2021 30-Day Prayer Challenge Launch

Always pray and never give up. - Luke 18:1 Pray without ceasing. - 1 Thes. 5:17 Join us for the 2021 30-Day Prayer Challenge this September as we endeavor to engage in a spiritual movement through the power of prayer. Join the 2021 30-Day Prayer Challenge here: https://tremendous-painter-8063.ck.page/8c11aff5d4

Prayer Pointers for All

"God answers the mess of life with with one word: grace." - Max Lucado

God has answers.

God grants us access.

God gives us answers.

We just have to accept God's answer.

Prayer is more than just telling God what you want.  Prayer allows us to also hear from God.  It is more than what we take to God.  It also involves what we take in from God.

"Prayer is humbling work." - E.M. Bounds

Prayer is about Access

God grants us access to His throne of grace.  Max Lucado said that God's answer to all of our mess with grace.  With access to God, we have the Almighty attentive to our supplications and petitions.  Let us go to God with our cares and concerns, releasing them to Him and His will as we lay them at His feet and under His authority.

Prayer is about Answers

David's agonizing pleas in Psalm 13 appear to be scribed in the midst of frustration.  It sounds like David just could not get God's attention and an answer from God.  Much like David, we may not get the answers that we want but we most assuredly get the answers that we need.  Even if those answers do not come in the form of a booming voice from heaven, God can still answer as a whisper in the wind or a burning bush to give us the answers that we need. 

Prayer is about Acceptance

At the end of all of our efforts to give our prayers over to God, our work is not done.  We have to take action once we have an answer.  We have to accept God's answer.  Our acceptance comes by both our attitude and actions.

• Attitude: How we respond to God's answer by our countenance and with our words
• Actions: How we respond to God's answer with our works

For all that God provides us, how we respond to the answer that God provides us says a lot about our expectations of God and our relationship with God.

We just have to learn how to accept God's answers to us.

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Counting on the Wrong Thing

Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.- Psalm 108:12 (NIV)

Let's put this in perspective.

If you have a legitimate problem, then you are in need of some real help.

What some folks have to offer just isn't real help.  It is worthless.

The plea within this psalm is for help or aid against an enemy or foe.  Actually, it is a plea for help from a specific enemy.  The psalm says the enemy.  Thus, the enemy must be known by both the victim and rescuer.

We realize in the midst of our own turmoil and struggles how useless some types of help amounts to when weighed against what we are going through at the time.  

TALK IS CHEAP

Talk is cheap when you need to spring into action.  Mere words offer little consolation when you are in the heat of a major conflict that needs immediate resolutions.

MONEY ISN'T ALWAYS THE ANSWER

Money can do a lot, but it doesn't solve everything.  In all honesty, some of the "true riches" that the Lord spoke of were the things that stood out in life despite how much money one had accumulated.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN DO MORE HARM THAN HELP

If someone is going to stab you in your back, they have to get close to you.  The attack is in close proximity to you.  No one can get any closer to you than family, even some friends.  Beware that it often hurts our hearts more that it someone we cared for and loved than the actual damage caused by the gossip, innuendo  and smear campaigns.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. - Psalm 118:8 (NIV)

Get your help from the right source.  Know that your real help comes from on high.  Tap into the Lord's powerful ability and availability.  Let Him know your troubles.  Give them over to Him in sincere, consecrated prayer.  Allow Him to empower you with the Spirit of God that embodies every believer.

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.- Psalm 146:3 (NIV)

If you tell Him, trust Him.  If you trust Him, take every ounce of what He offers to you in faith and with joy, knowing that He gives us what we do not deserve (grace) and that He spares us of what we truly deserve (mercy).

You can count on Him.

Your Best You Have to Offer

And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord.

And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

- 1 Kings 8:62-63 (KJV)

What ever you have to offer the Lord, let it be your best.  Give Him the best that you have to give.  Let Him bless you like you have never been blessed before based on your willingness to give Him of your best, not just what you decided to part with.

And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.  On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

- 1 Kings 8:65-66

The king led the people in offerings and prayer.  Then, after all of that was done, he led them in celebration for an extended period of time.  You see, when you offer God your best, you can enter into His rest.

Seen Just like the Savior

"As he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4: 17

We cannot expect others to seek Jesus as their Savior if they cannot see Jesus in us as the saved.

Let that one sink in just for a moment.

Saved folks (Christians) are to be regarded as the work of salvation's masterpieces.  Yet, we are quick to share that we are a work in progress and how God's not finished with us yet.  However, we do bear the name of Christ and proclaim His name because of the work that He has already done for us all on the cross.

The world sees that.  They cannot see Jesus since He has ascended into heavenly places, taking His seat of power at the right of God the Father.  However, they can see us.

Yes, brothers and sisters, we are on display.  God has us in plain view of every Dick and Jane in the cosmos.  Truthfully, all of the talk about Christians being hypocrites is truthful if we believe that Christians actually believe that they can be sinless.  We are not called to be Christ; we are called to become more Christ-like in our daily walk.

Somebody's watching us.

God is watching us.

Other Christians are watching us.

The world is watching us.

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A New Vision for a New Year

Where there is no vision, the people perish: 

but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

- Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

2013 is upon us.  We have some some serious choices ahead of us in the coming days.  For now, let us enter into 2013 with prayer.  Let us thank God for what He showed us in 2012, even tragedy and triumph.  Thank God for allowing us to see 2013.  Pray to God that He will bless us with all that we need in 2013, especially clarity of the vision that He has for our lives.

Amen.

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New Mercies Day by Day

Morning by morning new mercies I see. . .- "Great is Thy Faithfulness"

Every single day is a blessing.  Yes, I know that it can be considered a given, but today I have good reason to say so.  After tossing and turning all night with a head cold, I could hardly sleep.  I awoke in a stuper this morning and in no condition to even try to go to church, possibly infecting everyone near me.  I awoke and celebrated the goodness of God.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

I celebrate the fact that God is in charge.  He can slow us down when we will run ourselves down to the bone and keep on until there's nothing to wear out left.  God has stopping power.  He can stop the planets in the middle of their orbit.  He can command the birds of the air to feed a runaway prophet and the fish of the sea to leap into the nets of a small boat for Simon Peter.  God has power.

He gives us new mercies daily.  He doesn't try to pass off yesterday's mercies as just as good or in working condition.  He gives us the best that He has to offer.

Lord,
I just say thank you for not leaving me in yesterday's condition and
allowing me to awake today in a new condition.
Yes, Lord, You are powerful!
Amen.

Read my article. . . Fantasy Sports are More and More Popular These Days

Beyond What We See with Hurricane Sandy

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

Matthew 24:36, 42 (NIV)

Look at today's conditions. . .

You don't typically see folks in such a frenzy like you do today since Hurricane Sandy has struck the eastern seaboard of the United States.  From the Carolinas to New York and parts of New England, we saw the devastation and destruction left from a natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy.

Then take a look at what the Lord says for us to do.  He wants us to keep watch.  He wants us ready with both anticipation and expectancy, holding onto the hope that only He can offer us.  Don't get swept of in the storm of the present confitions of today.  Keep your eyes open with your everlasting hope resting in what heaven can provide us.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

- Colossians 3:2 (KJV)

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Enduring Faith

"I more fear what is within me than what comes from without."

- Martin Luther

Look at the history of Protestantism and you will find Martin Luther looming and lurking somewhere nearby.  See where he confronted the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church and faced the challenges of going forward in a faith movement as an enemy of the church.

Imagine the ridicule Martin Luther faced.  Think about the humiliation he suffered at the hands of other religious leaders.  He was considered a heretic.  He was made into an outcast.  Nevertheless, he held onto his faith.
Martin Luther was a man just like any other man.  Yet, he was a man of deep conviction.  He devoured the Scriptures and took them to heart.  He allowed the Word to guide him and direct him, even to the point where he abandoned tradition.

Look at what his enduring faith produced.  The entire Protestant realm of Christianity stems from Luther nailing those ninety-five theses to the doors of the church.  He founded what we call Lutheranism today.  He made history by holding firm to his convictions and not keeping with the status quo.  He made a major difference in religious history.

Let such a legacy influence your walk with Christ.  Live your life with such a degree of faith that you live without regrets.  Live a life full of enduring faith.  Let your faith speak and come to life by the way that you live for the Lord.

History will tell of Martin Luther's storied life.  It will reveal his shortcomings.  It will teach us about his attachment to parts of Catholicism that caused divisions among his own followers.  It will show him just as vulnerable as any other man or any other Christian believer.  It will also share how he made his mark on history by making history by having enduring faith.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_2.html#KklbTLLCHD968kVp.99

Growing in His Word

“Don’t wait to fast, read, pray, or to do anything else.” – Charles Finney

Use the Good Book to get back on track.

Let truth show you the way.

You need to pray over some things.  You just need to get into some deep prayer and let loose.  I have one word of advice for you, though.  You do not have to hurry when praying, but you surely need to hurry up and pray.  Allow God to draw you in nearer and nearer, closer and closer.

Spend some time connecting with the Lord.  Go to the Word.  Read and hear the Word of God.  Listen to sermon podcasts and the Bible dramatized on iTunes. 

Take some time to make things work for you, especially as you work towards serving God daily.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. - Colossians 3:16 (KJV)



Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.- Romans10:17 (NIV)
 
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. -ColossiansNIV)
 
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.- James 5:13 (KJV)

Pray like You Mean it

a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways- James 1:8

Don't find yourself unsure and without faith.  Pray with all faith and trust in God.  Be sure to offer God as much trust as you can muster when you offer Him your petitions.  Be sure to let God know that you trust Him with your whole heart when you pray to Him.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, Have faith in God.- Mark 11:22 (NLT)

Have faith when you pray.  Let your faith come out as you pray.  Pray earnestly. Pray humbly.  Pray expectantly.  Pray with full faith.

Pray at the Polls

Election day is upon us again.

In California, we don't know if it'll be Meg or Jerry.  We're certain that Arnold is done, though.  Could Barbara Boxer be unseated after all of these years? Who knows but God? That's about all that we are certain of in this election.

There are numerous laws and ordinances that prohibit many actions at the polls.  These make certain acts illegal.  Some sit and wait, watching to see who will slip up and break one of these sacred political rules.  These political watch dogs usually straddle one side of the fence or the other, rather simply leaning to the left or the right.

Yet, the Christian still has an alternative that outweighs man's laws and remains legal.*

Pray at the polls today.

You don't have to walk up and ask anyone for their prayer request.  You don't have to ask the neighborhood poll captain or the registar of voters can you pray a short prayer.  Simply pray at the polls without disturbing anyone or distracting anyone.  Truly, God knows your heart.

Pray individually or collectively.  Pray by yourself or with others.  Pray all alone or altogether.  Pray.

Pray for our nation.  Pray for Congress, the Senate and the House, even the Speaker of the House.  Pray for the government as a whole, state and local government, even down to the propositions on the ballot.  Pray for the Democrats, the Republicans, the write-ins, the independents, and all candidates.  Pray for the Tea Party and other conservatives as well as the League of Women Voters and other advocates and activists.  Pray for the voters.  Pray for all involved in the political process.

Pray prior to going to polls.  Pray while in line at the polls.  Pray when you receive and read over your ballot.  Pray prior to submitting your ballot.  Say a little prayer when you get handed that patriotic "I Voted" sticker that they give out as you walk away from the polls.  Pray at the polls.

Pray openly.
Pray privately.
Pray out loud.
Pray silently.
Pray long.
Pray short.
Pray.
Pray at the polls.
Pray about the polls.
Pray about the results.
Pray about each and every election and its impact from that day forward.

Pray for change.
Pray for integrity.
Pray for democracy.
Pray about our freedoms.
Pray for America.

Don't proposition.
Don't petition.
Don't protest.
Just pray.
Simply pray.
All that I ask of you, as a Christian brother or sister today, is to pray.

Pray about the elections.
Pray for the elections.
Pray for safety at the polls.
Pray for those serving at the polls.
Pray for all of those involved.
Pray for all of those who will be impacted by every vote.
Pray that the elections make a difference in the way that we all live in America...
The Land of the free. . .
The Home of the brave. . .

Pray to God.
Pray today.
Pray with all of your heart.
Pray.
Pray.
Pray.
Again, I say, pray.


*This is still legal until someone decides that prayer, even in its simplicity and serenity, is so offensive that they rally and petition enough others to shut down the freedom to pray openly and publicly just in case that it may unduly influence or impact someone who doesn't have the ability to resist the power of prayer.  Then, when that time comes, we must still pray as Daniel did three times a day, even with his window opened towards Jerusalem while in captivity.  God's decrees are not constrained by man's laws.

Prayer Plan

Okay, folks.  The year is closing out.  We are wrapping up the third quarter and getting into the final and fourth quarter of the year, looking ahead towards 2011 with eagerness and excitement. 

Here's my sound advice for the evangelical entrepreneur or the Bible-believing businessman or businesswoman:

"Pray constantly."- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (HCSB)

You don't have to be consumed with the latest headlines and the market conditions through the news wire and constant streams of Internet data that reveal the ebb and flow of the business world moment by moment.  Get saturated in prayer.  Let your prayer life set you apart from how others approach business.

Believers who are in business need to be in prayer.  Constant prayer will need cause the problems to cease, but it will center you to focus on God's calling for your life and how to deal with the demands of being in business.

Pray frequently. Pray fervently. Pray faithfully.

Pray daily. Pray weekly. Pray monthly. Pray quarterly. Pray annually. Pray with a purpose. Pray with a plan. Pray with power.

Pray over your business and everything that is connected to your business.

How often you pray impacts how you pray, and how you pray impacts how often you pray.

Pray for your business today.  Pray with your future in mind.  Pray for guidance d strength

Seek God for Success

Evangelical entrepreneurship isn't Easy Street.  Some will seek to sell you Solomon's secrets from the Scriptures or tout to possess the seven spiritual steps for success from the Savior.  You need to seek God directly and devotedly, even daily,  if you plan to succeed in any enterprise that is to honor the Lord. 



When seeking God, I believe that you must do three things prayerfully:

• Pray Purposefully: When the disciples ask the Lord to teach them how to pray, let us not believe that they were so "unlearned" that they had never been exposed to prayer.  Let us realize that these men desired to discover what would be acceptable prayer offered to the Lord. They sought a means for discovery.  They sought an avenue for going to another level in communication and communion with God the Father.  They wanted the Master, the Son of Man, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, to teach them how to pray.  If we are going to seek the Lord, we will need to be purposeful.

• Pray Persistently: Do not give up.  Before offering the parable of the persistent widow, the New Living Translation opens the 18th chapter of Luke with: "One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up" (verse 1). Can you hear Jesus whispering into your very soul by the Spirit? Always pray and don't give up.Can't you hear Him? Always pray. I think He's speaking to you. Don't give up.  Persist in your prayer, then persist in profits and productivity, even progress.  Persist in prayer.  Don't give up.

• Pray Patiently: David opens Psalm 13 with an agonizing question that asks: "How long, O Lord?" Yet, it is the same David at a different and time who is able to say: "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry" (Ps. 40:1) or "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes" (Ps. 37:7).  Wait on Him.  His timing is way better than yours, just as His judgment is way keener than yours.  Remain patient and keep your hope and trust in Him.
  
  
  
  
Don't give and take aim at it with prayer.  Pray and don't lose heart.  Let His Spirit direct you on your next business move.