Examine everything

Posted by Admin on Jun 21, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on Examine everything

“…But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good…” 1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB

“…On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, Message Bible

“Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.”  Franklin D. Roosevelt, radio address, October 26, 1939

Here are a few snares that can blindside a believer due to the fast pace of our culture and the inordinate amount of information being thrown at us on a continual basis:

• It’s so much easier to go with the flow of popular opinion, because really trying to understand an issue takes too much time…
• And there is safety in popular opinion. If everyone else feels a certain way, then it’s a good bet that they are right. After all, isn’t the majority always right…usually…?
• And even if the majority isn’t right on something, it couldn’t hurt too much to go along with everyone else, could it? After all, I do have my reputation to consider…

One thing that will likely happen to you when you pray for the nation according to the Word of God is that you will find the need to examine some uncomfortable issues. You may discover as you read the Word, pray, and learn about issues that certain things are not as they appear to be. You will probably notice some falsehoods and twisted truths being reported and accepted as fact by a huge segment of society. Don’t be alarmed; the Bible warns us that this will happen and gives us the tools to discern between good and evil, lies and truth. Your job is to make sure that you always use God’s Word as your bottom line.

If you discover that you have stumbled upon a lie that is being embraced on a large scale as truth, then that is probably one of your prayer assignments. Seek God to bring truth to light in the hearts and recette propecia minds of the people and ask Him to equip and protect those that He has chosen to step out on the world’s stage on behalf of this truth.

Don’t think that your prayer part is small potatoes. Your prayers for this nation are secret weapons, hidden from prying eyes, used to right wrongs and to turn lies on their heads. Your prayers are used by God to empower those He calls to confront lies on every level, granting them wisdom, timing, discernment, and effectiveness. Without your prayers and those of others, even the boldest of the bold and the brightest of the bright will be easy pickings for those of darker motives. But with your prayers, God can bring forth His champions.

And His champions in the natural realm cannot fully complete their tasks unless His champions in the prayer realm arise first and take their place. Arise, champion.

Dorothy

The power of a praying grandma

Posted by Admin on Jun 20, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on The power of a praying grandma

My grandma was a Southern Baptist dynamo. She was so passionate about her family having a saving relationship with Jesus that the majority of them despised her for it! Sure, they loved her, but they thought she was a religious fanatic, and she made them very uncomfortable.  And they let her know it.

Grandma’s three daughters all pulled out of the Oklahoma dust-bowl Depression to put themselves through college. Each one married intellectual men–my mom married an engineer and my two aunts married professors (one of whom was rumored to be a card-carrying member of the Communist party). Grandma’s pleas of “are you saved?” rubbed every one of them the wrong way, but she didn’t care. As a kid, I was fascinated by the dynamics and koop viagra tsjechie secretly admired her refusal to be bullied out of what was widely viewed  by the family as an offensive and ridiculous stance. I loved my Grandma and never felt threatened by her faith.

Grandma, I am sure, prayed nearly as much as she preached, and years later, even though the others in my generation of the family seemed to embrace worldviews far different than hers, I was still seeking.

One night, during a particularly stressful Christmas break, I was sitting in a bar getting drunk as quickly as I could. My friends, all dolled up, were on the prowl for good-looking guys, but I wanted nothing of that. You see, my step-grandma (my dad’s step-mom) had just passed away, and days before Christmas, I had surgery to remove a large mass from my breast. As a nineteen year old, right before I went into surgery, I was required to sign a paper stating that the doctors could remove the breast if cancer was found. Although I was relieved to learn that the mass was benign, I was not in a good frame of mind.

So there I was, in a “19-year-olds-are-legal” bar, getting drunk and spiraling into cynicism and despair. I absent-mindedly watched as the band played song after song and the patrons (mostly female) danced in front of the musicians. When I noticed that they were swaying with their arms lifted up to the sky, I heard a voice in my ear, “Lifted hands are a sign of worship.”

I dropped my head and said, “I’m in hell.”

Days later, while alone at my parents’ home, Jesus visited me, and Grandma’s prayers were answered.

Don’t give up on your loved ones. Prayers over distance and time are powerful tools in the hand of God. You can be sure that He is working behind the scenes on behalf of a loved one–or a nation–if you don’t grow weary and give up. Stick with it. Don’t quit!

Dorothy

Halfway through the book

Posted by Admin on Jun 19, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on Halfway through the book

I  spoke last night to a woman who is about halfway through my book, First of All, Pray. She grabbed me by the arm and said, “I know why you wrote this book! You wrote it so we wouldn’t give up on praying for our country!” I honestly couldn’t have put it any better.

She continued, “I’ve grown so tired of everything going on in government and politics, that I just backed off of praying for the nation. But now I see that we can’t afford to quit–we’ve got to keep pressing in no matter what it looks like.”

She also shared that she and her prayer partners have sensed the Holy Spirit saying to them, “As goes the Church, so goes the nation,” and she said that she is seeing the results in the nation of a complacent Church.

She beautifully summed up my purpose for writing this book. I know that there are many others far more adept and way more experienced in the things of prayer than I am and who have articulated the art of prayer far better than I ever could. Yet, at the same time that I was witnessing widespread, far-reaching decline in my nation, my heart also burned with the desire to see the Church in the U.S. stirred from what seemed to be a lull in her primitive, raw pursuit of the move and power and glory of God. And I knew that for God to have His way, truly, in this nation, He must first have His way in the Church.

And so, God, may Your will be done–in the Church and in the United States of America and on the entire face of the earth–as it is in Heaven. May Your people in this nation not give up on the high calling and privilege to stand in the gap and pray for America!

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Are you too overwhelmed to pray?

Posted by Admin on Jun 18, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on Are you too overwhelmed to pray?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the current events that continue to fill the airwaves and internet? I know I have at times, and the feeling of oppression that accompanies the state of being overwhelmed often pressurizes believers into back off of praying for our nation. I imagine that they might feel like grasshoppers before such seemingly insurmountable circumstances facing the country, and as a result, could be tempted to retreat from praying about the issues at all.

In the Bible, the majority of the men sent in to spy out Canaan were overwhelmed by what they saw. They said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us” (Numbers 13:31b).

And yet Caleb, who had declared, “We should by all means go up and possess the land, for we will surely overcome it” (Numbers 13:30b), was commended by God who described him as having a different spirit in following after Him fully (see Numbers 14:24).

Many hold back on interceding about current events due to the fear of praying against the will of God. After all, are we not in the end times—the days of difficulty? Shouldn’t we expect things to go from bad to worse? If we pray against such things, won’t we be in danger of attempting to thwart the plan of God?

Jesus said that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10a). Many of the events we are witnessing clearly fall into those categories, so when you pray to thwart such things, you are not praying against God but against the master of stealing, killing, and destroying, the devil. And remember, the Lord did not condemn the man mentioned in a parable for pulling his sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath (see Matthew 12:11-12). Instead, this man’s mercy on the innocent animal was acknowledged by Jesus as appropriate despite the seemingly taboo timing of the rescue. In light of this, are we called to turn a blind eye to creeping agendas of lawlessness meant to ensnare our neighbors and countrymen when we have been given the power in prayer to bind and loose? (See Matthew 18:18.)

The Bible calls you more than a conqueror (see Romans 8:37) even now, even when things seem to be falling apart. As you refuse to cast away your confidence (see Hebrews 10:35), you will find that the prayers you pray will become bolder, more targeted, and more saturated with Scripture.

It is written in two places in the Old Testament that God sought for an intercessor but found none (Isaiah 59:16, Ezekiel 22:30). Be found of Him, willing to take a stand in prayer about those things in the nation that grip your heart. Then, if Jesus returns in your life, He will be able to say that He did, indeed, find faith on the earth, for He found it in you.

Dorothy

Weekend: Never Underestimate the Power of Prayer

Posted by Admin on Jun 15, 2013 in June 2013, Weekend | Comments Off on Weekend: Never Underestimate the Power of Prayer

Every weekend my goal is to stir you to greater confidence in God’s willingness to stretch out His hand on your behalf by citing breakthroughs others have experienced, whether in the Bible or at other times in history.

This weekend’s saga of supernatural protection comes from one of my favorite books, Hand on the Helm, by Katherine Pollard Carter, published by Whitaker House, © 1977. Unfortunately, this classic is out of print, but copies can be purchased various places online for a premium.

The setting was Great Britain, 1940, during World War II. Hitler had been stepping up his offense against the British Isles, shooting down Royal Air Force planes, creating a nearly indefensible situation for the British. However, despite the insurmountable obstacles, the RAF continued to stay ahead of the Nazi bombers, destroying 662 of them while only losing 360 of their own.

In September of that year, with Britain already under strained conditions and limited supply, more than 220 Nazi aircraft flew in toward the British coast from all directions. Only 25 British squadrons were available to defend southern England. A call was made to the north for help; only 3 additional squadrons were available. The supply was exhausted.

Mrs. Carter wrote, “Then inexplicably…the great Nazi air flotilla had turned back. With 185 of their aircraft downed in flames, they were in retreat! Miraculously, against all logistical probability, the Royal Air Force had won the battle!”

A captured Nazi pilot was questioned by intelligence officers as to reason for the Nazi retreat in the face of only two RAF planes defending that position. The pilot was shocked, and stated that the Nazis had not been confronted by two, but rather by hundreds of planes.

Later, a captured Nazi officer confirmed this amazing number when he demanded to know where they had acquired the hundreds of aircraft!

Mrs. Carter wrote, “His British interrogators managed to mask their surprise…There was no sky full of Royal Air Force planes! Only a few dog-tired pilots, making anywhere from their third to their seventh combat mission that day, had met his mighty bombers.”

A third Nazi prisoner, an intelligence officer himself, disclosed this unusual piece of information. He related that at the stroke of nine o’clock each night, “…you used a secret weapon which we did not understand. It was very powerful and we could find no countermeasure against it…”

Indeed, at nine o’clock every evening, the people of the British Isles and the Commonwealth of England dropped everything they were doing to engage in the Silent Moment of Prayer. This practice had been started earlier that year during the evacuation of Dunkirk and produced great fruit.

Many in our time have called for a return to the nine o’clock Moment of Prayer on behalf of America. If God used it to halt evil in the 1940s, He can use it again in the 21^st century.

I agree—it’s time to take up prayer arms again. It’s time to stand our ground, firm in our faith, nothing wavering. Whether it’s at nine o’clock, five o’clock or 1:45, stand your ground. Pray. Set your face like flint and do not budge from your position. Pray as if your nation depended on it; pray, and do not let up. May God save America!

Dorothy

Concerning political disagreement

Posted by Admin on Jun 14, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on Concerning political disagreement

One big mistake people of prayer sometimes make is to insist on a “lockstep” mentality with others in order to pray in unity. We don’t have to agree on everything politically to pray for what’s happening in government. For example, I may believe that climate change happens regardless of human activity–SUVs, thermostat settings, and so on. You may firmly adhere to the more “green” theory of global warming. However, if the two of us agree that our nation is in desperate need of God’s help, then we can pray together in unity as we ask God to grant wisdom to our leadership and intervene on behalf of wrong decisions they may make. You and I don’t even have to agree as to which decisions are wrong and which are right as long as we both want God to have His way, for Jesus to be lifted up and glorified, and for men and women to come to know the knowledge of the truth.

When you pray with someone else about the nation, you won’t miss the target if you pray for His direction for those in leadership and for His intervention in wrong decisions (you don’t even have to specify which decisions are in error if you aren’t in agreement on the political details). You will be praying according to the will of God when you cry out for Jesus to be made known and glorified, and you will be hitting the mark every time you ask God to bring men and women, boys and girls to the knowledge of the truth according to the Word of God.

As you, yourself, become more comfortable and familiar on your own with praying for your nation, God will start giving you more specific direction. Step out and pray that piece before God, and then trust Him to do His part. You will grow in prayer, and you will find that your prayers do count.

Don’t let political disagreements with others hinder your prayer effectiveness. When praying with someone else, find the key components about which you can agree and hit those aspects in your prayer together. When praying alone, don’t let political agitation distract you. You know your Father, and He can lead you with His still small voice as you get quiet before Him. Then, pray what’s on your heart–pray it boldly and pray it in line with His Word and pray it with all your might–and you will hit the mark.

Dorothy

Have you ever seen the rain?

Posted by Admin on Jun 13, 2013 in Revival | 1 comment

As I was praying and doing chores the other morning, a wisp of a song arose within me:

“I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?”  (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

The words stirred something deep inside me, and as I sang them quietly, I felt the need to search out the rest of the lyrics.

This song had played during an era in my life when I was a camp counselor, living outside, sleeping under the stars, and swimming in Ozark lakes, creeks, and rivers. I wondered if the emotion I felt as I heard it was merely the stirring of the sleeping flower child still camping out somewhere inside of me.

And I remembered it was my older siblings who had introduced me to this music. Was the pull I felt just a reminder of how much I still loved and looked up to my big brother and sister?

Or was there something more primal, deeper than soul, drawing me? I had to know. This song touched something within me that day, so I googled it to see if the lyrics had anything to say to me.

In my search I found what others had written about the lyrics. To many of them, the song was sad and beautiful, simple and touching.

To me, however, it spoke of the rains of God. God’s rains often follow the tumultuous storms of discord, trial, and dismay in society. The storms erupt after periods of calm and complacency and spiraling hedonism. And as folks feel the very foundations of their lives shaken—those false values and structures in which they had so trusted—they start looking elsewhere—often Heavenward—for comfort and direction. And God sends the rains, raining a sunny day, raining a day of help, raining a day of salvation.

“Someone told me long ago there’s a calm before the storm

I know, it’s been coming for some time

When it’s over, so they say, it’ll rain a sunny day

I know, shinin’ down like water.”

Not everyone gets to see one of God’s rains. However, blessed is the generation that is so privileged to experience the outpouring. Strangely enough, Creedence Clearwater Revival wrote and sang during one of God’s downpours. I wonder if they realized it at the time.

The sixties and seventies witnessed the last bona fide widespread outpouring of God—at least in North America. I got in on the final days of that sweet time. The things I saw and experienced in the first four or five years of my walk with Jesus still elicit a deep longing for the rains to return.

“I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?

Coming down on a sunny day?”

When you meet someone who has seen the rain, lived in the rain, danced in the rain, they seem like anyone else. But if you scratch a bit, dig a bit below the dry surface, the flood waters still run within them, longing to be joined again by the rains from Heaven.

And then they will ask you:

“I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain

Comin’ down on a sunny day?”