The taxman cometh

Posted by Admin on Jan 22, 2014 in Finances | Comments Off on The taxman cometh

I’d like to interrupt the series on the book of James to bring a word concerning our friends at the IRS. As you know, tax day is approaching, and you will once again be reminded of the fact that a hefty chunk of your income, representing the work of your hands, is taken from your account every year so that our government and its programs can continue unimpeded. For a look at some of the “greatest” projects, here’s a link to Oklahoma Senator Tom Colburn’s “Wastebook 2011″ (link opens PDF file).

Jesus paid taxes. Even though He knew that He and His disciples were being illegally taxed, He told Peter, “However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me” (Matthew 17:27). Jesus came to the earth to save us from our sins, not from taxes. He understood His mission and refused to be distracted by lesser battles. However, throughout history He has appointed and anointed individuals to address the excesses and propecia sale lawlessness of their governments. Men and women confronting such issues in our time need our prayer coverage.

Fun with the IRS

In 2006, I received a notification that my 2003 tax return was under full audit. Along with the menacing letter was a dire warning to send either my check for an exorbitant amount immediately, or to send all of my tax documentation to the IRS for their inspection. They enclosed a business envelope in which to enclose my mountainous pile of documents. Yeah, right. I panicked. And then I prayed.

A friend from church worked at the IRS. I trusted her and gave her a call. I could tell by her normally upbeat voice that she was alarmed for me. “Get a face-to-face audit. That way you can walk in with your documents and keep your eyes on all of them. And when you sit down to go over everything, don’t offer any information. Just ask, ‘What would you like to see?’ and only show them that. Don’t offer anything they don’t ask for.”

After hours and hours on the phone with their recording (was it my imagination, or was I listening to a scratchy old Victrola?) and talking to this agent and that, I finally managed to secure a face-to-face. And it was scheduled to happen in four months. Miracle number one: Time. To organize; to pray.

It’s good to have a place where you put all the things you’ll need for your taxes, whether it’s a file, a box, or a drawer. It doesn’t matter if you do them yourself or you take them to someone else, you need to know where you’re putting your information.

My stuff wasn’t entirely organized, but it was in one place. Since I’m old-school and do my taxes myself, no one else was involved in the process. During my four-month preparation time, I got everything arranged and acheter lasix generique sans ordonnance labeled. And I prayed.

The day came for my face-to-face. I sensed my agent was a Christian. Miracle number two. The meeting lasted for at least a couple of hours as she scrutinized every bit of paperwork I gave her. Every line on my tax return was examined. Every scrap of documentation rode in her hands to the official IRS copy machine. Even though I figured she was a Christian, I kept my eye on every piece of evidence.

After some probing questions, she handed me a document which she signed, declaring me cleared by the IRS. I didn’t have to pay a dime. Miracle number three.

I nearly danced out the door and across the parking lot, waving the letter in the air like a hanky. I was free from government scrutiny. Or so I thought.

A couple of weeks later, I received a letter from my state declaring that they had received notice of my audit and they wanted me to pay over $700 to them immediately. What?!

I whipped off a letter to the state, informing them that they would be thrilled to learn that I had been cleared by the IRS, agent #XYZ, from any further investigation and that my taxes were found to be accurate and complete, without any need for additional payments. I included a copy of my victory letter from the IRS.

I received a second letter from the state a few weeks later. Yes, they had received my letter, and I owed them over $700. I could feel the steam pouring out of my collar and ears.

But in the mail that day was also a newsletter from my state representative. On the back of his letter was a form for constituents to fill out if they had any questions. Well, I had one big question. How do I get the Department of Revenue off of my back? I wrote my saga on that form and asked him to explain why the state would demand money from me when the IRS had cleared me. This would prove to be the beginning of miracle number four.

After that, a series of interesting things happened. I received a letter from my rep, a Democrat (I’m a fairly die-hard conservative Republican), telling me that he called the Department of Revenue to plead my case. He said they wouldn’t give him any information due to privacy issues (more like extortion issues, I thought), but he was trying to help me. What a great Democrat! 🙂 And then the very next day when I got home from work, I had two phone messages from the state capital—one from my favorite Democrat, letting me know again that he was going to bat for me, and the other from the Department of Revenue, declaring that they found my state tax return to be complete and accurate; I owed nothing. Miracle number five.

No matter what the tight place may be in which you find yourself, God will make a way. I pray that you stand steady and strong, trusting God to come through for you in every aspect of your life—even when it comes to the IRS and the Department of Revenue!

Dorothy

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

Fasting points

Posted by Admin on Jan 3, 2014 in Fasting | Comments Off on Fasting points

Around the world, believers are answering the call to fast. My church is also being called to a fast this month. I have a sense of anticipation concerning this; I believe that more and more Christians are hungering for God in an ever-increasing way, and they are growing in boldness and the desire to see righteousness exalted in their families, neighborhoods, cities, churches, nation, and in their personal lives.

When I consider what God built in the United States through faithful prayer and fasting on the part of humble American citizens (see yesterday’s blog), I believe that He is capable of doing it again. I believe He is willing to reach into lives and decisions and behaviors—on both the micro and the macro level—and bring about repentance and change. All He needs is a people humble enough and hungry enough to ask Him.

As you enter your fast, spend time reading Isaiah 58. This chapter is the classic “dos and don’ts” chapter about fasting, and it outlines the over-the-top blessings that spring forth from doing it in an honorable way. When you read it, make note of every promise associated with fasting. These promises belong to anyone who fasts with the right heart. These promises belong to you.

My pastor spoke to the church recently about fasting. I gleaned the following comments from what he said.

• Fasting is a determined effort on your part to put aside time to seek God. By fasting, you are going to God and saying, “God, You’re the sustenance of my life.” This is what you are saying whether you fast one meal, for one day, for three days, or more. This is what you are saying if you enter a Daniel fast, as well.

• When you fast, you are setting yourself aside to get deliberate and intentional about your spiritual walk. Fasting clears the air and enables you to position yourself to hear from God about specific things in your life, such as your career, your family, or your children. As you hear from God, then go after those things in prayer as you fast.

• Jesus discussed three spiritual disciplines in Matthew 6:2-18, giving, praying, and fasting. Of each He said when you give; when you pray; and when you fast. He did not use the word “if”—even with fasting. Giving and praying are fundamental aspects of Christian living; Jesus’ message makes it clear that fasting is also an important discipline.

• Trust God for breakthrough when you fast. Isaiah 58:6 asks, “Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?” Because the Word declares that yokes break when you enter a fast the way God prescribes, then you can expect that bondages in the lives of those for whom you pray will break when you fast. Isaiah also said, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27). The anointing of God breaks yokes of bondage; fasting breaks yokes of bondage. Therefore, a logical conclusion would be that fasting according to the direction of God will bring God’s anointing.

• Fasting is spiritually powerful. The Word does not say if you fast; it clearly states when you fast. That said, fasting is not to be entered into as a legalistic ritual; your motives for fasting are a key to the outcome of your fasting. Make sure you enter your fast for the right reasons, with a good heart, and not to draw attention to yourself. God will help you with your motives as you seek Him.

• Nehemiah fasted when he heard of the distress and decay in Jerusalem. Daniel is known for the approach he took to fasting—eating vegetables and drinking water (see Daniel 1:12 and 10:3), and the apostle Paul fasted often. Following Paul’s unusual conversion experience, he fasted for three days (see Acts 9:9). While he and other leaders fasted in Acts 13, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (verse 2), launching the men into groundbreaking missionary work. Paul also fasted, along with Barnabas, when they appointed elders in the churches they started, praying over these men and commending them to the Lord (see Acts 14:23).

• Jesus also fasted. After He was baptized by John in the Jordan River, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2). This forty-day fast ended with Jesus successfully resisting every temptation thrown at Him by the devil (see Matthew 4:3-11 and Luke 4:3-13), and launched Him into the world-changing ministry that would culminate with His sacrificial death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection. After the Lord’s fast, Luke’s account declares that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district” (Luke 4:14).  Jesus’ fast accompanied four key breakthroughs: 1.) The successful resistance of powerful temptations posed by the devil himself; 2.) The launch of His ministry; 3.) When He returned to Galilee, it was in the power of the Spirit; 4.) News of Him spread far and wide—without a man-directed PR machine.

In summary:

• Fasting is a New Testament practice still valid today.
• Fasting is a way to set time aside to seek God.
• Fasting breaks yokes and bondages off of the people and situations for which you pray.
• You are to take care to fast with the right motives.
• Men and women in both the Old and New Testament fasted.
• Emptying your table through fasting sets your table for receiving direction from God and the power to follow through.

I’d like to thank my pastor for the outline I borrowed from notes taken during his message. May God bless all of you as you set aside time to seek Him this month.

Dorothy

Fasting for the new year

Posted by Admin on Jan 2, 2014 in Fasting | Comments Off on Fasting for the new year

My pastor is calling the congregation to a fast in January as is his practice. He’s not alone in this; at this time of year many churches and individual believers around the world put aside some time to seek God with a more targeted focus for the year to come. Fasting is one of the techniques which God has prescribed to bring that focus. Tomorrow I plan to set out some of the points that he shared on the topic.

Fasting has played a significant role in establishing this nation and in bringing forth guidance in dark times in our history. Before the United States became a nation, the Continental Congress declared a fast to be held on March 16, 1776.[1] President John Adams declared a fast for April 25, 1799,[2] and President Abraham Lincoln called for prayer and fasting three different times: on the last Thursday of September, 1861; on April 30, 1863; and then on the first Thursday of August, 1864 [3] (see footnotes, end of blog).

The Lord pointed His disciples to the discipline of prayer and fasting when they were unable to cast a demon out of a deaf mute boy stricken with seizures (see Mark 9 and Matthew 17). Later, when Jesus instructed the disciples concerning their inability to drive out the demon, He concluded with these words, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

Prayer is powerful; prayer with fasting underscores one’s seriousness before God. When I first became concerned about the United States, I prayed frequently for the nation. And as I learned more about issues and problems in the nation I felt troubled about what seemed to be a lack of concern for the nation’s downward spiral. I took this alarm to God.

“Lord! Don’t You think it’s time someone called a fast for the nation? Who’s doing this?” (I have learned since that many groups and individuals have been praying and fasting for America.) I persisted, “Lord, who’s fasting?!”

His response? “No one’s stopping you from doing it.”

And so I began fasting with a determined focus in the month of January. Not having had a strong track record with fasting, I dove into a ten day fast in 2010. It was spiritually amazing. The voice of God was clear, and the year that followed was the best year I had experienced in my life up to that time. However, I drank fruit juice throughout the entire ten days, and my esophagus knew it. It was burning up.

In 2011, I wanted to fast again in January. The Lord led me to a different approach for my body’s health. I fasted twenty-one days, but in sets of threes—two days liquid fast (only one fruit juice per day; the rest was water) and one day Daniel fast (see Daniel 1:12 and 10:2-3). I followed this sequence for the duration. Again, the year that followed was wonderful, and I had no physical issues. One benefit for me personally with this way of fasting involved my dislike for most vegetables. After going without food for a couple of days, I looked forward to those veggies!

I continued with this in 2012 and 2013. Now I wish that earlier in my Christian life I had taken the practice of fasting more seriously. I can sense God’s presence and help throughout the rest of the year in a far greater way after fasting in January.

One resource that helped me get over my reluctance to fast was a book by Jentezen Franklin, simply entitled Fasting (© 2008). I read it before I started the first big fast in 2010, and by the time I finished reading it, I couldn’t wait to start! Trust me, that in itself is a miracle. A second resource that I have referred to every January is Pastor Franklin’s website which carries a devotional blog. His entire church fasts together, many of them for the full twenty-one days, some forgoing all food while others participate in a Daniel fast. I enjoy the daily devotions geared toward fasting, but I think what excites me the most is reading the comments of believers from around the world, all talking about their fasting. Reading it connects me with the larger body, all of us fasting together. His site is http://www.jentezenfranklin.org

I would like to challenge you to prayerfully consider spending some time this month before God with not only prayer, but also fasting. Whether it’s a meal, a day-long fast, a three-day fast, a Daniel fast, a media fast, a sugar fast—ask God if He might be leading you into some quality time with Him by fasting here at the beginning of the year. I’ll bet you could think of a thing or two both in your life and the nation that could use some prayer!

And as you ask the Lord to show you how He wants you to participate, He’ll direct you.

Dorothy

The New Year

Posted by Admin on Jan 1, 2014 in The new year | Comments Off on The New Year

A newborn infant, newly fallen snow, a new day, a new creation, a new year: all speak of purity and freshness and endless possibilities.

And here we are, on the first day of the New Year. Many are making resolutions; some may even keep them! Others are looking ahead with cautious hope—maybe this year will be different; maybe this year I’ll find what I’ve been searching for; maybe…

The Lord understands times and seasons and change and newness. He speaks of newness often in His Word, and He also speaks of change. Of His children, He declares “… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). To His people Israel, He declared, “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Jeremiah prophesied, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

If you’re anything like me, you crave hearing from the Lord. And if you’re anything like me, you long to grow and change and make a difference in the lives around you. You and I feel this way because of God’s presence in our lives. And He says to us what He said through Jeremiah so many centuries ago, “Call to Me…” The way to hear from God is to call out to Him.

He said that if you will call out, He will answer you. God is a God of His Word. You call and He answers. I can think of no better way to start the year.

Not only did God say He would answer you when you call, but He also declared that He would tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

These great and mighty things are unknown to you, but He will make them known. That means that these things will be new to you.

Are you and I prepared for the new which God has prepared for us? Are we really?

New means that the old is gone. New means that you let go of what was to step into what God has prepared. Now, don’t get me wrong—I believe in being a student of the past and learning from its wisdom. I believe in overcoming the devil with the word of my testimony. I believe in peering at memorial stones and receiving encouragement from their mighty witness. When Isaiah spoke of not bringing to mind or even pondering the things of the past, he did not intend for God’s people to forsake their rich history; no, he was instructing them to expect God to do a fresh thing, a miraculous thing now, in their time—just like He did a fresh and miraculous thing in the past. In other words, sometimes God’s people can get so tied to past ways of doing things that they are too rigid to receive what He wants to do now—it’s either the way we did it before or it’s no way. And here’s God, ready to move, but He is blocked by human insistence as to how it should be done.

However, there are other things hiding in the past that were never from God. These old things, if allowed, have a way of slithering their way into the present, bringing with them the poison of the past. Perhaps God is seeking to bring you into a new thing, but you insist on nurturing past wounds, hurts, or misperceptions. Quite frankly, only you can prevent God from doing a new thing in your life. If you’re on board with Him—if you let go of the past—then no one can stop God from moving in your life.

Listen to what Paul said. “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). He was speaking of all the honors and prestige he had acquired in his life—those things he cast aside without a qualm to follow Christ. By the same token, others cling tenaciously to the opposite—a “victim” mentality—considering it gain. Perhaps you, yourself, have felt justified in holding on to bitterness or resentment. Perhaps, in your mind, “they” deserve your disdain. Even if clinging to those things has “comforted” you by making you feel validated in your pain, it’s time to count old wounds as loss for the sake of Christ.

Whether it’s prestige or poison, Paul said to “count them but rubbish” so that you “may gain Christ” (see Philippians 3:8). Here is the goal: that you may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of [your] own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (verse 9).

My guess is that the new thing that God wants to accomplish in your life and mine has something to do with this: “that [we] may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that [we] may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (verse 10). We can’t proceed in any of this, however, if we insist upon clinging to either end of the spectrum—past honors or past hurts.

So what do you do? Paul said it this way: “...one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (verses 13b-14).

Indeed, there’s a time to look back and a time to stop looking back. Anything that hinders you from reaching forward to what lies ahead of you in Christ is something you must lay aside; and anything that overshadows the goal for the prize in your life of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus is something that you must forget.

Let nothing stop you from calling out to God; let nothing muffle the sweet sound of His response. Let nothing hinder that new thing which He has prepared for you; let neither prestige nor poison block you from the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

May God’s grace empower you to press on in Christ for all you’re worth this year. Happy New Year!

Dorothy

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

First of all, give thanks Part 3

Posted by Admin on Nov 27, 2013 in Prayer Perspective, Thanksgiving, Timely Excerpts | 14 comments

This week I have been posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

A Warning Concerning Thanklessness

“It is absolutely essential that you maintain an attitude of thankfulness. Romans 1:21-23 delivers a clear warn­ing: ‘For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incor­ruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling crea­tures’ (emphasis added).

“What is the outcome if you believe in God yet neglect to give thanks to Him? You gravitate toward anything except Him! You become futile in your speculations and your heart becomes darkened. Without realizing it, you start worshiping material things and slide into folly. The Word says you become good for nothing, self-serving, and ignorant of your own dangerous stupidity. On the other hand, when you cultivate a thankful heart, you protect yourself from falling into the foolishness of self-absorption and delusion. Indeed, gratefulness sur­rounds you with a deception-resistant shield.

“The challenge in 1 Timothy 2:1 is to offer thanksgiv­ing to God even when you are praying for someone with whom you have fundamental disagreement. If you in­corporate thanksgiving into all of your prayers, then the grace of God will meet and overtake you in your endeav­ors. Thanksgiving: don’t let yourself pray without it!” (Excerpt taken from pages 23-24; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)

This Thanksgiving and throughout the Christmas season, I challenge you to be aware of the flow of your heart, your mind, and your mouth. Despite the circumstances, the stress, the conflict, the disappointment, or any general sense of heaviness or oppression you may be encountering, make it your cause to give thanks to God. Give thanks for all that is good in your life—make it your daily holiday habit—and give thanks in spite of all the “stuff” that may be piling up and weighing you down. Give thanks for the good; give thanks despite the bad.

As a former eighth grade teacher who taught the scientific method to her science-fair weary students, I learned the value of testing hypotheses against variables. Here is your two-fold assignment from now until the New Year:

1. Perform a scientific experiment. Enforce the flow of your mind and your mouth. When pressure or bad news arises, bring your mind and your mouth back to the good report, i.e., what does the Bible say? Where is the miracle in this madness? God will provide it, and I will give Him thanks before I see it, now, even though I don’t feel like it. Remember, you won’t be able to control the circumstances that come your way, but you can control the thermostat of your mind and heart with gratefulness—and you can curb what you say. Stick with it throughout the holidays, and then, on New Year’s Eve or Day, look at the outcome. You will find that the scientific method and the Bible go hand in hand.
2. Give thanks consistently to the Lord as your birthday present to Jesus. Not only will you be performing a scientific investigation of meritorious value, but you will also be delighting the heart of your Savior. Honor Him with your thoughts and words this holiday season; make it your ambition and aim daily to please Him with your hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute inner and outward conversation, and find out just how much you will thrill His heart as you minister to Him in this way!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

Happy Turkey Day, and may your thanksgiving to the Lord be glorious! See you on Monday, December 2, when I return by the grace of God to the First of All, Pray blog.

Dorothy

First of all, give thanks Part 2

Posted by Admin on Nov 26, 2013 in Prayer Perspective, Thanksgiving, Timely Excerpts | Comments Off on First of all, give thanks Part 2

This week I am posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

The Direction You Gaze Determines Your Destination

“A second truth in this verse empowers you to pray about the chaos around you without being weighed down by the sheer awfulness of the situation. You see, as a human, your natural tendency is to gravitate to­ward the object you are observing. I learned this from my drivers’ ed teacher when I was fifteen. He warned the four of us crammed into the well-dented ‘beginner drivers’ car that if we watched cows and horses grazing in the field, that’s where we would end up—in the pas­ture and not on the highway! That’s why God included thanksgiving in His list of prayer methods—so that you gravitate toward Him and not the problem!

“Have you ever been frightened about situations in your life and asked God for help? If you prayed without thanking or praising Him, you probably continued to feel very afraid, trying to battle anxiety on your own be­cause your eyes remained glued to the problem. Giving thanks to God pulls your attention off of the enormity of the problem and onto the greatness of God. As you gaze at God, giving Him thanks for His willingness to do wonderful things for you, the anxiety you feel drains away. If you find it creeping back in, you just ramp up your thanksgiving to God again! Thanksgiving is a powerful antidote for the anxiety you feel.

“Do you try to ignore fearful situations in your life in an attempt to resist fear? Do you think about Job when he said, ‘For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me’ (Job 3:25) and try to avoid Job’s out­come by pretending there is no problem? Is denial your strategy for dealing with fear? Is that the way you walk by faith?

“Think of the boy David, one of the greatest wor­shipers in the Bible, watching sheep out in the pas­ture. When he spied the lion and the bear stalking his sheep, did he conquer his fear by ignoring the situa­tion? Of course not! He rose up, likely with a mixture of adrenaline, fear, and a strong protective instinct and killed the carnivores! His faith empowered him to con­front those hungry varmints despite the very real dan­ger! He didn’t seek to protect his faith by looking away from the predators or by denying their existence. Dead sheep would have been the outcome of that kind of faith walk. Even worse, without the experience of sub­duing the vicious beasts, David may never have been equipped to take down Goliath!

“Ignoring evil, by definition, is ignorance! Thanking God, however, in the face of evil acknowledges His greatness despite the growing darkness. This power­fully applies to facing the destructive forces at work in our nation. Faith confronts the frightening events with the Word of God. Ignoring such forces in our country in an attempt to stay in faith actually prevents you from becoming a part of God’s solution to change the course of events. The sense of fear is not always the spirit of fear spoken of by Paul (see 2 Timothy 1:7); at times Holy Spirit-initiated warnings are alarming—even frighten­ing—yet they are sent by God to reveal that danger is looming. In response you pray and dig into the Word to prepare for battle—and victory.

“When fear does rise up—and it will—ask God how to deal with it and the fearful situation instead of hiding under the covers, hoping the boogeyman will go away! Declare like David, ‘When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You’ (Psalm 56:3). Then in prayer con­front the giants both in your life and our nation, giving thanks to God for His Goliath-defeating power!” (Excerpt taken from pages 20-23; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
² When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
³ Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.

⁴ One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
⁶ And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Psalm 27:1-6

Thank You, Lord, for the wonder of Your abiding and protective presence in our lives!

Dorothy

First of all, give thanks Part 1

Posted by Admin on Nov 25, 2013 in Prayer Perspective, Thanksgiving, Timely Excerpts | Comments Off on First of all, give thanks Part 1

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

This week I will be posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God place prayer for others as a top priority in their lives. The giving of thanks is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

Thanksgivings

“You may not think of thanksgiving in and of itself as a type of prayer, but it is. In fact, if you look at all the scriptures using this word, you can clearly see that thanksgiving is to be involved in everything you do. And because the plural for thanksgiving is used in 1 Timothy 2:1, you are to present unlimited thanksgiv­ings to God.

“Philippians 4:6 states, ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiv­ing let your requests be made known to God’ (emphasis added). As you pray and supplicate about the stressful situations in your life, the Bible commands you to thank God as you pray. This addresses two very important truths about living life. The first truth has to do with life’s anxieties—no one is guaranteed a charmed, easy-going life! Your life will have its share of stress and conflict. If this were not the case, you wouldn’t find so many verses in the Bible about praying when difficult times arise. If you look at the condition of our nation and your stomach starts to churn with worry, the only healthy recourse is to pray. Pretending that nothing is wrong in order to protect yourself from anxiety will not bring the power of God on the scene. God made prayer available to you dur­ing your time here on earth in great part because of the prevalence of anxiety-causing conditions.” (Excerpt taken from pages 19-20; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)

In American history, the first Thanksgiving followed a time of extreme hardships for those who celebrated it. The Pilgrims left their homeland in England, and then Holland, primarily to escape religious persecution. Of the 120 passengers who set sail in 1620, only 53 were still alive for the first Thanksgiving, November, 1621.

You would think that the exposure to the elements, disease, and death which stalked the group, wiping out half of their number, would shroud the rest of them with hopelessness and despair, but despite the harsh trials, these believers chose to thank God instead. They knew how to lift up their eyes from the daunting circumstances surrounding them to fix their gaze and adoration on the Lord and Savior who had never left them without comfort. Such was the caliber of the men and women who left their homes to secure for themselves a new homeland where they could be free to worship God as they saw fit. These dear souls, by their heartfelt love of God and perseverance, blazed a trail that the rest of us privileged to live here could follow.

You, also, may be facing extreme difficulty in your life. Our nation, itself, is suffering under escalating levels of discord, disillusionment, and despair. Despite all that is going on around you, though, the witness of that little band of Pilgrims and their native guests has stood firm throughout the centuries ever since. Here is their message to you, alive in 2013:

Give thanks to the Lord. Give thanks, and do not cease to give thanks. Do not ask your circumstances, your body, your bank account, or the daily news if you should give thanks to God; give thanks, and when you are finished—give thanks!

Dorothy