| How to Mobilize a Congregation to Intercede | |
| by Dee Duke | |
| One lovely summer day, our entire church family went to the coast for a picnic. We brought a ton of food and games to play. After we had all eaten to our hearts' content, a game of touch football began, as well as horseshoes and various table games. The kids, of course, wanted to play in the little protected bay near where we had gathered. I was appointed . . . | |
| —Issue #2 September/October 1997 | |
| Much Prayer—Much Blessing | |
| by Dee Duke | |
| Jefferson Baptist Church began as a church plant in 1973 in Jefferson, Oregon, a small farming community in the Willamette Valley. My wife and I were among the founding members during the time when I was a student at Western Baptist College in Salem. I graduated in 1975 and went back to our family dairy in Washington State. Farming was the love of my . . . | |
| —Issue #43 July/August 2004 | |
Pastor Jake is calling the congregation at Arcade Church to take time this week to Fast and Prayer, along with himself and the Elder Board. We are seeking God's to know His direction for the congregation at Arcade in the coming weeks and months ahead. Thank you for joining us in this special time all this week - February 15 - 22, ... possibly longer. ¶ 9:35 AM 0 Comments
The Secret of Facing Every Situation ~ Dr. John Hunter
One of the greatest texts of the Christian faith is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NKJV). This was Paul’s cry of defiance to a world that closed in on him from every side. The epistle to the Philippians is a most blessed letter which has brought strong encouragement to God’s people everywhere. It demonstrates Paul’s capacity to live above his circumstances through a strength that was not his own.
It should be a challenging thought to us today to consider what sort of letters we would write if we were in prison, with no real charge against us, but with no real hope of regaining our freedom. We would have every ground for complaint, every reason to grumble and moan about how we were suffering for the Lord’s sake. How strange and refreshing it is to read these words of Paul in Philippians and see the way he rode above the complaints. Far from being a tragic picture of injured spiritual innocence, he emerges as a joyous victor. Instead of making his letter a rousing call for special prayer support in his tragic imprisonment, he uses the letter to build up and encourage the faith of those to whom he was writing. Paul had a secret which was in full operation, a secret which turned seeming tragedy into glorious triumph. READ MORE
¶ 9:33 AM 0 Comments
Keys to Effective Prayer And smart? I've never seen a dog as smart as our Schotze. We taught her to roll over, sit up, go outside, and even speak. Really! Bryan, our second son, was convinced that he'd taught her to say his name, "Bryan," in a puppy voice. And you know what? It really did sound like she was saying his name! Okay, it sorta sounded like his name.
Eddie cut a hole in the brick wall and created a doggie door for Schotze, so any time night or day she could go out of the house to chase the squirrels in the yard, or stay inside the house in the den to sit near the fireplace. She had instant access. Anytime I would return home and enter the back door, our little Schotze would dance and twirl around and around in sheer delight. She loved us and longed to be in our presence. Well, you may think this is a strange analogy, but my intimate relationship with Jesus brings this kind of joy to me too. Experiencing his presence in prayer transcends any words available in the English language.
Some Christians seem to experience a much closer intimacy with God than others. Some appear to enjoy a reverent familiarity with the Lord that is foreign to others. Is it a matter of favoritism on God's part? No. The Lord doesn't have favorites, but he does have intimates. And Jesus invites you to be one of them. What are the benefits of this close fellowship with Jesus Christ?
My intimate experiences with the Lord have grown and changed through the years. So will yours. Jesus can't reveal everything to us at once; we grow closer to him over time. One of the joys of knowing Christ is the depth of communion we can experience. To be invited to constantly commune with Christ is such a privilege.
Communion reminds us of the Lord's Supper. It sounds rather formal and somber. Of course you can, as some do, experience a personal "Lord’s Supper." But I'm referring not to the ordinance, per se. There is so much more beyond that. I'm referring to the intimate fellowship we can have with Christ. Let me share with you, from my heart, several insights I have gleaned.
2. Don't feel worthy? Don't take yourself so seriously. We all "blow it" at times. Loosen up.
3. Don't limit your communion relationship to prayer. Include devotional reading, Bible reading, praise and worship in your prayer times. Sing to him, brag on him; enjoy him.
4. You can't lead another to a level deeper of intimacy that you've not experienced. Develop your intimate relationship with Christ first before trying to lead others.
5. Do as I do, involve the Lord in your every day conversation. Assume his constant presence with you. Ask him to minister to people around you. Tell the Lord how much you appreciate revelation and counsel regarding the day to day situations in which you find yourself. Hey, you can ask Jesus to help you find a parking spot too!
My friend, pastor and author, Dutch Sheets explains communion this way. "Second Corinthians 13:14 says, 'The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship a/the Holy Spirit, be with you all.' The word fellowship here is koinonia and is rich with meaning, as can be seen in the following definitions: The word koinonia implies that the Holy Spirit wants intimacy with us. This very word is used in 1 Corinthians 10: 16 to describe the Lord's Table, the bread and the wine. This is appropriate since it is the Lord's shed blood and broken body that brings us into covenantal, intimate communion with Him."
"The Holy Spirit wants to commune with us. He has much to say if we learn to listen. He is the means to all revelation from God. He is the Teacher. He is a part of the Godhead we're to be in relationship with. Let him fellowship and commune with you. At times his fellowship with you requires no speaking. Some communion is heart to heart. At times I crawl up to God for a look. Just knowing he is looking back is enough. At other times he shares his heart while I'm gazing.
"There is an amazing picture of this sort of intimacy reflected in the following scriptures: The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant (Ps. 25:14, italics mine)."
"The words "secret" and "intimacy" are translated from the same root Hebrew word cowd, which means "couch, cushion, or pillow." Dutch Sheets, Watchman Prayer." (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2000), p. 153-154.
- You can make an online donation by clicking here: www.EddieAndAlice.com
- You can donate by phone: 800-569-4825; Overseas: 713-466-4009
- You can mail checks or money orders to: Eddie and Alice Smith Ministries, 7710-T Cherry Park Dr, Ste 224, Houston, TX 77095. USA
www.TeachMeToPray.com
It seems prayer still upsets some people. Please
read....
When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard;
"Heavenly Father,
We come before you today To ask your forgiveness and To seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good".
But that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium And reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and call it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and call it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and call it choice.
We have shot abortionists and call it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline Our Children and call it
Building self esteem. We have abused power and call it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's Possessions and called it ambition.
Pornography and called it Freedom of speech and expression.
We have ridiculed the time Honored values of our
Forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, And know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked Out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 Of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India , Africa and Korea Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio Program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our Nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under GOD”. ¶ 5:57 PM 0 Comments
