Tag Archives: Prayer



Praise & Prayer, January 2019

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EMS of ECWA
PRAISE & PRAYER, JANUARY 2019
Prayer/Counseling hotline: 08033673654, 08051614880
E-mail: prayerpromotion@emsofecwa.org
Website: www.emsofecwa.org
Brethren, pray for us (1 Thess. 5:25)
WEEK ONE – FOCUS IS ON PRAISE/THANKSGIVING
FROM HOME AND CROSS-BOARDER MISSION FIELDS
“Praise the Lord, all people on earth, praise his glory and might.” (1 Chronicles 16:28)
 

TUESDAY 1ST Happy New Year to you! Praise God for His sustaining grace and mercies that kept us thus far. Ask the Lord for greater multiplication of His word in us and with us.

  • Pray for God’s anointing on us afresh to serve Him faithfully this 2019 and pray for the Gospel to accelerate and yield hundred-fold and that through us the knowledge of the glory of God will spread wide among men this year and beyond.

WEDNESDAY 2ND Praise God for all those who volunteered their gifts, skills, education, talents, time and resources as contribution to Kingdom services with EMS in 2018. Pray that God will grant grace and peace to each and every one who has made himself available to be used for the Gospel.

THURSDAY 3RD Praise God for the new converts in Bantanima, Senegal. A woman along with her household accepted Jesus. Praise God for the conversion of the landlord in Gungul, Gambia. We praise God for convicting him to join the church that started in his house.

FRIDAY 4TH Praise God for using the school that was newly opened in Old Yundum, Gambia as a means to bring a parent to the saving knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

SATURDAY 5TH Praise God for a successful training of leaders who came from three churches in our Zambian mission station. It was an exciting time for the churches coming together as they felt very encouraged in sharing burdens and ministry ideas.

WEEK TWO – FOCUS IS ON EMS HOME MISSION FIELDS

But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose. Luke 4:43

SUNDAY 6TH EMS MANAGEMENT Pray for fresh grace, blessings, protection and daily strength upon the EMS Management Team as they work daily and travel to advocate Christ’s cause and provide leadership within Nigeria and abroad for the purpose of God’s mission around the world.

NOTE – WE ARE FASTING TOMORROW

FIRST (1ST) MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS TO BE OBSERVED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS EMS PRAYER AND FASTING DAY. THEREFORE, ALL EMS ARMS, MISSIONARIES, OFFICE STAFF, PRAYER PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS SHOULD PLEASE ENDEAVOR TO JOIN THE EMS INTERNATIONAL HEAD OFFICE IN PRAYERS. WE JOIN FAITH AND TRUST GOD IN ONE ACCORD WITH BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD FOR A STEADY AND FRUITFUL GROWTH OF THE WORK OF MISSIONS, PEACE AND THE SALVATION OF NATIONS, FOR REVIVAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. OUR COOPERATE PRAYER TIME AT THE HEAD OFFICE IS 8-9AM, 12-1PM, AND 3-4 PM RESPECTIVELY. YOU CAN JOIN US IN PRAYERS WHEREVER YOU MAY BE AT THOSE TIMES OR MAKE OUT TIME OF YOUR OWN CONVENIENCE AS YOU ARE LED BY GOD. PLEASE, JUST BE SURE TO PRAY ALONG AS YOU FAST.

MONDAY 7TH EMS BOARD MEMBERS Ask the Lord to please keep EMS Board Members humble and always relying upon him to give them the perfect wisdom and direction that they need to strategize and advice EMS leadership on how to move the ministry forward.

TUESDAY 8TH EMS SUPPORTERS Pray for EMS Supporters and Partners that God will strengthen them and pour fresh zeal and increased passion for God’s Kingdom on them. Ask the Lord to grant open doors for many who pledge to support EMS to fulfill their pledges.

WEDNESDAY 9TH EMS STAFF Praise God for all EMS staff; they have been doing well at their various desks. Ask God to bless them spiritually, physically and financially.

THURSDAY 10TH ECWA EXECUTIVES Pray that the ECWA mandate to fulfill Matt. 24:14 will be fruitful this year. Ask the Lord for daily grace, guidance and wisdom on ECWA Executives for more of God wisdom and unity of purpose for mobilizing and impacting the body of Christ and its leadership to fulfill the mission of God worldwide.

FRIDAY 11TH ECWA MINISTERS/STAKEHOLDERS Pray that the Lord will restore His church to her Kingdom responsibility as priests and kings. Ask that this restoration will begin with all ECWA ministers and stakeholders at many levels.

SATURDAY 12TH CENTRAL REGION – GARKI DCC Praise God for the commitments of the many individuals, groups, families and churches supporters God has blessed EMS with in this region. Ask the Lord to renew and replenish their grace as they serve God’s purpose with their gifts, talents, skills and resources In 2019 and beyond. Pray that God will give us more of these people to advance His work this year.

WEEK THREE – FOCUS IS ON EMS HOME MISSION FIELDS

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

SUNDAY 13TH NORTH WEST REGION – KADUNA Pray for missionaries who are working and laboring in difficult terrains in this region. Ask the lord to shield, guide and defend them and their families from every evil in 2019.

MONDAY 14th MID CENTRAL REGION- KAGORO Ask for open doors for the penetration of the gospel into difficult terrains in this region. Pray that God will direct our ministry plan for 2019 to break new grounds to preach, make disciples and plant more churches in this region.

TUESDAY 15TH SOUTH NORTH EAST REGION- JALINGO Ask the Lord to sustain the young family of Pas. & Mrs. John Isa and that of Pas. & Mrs. Cyrus Ishaku who got married last year in December.

  • Let keep praying for Christian communities in this region that are still displaced as a result of attacks from terrorists. Pray especially for a firm foundation for the believers who can’t gather for worshipin their usual churches. Also pray that the pastors of all the churches that are currently closed due to these attacks will stay focused and be guided in seeing areas the Lord will have them serve Him during this challenging period.

WEDNESDAY 16TH FAR NORTH – KATSINA DCC Pray for the fruitfulness of our outreach teams to unreached communities of this region. Pray for the harvest of souls as missionaries launch out to preach the gospel. Pray that we will experience the Pentecost again in 2019.

THURSDAY 17TH NORTH CENTRAL REGION – JOS Pray for spiritual awakening in the body of Christ in this region this year. Pray for spiritual enablement, exemplary leadership, right influence and a deep sense of commitment to Scripture and missions among God’s servants in the North Central Region, so that through them the purpose of God will be achieved.

FRIDAY 18th EMS MUSLIM OUTREACH UNIT Pray for the Muslims around the world that God will encounter them. Pray that Christians will be well-informed and suitably equipped to minister to them globally.

  • Pray for the successes of all the training scheduled for this year in all ECWA Muslim Background Believer (MBB) centers. Ask the Lord to console the bereaved in the wake of atrocities committed in the name of Islam in Nigeria and elsewhere.

SATURDAY 19th FAR NORTH- KASTINA

  • We thank God for New Life for All who went on an outreach to the mission station and recorded eight new converts in Gidan Maidoki; ask the Lord to grant sustaining grace on these converts as they are discipled by the resident missionaries.
  • Pray also for a financial opening for the building project at Gidan Soda and Dandume in Tsiga

DCC WEEK FOUR – FOCUS ON CROSS-BORDERS MISSION FIELDS

But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43

SUNDAY 20TH Praise God for the successful evangelistic activities that were embarked on across the foreign mission fields in 2018. Pray for a fruitful ministry in the 18 countries that EMS is reaching out to. May God grant more wisdom and grace on all cross borders missionaries as they put up relevant strategies to reach out to their communities this year.

MONDAY 21ST GAMBIA

  • Ask the Lord to raise workers who can work in French-speaking Senegal and in new Gambian mission fields.
  • Pray for the Gambian Seminary that started with 3 students; pray for God’s wisdom and understanding of His word. Also pray for the primary school at Old Yundum that has predominantly Muslim pupils. May they be ministered to even as they receive sound teaching.

TUESDAY 22ND ECWA REPUBLIC OF TOGO

  • Pray for God to provide support for the completion of the building of a mission church in Kaboli that is ongoing.
  • Pray for God to provide EMS of ECWA Togo with a vehicle for the purpose of coordination of the mission work.
  • Pray for God’s provision to acquire a land for ECWA Togo Headquarters. Two hectares of land for the ECWA HEADQUARTERS OF TOGO is estimated to cost about Five Million Naira only (₦5,000,000.00) in Sokode.

WEDNESDAY 23RD ECWA REPUBLIC OF TOGO

  • Praise God for the successful starting of ECWA Theological School Togo which kickstarted in September 2018. Pray for God’s wisdom on the school leadership as they put up strategies to enhance the school’s growth.
  • Pray for the provision of at least 5 motorcycles for the missionaries that are working in the interiors to run the work easily.

THURSDAY 24TH ECWA ZAMBIA

  • Pray for the three congregations in Zambia- Kitwe, Luanshiya and Mufilira – for God’s direction as they meet to map out schedules for 2019.
  • Also pray for these churches to embrace evangelism and giving for the gospel.
  • Pray for the Zambian team of our missionaries as they focus on the fields that God will give thempatience and commitment.

FRIDAY 25TH ECWA CAMEROON Pray for some of the EMS missionaries in Cameroon that are in dire need of motorcycles for the progress of the work.

SATURDAY 26TH ECWA MALI

  • Let’s be in prayers for Sister Edith Aboubakar who encountered the Lord through the prison ministry of the Amahs (our missionary in Mali). She has left Mali to return home as a free woman. Ask that the Lord will increase upon her grace to be steadfast and stay committed to serving God in truth and in spirit.
  • Let’s also uphold our sister Hauwa who gave her life to Christ through the house fellowship ministry Mrs. Amah started. Pray for good understanding of the Word as she is descipled; ask the Lord to keep her focused and steadfast as she struggles with the issues of her husband leaving to marry another wife.
  • Continue to pray for God’s provision for the Amahs to care for some of sister Hauwa’s needs.
  • The foundation-laying process of the permanent site of ECWA Mali has stopped for lack of cash;please pray for God’s provision for the progress of the work.

WEEK FIVE – FOCUS ON OTHER EMS MISSION UNITS

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

SUNDAY 27TH EMS TRAINING UNIT Thank God for the impact of all our trainings and programs in 2018. Pray that this year our trainings and programs will receive wider acceptance with greater multiplication and that believers and leaders will truly be equipped to fulfill the Great Commission. Pray for our Staff Retreat.

MONDAY 28th EMS HOUSE OF HOPE-GIDAN BEGE

  • Praise God for the provision of funds to buy 13 wheelchairs to our targeted handicapped women and children.
  • Praise God for the miraculous provision for kids’ Christmas clothes and grains for the year 2019.
  • Praise God for the provision of admissions for some of our kids into tertiary institutions; pray forprovisions for their upkeep in school and for God’s divine protection as they resume.
  • Pray for EMS HOUSE OF HOPE’s Consultant for safety; he traveled to the US to see his family.

TUESDAY 29TH EMS RELIEF UNITAsk the Lord for help from above as EMS empowers widows, orphans and the less-privileged through this unit. Pray that the Lord will open doors of grace and supply to EMS as we seek new avenues to raise money for this effort.

WEDNESDAY 30TH MISSIONARY KIDS Pray for the children of missionaries and pastors, that the good Father will shield them from mischief of the devil and strengthen them in their call to follow the Lord In this year 2019 and beyond.

THURSDAY 31TH EMS NATIONAL MISSION CONFRENCE EMS is trusting God to bring together all its missionaries from all its mission fields across Nigeria to converge in a conference at the headquarters in Jos in April. Pray for financial support for the conference.

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING WITH US THROUGH THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR 2019. MAY THE LORD RENEW YOUR STRENGTH AND ALSO INCREASE UPON YOU GRACE AS YOU CONTINUE WITH US IN THIS PARTNERSHIP. SHALOM!!!

 

If God Is Just, Why All This Suffering?

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If God Is Just, Why All This Suffering?

Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson | Holding God's goodness and the world's pain in tension (image by Bret of caterwauler.org)

A million girls and boys trafficked for sex each year.

Millions of widows facing violence and destitution at the hands of their own family and neighbors.

Tens of millions of slaves locked in crushing labor.

Hundreds of millions of girls raped.

How do we hold in tension the truth of God’s goodness and love for justice with the reality of pandemic suffering? There are countless stories of people all over our world—people created by God for a life of wholeness and flourishing but who instead undergo a living nightmare of injustice. How do we open our eyes and see the dire needs of our neighbors while holding fast to hope in a God who rescues, heals, and restores?

Derailment in the face of suffering is far too often the norm rather than the exception. Even those of us launching forth with the deepest passion for justice and conviction of God’s goodness can lose heart and fail to persevere over the long haul. Everyone is vulnerable to derailment; injustice can breed disillusionment and doubt. Suffering can drive cynicism or, even worse, despair.

But God invites us to come to him—not in spite of doubt and derailment but in the midst of it. Woven throughout Scripture is an unguarded type of prayer known as lament. To lament is to ask “Why?” and “Why not?” as well as “What are you doing God?” and “Where are you?” To lament is to pour out our hearts, holding nothing back. It is to pray without trying to be more full of faith than we actually are. Lament is prayer that honors the honesty of pain and anger while also honoring the truth that God is the one who reigns and whose hesed love never fails. Lament holds in tension all the suffering that seems to make no sense with a determination to believe that God is just. Lament draws us near to God when we are tempted to turn away. Lament enables us to keep moving forward with perseverance in the justice calling; it is a way to remain deeply connected to the God who loves us and loves justice even when injustice makes us ask the hardest questions of God.

The Heart of Lament

Lament is a gift. In the midst of everything going wrong around us—whether in the world at large or in the lives of people whose names and faces we know and hold dear—lament is a gift given to help us hold fast to God. God invites lament because he knows our temptation to turn away rather than toward him in the heat of hardship. Some of us turn away by not talking to God when we experience pain in our lives or see the suffering and evil of oppression at work in the world. Others turn away by pretending they can simply press on with their lives and shelter themselves from the pain they feel or see, seeking to avoid the tension of wrestling with a good God who reigns over a world that is festering in grief. Lament is only the beginning of our journey toward God in hope, but it is a beginning that we can hardly plumb too deeply. Even as we station ourselves to wait upon the Lord and determine to rejoice in the midst of trembling, in the face of injustice we need to return again and again to lament.

The more we probe Scripture to see how prophets and leaders and ordinary people lamented their circumstances, the more it becomes clear that God invites our questions and pleadings rather than our despair and silence. God can handle the questions we bring; no question is too shocking or big for God. In the midst of the enslavement of God’s people, Moses shows us faith that laments: “Why, Lord? Why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?” He even goes so far as to accuse God of not doing what God has promised, crying, “You have not rescued your people at all” (Exodus 5:22–23).

The psalmists accuse God of not being present in the midst of suffering: “Why, LORD, do you stand far off?” (Psalm 10:1). They show impatience with God’s timing, frustration at having to wait, and the pain of feeling forgotten: “My soul is in deep anguish. How long LORD, how long?” (Psalm 6:3).

They admit that the ultimate victory of the Lord is not always clear, that defeat often feels much more near: “How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:2). They argue that suffering and injustice make God look like a fool and ask why God does not show the world the truth of his power: “How long will the enemy mock you, God? . . . Why do you hold back your hand?” (Psalm 74:10–11).

The Prayers of Lament

The books of Job and Lamentations echo harrowing questions directly accusing God of being the one who not only allows but also intentionally inflicts vicious suffering.

The prayers of lament in Scripture give us the gift of anguished language when we cannot find words of our own. And we need to speak; we need to speak aloud to one another during those times when we feel we are continuing to talk to God—we’re clinging and crying out to him, moving toward him, praying, worshiping, seeking him—and yet we don’t experience any response on his part. It can seem that not only is God turning a deaf ear, but he is no longer even present.

When we are brutally honest with God in the midst of true lament, we may find that “rock bottom” does not seem to exist; there can appear to be no end or limit to the grief, no enduring relief for the pain. We need to know that we are not alone in this sense of fathomlessness.

Jesus shows us what prayers of grief look like when the bottom has fallen out. Quoting Psalm 22:1, Jesus utters the ultimate protest of lament. Hanging on the cross in the fullness of his humanity and deity Jesus cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, emphasis added). Like Jesus, we can and should turn to the desperate cries of the psalms and the prophets as we grapple for words in our lament.

Cry out to God. Even when you don’t see his footprints amid the mighty waters, stand firm. Remember who God is even when you cannot see the truth of who he is in your midst. Rejoice that he is the God who fulfills all that he has promised, the God who saves, the God whose love for us and all of his creation is everlasting, never-failing. All glory will be revealed (Isaiah 40:5; Romans 8:18). Darkness will never be the final word.

Bethany Hanke Hoang is a Founding Director and Special Advisor for the International Justice Mission's Institute for Biblical Justice. You can follow Bethany on Twitter at @Bethanyhoang.

 



Jack Hayford: America Is Suffering From a Spiritual Drought

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America Is Suffering From a Spiritual Drought

I am writing in earnest and crying out for the igniting of an awakening to prayer

America is suffering from an extended spiritual drought. While the social and moral decay of this hour may grieve us, discernment of the larger reason for this blight lies at the door of an all-but-prayerless church.

We share a part of that responsibility because—had we been more conscientious earlier—we would not have allowed the progressive dismantling of weekly, united, extended corporate prayer gatherings.

I am not writing to assign guilt, for I have been too slow a learner myself. But I am writing with an invitation, one spoken from heaven and beginning to resonate in many hearts.

Although the enemy of humankind is rising viciously, knowing he has only a short time, the Holy Spirit of God is present. He is not here to condemn, but to convene the hearts of believers with His promise, wisdom and expectancy.

Above all, I feel a hope, born of prayer rising from my heart and one of love and brotherly commitment to Foursquare pastors, leaders and members. With that hope, I am writing in earnest and crying out for the igniting of an awakening to prayer.

Pray with me that we would unite to lead our congregations from our knees. Let us lead people into a lifestyle of intercession as God's Word directs (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Unless we are biblically renewed to this first of all calling of the body of Christ, our first calling as believers will be sacrificed on the altar of sloth, and the spirit of the age will run even more rampant.

Let us affirm that there is nothing old school about the New Testament's order of the church's prayer-life. It is an ever-contemporary pattern of biblical spirituality, and nothing—not even the finest programming, productions or tactical strategies—can substitute for it.

Our Spiritual Foundation

Prayer is the foundation and fountainhead of spiritual power, breakthrough and revival; prevailing prayer, both at the local and national level, is what we and America need.

Given this situation, my hope is that The Foursquare Church may "rise to this hour" and make it a "restoring the ancient landmarks" of former victories. That, as a united-and-agreed fellowship, a vast majority of pastors and congregations would unapologetically welcome the Holy Spirit into their midst.

Pray with me that we would unite to lead our congregations from our knees. Let us lead people into a lifestyle of intercession as God's Word directs (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Such well-ordered prayer gatherings will overthrow strongholds of darkness and release rivers of "living water" and revival blessings. Sound-minded, bold and believing prayer is prayer with a "cutting edge," namely, a lifestyle that penetrates the darkness of spiritual blindness and brings God's mercy and deliverance.

It is this kind of prayer that shatters the darkness and drives back the kind of spiritual challenge we face with the plague of evil and rebellion in our nation.

Jesus' Concern for the Last-Days Church

Someone recently asked me: "Some people think of the 1950s and 1960s as a golden age for the church in America, but were there drawbacks to the church being socially respectable?"

I answered: "I don't think of the church being 'respected' as a drawback. However, a socially comfortable church has not historically produced a spiritually passionate church."

Jesus' letters to the church in Revelation contain a similar opening, where Christ spells out His awareness and notice to each congregation and its leaders. His love for them all is never in question, but His concerns wave red-flag warnings to all of us who lead today:

You who have ears to hear, listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying!

Jesus points out that many of these churches are distracted or have neglected their central call, values and mission. The distractions are the same today; congregations are either:

  •     resting on their laurels
  •     impressed with their own perceived status
  •     blinded to their loss of focus on the Word and the Spirit, or
  •     by indulging their own carnality, losing clarity and integrity of heart.

The issue is clear: The Holy Spirit is seeking to find—and speak to—those with ears to hear!

Whether you are a Foursquare pastor, leader or church member, I am a bond servant with you. I invite you to join a multitude of those who are unabashedly attuned to hear, obey and respond as Holy Spirit-filled servants of Christ. This is vital for two crucial reasons:

  •     There is nothing more disabling than to become tone deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
  •     There is nothing more numbing to the soul than to be unresponsive to His call.

In this critical hour, we dare not hedge on the implications of "hearing" the Holy Spirit. We dare not compromise His intentions for our fellowship as Spirit-filled and Spirit-led people.

The Key Question

The question of this hour in history resounds from the lips of the Lord: "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8, NIV). Namely, the faith that answers the call to rise up in prayer!

As with any nation, the battle for America's soul will only be won with the weapons of spiritual warfare. These weapons—wielded by people systematically meeting in prayer gatherings to marshal sound-minded, biblically ordered intercession—have yet to be restored in The Foursquare Church in America.

Yet if God's people don't assemble in agreement, on their knees, who else will "destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5, ESV)?

The church is the one agency on Earth with access to this promise. Heaven is waiting. God has indicated His sovereign choice: He is ready to answer with His open hand of unlimited blessing if, under His authoritative directive, we will take our stand and advance in prayer.

Today, we must remember the promise God made to Solomon long ago: "If my people … humble themselves, and pray … then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chr. 7:14, ESV).

However, we must ask ourselves, "Where can God find a people who will align themselves with God's conditions?" This cannot be a halfway proposition. His Word of promise is only spoken into action where people welcome His Holy Spirit, and on His terms.

Aligning With the Spirit

I want to honor the wisdom, sought and applied, by which our leaders have brought administrative adjustments that we as a movement have pragmatically applied in recent years.

However, whatever else we have wisely and worthily realigned structurally, our definition of local intercessory alignment has yet to "hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

In this critical hour, we dare not hedge on the implications of "hearing" the Holy Spirit. We dare not compromise His intentions for our fellowship as Spirit-filled and Spirit-led people.

We are in need of reviewing Jesus' confrontation of leaders who busied themselves with religious duties but neglected God's command: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Is. 56:7, NIV). Let us abandon all self-excusing passivity indulged when we negate our Lord's focus on the priority of prayer.

No society should ever be seen as beyond hope of revival, the recovery of sanity or the rebirth of multitudes—if it is laced with congregations everywhere where the Light of the world still shines.

The divine call of God addressing The Foursquare Church in America is no different than the one trumpeted to the larger believing body of Christ. Too many have traded the timeless for the transient, the costly for the clever, the eternal for the contemporary and the seeker-sensitivity for man-pleasing management.

Our beginning point of reference must be on our knees, in our closets and at altars of repentance. New furniture isn't required, but a ready and renewed passion is!

Jack Hayford is chancellor of The King's University and former president of The Foursquare Church.

 



The Prayer of the Lord

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The Prayer of the Lord

Even simple, faith filled recitation of God's living Word is healthy and extremely positive (images, iStock and book by David & Kim Butts)

The concept of offering up requests in the hopes that an invisible, distant God would deliver what we desire is the primary model of prayer for many Christians today. Read the list of prayer requests and hope for the best!

I remember growing up as a young Catholic boy people reciting the Lord's Prayer over and over again as if I was fulfilling some religious duty. Those were not happy days as I lived in unhealthy fear presuming God would reject me unless I fulfilled the quota.

Now, I do agree that even simple, faith filled recitation of God's living Word is healthy and extremely positive. However, too many presume reading the Lord's Prayer or other scriptures is the totality of their assignment in prayer. Read it, agree with it and move on.

This is the error I want to talk about.

Prayer isn't a stale, tedious chore that, once accomplished, we earn favor with God and our desires (or demands) are met as requested. Prayer is the expression of the passion of our heart as we come into fervent, joyful agreement with God. That expression is explosive, and it's actually laughable to presume it can be limited to the mouthing of words! True prayer is comprehensive, and it overwhelms us into radical agreement with God and aggressive response to His directives.

Prayer Isn't Mostly About Us

Prayer is at its most powerful when the focus isn't on us.

"When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward" (Matt. 6:5, MEV).

While we may not bring focus to us by religiously praying on the street corners, is it possible that the content of our prayer is at times narcissistic? Is it about bringing attention to us and our situation or to God and his?

"But you, when you pray, enter your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matt. 6:6, MEV).

 

Prayer Isn't About Coercing God

"But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him. Therefore pray in this manner: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Matt. 6:7-9, MEV).

I was repeating the Lord's Prayer over and over again as a young child, convinced that my devoted work of speaking out loud would please God and result in a big thumbs up. If you think about that, it's kind of demented thinking! It reminds me of tribal religions in which people sacrifice chickens and mark their bodies as an offering to their gods in the hopes that they are spared from drought, floods and other natural disasters.

Prayer for the Christian comes from the place of deep, abiding love and a wondrous relationship with Jesus.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday" (Psalm 37:4-6, MEV).

Again, our prayer is simply an expression of our revelation of Jesus! We are ignited with passion as a result of knowing God intimately. We can't help but declare the wonders of our God!

Imagine what would erupt out of you after having an experience as is described in Revelation 19. That outburst, that response, is prayer!

"I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. "He shall rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16, MEV).

 

The Prayer of the Lord

The Lord's Prayer is just that—the passions of Jesus. It is truly the prayer of the Lord.

We aren't to be limited to a simple recitation of words on paper. There is a fervent passion that should be sizzling in our veins as we declare this potent, culture-rocking prayer.

"Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much" (James 5:16, MEV).

The Lord's Prayer is an intense declaration of lifestyles that are shaking and shocking our culture. It is an expression of agreement with the plan of God for the nations of the earth!

Holy Are You

"Therefore pray in this manner: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Matt. 6:9, MEV).

This verse shouldn't be easy to be casually read aloud! The call is for us to have a visitation of God and his holiness! A revelation that causes us to collapse to our knees with our faces buried in our hands as we tremble and cry, "Holy!"

Can you imagine what it will be like to gaze upon perfect purity in our beautiful God's countenance second after second forever? Oh, Lord Jesus, come! What an eternity that will be! Day and night never ceasing to declare, "Holy is the Lord God Almighty!"

"Before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures had six wings each, and they were covered with eyes all around. All day and night, without ceasing, they were saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come." (Rev. 4:6-8, MEV).

 

Your Kingdom Come

"Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10, MEV).

The conflict of flesh vs. spirit should be causing veins to bulge in our necks as we cry out to God, "I despise the limitations of the flesh! I reject my own natural wisdom and I declare with boldness that Your wisdom, Your government, Your kingdom is superior!"

This prayer can't be limited to a one-sentence, three-second read. As we draw closer and closer to Jesus, we develop a never-ending yearning for God and His leadership. Everything else will appear as foolishness in comparison with the government of Jesus.

Our Daily Bread

"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11, MEV).

Related to the previous point, we are declaring our joyful dependence on God. Instead of our Santa Claus-style requests flying heavenward in hopes of having our desires gift wrapped and delivered by God, we tell Him, "Get me whatever You want."

How powerful is it to move beyond asking God for the obvious and allowing Him to surprise us! Talk about an addicting prayer life! Sometimes the best prayer is not to pray at all. What I mean is, if we have faith that He will supply all of our needs, why would we beg Him for our needs to be met?

We can certainly have honest discussions with God about what we are struggling with, but we should do so without worry or frustration. We simply rejoice as we trust God to give us our bread every single day, and I think it's best if he chooses just what that bread is!

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7, MEV).

"Therefore, take no thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (For the Gentiles seek after all these things.) For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you" (Matt. 6:31-33, MEV).

 

Forgiveness

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12, MEV).

Again, this cry of our heart should be automatic. The Lord's Prayer is a passionate decree of the reality of our lives in Christ. Sin should cause us to weep and grieve as we again draw near to God with confession on our lips. Unholy decisions should so disrupt our flow in the Holy Spirit that we are nearly crushed under the weight—only to find God Himself running to us to forgive us and give us new life!

The seriousness and destructiveness of sin should also cause us to forgive quickly—instantly—others who have wronged us. That declaration of freedom for others bellows out of us as we unlock prison cell after prison cell, allowing the guilty to go free!

In fact, this point in the prayer is so critical it is revisited again at the end:

"For if you forgive men for their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men for their sins, neither will your Father forgive your sins" (Matt. 6:14-15, MEV).

A lifestyle of setting people free should mark every one of us. It's what God does, and it's what we do!

Deliver Us From Evil

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matt. 6:13, MEV).

As inhabitants of a fallen world, we are keenly aware of the power of evil and the enticement of the enemy. This passionate plea should be forever on our lips or until we enter eternity, at least.

The thought of anything compromising our energizing, fiery, zealous relationship with the Lover of our souls should result in sobriety and a locked-in demeanor. We must understand the power of sin, and we have no option but to be continually aware of its devastating force.

"Whomever you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave someone anything, for your sakes I forgave it in Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us. For we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:10-11, MEV).

 

It's All About God

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matt. 6:13, MEV).

This is true worship!

I want to exhort you to allow the Prayer of the Lord to become your own. Let it be an expression of your overflowing, all-in lifestyle of worship and surrender to Jesus.

It's not just a good group of words to read before bed. Prayer, especially prayer like this, is a testament to who we really are and what we really believe. It's an expression of our raging passion for God and a decree of our agreement with and position in Him!

Watch the accompanying video here.

John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 20 years and is a sought out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. John has authored nine books, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he planted two churches, has initiated two city prayer movements and is currently directing a prayer- and revival-focused ministry school in Detroit called theLab University. John's mandate is to call the church in the nations to repentance from casual Christianity and to burn in a manner worthy of the King of kings. He is equipping people to confront the enemies of God (established religion, Jezebel and so on) that hinder an extreme, sold-out level of true worship.

Please visit thefurnace.tv for the original article.

 



When You Only Have a Few Minutes to Pray

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When You Only Have a Few Minutes to Pray

How one to three minutes can focus our minds and hearts on adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. (image, Centreville United Methodist Church)

My wife is a professional counselor and a good one. Her workdays are divided into listening to and helping many different people, 55 minutes at a time. She has often said she’d like to have a 50- or 55-minute hourglass for her counseling sessions. It would be not only a helpful way to keep track of time but also a focusing and soothing influence on both counselor and counselee! So this past fall I ordered her a custom hourglass to give to her as a Christmas gift.

That got me thinking, which is always a risky proposition. Hourglasses come in all shapes and sizes. We even have several one-minute and three-minute versions in our home already, packed in various board games and group game boxes. So why not put them to even better use—in prayer?

So, new year, new things. I plan to try it.

For example, I can follow the ACTS pattern using the three-minute timer for each type of prayer:

  • Adoration and praise
  • Confession
  • Thanksgiving
  • Supplication (asking in earnest) and intercession (praying for others)

I might use the one-minute hourglass to focus my prayers on family: a minute of intercession for my wife, children and grandchildren.

Something else I might try: using the one minute timer for “lightning round” prayers, like game shows sometimes do, particularly in the middle of the day. So even when I have only a few minutes to pray, the hourglass can help focus my thoughts and prayers.

I bet the hourglass can even help me practice silence. I can use one of them to focus my thoughts at the beginning of my prayer time, watching the grains of sand flow silently downward. Or let the sand be a benediction of sorts to conclude a period of prayer. And on those occasions when I am hurried or stressed, maybe I can let the hourglass calm me for a minute. . . or three.

Visit Guidepost for the original article



Which Side of Acts 1 Are You On?

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Which side of Acts chapter 1 are you on

Which side of Acts 1 are you living on when you wake up each morning? (Photo| ECWA Archieve)

Are you living on the right side of Acts 1? The answer will determine the course of your life.

Every morning when we awaken from a long night of sleep, we stretch, yawn and eventually step into a new day. In the natural we are functioning from a collection of experiences, training, opportunities, challenges and other influences that have helped determine our current experience. Some are waking up in the morning to get ready to operate on somebody’s heart because his natural training provided him that opportunity. Others are headed to classes in a university as a result of healthy planning. Still others are depressed, lonely, fearful, expectant, determined or are experiencing a myriad of other very real feelings due to their position in life. Their natural position.

Spiritually, where are you? Specifically, which side of Acts chapter one are you living on when you wake up each morning?

Acts Chapter 1

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11 (ESV)

Of course, the first chapter of Act’s position on the historical timeline comes after the death and victorious resurrection of Jesus. The question I’m asking is directed toward those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb—Christians—those who have responded to the greatest gift man has ever been offered. Christian friend, it’s possible to be functioning on the right side of the cross and on the wrong side of the rest of the story.

Read the short passage in Acts 1:6-11 again. Let the power of that dramatic moment impact you. Put yourself in the position of the disciples of Jesus.

They had just experienced, to put it lightly, a dramatic season of life that culminated with their hero, their friend, God himself being brutally, savagely tortured and mutilated. They were suddenly alone, fearful and confused. Their holy hope was gone forever—so it seemed. Dead people don’t just wake up and walk out of their tombs after all, right?

Lazarus might disagree with that. So would Jesus. The disciple’s overwhelming hopelessness was miraculously displaced by the impossible. Jesus walked out his tomb.

They were fearful, alone and confused no more. Now the celebration begins! Now plans for the future can be discussed! This was the day the Lord Jesus himself created and it was time to rejoice and be glad!

The obvious next step was for Jesus to set up his Kingdom and to reign! The disciple’s question was an honest yet misguided one:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6 (ESV)

They didn’t understand at all what the future held. The victory on the cross, in their minds, would result in Jesus doing much more of what they saw him do previously. Jesus was the man of the hour and they wanted to be in the front row for the show.

After all, Jesus had just spent 40 days talking to them about the Kingdom, right?

3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 (ESV)

Yes, the Kingdom was coming, but not at all the way everyone had presumed. Jesus was about to launch them out of Acts chapter one and into Acts chapter two.

If you’ll remember, Jesus had already given them a mandate that it seems they casually overlooked:

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)

The disciples had necessary teaching about the Kingdom and a mandate to wait for a promise that would enable them to initiate a world shaking mission.

However, in their minds they wondered why they would need a Promise if Jesus was there with them. Why would they need anything else? Jesus was going to work wonders and they would be there as his most fervent supporters!

Jesus Left—AGAIN

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. Acts 1:9 (ESV)

Again, put yourself in the shoes of the disciples. What type of emotional crisis were they going through? First Jesus died, then he defied all odds and returned in victory. Now their plans for Jesus to build his Kingdom were cut down as they received an inconvenient mandate to pray and wait for some nondescript Promise—as Jesus again left them.

Now, their close friend, their superhero who would protect them from the threats of the many enemies in the land, was gone from them a second time—this time for good (at least in their lifetimes).

The Bible says that they were just standing there gazing into heaven.

My question to you is this: Are you gazing into heaven waiting for Jesus to show up and do what you are yearning for him to do? Or, are you taking action in the power of the Holy Spirit to do it yourself?

On the cross Jesus famously said, “It is finished!” His part is done. We have been left with an extreme mandate and a costly mission that must be in front of us every morning when we awaken, stretch and yawn and move into our day.

So often we are crying out for Jesus to heal the sick when he commanded us to heal the sick. Those on the wrong side of Acts chapter one will gaze into heaven waiting for Jesus to do it. Those who have been baptized with power and who have embraced their spiritual mission will function in the power of the resurrection by looking at someone and commanding that they take up their mat and walk!

True baptism in power results in an inconvenient life.

I’m convinced that casual ‘gazing into heaven’ type prayer is often unanswered because Jesus is putting the pressure on us to get into the prayer rooms where supernatural baptism can be found.

The angelic question in Acts 2 remains for us today:

11 …“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?” Acts 1:11a (ESV)

Those who are living on the wrong side of Acts chapter one have bought into the resurrection power of the cross but have yet to step into their life mission that requires a devotion that will put every other life focus at risk. They want to continue in their day-to-day life hoping that Jesus will be the hero and rescuer they might need in times of trouble. The call to greater consecration is unnecessary since they are already saved and the victory of the cross was complete.

The truth is that the victory of the cross launches our mission. It doesn’t end it. When Jesus said “it is finished,” for us it meant, “it has begun.”

The enemy is moving across the earth stealing, killing and destroying. How could we even begin to think our work is done or unnecessary?

The blood of Jesus doesn’t grant us immunity, it grants us authority—authority to tread on serpents, authority to heal the sick, authority to advance the Kingdom, authority to go and make disciples.

Those living on the right side of the chapter are burning with that mission every single day. They wake up on fire with an urgency to fulfill their extremely important commission.

The life of someone living in Acts chapter two and beyond looks radically different than the lives of other Christians.

PRAYER

The call to prayer was too inconvenient for most everybody who saw Jesus alive after the resurrection. Only 120 showed up in that room. Only 120 determined it was necessary to actually obey Jesus. To them Jesus was more Savior than Lord.

Living on the right side of Acts one requires obedience. It requires us to be people of extravagant, inconvenient prayer.

Acts two started with prayer in an Upper Room and it continued with prayer daily in the temple.

17 pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)

Today we have innumerable people who are naming the name of Christ who are living in constant disobedience by refusing to live a life of continual prayer.

Corporate prayer is such a clear and obvious mandate for Christians that it is beyond shocking and nonsensical that so many are not investing in it. They are living after the resurrection but before Acts, presuming that all is well and there is nothing left to be done. Both Resurrection power and Holy Spirit power are required before we can even begin to understand our life purpose—much less fulfill it.

The corporate prayer meetings are the most important meeting and every Christian must be in attendance. In fact, In Acts 2 corporate prayer was a daily occurrence. This is what must return to our churches today.

46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day… Acts 2:46 (NLT)

This means we can no longer continue without coming together for Holy Spirit infused prayer every day and presume it’s okay or normal. It’s not. Those living on the right side of Acts one can’t stand the thought of going a day without encountering God in prayer with other Believers.

CHURCH

Acts Christians were radically invested in both corporate church gatherings and planting of new churches.

I’m grieved at the number of Christian “church haters” (is that even possible?) that are on the rise. People are creating theologies that argue against the corporate church setting that are laughable.

Consider Chinese Christians who gather together every morning at 4:30am, seven days a week, to pray and worship together as the church before they begin their day. In America we think a couple hours a week is too inconvenient!

Can somebody explain to me how coming together with other Christians every day to pray on fire is a bad thing? How is that something that doctrines are being created to oppose? Truly those are doctrines of demons.

Some might say that they don’t need to attend church because “they are the church.” They would be incorrect.

From my article, You are not the church:

If we understand the meaning of the word ‘church’ we could never presume that we alone are the church. That idea is contrary to the origin of the word (ekklesia, meaning “assembly”). In fact, that word has secular origins. It literally means an assembly of people who have been called together by an authority in the city or region. Wow! That sheds a lot of light on what the church is.

The church is an assembly of people organized under defined governmental leadership. It’s a regular gathering of people who are deeply agreed and in pursuit of mission advance under God’s apostles, prophets and other governmental leaders.

Further, the pure definition of the word reveals that it isn’t used as easily in the context of the global company of believers as it is in the regional and local gathering of believers.

The definition reveals that it’s a well defined local group vs. a loosely defined larger group of people (who mostly don’t know each other at all). We can’t be a part of the church if we aren’t gathered together with other parts of the church. Church is corporate.

Additionally, the church is a group of people who assemble, fellowship, pray and respond together to apostolic teaching. That can’t happen in a more nebulous global context.

The church has inherent in it’s core call the expectation of assembly and a corporate response so as to ensure the local mission is fulfilled. Again, a fulfilled mission can’t be realized without this type of intentional and faithful participation at a local level where communication and commonality are clearly defined.

Those living in Acts Holy Spirit power understand the need to be rightly aligned with men and women of God. They understand the church gathering isn’t foundationally a social one. It’s a strategic one. Great numbers of people coming together to pray and to receive apostolic instruction is necessary on a daily basis if we are to advance the gospel in victorious fashion.

The church is a military. It has a mission.

Church haters have gripes about how they were treated, about disagreements with focus, about not being recognized, about most anything. True biblical Holy Spirit empowered Christians are ready to die to their own opinions and serve. Today when people are rejected they run from the church with complaints in their hearts. Two thousand years ago when Jesus was rejected he died for the church with love in his heart.

CULTURE

Acts Christians are not flowing under the radar, blending in with their culture. They are causing controversies and inciting riots!

40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” Acts 19:40 (ESV)

It angers me that so many supposed Christians refuse to declare the offensive Gospel message out of fear that they may lose friends, offend family or put their financial security at risk!

Did you know that’s why there was a riot in Ephesus? People’s financial well being was compromised when Paul and his team of firebrands arrived on the scene!

23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” 28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. Acts 19:23-29 (NIV)

I absolutely love Acts 19 verse 23:

23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. Acts 19:23 (NIV)

Where is such a disturbance today?

“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” is not the gospel message! It’s a true message, but it’s not the gospel message. When we start preaching about man’s depravity, our darkness, and God’s holiness and Lordship and his extreme sacrifice on the cross we will begin preaching the gospel. Anything that does not upset culture as it sets people free is suspect as a true message.

MISSION

People on the right side of Acts chapter one will burn with a mission. Others will live normal, low impact lives. Sure, they may enjoy God, say their prayers, go to church, worship him, read their bibles and be people of great conviction. However, the very reason they were born eludes them. The tears over the lost and the zeal for intercession are absent. An aggressive, unwavering daily pursuit of humanly impossible God given projects and assignments is nowhere to be found.

The primary purpose of the Promise in the Upper Room was not to make us feel better as we worship or to help us in our daily lives. The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to live free from sin (He’s the HOLY Spirit) and to preach the message of the cross to the world; to expand the Kingdom. How different this is than what the disciples presumed in Acts one!

The Holy Spirit enables us to work and to advance in mission in ways that are not possible via human determination. Jesus is physically gone and we are the ones to do the work!

12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 (NIV)

When on the earth, Jesus was about his Father’s business. Now that he is gone we are to be about our Father’s business!

49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Luke 2:49-50 (NKJV)

I propose there are many post-resurrection/pre-Upper Room Christians today who also don’t understand what it is to be about our Father’s business.

Acts chapter one where we see disciples of Jesus transition into apostles. In a moment, they went from followers to ‘sent ones’ with a mission.

I want to encourage you, when you wake up each morning, stretch and yawn and get ready for the day that you function as a sent one. Burn with a passion for Jesus and the advance of his Kingdom. Embrace the impossible assignments that God has for you. Pray continually with others. Live and walk in the Spirit. Disrupt the culture you live in. Trouble the lukewarm and awaken the sleepers. Live in great power—power that’s found on the other side of Acts chapter one.

John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 20 years and is a sought out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. John has authored nine books, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he planted two churches, has initiated two city prayer movements and is currently directing a prayer- and revival-focused ministry school in Detroit called theLab University. John's mandate is to call the church in the nations to repentance from casual Christianity and to burn in a manner worthy of the King of kings. He is equipping people to confront the enemies of God (established religion, Jezebel and so on) that hinder an extreme, sold-out level of true worship.

For the original article, visit johnburton.net.

 



How to Pray for Angelic Assistance

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How to Pray for Angelic Assistance

You can pray for salvation through Jesus and for Him to send His ministering angels to minister to you (image © Within the MECHanism)

Luke 1:26-27 says, "In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary."

The Father sent His angel Gabriel to this earth to deliver a message to Mary that would change her life. Did you know that He still sends angels to this earth to minister to His people? The Bible says concerning these angels in Hebrews 1:14, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to minister to those who will inherit salvation?"

We need to learn to take the limits off of God, and allow Him to minister to us as He wills. Many believers are receiving angelic visitations from the Lord. I know I have had angelic activity in my life, and I expect even more ministry in this way. How about you? Where are you at in your spiritual walk with the Lord? Will you allow Him to send His ministering angels to minister to you?

Here is my petition to the Lord for you this day.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask You to send forth your angels to minister to the needs of my dear friends this day. That many will see, hear and receive a special angelic touch from You that will heal them in spirit, soul and body.

For those that are fighting against a spirit of death that they receive a divine healing touch and they will rise from their deathbeds completely healed.

And for all who are suffering from physical pain, sickness and disease, I ask that Your ministering angels will encompass them and release their physical healing this very moment.

I pray for others that are fighting against a spirit of deception, that they will receive a message of truth that will set them free and lead them down the path of repentance and back into the arms of the Heavenly Father.

Holy Spirit, send forth Your angels that will minister love and acceptance to those who are contemplating suicide today. Give them the message of hope that is needed to choose life and to carry on to the victory that comes only from the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

For those who are in the place of major decisions today that will affect the lives of them and their families, release Your ministering angels and strengthen them to do what is right according to Your Word.

Whatever the need may be, I ask that You will release Your angels to minister to them by the power of Your grace.

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Becky Dvorak is a prophetic healing evangelist and the Destiny Image author of DARE to Believe and Greater Than Magic. Visit her at authorbeckydvorak.com.

 



Does God Even Care When We’re Broken?

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Does God Even Care When We're Broken

God cares about your hurts and your pain. (Lightstock)

Sometimes feeling "OK" is the best you've felt in a very long time. Your brokenness entraps you because of unchangeable moments that took place in your past.

You've yet to let go and find peace amidst the storm of remembrance. You're hurting. You're frustrated. You're in repetitious, unwavering pain. You ask yourself, "Does God even care?" 

God does care. He feels our pain, yet sometimes the way he responds to us might not be exactly the way we anticipate. Over the course of my life, I'll be honest in saying I've found myself furious at God on multiple occasions. I've yelled at God, cursed at God and even threatened God for not providing what I felt was the best response for my current situation in life.

I'm sure he looked down at me, chuckled a bit and knew that I didn't really mean what I was saying. I was just upset, and God was patient enough to let me vent to him. He allowed me to use him as a scratching post. He could handle it. That's the beauty of God; He's big enough to handle anything I throw at him, but wise enough to not give me everything I ask for.

When putting our lives in the hands of God, we must be ready to not understand everything that God does, why he does it, and how long he will do it for. Some things only have one answer; to trust God even if it doesn't make sense. It may seem like a shallow and cliché response, but it's actually quite the opposite.

Trusting God among our brokenness is a beautifully painful but spiritually deepening experience. Every time we put our trust in God, another scoop of our fleshly dirt is removed from our spiritual sandbox.

Trust God among your brokenness, but realize it's OK to be mad at him, frustrated and even downright confused. God doesn't expect us to understand everything he does, but he does expect us to trust him among the process.

Don't be afraid to question what's happening. Don't be afraid to wave your fist a little.

God can handle it. Let it all out, and get honest with God about what you're really feeling.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband, pastor and author relentlessly sharing the love of Jesus. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 



Praise & Prayer, November 2015

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EMS of ECWA
EMS OF ECWA
PRAISE & PRAYER, NOVEMBER 2015
Prayer/Counseling hotline: 08033673654, 08051614880
E-mail: prayerpromotion@emsofecwa.org
Website: www.emsofecwa.org
Brethren, pray for us (1 Thess. 5:25)
 
WEEK ONE-FOCUS ON PRAISE/THANKSGIVING
“Give unto the Lord the Glory due unto His Name; worship the lord in the beauty of his holiness” (Ps.29:2)
 

SUNDAY 1ST Worship God for His Divine Favor, Grace, Safety, Protection, and provisions these past t en Months. Give Him glory for His good plans For His Children in the month of November.

NOTE: FIRST (1ST) MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS TO BE OBSERVED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS EMS PRAYER AND FASTING DAY. ALL EMS ARMS, MISSIONARIES, OFFICE STAFF, PRAYER PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS SHOULD PLEASE ENDEAVOR TO JOIN THE EMS INTERNATIONAL HEAD OFFICE IN PRAYERS AS WE TRUST GOD TO BE JOINING FAITH IN ONE ACCORD WITH BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD IN PRAYERS FOR A STEADY AND A FRUITFUL GROWTH OF EMS, PEACE AND THE SALVATION OF NATIONS, AND FOR REVIVAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. OUR COOPERATE PRAYER TIME AT THE HEAD OFFICE, IS 8-9AM, 12-1PM, AND 4-5PM RESPECTIVELY. YOU CAN JOIN US IN PRAYERS WHEREVER YOU MAY BE AT THOSE TIMES OR MAKE OUT TIME OF YOUR OWN CONVINIENCE PLEASE AS YOU ARE LED TO BY GOD. JUST BE SURE TO PRAY ALONG AS YOU FAST AS THE LORD ENABLES.

MONDAY 2ND Worship the Lord for Journey mercy granted to the EMS Director, Rev. Simon Yako, Rev. Joshua Yakubu and their wives to the U.S. for conferences. Also, appreciate Him for the success of other journeys embarked upon at one point and another during the past month by EMS office staff and field missionaries. Pray that the Lord shall strengthen and bless our overseas partnerships for the advancement of His Kingdom.

TEUSDAY 3RD Give thanks to the Lord for the success of Programs held in the month of October by EMS missionaries in various mission Fields across the country and abroad. Worship Him for the bountiful Harvest of Souls recorded through these Programs.

WEDNESDAY 4TH Praise God for the healing of these missionaries and their families: Ali Fali Tula, Balakaku Salisu at Akure, and Bala Wambai at Buzijung.

THURSDAY 5TH Tt Thank God for North East and South Northeast Conference that is holding today 5th, through Sunday the 7th. Pray for safety for all participants and for spiritual transformation of lives in this Boko Haram infested region. FRIDAY 6TH Thank God for the gift of a Pathfinder Jeep to EMS, pray that Lord will replenish the donor and grant them increasing favor on every side.

SATURDAY 7th Thank God for the ministry Lifetime of our missionaries, Rev. Gagare Diga (Kaduna South DCC), Rev. Alassan M. and Rev. Angul Agashe (Kasuwan Magani DCC).Pray that the Lord will refresh them and increase upon them grace to serve Him better even as they retire by December this year. Pray that the Lord will continue to meet their spiritual, physical, financial and material needs in retirement.

WEEK TWO-FOCUS ON EMS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND HOME MISSION FILDS
“…Put ye the sickle, because the harvest is come” Mark 4:29

SUNDAY 8TH Pray that God should renew the strength of the EMS Director, Rev. Simon Yako as he enjoys his annual leave.

MONDAY 9TH Pray for the unleashing of leadership capacity for EMS staff in the office and in the fields.

TUESDAY 10TH Ask the Lord to touch all EMS field missionaries and their family members suffering from one ailment or the other with His mighty healing hand. Pray for God’s touch on the son of Pastor. Iliya D. Bawa, of Akwanga DCC, who has not been able to walk for the past 15 years. Also pray for Pastor Irimiya Habu and Pastor Anthony Unenge all of Makurdi DCC who are currently faced with spiritual attacks of various types.

WEDNESDAY 11TH Pray that the Lord should raise indigenous EMS missionaries in Benue state. Also, pray for ECWA churches, most especially EMS stations in the Idoma / Igede axes, for Gods sustaining grace and provision for Church’s lands and buildings.

THURSDAY 12TH Thank God for his sustaining grace on all EMS Mission Fields’ Schools and EMS children schools. Pray for Gods provision towards the starting of Senior Secondary Session (SSS1-SSS3) of the EMS Children School in Jos Plateau state.

FRIDAY 13TH Pray for the about 49 EMS missionary couples who are currently on ministry training abroad and at Home for Gods provision towards meeting their financial needs.
SATURDAY 14th: Thank God, for the Muslim convert that was led to Christ by our Pastor Bilkitama Mumuni, serving in the South-North East Region. Pray that God should uphold the convert in righteousness.

WEEK THREE-FOCUS ON CROSS BOURDER MISSION FIELDS
“… Go into all the world and Preach the Godnews…” Mark. 16:15

SUNDAY 15TH: An ECWA family from ECWA Good news Maitama in Abuja and strong supporters of EMS, in person of Brig. Gen. & Mrs. Nuhu Angbazo have relocated from Nigeria to Mali. Let us pray for them, for God’s protection and favour and for God to use them for His glory.

MONDAY 16TH Pray that God will help us secure the land that was purchased for ECWA Ghana, which has become a matter of dispute between two families. Also, Pray for God to restore peace to Burkina Faso and Burundi, which presently have political crises.

TUESDAY 17TH ZAMBIA – Thank God for the glorious take off of ECWA Gospel church Kitwe Zambia. Keep praying for Gods sustaining grace on this young church. Also, Pray for the spiritual growth and stability of the about 35 Taxi drivers Pastor and Mrs. Kuzsuwat are currently reaching out to. Also, pray that God should sustain this new area of ministry discovered by the Pastor and his dear wife in the city of Zambia.

WEDNESDAY 18TH Not less than N300, 464,000 (Three hundred million, four hundred and sixty four thousand naira only) is urgently needed for critical Cross Borders projects right now. Let us pray that the Lord by his generosity will open doors of resources for this need to be met.

THURSDAY 19TH Pray NIGER REPUBLIC – Thank God for successful transit of Rev and Mrs. Tanimu Umaru From their mission field in Cameroun to a new station in Maradi, Niger Republic. Pray that the Lord should endow them with more grace for a fruitful ministry in Niger and favor them in the land.

FRIDAY 20TH BURKINA FASO – Pray for Gods increasing anointing and divine protection for Pastor Dauda Iliya, an EMS missionary at Burkina Faso with his family, as he is increasingly spiritually tasked with cases of deliverance of people in demonic bondage.

SATURDAY 21ST :BENIN REPUBLIC – Pray for Gods provision for the expanding Mission work in Republic of Benin both in the cities and rural areas.

WEEK FOUR-FOCUSES ON CHURCH GROWTH AND REVIVAL
“…to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite one”.Isa.57:15

SUNDAY 22ND Pray for the Lord to sustain upon the church the burden for holy living and witnessing.

MONDAY 23RD Ask the Lord to continuously burden ECWA Executives and ministers to sustain a consistent revival among ECWA members towards living lives worthy of emulation at all times and in all places.

TEUSDAY 24TH Pray for ECWA families that are faced with financial, health, and peace crises that God will visit them and restored peace and stability in their homes in a way that best glorifies Him.

WEDNESDAY 25TH Pray that God should reverse the current trend of selfish, self-centered and man centered doctrines that has become the bane of churches today in Nigeria and the world over. Pray that Ministers of the gospel in ECWA and outside ECWA shall preach a Christ centered gospel for salvation of souls and transformation of lives.

THURSDAY 26TH Pray for road, air, and sea transport safety for Nigerians in the month of November, especially for all Mission partners, Mission agencies, Missionaries, Pastors, and Evangelists traveling. This is a period of heightened activities because of preparation for the Christmas celebration. Pray that God will overrule in all these activities for His glory.

FRIDAY 27TH As ECWA Theological Seminaries graduate students this year end. Pray that we will have successive generation of passionate and intentional laborers, men and women who are passionate for souls winning. Pray that many of them will answer the call for Missions and join EMS as our Training and Recruitment Coordinator goes round to promote Mission work and interview interested candidates.

SATURDAY 28TH Pray against all satanic activities and effort to distract people from paying attention to the gospel these last two months of 2015.

WEEK FIVE-FOCUS ON THE PEACE AND SALVATION OF THE NATIONS
“I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beast from the land, and the sward will not pass through your country” Lev.26:6.

SUNDAY 29TH In line with God’s promise in the above Bible passage, Pray for Global peace and security throughout these last two months of 2015. Also ask the Lord to continuously comfort grieving families who lost friends and relatives in war, violence and religious crises in these past ten months across the country in Nigeria and also the world over.

MONDAY 30TH Pray that every Nigerian, especially Christians, should imbibe a true spirit of patriotism, by embracing the positive values our Christian faith, especially love, compassion, justice and peace.

TEUSDAY 31TH Pray for the new appointed 36 ministers in Nigeria; that God will enable them to be true agents of positive change. Pray that they get rid of selfish interest and serve sacrificially to the glory of God.

FIRST (1ST) MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS TO BE OBSERVED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS EMS PRAYER AND FASTING DAY. ALL EMS ARMS, MISSIONARIES, AS YOU FAST.

 



Is Prayer a Spiritual Obligation or Your Life?

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Is Prayer a Spiritual Obligation or Your Life

A congregation praying during a Christian conference.

by Jennifer Kennedy Dean,  author, speaker, conference leader and executive director of the Praying Life Foundation. You can visit her online at prayinglife.org.

I grew up in a praying family. From earliest childhood, I was encouraged to commit everything to God through prayer. Nothing was either too important or too insignificant to leave in God's hands.

My parents did not teach me about prayer with their words, but with their lives. They had more than "a prayer time"—a section of their days set aside for praying. Instead, prayer permeated and controlled every aspect of their lives.

Prayer, I later came to realize, can be an activity or it can be a life. You can think of it in terms of "my prayer life," as you would say "my home life," or "my work life"—as if prayer were one compartment among many. But I knew that prayer as a task or an activity would not meet the deep yearning I had to know God.

It was not a prayer life I wanted, but a praying life—a life of ongoing and continual interaction with God. Andrew Murray has said, "Answered prayer is the interchange of love between the Father and His child." I want an uninterrupted flow of love between the Father and me. Isn't that what you want? Isn't your heart crying out for that?

You see, there is an undercurrent of prayer always active in a believer's life. The Spirit of Christ is within you crying out, "Abba, Father" (Gal. 4: 6). To put it in today's language, He is calling out, "Daddy! Daddy!" The Spirit is always praying the Father's will, and the Spirit is housed in you (Rom. 8: 9, 11, 15, 26-27; 1 Cor. 6: 19).

At some level, in every believer, prayer is always happening. The praying life is Christ. It is the life of Jesus Christ operating in you.

The key to learning to live a praying life is this: Learn how, more and more often, to tap into the undercurrent of prayer, the active presence of Jesus in you. Join your voice with His in harmonious prayer. When I became a young adult, I realized that a praying life was not built on information communicated from one person to another, but on a life-absorbing relationship with God.

I sensed the difference between a prayer life and a praying life, and I knew which one I craved. I knew that there was only one who could teach me to pray—who could be my prayer teacher. To Him I brought my inadequacy and my hungry heart.

"Lord," I cried, "I know how to say prayers, but I don't know how to pray. Teach me to pray!" In response to my heart's cry to teach me deep truths about prayer, God began to open His Word to me in new ways.

Familiar passages took on fresh meaning. Dull, dry passages pulsed with new life. I felt myself being "taught by the Lord" (Is. 54: 13).

To this day, some 40 years since I embarked on this soul-quest, it is still new. Each time I discover a concept, He brings me opportunities to put it to the test. The words of the Scriptures shape my life and define my experiences. Slowly but surely, He is building my life into a praying life.

As I submitted myself to God for instruction in prayer, He seemed to ask me, "Jennifer, why do you want to learn to pray?" I knew all the "right" answers, but they had a hollow, false ring to them.

My experience must have been similar to Peter's. How surprised he was when Jesus did not accept his glib answer to the question, "Peter, do you love Me?" Each time Jesus asked, Peter must have been forced to look deeper inside his heart for the true answer. That is always God's starting place—your truth. No matter how ugly your truth is, He can work from it. What He can't work from is pretense.

As He had with Peter, God peeled back the layers of my practiced, memorized answers that I got from other people until my truth emerged. And my truth was not pretty. "Father, I want to know how to pray so that I will know how to get You to do what I want You to do when I want You to do it. I hope to learn how to make the best possible use of prayer for my benefit."

Once I reached that point of honesty, I knew my course was set. God could work with me now because He could begin with my weakness. At the point of my weakness, His strength would be put on display.

My prayer teacher could begin by teaching me a new purpose for prayer. This book tells of my journey so far. But the journey never ends. Every single day I learn something new about prayer, or I learn something in a deeper way. It is my hope that when others read what I have learned and the inner changes that have occurred, they will be inspired to sit at the Master's feet.