be ignorant of his schemes. Give us the grace to discern how the enemy will try to attack so we can wisely pray preemptively and prepare ourselves to stand firm. Keep us steady, Lord, clear-minded, braced, ready, walking wisely and living in victory. Fix our eyes upon you by faith, kept by your power. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thanks for listening!
-Joe, Lilly and Hannah

November 2, 2017 0

The Ways of the Holy Spirit

Today we explored another section of the book The Battle Plan for Prayer, from Alex and Stephen Kendrick. This week we focus on the importance of the Holy Spirit in our prayer life.

The Holy Spirit is the engine of the Christian life. The Holy Spirit guides us and empowers us to do what we cannot do on our own. The Holy Spirit, as the rushing, mighty wind we read about in John 3:8 and Acts 2:2, can and should breathe life into every segment of our prayer life!

Prayer is an admission that WE are not in control but that we are under GOD’S control (Psalm 103:19). God urges us into prayer because He has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction.

The point of this study and this book is to offer Him our best work of prayer, but we still understand that we trust in the Holy Spirit to take it to the next level

John 14:12-17

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

¹⁵“If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[^a^] in you.”

Remember that the Holy Spirit is what guides our prayer – we are still inadequate without His spirit guiding us!

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Powerful prayer starts with the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds is in Ephesians 6:18 –

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

We all have the Holy Spirit within us – do you realize that? Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…”

We must be filled with, submit to, and walk in the Spirit, instead of following our sinful flesh. Ephesians 5:18 “be filled with the Spirit,” is not a suggestion – it’s a command! It’s a daily decision to submit and live walking in the Spirit.

We can ask God every morning to fill us with His Spirit and surrender to His Lordship. When we obey and abide in Christ, which means to accept and act in accordance with something, we become more tuned in to the voice of the Spirit within us.

Let’s share what the Kendrick brothers write about three things that happen when we allow the Spirit into our prayer life:

#1 – He reveals God and His word to us. John 14:17 – “The Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

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#2 – He prays for us. Wait. The Holy Spirit prays for us? Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

It’s awesome to think that we have two perfect prayer partners – Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 7:24-25 says, ²⁴but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.²⁵Therefore he is able to save completely^[a] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

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#3 – He guides our praying. The Spirit inwardly reminds and leads believers to cry out to our father in prayer. Sometimes we may say that God speaks to us; but it’s less of an audible sound and more of an internal knowing. This drives us to do something specific for the glory of God.

It’s the Spirit saying, “this is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Does God communicate with us personally? The testimonies from scripture indicate YES!

Acts 9:10-19: God directs Ananias to seek out Paul.

Acts 8:29-30: The Spirit directs Philip to seek out the Ethiopian reading Isaiah.

Our prayers are not bound by our limitations because the Spirit has no limits and he is living inside of us!

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me; and fill me with your wisdom and insight. Just as you’ve sent Him here to testify to Christ through your people on the earth, I pray that my heart will desire him for that very reason – that my life will bear living witness to Jesus. Fill me with your Spirit. Teach me to walk in your Spirit and pray in the Spirit. Everywhere I go, with everyone I encounter. In every place, be glorified in me.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe, Lilly and Hannah

October 19, 2017 0

Praying for Wisdom

Battle-Plan-Hero-699x200

Our Praise Thursday prayer series continues today, inspired by the book The Battle Plan for Prayer, from Stephen and Alex Kendrick.

Today we’re exploring: what is wisdom and how does it help us? How often do we pray for wisdom? How might wisdom guide our strategic prayers?

Proverbs 4:7-9 (The Message) says:

^3-9When I was a boy at my father’s knee,
the pride and joy of my mother,
He would sit me down and drill me:
“Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
Don’t forget one word! Don’t deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won’t regret it;
never let her go—she’ll make your life glorious.
She’ll garland your life with grace,
she’ll festoon your days with beauty.”

So…based on that…can we assume that gathering wisdom is of supreme importance? The overwhelming answer is YES.

Prayer is a key to unlocking wisdom; prayer yields wisdom; then wisdom yields better prayer. Wisdom is “the ability to apply knowledge to a given situation.” Taking what you know or research and making it work really well.

This involves friendship, marriage, parenting…it unlocks things that have been mysterious. Wisdom helps you locate the straight, sure path.

Proverbs 4:12 reminds us that wisdom helps us keep from stumbling. It keeps us from making rash or foolish decisions.

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Wisdom helps you see things from God’s eternal perspective. He also promises to give it!

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

But we should also ask for it. Proverbs 2:4 reminds us to seek it like a precious metal or hidden treasure. God gives it to us without reproach, insult or condemnation. He wants us to bear fruit – he’s on our side – because when we grow in wisdom and in the knowledge of God, He receives the glory.

He receives glory through our integrity, honesty, humility, purity and our faithfulness. Our good relationships glorify Him.

King Solomon sought the Lord for wisdom – even when he was invited to ask for ANYTHING from God! This is in I Kings 3:9…

“So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

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God answers our prayers every day for wisdom simply by giving us the book of Proverbs – every time they read these passages, the Kendrick brothers say, “it’s like taking a giant smart pill or anti-idiot medicine.”

The Proverbs point out the differences between:

Hard work and laziness
Righteousness and wickedness
Honesty and dishonesty
Humility and arrogance

Discovering what is BETTER is a key takeaway of Proverbs:

Proverbs 16:32 – Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 15:16-17 – Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil. Better a small serving of vegetables with love
than a fattened calf with hatred.

Proverbs 15:19-22 – The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a highway. A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,
but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.Plans fail for lack of
counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

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We get wisdom from God, so praying for it should become a daily habit and a source for developing our prayer strategies.

Wisdom is not exclusive to older people – those who desire it can start receiving it at an early age. Self-seeking, so-called mature people can still be unwise.

God puts His name on the line if wisdom is something you really want:

Proverbs 2:6 – For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

16:20 – Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

3:21-24 – My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Wisdom: pray for it often and expect it promptly!

CLOSING PRAYER:

Lord, you are my wonderful counselor and the source of all wisdom. I take you at your word that when I ask for wisdom – from a heart that’s ready to put it obediently and faithfully into practice – you will surely pour it out upon me freely. Because I surely need it! Every day and in every way.

I pray you’d help me view life from your eternal perspective rather than the world’s. Help me think long-term and understand the causes and effects of my choices. Give me the discernment between what is good, better and best, and help me make right decisions in light of it. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Today’s Word of the Day is: tendentious (ten-DEN-shus), an adjective marked by a tendency to favor a certain point of view.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe, Hannah and Lilly

October 12, 2017 0

Driving Notes

The Official Blog of WNZR's Afternoon Drive

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