Praying

An Old Man's Prayer

2007-11-28T01:47:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the story about the 85-year-old man who was arrested for praying ?

You probably have. That's the story of Daniel, an elderly Jewish resident in Babylon sentenced to death for faithfully talking to God (Dan. 6)

Although the prayer that sent Daniel to the lions' den is his most famous talk with God (6:11), it wasn't the only time we see him in prayer.

In Daniel 9, we read an example of how he prayed. Daniel had been reading in his scroll of Jeremiah that the captivity of his people would last 70 years, and the people were 67 years into the exile (Jer. 25:8-11). He was eager for it to end.

God had called His people to live righteously, but they weren't doing that. Daniel decided to live righteously despite their lack of faith. He began to pray that God would not delay the end of the captivity.

As he prayed, Daniel focused on worship and confession. His pattern of prayer gives us an important insight into talking to God. We are to recognize that God is "great and awesome" (v.4) and that "we have sinned" (v.15). In prayer, we praise and confess.

Let's follow Daniel's lead. To him, prayer was as vital as like itself.

"Dave Branon"

If you'd like help in learning to pray, read
Jesus' Blueprint For Prayer, a practical treatment of "The Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6.
Visit:

http:www.discoveryseries.org/hj891

I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications.
Daniel 9:3

No one stands as tall as Christian on his knees.

"Our Daily Bread" - Nov 28/07

No One to Speak for Me

2007-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

"And He [Jesus] said to them, Go into all the world
and preach and publish openly the good news (the
Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]."1

I vividly recall how, when visiting the Holocaust
Museum in Washington, DC--a profoundly sobering
experience--how deeply I was moved when reading the
words credited by some (but disputed by others) to
Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

The plan to kill Jews today may be even more
destructive than in the Holocaust. I say this because
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has expressed
doubt that the Holocaust ever happened.2 He has also
declared openly that he wants Israel wiped off the
map, and it appears that in the not too distant future
he will have nuclear weapons--a frightening thought as
an ever increasing number of extremist Muslims are
determined to kill not only Jews, but Christians,
Americans and other Westerners, and pretty much all
who refuse to convert to their evil form of radical
religion. Their barbaric philosophy is "convert or
have your head cut off."

We Christians know that the only hope of the world is
the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, but what will we
Christians do about it? Will we again remain silent as
so many did for so long during Hitler's reign of
terror? I was also horrified to learn that we Western
countries refused to allow Jews to immigrate to our
countries even when we knew what Hitler was doing.
Consequently, six million Jews were sent to the death
chambers.

According to a recent survey of Christians in America
by the highly respected Barna Group, only 29% of
Christians see the need to explain their faith with
non-believers--which is down from 39% a year ago.3

Perhaps more than ever we need to take seriously
Christ's last commission to his disciples to "go into
all the world and preach the gospel to everyone
everywhere." Never before has this been as possible as
it is today.

May every one of us ask God daily to use us to be an
effective witness for Jesus.

Also, please go to www.actsweb.org/announce.php for a
very simple and non-threatening way to share God's
love and message of salvation with family, friends,
and contacts. And please support in prayer and
finances organizations that are actively involved in
reaching people with the gospel message of Jesus
Christ.

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, I'm available. Please use
me to be an effective witness for you and do all that I
can to help spread the gospel around the world. Thank
you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus' name, amen."

"ACTS Daily Encounter" - Nov 18/07

Speaking In the Spirit

2007-11-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 5:15-20
"http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+5:15-20"

Dear Father,

Help me speak to my spouse, my family, your church, and the world
about you and your grace.

Let my heart and my mouth overflow with the music of praise -
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs - as I sing and make melody in
my heart to the Lord.

Fill me with constant thanksgiving to you for everything. In the
name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

“Heartlight” - Praying with Paul - Nov 6/07

Jesus Came to Save the Lost!

2007-11-19T08:53:00.001-08:00

"The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them."

-- Luke 19:10 (ERV)

KEY THOUGHT:

Jesus didn't come to please the religious crowd. Jesus didn't come to
pander to the social crowd. Jesus didn't come to hang out with the wild
bunch. Instead, Jesus entered the world to save sinners. When we look
back over the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus reach out to men and women,
young and old, powerful and forgotten, demon possessed, and the
politically connected. He came to save sinners of all shapes, sizes,
and stripes. He came to save you and me.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Holy and righteous God, thank you for your great desire to bring
salvation to all people -- including me. Open my heart and move me to
reach out to others who need to know your grace. Even more, dear
Father, stir me to seek the lost as passionately as your Son did ...
and still does. In Jesus' name. Amen.

“Heartlight” Nov 6/07

Forgiveness

2007-10-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1, NIV).

A Word From Billy Graham

"Oh, the depth of God's Grace! Oh, the height of God's mercy, the breadth of God's love, that He is willing to say to you and to me, 'I forgive you. You will never have to face the judgment!' When that gets through to you, you can go to bed and sleep a new kind of sleep. You will say to yourself, 'I don't deserve this kind of release. Surely I will have to face the music sometime.' The full penalty has been paid. The Judge will never say, 'I pronounce sentence on you,' because Christ has accepted that sentence for you. In Christ you are free. Accept it by faith and go your way rejoicing. When you know the truth, the truth shall make you free. How wonderful! Sin is no longer in the throne room of my life. Christ sits there, and as I daily, moment by moment, yield my members to Him, He orders my life. Satan no longer has the power over my life that he once had. Sin is no longer in command. Oh, to be sure, I slip and fall, but Christ is there to pick me up and to put His arm around me and to love me."

Forgiveness Sets Us Free

"Forgiveness is more than leaving behind sin and its penalty. Forgiveness frees us to serve God, to relate to Him and to engage in the activities that He gives us the privilege to do with Him. To come to Jesus, seeking from God the forgiveness that Jesus has the authority to bestow, is to gain release from that which limits our ability to be what God created us to be. God longs to forgive us. If we do not know Him, we may come to Him seeking forgiveness. We may trust Him to give us release. He will do it; He has promised that He will. That is why He sent His Son to die in our place, to pay the penalty for our sin and to set the stage for our forgiveness. What more could God have done to show how much He wants us to turn to Him? Jesus showed that forgiveness from Him is available for the asking. Let us ask for that forgiveness and rejoice in getting to know our gracious Forgiver" (Darrell L. Bock).

Prayer

Father, help us to find forgiveness in You. Teach us to live in the freedom that Your forgiveness provides us. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

"Decision" magazine Weekly E-mail Devotional
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Foregiveness

2007-10-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Luke 6:37, NIV

A friend sent me the following illustration: One of my teachers had each one of us bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. For every person we refused to forgive for whatever they did, we were told to choose a potato, write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.

We were then told to carry this bag with us everywhere for two weeks, putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to our desk at work, etc.

The hassle of lugging this around with us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually and emotionally, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget it and leave it in embarrassing places.

Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for nursing our grudges. Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person while it clearly is for ourselves!

So the next time you decide you can't forgive someone, ask yourself, Isn't your bag heavy enough?

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, please help me to forgive all who have ever hurt me and to never nurse a grudge—no matter what others have done or have failed to do—just as you always forgive me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

"Daily Encounter" - Oct 31/07

Discouragement

2007-10-29T02:05:00.000-07:00

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4, NIV).

______

Joshua

"In the Old Testament, Israel had waited to move for 40 years. God gave them three days to get ready.

Wherever we go, whatever we do, will put us in contact with circumstances that are beyond our control. When the people of Israel were about to face enemies that had been described as giants, God told Joshua not to be terrified or discouraged. Terror is a response to that which strikes like lightning--something unexpected, something overwhelming, something before which we cannot stand. Terror also is a person trembling in anticipation of the worst-case scenario.

Discouragement is not so much a flash of lightning as a fog bank. It's what happens when we are alone, when hope is gone. Discouragement comes when we feel worthless and incapable. Though not as spectacular as terror, discouragement may be more lethal.

The people of Israel were about to face enemies that had been described as giants. We all face giants on a regular basis. What do we do when we feel trapped, when giants seem to be converging on us? We take our burdens to God and leave them there. Four truths from the life of Joshua underscore God's provision for the needs of His people.
. First, nothing should terrify or discourage us if we rest in God's presence: 'As I was with Moses, so I will be with you' (Joshua 1:5, NIV). God was with Moses, He was with Joshua, and He is with us. He won't forsake us. In the darkest night, He is there.

. Second, nothing should terrify or discourage us if we rely on God's power: 'No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life' (Joshua 1:5, NIV). No one! The universe is under God's control--He leads forth the stars. Not one star is missing.

. Third, nothing should terrify or discourage us if we believe God's promises: 'I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses' (Joshua 1:3, NIV). . 'You will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them' (Joshua 1:6, NIV). Note that God's presence provides us the power to appropriate His promises. God promises to get His people over the river. He will be with us when the river is calm. Enjoy His presence. When the river is a torrent, trust His power. When difficulty comes, rely on God's promises.

. Fourth, nothing should terrify or discourage us if we obey God's Word: 'Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. . Meditate on [the Book] day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful' (Joshua 1:7-8, NIV).

Success is predicated upon obedience to God. To do that we must grow in our personal relationship with God. We must trust His power, claim His promises and obey His Commandments" (Joe Aldrich).

Prayer

Lord, too many times we let the circumstances around us prevent us from looking to You. Thank You that at these times Your presence remains with us. Teach us to trust You more. Use the hard times to draw us closer to You. We want to be more trusting and obedient each day. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

"Decision" magazine Weekly E-mail Devotional
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Encouragement for Today

How easily human beings rebel against God's authority! The owner left the vineyard to the tenant farmers for a while, and somehow they got the idea that they had a right to all the proceeds. Their greed led to violence and even murder. Make no mistake—sin leads to more sin, unless we catch it and turn toward God, rather than away. If there's any area of your life that isn't fully surrendered to God, won't you confess that now and give him full ownership to your life? Sin is always dangerous.

“Encouraging Words: Your Daily Devotional” Oct 22/07

Judgement

2007-10-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Matthew 7:1

The word prejudice means “prejudging” or “making an estimate of others without knowing the facts.” Prejudice is a mark of weakness, not of strength. Prejudice is measured by computing the distance between our own biased opinions and the real truth. If we would all be perfectly honest before God, there would be no prejudice.

Prayer for the day

You love each one of us with a love that breaks through all prejudicial barriers, Father. Forgive me for the times I judge others. Purify my heart, that I may be used to draw people together into the bond of Christ’s unifying love.

"Billy Graham's Daily Devotional" - Oct 24/07

Dead in Sins

2007-10-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

1 In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. 3. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

Ephesians 2:1-3

Prayer

Dear Father, King of the Ages,

Thank you for the new life you have infused into my being. I once
was dead because of the misdeeds and sins in which I walked,
following the course of this world, following the
commander-in-chief of evil, the spirit that now energizes all who
disobey.

Among these lost people - and as a lost person - I once lived in
the passions of my flesh. I followed the desires of my body and the
passing whims of my mind. I was by nature a doer of evil doomed to
destruction, like the rest of mankind.

But you were rich in mercy! Because of your great love with which
you loved me - even when I was dead through my misdeeds - you made
me alive together with Christ! It is by your undeserved kindness
that I am saved!

In the name of Jesus and by his authority I boldly ask you to make
of us the completely holy people that you intend as your
inheritance. Amen

“Heartlight” - Oct 13/07

2007-10-24T04:16:00.001-07:00

"It will be the same when the Son of Man comes again as it
was when Noah lived. In the time of Noah, people were eating,
drinking, and getting married even on the day when Noah
entered the boat. Then the flood came and killed all the
people."

-- Luke 17:26-27 (ERV)

KEY THOUGHT:

Noah's character went totally unappreciated by his contemporaries. They
ignored Noah's warnings about God's impending judgment and their need
to repent. They went on doing what they had always done, even as the
rain started to fall. When Jesus returns in his glory, those who have
lived for him will be waiting in expectation for his return and be
overjoyed. However, those who have ignored his call to follow him and
who have spurned his grace will be caught off guard just as much as
those in Noah's day. It's sad. It's tragic. Let's try to make a
difference in as many of those lives as we can!

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Father, I know Jesus will come with glory. I know that his return will
catch many off guard. Please use me to help those around me to be
prepared and full of joy at the return of Jesus, in whose name I pray.
Amen

“Heartlight” - Oct 13/07

Just Like in Noah's Day

2007-10-24T04:16:00.000-07:00

What You Think—You Are

2007-10-24T04:09:00.000-07:00

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."1

There's an old fable that talks about a man who found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken.

He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet in the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth—we're chickens."

So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.2

How sad when we who are children of the King live as chickens when we could fly with the eagles.
As the old saying goes, "You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are."

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, please help me to wait upon and hope in you and see realized in my life all that you have for me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV).
2. Anthony DeMello from A 4th Course of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Copyright 1997 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Hanoch McCarty and Meladee McCarty

“Daily Encounter” - Oct 17/07

Leonardo De Vinci's Cup

2007-10-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

1. Leonardo De Vinci's Cup

"Sir, we would see Jesus."1

I have read that when Leonardo de Vinci was forty-three years old, the Duke Ludovinco of Milan asked him to paint the dramatic scene of Jesus' last supper with his disciples.

Working slowly and giving meticulous care to details, he spent three years on the assignment. He grouped the disciples into threes, two groups on either side of the central figure of Christ. Christ's arms are outstretched. In his right hand, he holds a cup that was painted beautifully with marvelous realism.

When the masterpiece was finished, the artist said to a friend, "Observe it and give me your opinion of it."

"It's wonderful!" exclaimed the friend, "the cup is so real I cannot divert my eyes from it."

Immediately Leonardo took a brush and drew it across the sparkling cup! As he did he exclaimed, "Nothing shall detract from the figure of Christ!"

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, please grant that nothing I ever do or say will ever detract from the beauty of Christ being seen in me. This I can only ever do with your help. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
1. John 20:21.

“Daily Encounter” - Oct 15/07

A Very Thankful Man

2007-10-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

1. A Very Thankful Man

"I thank my God every time I remember you."1

I have read that "Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

"One day after Plumb gave a presentation, a fellow came up to him and said, 'You don't know me, but I am the person who packed your parachute the day you were shot down.'

"Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, 'I guess it worked!'

"Plumb assured him, 'It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today.'"

If it weren't for somebody else—perhaps many "somebody elses"—most of us wouldn't be where we are today either. And if it weren't for somebody else telling us about Jesus and God's gift of salvation, forgiveness and eternal life, most of us wouldn't know God and wouldn't be bound for Heaven.
May we ever be mindful and thankful to all who have "folded our parachute," as it were, and may we do the same for others.

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, thank you for all who have helped me be where I am today and especially for those who shared your love and message of eternal salvation with me. Help me to have a thankful heart and help others to find Jesus and know God—as others have helped me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Paul the Apostle (Philippians 1:3, NIV).

“Daily Encounter” - Oct 17/07

Evil and Wickedness

2007-10-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

Evil and Wickedness

VERSE:

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his
wickedness that would not be found out.

Psalm 10:15

THOUGHT:

It is hard not to get discouraged when evil and wicked people
get away with what is reprehensible. Christians on every continent
have things that greatly trouble them about the evil perpetrated in
their corner of the world as corrupt power abuses those who belong
to God's people. Let's join together, believers from all around the
world, and ask God to intervene in a clear, decisive way, and bring
these days of violence and wickedness to an end!

PRAYER:

Holy and righteous Father, please break the power of wickedness
that reigns in our world and bring it to an end. Make it clear that
the fall of evil's power is at the hand of the Lord Jesus. Lord
Jesus, destroy every power that stands between God and us, and
bring to a glorious beginning the eternal reign of your Kingdom. To
your glory, Lord Jesus, and in your name I pray. Amen.

“Heartlight” - Oct 13/07

Determination

2007-10-16T03:26:00.000-07:00

"It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his good news to others], and so we never give up."1

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, please help me to be a true soldier of the cross with a determination to never give up in doing my part to help 'the cause of Christ,' to make a stand for right, and to help spread the gospel around the world. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB).

“Daily Encounter” - Oct 15/07

Love

2007-10-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14,15 NIV

PRAYER

Let me hear of your unfailing love
to me in the morning,
for I am trusting you.

Show me where to walk,
for I have come to you in prayer.

Save me from my enemies, LORD;
I run to you to hide me.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.

Psalm 143:8-10 NLT

First

2007-10-15T04:01:00.000-07:00

"But first, the Son of Man must suffer many things and be
killed by the people of this time."

Luke 17:25 (ERV)

KEY THOUGHT:

Before Jesus can reign as King, he must first suffer and be rejected!
Jesus' glory will come after the Cross. Our deliverance comes only at
the cost of Jesus' rejection. Our salvation depends upon Jesus'
sacrificial suffering. We are saved, we are made a part of God's
eternal Kingdom, and we are given glory at a terribly high price. Yet
Jesus willingly pays that price for us and redeems us from sin and
death! Jesus suffers first. Jesus is rejected first. Jesus dies first.
Jesus loves first. Only then does God come and ask us to bow before him
and confess him as Lord.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for going first. Thank you for not waiting until I
honored you to sacrifice for me. I realize that my love for you, my
submission to you, and my sacrifices for you come only after you have
given me everything. Please accept my love, submission, and sacrifices
even though they are but a poor reflection of what you have already
done for me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

“Heartlight” - Oct 12/07

Promised Judgement

2007-10-15T03:49:00.000-07:00

VERSE:

I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself
known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am
the LORD.

Ezekiel 38:23

THOUGHT:

In a time when God's people were in shambles physically and
spiritually, he promises judgment -- judgment on them and their
oppressors. But he also reveals why. He will show his greatness and
holiness so they will know him, YAHWEH -- God of "his people" and
also of all nations. I would love for God to show his greatness and
holiness in our day, wouldn't you? To have God honored for who he
is and what he has done would be marvelous. May that day come
quickly!

PRAYER:

Father, as your flawed and mortal child, I do fear your bold
revelation of yourself. We humans are mortal and frail in
comparison to your blazing glory. But I have confidence in my
relationship with you through Jesus, and dear Father, I want you
honored and your name revered in my day. I am tired of hearing your
name used in vain and your glory profaned. Exalt yourself before
the nations! Reveal your holy majesty so that everyone will know
that you are the only true and living God! In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

“Heartlight” - Oct 12/07

Avoiding Mayhem at Home

2007-10-15T02:34:00.000-07:00

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."1

One day a man came home from work to find total mayhem at home. The kids were outside still in their pajamas playing in the mud and muck. There were empty food boxes and wrappers all around. As he proceeded into the house, he found an even bigger mess. Dishes on the counter, dog food spilled on the floor, a broken glass under the table, and a small pile of sand by the back door. The family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing, and a lamp had been knocked over.

He headed up the stairs, stepping over toys, to look for his wife. He was becoming worried that she may be ill, or that something had happened to her. He found her in the bedroom, still in bed with her pajamas on, reading a book.

She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" She again smiled and answered, "You know everyday when you come home from work and ask me what I did today?"

"Yes," was his reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it!"

Suggested prayer:

"Dear God, please help me to appreciate what my wife/mother/friends/others do for me. May I never take them for granted and may I be as committed to helping them as they are to me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. The Apostle Paul (Ephesians 5:25).

“Daily Encounter” - Oct 12/07