640 Sermon Illustrations on Prayer

This glass in front of me says "Coke" on it. But the label is wrong in this case. My glass is filled with water. Which, of course, is much better for me. Now there's no way I'm putting any Coke in this glass. You can't put any other liquid in here - there's no room for anything but my water. And why would you care?

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Filled With the Good Stuff."

Now, my glass filled with water is actually a picture of one of the most powerful prayers you can pray for yourself or for someone you care about. In fact, it is such a good prayer that it's one of the relatively few that God thought should be included in the Bible so we could all read it. The basic thrust of this prayer is repeated several times as Paul tells us what he prayed for when he prayed for the important people in his life.

We get to eavesdrop on the prayer of one of the most powerful Christ followers in history in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in Colossians 1:9. Paul says, "Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to (here it comes) fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." He goes on to say that if that happens, the folks he's praying for will live a life that pleases God in every way ... they will bear fruit in their work ... they will grow in knowing God ... they'll get really strong with supernatural power ... but what births all that good stuff in one of your "prayees" is that they get filled with the knowledge of God's will. That's what starts the whole ball rolling.

Which brings us to my glass here - which is filled with water ... which means there's no room for anything else in it. This prayer asks that you - or someone you're praying for - will be taken over with the sense of exactly what God wants done in each situation, in each decision. So filled with what He wants that it pushes out every other viewpoint, every other perspective. What God wants done starts to dominate the heart and the mind and the emotions of a person who is "filled with the knowledge of his will."

That's what is so powerful about this prayer - and why it was a focal point of the great Apostle Paul's praying. Ultimately, this "God's will fillup" is an answer to prayer. But there are some things you can do to create the environment of clear, unmistakable direction from God. First, want it badly. Are you interested in God's viewpoint just to see if you want to do what He says? Or are you desperate to get God's leading on what you should do, and you'll do it no matter what? Remember, "Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass." (Psalm 37:5)

Secondly, approach it neutrally. Don't pray to be filled with God's will if you're all full of your will. Give God a blank piece of paper, not a contract you'd like Him to sign. One other step that prepares you for a "God's will fillup" - act responsively. When you get God's leading, do it - before you change your mind. Obedience isn't just agreeing with what God wants - it's doing it. And until God fills you with the knowledge of His will on this matter, don't move. When He does fill your heart, don't wait. By the way, don't forget that the unfolding of God's will is usually just the next step, not the whole plan. See, that will keep you close to Him, day by day.

Well, get used to asking God for this - for you, for someone you love - that they will be "filled with the knowledge of His will." It's a great way to pray!

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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After President Bush met with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski in the White House this month, Bush invited his guest into his private study. There, the two men knelt side by side in silent prayer.

White House aides didn't mention that devotional interlude when they described Trajkovski's visit May 2 to reporters, and they were displeased to learn that the private moment was about to become public.

Religion infuses the president's daily life. Bush, 54, starts every day on his knees, praying. He reads the Bible each morning and studies a daily Bible lesson. He often asks a Cabinet secretary to lead a prayer at the beginning of Cabinet meetings. He says he frequently prays in the Oval Office. He sometimes prays on the phone with a minister friend who lives in Houston.

Bush's family, friends and longtime aides say faith helped him quit drinking, find his vocation in politics and check his fiery temper. He says it has made him more humble and tolerant.

"I find great comfort in my faith," he told Fox News last month. "It helps me realize that I am a person that as a lot of responsibility, but I am just a person -- nothing more than a human being who seeks redemption, solace, and strength through something greater than me."

Overt expressions of faith by elected leaders can make some Americans uncomfortable. Some employees at the Justice Department say the daily prayer sessions there, led by Attorney General John Ashcroft, make them feel they might be expected to participate. Bush's appeals to the religious right during his campaign made some people wary of his links to groups such as the Christian Coalition and their socially conservative agenda.

"Americans want a president to have a private, individual faith," says Philip Goff, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis. "What most Americans are uncomfortable with is the institutions of church and state overlapping."

Religion has been central to Bush's life since 1985, when he had a pivotal conversation with Rev. Billy Graham. At the time, Bush was in his late 30s, hard-partying and unfocused. He did not take his religion seriously. Graham questioned him about his commitment to his faith, Bush wrote in his autobiography, "A Charge to Keep", and "God planted the seed of faith in my heart. It was the beginning of a new walk where I would recommit my heart to Jesus Christ."

He was raised an Episcopalian but became a Methodist when he got married and joined the church of his wife, Laura. He spoke of his beliefs often during the campaign and said at his inauguration, "We are guided by a power larger than ourselves who creates us equal in his image."

Bush isn't reluctant to describe his active faith. "I pray all the time, "he said in the Fox News interview. "When I am alone in the Oval Office (and) something might be on my mind ... I will pray. I don't think that I could be sitting here as comfortable as I am and as peaceful as I am had it not been for my religion."

Bush's prayers in the Oval Office are usually solitary. But Trajkovski, like Bush, is a Methodist. The Macedonian president is also a lay minister. Before the visit, Trajkovski's staff suggested to White House aides that he would welcome a chance to pray with Bush. When Trajkovski entered the Oval Office for the formal meeting, Bush recognized a pin on his lapel. It was the emblem of the United Methodist Church, a cross and a flame signifying the Holy Spirit. After their official conversation, Bush invited Trajkovski to join him in prayer.

Bush's frequent references to God and his faith make Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, cringe. "When a president wears his religion on his sleeve as visibly as this one does ... he isn't simply using the bully pulpit to speak his mind,"Lynn says. "He's trying to impose his religious views on other people."

Some critics thought Bush exploited religion during the primary-election campaign. To build support among traditional Republican voters before a hard-fought South Carolina primary, he visited Bob Jones University, an evangelical school in Greenville that banned interracial dating and whose founder called Catholicism a cult. Another time, in a debate, he was asked what political philosopher or thinker he most identified with. He answered simply, "Christ, because he changed my heart."

Since taking office, Bush has met often with clerics, including Catholic bishops and African-American ministers, at the White House and while traveling. When U.S. military personnel were being detained in China last month, he asked American officials to be sure they had Bibles if they wanted them. He has proposed that religious groups operate some federal programs for the needy.

"Jesus says, 'Keep your piety in private,' " says Martin Marty, a religious historian. "People like the notion that piety shapes a president's morality ... but they know that policies backed by religion have to be scrutinized more than others."

Kirbyjon Caldwell is senior pastor at Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston and a Bush friend who sometimes prays with the president over the phone. Caldwell says Bush's faith is such a significant part of his life that he can't help but talk about it.

"The president's faith is extraordinarily important to him, not just for spiritual reasons but for professional, emotional, social and family reasons," Caldwell says. "The president allows his faith to permeate his entire being. He does not keep his faith in a box and open it when he's in trouble."

However, he doesn't impose it on anybody, his aides say. They see his expressions of faith as one key to his character. "I find it very welcoming," says press secretary Ari Fleischer, who is Jewish. "It's a reminder for everyone about the importance of faith in our lives, and the president practices his so powerfully and so privately that it serves as a simple reminder of the American tradition of having a strong faith."

Bush often attends church on Sundays, including services in the chapel at Camp David, Md., the presidential retreat, but he has not joined a church in Washington.

Other presidents have had deep religious convictions. During his presidency, Jimmy Carter, a Baptist, taught Sunday school. Richard Nixon, a Quaker, invited evangelists to the White House. Abraham Lincoln never joined a church but rarely gave a speech without references to God. Bill Cllinton, a Baptist, recited lengthy Bible passages from memory. John Adams, a Unitarian, studied for the ministry before becoming a lawyer.

Bush has said he doesn't think of himself as an advocate for his religion, but he doesn't intend to hide his faith. "I am ... a lowly sinner who sought redemption and found it," he told USA TODAY in January. "That doesn't make me better than anybody, it just adds perspective, I hope. I think people are going to find that in tough times ... they're going to see a steady hand because the rock on which I stand is something other than the moment, the emotion of the day. Faith can be a steadying influence."

(Twain apparently dictated “The War Prayer” around 1904-05 in protest of the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902; it was found after his death among his unpublished manuscripts. The actual prayer is also sometimes seen in poem form.)

The War Prayer

It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety's sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

Sunday morning came -- next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams -- visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! Then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and fiends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or , failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation

*God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest!

Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!*

Then came the “long” prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was, that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory --

An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher's side and stood there waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued with his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal, “Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!”

The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside -- which the startled minister did -- and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:

“I come from the Throne -- bearing a message from Almighty God!” The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. “He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such shall be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import -- that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of -- except he pause and think.

“God's servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two -- one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him Who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this -- keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

“You have heard your servant's prayer -- the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it -- that part which the pastor -- and also you in your hearts- -fervently prayed silently. And ignorantlyy and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: 'Grant us the victory, O Lord our God!’ That is sufficient. the *whole* of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory -- *must* follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

“O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

(*After a pause.*) “Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits!”

It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

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Courtesy of Stephen N Orso

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[Original illustration at this number was moved to HolwickID #16635]

• I asked for Strength … and God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

• I asked for Wisdom … and God gave me Problems to solve.

• I asked for Prosperity … and God gave me a Brain and Brawn to work.

• I asked for Courage … and God gave me Danger to overcome.

• I asked for Love … and God gave me Troubled people to help.

• I asked for Favors … and God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted. I received everything I needed.

A preacher asked a hard-working servant girl what she was doing for the Lord. She explained that she had very little time to be involved in "church work." "But," she added, "I always take the newspaper to my bedroom each night."

Surprised, the preacher asked what possible good that could do.

"Well," she explained, "I turn to the column of births. I pray that each of the newborns will be led to the Savior at an early age and become a great blessing to the world. Next, I check the column of weddings and pray that the couples will always remain true to each other and build their homes on Christ. Then I go over the death notices and mention the bereaved families by name to God, asking that, in their sorrow they will turn to the Lord."

An artist painted a picture of an old dilapidated barn. The barbed wire fence by the side of it was rusty and falling down. The door leaned drunkenly on hinges eroded by time and weather. It was a sad sight.

Some might call it "picturesque," but it was only a sad reminder of how temporary the things of life really are. Those who built it will not pass this way again. The things which were important to them are now only memories. The days of work and worry around this barn are long past. Life does not wait, and in its passing, "things" are left to rust and decay.

God has given us the means to correct this mistake of human weakness if we would only recognize it. He has given us "Sunday" in which to gather with those who share the dream of eternity with us; a time for reminding one another of things which do not ever swing on rusty hinges nor erode with time. He has offered us a constant audience with Him in prayer-a moment-by-moment opportunity to leave the temporary for the eternal.

Write out your prayers sometimes and see how much of the time you spend thanking God for and praying for the doors which hang on rusty hinges and how little time praising Him for the doors which open to things which "moth and rust" cannot corrupt.

A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you all that we have, the lives of our sons as well as our confidence and our prayers. You must know that no boy's father or mother ever kneels in prayer these days without asking God to give you strength and wisdom."

His eyes brimming with tears, Mr. Lincoln replied:

"But for those prayers, I should have faltered and perhaps failed long ago. Tell every father and mother you know to keep on praying, and I will keep on fighting, for I know God is on our side."

As the clergyman started to leave the room, Mr. Lincoln held him by the hands and said: "I suppose I may consider this as sort of a pastoral call?" "Yes," replied the clergyman. "Out in our country," replied Lincoln, "when a parson makes a pastoral call, it was always the custom for the folks to ask him to lead in prayer, and I should like to ask you to pray with me today. Pray that I may have the strength and the wisdom."

The two men knelt side by side, and the clergyman offered the most fervent plea to Almighty God that ever fell from his lips. As they arose, the President clasped his visitor's hand and remarked in a satisfied sort of way: "I feel better."

A real-life story about witnessing from Onie Kittle, a prayer warrior in New Jersey who is homebound due to a lung condition:

Every Monday Nancy has come to our home from a cleaning service. Thirty-four and single, she is a little rough around the edges in her Harley Davidson jacket. She calls me "On" (pronounced 'Own') and I kind of liked it. From the beginning, she came in with her mouth gaping: at the family fun ... at the daily ministry ... at the books and music ... at the 'Prayer, Care" Lighthouse in the window ... at the way (as she put it) "we always seem to do the right thing."

Following the Thanksgiving break, I asked if she had a nice holiday. She answered, with a tear welling up in her eye, "You know...I don't know about family things like you have. I mean ... I've never had anyone in my whole life tell me they loved me." So saddened by the story I shared it with my husband. Our hearts went out to her.

I prayed for her and sometimes with her and answered her questions ... questions that revealed her lack of foundation for any belief system.

At Christmas our house was full of overnight company and cooking. It really needed our Nancy! That Monday I prayed for her car to run, her back to be in good shape and that I would not get that dreaded phone call, "I can't make it." When she arrived an hour early, I shouted, "Nancy! I prayed you in this morning!" "Yeah?" she said. I reviewed the list of how I'd prayed. Then she got a twinkle in her eye and said, "You do pray for me. Don't you!"

I said, "Of course I do."

She sat down and said, "Can I tell you something?" "It was strange but, I mean..., my mom has never got me anything." "I mean ... anyway, I was jealous of you getting all these new pajamas and gowns and bed sheets ..." I mean, I don't even have a pair of pj's. I wear my brothers old tee shirts." "So, here comes my mom with this big box all wrapped up. With four brand new pairs of pajamas."

I smiled... She smiled... I laughed... She laughed... We held hands and laughed and cried. She "got it." She really saw God in it. I said, "Nancy, that is my all-time favorite story of God's love. He loves you so much." Then she went about her work. Before she left, she sat down again, across the desk from me and just lingered ... I felt God's love hovering over us. I thought, "How wonderful of you Lord, to turn a tear into a twinkle." I was just about to ask her, "Have you ever asked Jesus into your life?" when I felt it was not time. The Lord seemed to impress upon me that He wanted her to ask.

That week I spent some extra, intentional, time in prayer for her. Ed Silvaso, in his book, "That None Should Perish," reminds us to talk to God about men before we talk to men about God.

The following Monday morning, she came up the stairs and into the office and said, "Would you pray for me or with me or what ever you do." "I mean, I notice that you always do the 'right thing'." "I want to start doing the right things." I said, "Nancy, you know you never will be able to - do the right thing - in your own strength." I moved around the desk to sit beside her. The Holy Spirit said, "Anoint her with oil so that the enemy cannot touch her or manifest while you proceed." I asked if she had ever been anointed with oil and would it be okay with her if I did. She agreed. I thanked God for His kindness in Nancy's life. For bringing her into our home to love. For letting her know how much He loved her. For her mother's love to her at Christmas.

Then, I asked, "Nancy, I know that you were born into the Catholic faith as I was born a Baptist. But, you know there came a time when I had to make a decision to follow Christ and receive His salvation personally. Have you ever done that?" Her answers were obvious. "Would you like to," I asked. "Yes," she answered. I asked her to repeat the sinners prayer with me and we asked the Lord to clothe her with His love and righteousness - His rightness - His ability to help her do the 'right thing.'"

Being shut-in is not a time to retire from Christ's commission to make disciples. If we remain in prayer, He will send them in. His fields are ripe for the harvest, let us not give up praying....

___________________

"It's Harvest Time"

Mrs. Onie M. Kittle, Prayer Explosion, Inc.

304 Carriage House Lane, Riverton, NJ 08077

856.786.7233, fax 856.786.1269

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1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

The joys I feel, the bliss I share

Of those whose anxious spirits burn

With strong desires for thy return!

With such I hasten to the place

Where God my Saviour shows His face,

And gladly take my station there,

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

Thy wings shall my petition bear

To Him whose truth and faithfulness

Engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since He bids me seek his face,

Believe His word, and trust His grace,

I’ll cast on Him my every care,

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

[Tune “Sweet Hour”]

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It’s God on the line … and He want’s to speak with you! He’s got some questions for you. He said He knows who belongs to Him already, even though some of them don’t know it yet. He says that some of those, He has brought into contact with you so you might help them to realize they are His. He says you knew who they were. He says something about a guy who was panhandling on a street corner and something about some business associates who were supposed to see your mature Christian example at work. You were even supposed to witness to one of those. He wants to know why you didn’t?

That’s not all. He says He sent you to attend a particular church, so that He could use you further. He said He made some plans for church work which was counting on all of your tithes and involvement to be fully effective. He wants to know why you thought that other stuff was more important.

Wait, there’s more. He wants to know what’s up at your house. He says he gave you that family because He was depending on you to help them to mature into good strong Christians. He told me to ask you what makes you think that your own self-satisfaction comes before their happiness? He wants to know why you’re not training them the way He told you to? He says you’ll know what I mean. You know what? I’m tired of being the middleman. Why don’t you pick up the “pray-phone” and call Him yourself? He says He really needs to talk to you…

Prayer is the key to the day and the lock to the night.

Dear Lord

I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this day. I’m blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.

Forgive me this day for I have sinned. I ask now for Your forgiveness. Keep me safe from all danger and harm. Let me start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.

Let me make the best of each and every day and give my best in all that is put before me. Clear my mind that I can hear from You. Broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control of.

Let me continue to see sin through God’s eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this old world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus’ example. Slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It’s the best response when I’m pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can’t pray that You listen to my heart.

Continue to use me to do Thy Will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.

I pray for those that are lost and can’t find their way.

I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood.

I pray for those who refuse to share a word from You.

I pray for those that will read this and not use this in their lives.

I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others.

I pray for those that don’t believe.

But I believe and believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers.

This is my prayer I pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

A little boy’s prayer: “Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we’re in big trouble”

In the past few days I’ve had a number of responses from people who would love to serve God, but they aren’t quite sure what their role should be.

May I make a suggestion — be an encourager. This is one of the most needed attributes in today’s world. Be an encourager to all who need it — Christian or not. Your kindness may be all it takes to win someone to Christ. In fact, one of the cults uses this technique extensively and for a good reason — it is effective.

Critics abound, but encouragers are scarce. So, if you want to be useful for God and be appreciated at the same time, the choice is obvious — be an encourager! Isaiah 41:6 (NLT) says, “They encourage one another with the words, “Be strong!” Encouragement comes in many forms — maybe just a kind word, a hand held, support in crisis — you’ll find a way. Just try it!

As a small child, during prayer, I crawled under the pews to the back of the church. I don’t think my Dad was in a spirit of prayer as he spanked me.

Why do we pray? Have you ever thought about it? Take it a step further — why do we pray like we do? Think about what you said the last time you gave thanks for your food. Was it the same old rote that you’ve always used? Do we do it out of habit, because we feel we’re obligated to pray?

The man who led me to Christ always prayed like he was really talking to God — one to one. I admired that because that is the way it should be. Our prayer patterns easily get into ruts. Prayer should always be prayer and not an extension of a sermon. It should be one to one between us and God and not said for the benefit of those present.

Prayer between us and the God of creation is a unique privilege which we should take seriously rather than the trivial way we often approach it. Paul said in 2 Cor. 1:10 (NIV), “…On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.” We need to depend on God for our own needs AND the needs of others as we pray.

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. — Isaiah 33:6

Lord of heaven,

• I want the world from You, but I treat You all wrong, I’m so sorry.

• I treat You like an insurance policy to cover “eventualities” if something happen. I treat You like a blankie, to drag around and hold when I’m feeling insecure.

• I treat You like my personal bodyguard to keep the bad guys at bay, or even the score when I’m knocked down.

• I treat You like a vending machine, to give me what I want when I want it.

• I treat You like a flashlight. I click open Your Word if I need help or direction, then I click off and close my eyes and ears, and put You away in the drawer.

• I treat You like a baby playing peek-a-boo. If I can’t see You, I pretend You can’t see me.

Lord of Heaven, why do I treat You this way?

• Could it be that I don’t remember who You are?

• If I did I would treat You different.

• I would tremble in awe at Your power.

• I would kneel reverently in Your presence all day long.

• I would lie on my face when I recount my offenses.

• I would listen in reverent anticipation of a Word from You.

• I would truly love your name.

Lord, of all, I think I do love You.

• Pardon my unpardonable, infantile faith.

• Open to me the treasures of fearing You today.

If athletes get athlete’s feet, do astronauts get mistletoe? — Sorry, but I thought it was punny.

~~~~~~~~~~

A reader who felt his prayer life was in a rut asked for some suggestions to get out of that rut. For what it is worth, here was my response:

1) Do what Betty does — keep a journal of answered prayers and review it occasionally. It does wonders for your faith.

2) Make a prayer list and perhaps break it down into two lists so that you are not routinely praying the same every day. Repetition can breed lethargy, even in prayer.

3) Rewrite the list from time to time to revise the order and to add new items as well as possibly delete some others. Plan your prayer and pray your plan.

4) Be specific — don’t just say, “Lord, you know.”

5) Always include thanks and praise.

We’ve all heard people quote Scripture in their prayers. I have always felt as though that is sort of like saying, “God, it’s been so long since you wrote this, so let me remind you,” but that’s just a personal feeling. We are creatures of handed down habits. Hopefully, you have your own method of keeping your prayer life spontaneous and fresh. In any case, PRAY! Jer. 29:12-13 (NLT), “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.”

Last week I had dinner with a man who stands between Christian believers and another holocaust — this one in Africa.

I’m talking about Catholic Bishop Macram Max Gassis, whom I met in New York City a few days ago. We had a long talk about the barbaric war against Christian believers in Sudan — and he told me what Americans can do to stop it.

Bishop Gassis is a devoutly committed Christian — articulate and intelligent. Looking into this man’s eyes, I saw both unflinching courage and a tremendous love for Christ. It’s partly through his efforts that the West has learned how Sudan’s radical Islamic government persecutes the church. That persecution includes daily bombing of Christian villages, the enslavement of Christian children, rape, starvation, and murder. Millions of lives are at risk.

In the midst of these horrors, Bishop Gassis has stood courageously with his people, unafraid to tell the whole world what’s happening. For that he has become the most wanted man in Sudan.

He’s in the U.S. now, the bishop told me, because pressure from the United States is the only thing that will stop the genocide. The Islamic government knows it can get away with anything, and it’s determined to wipe out Christians. It’s a holy war — and the Islamic government will win unless the U.S. gets tough.

The bishop is pleading with Americans to do two things: First, to keep after our government to enforce sanctions and other pressures against Sudan.

Second, he’s pleading with us to pray for the suffering Church.

This is a good time to begin, because this Sunday is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Around the world, millions of Christians will be praying for fellow believers who are persecuted for their faith in Sudan, China, Iran, Egypt, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Vietnam, and many other countries.

We should never underestimate the power of prayer. Consider: Two years ago, few people even knew that Christians were being persecuted. When human rights groups and the president talked about abuses, they meant political dissidents. They ignored the attacks on house churches in China and the Chinese bishops who were getting their fingernails pulled out. They ignored what was happening in Sudan, where it seemed that every last Christian would be hunted down and killed before our government would do anything about it. Those trying to help persecuted believers had neither million-dollar lobbying budgets nor the ears of media elites.

And yet, in just two years, we’ve seen action by the Congress and the State Department condemning abuses in Sudan and China, two of the worst human rights violators. College students across the country have taken up the cause. We’ve educated millions of Americans about what’s going on overseas.

It’s one of the great stories of the twilight of this century — how Christians made the magic of democracy work and began to rescue hundreds of millions.

But we can’t stop now. Millions are still counting on us. We must re-commit ourselves to both prayer and action. We must continue to speak out on behalf of the people Bishop Gassis is willing to risk his life to protect.

Whenever we do, God rolls up his sleeves — and makes great things happen.

”Mommy, Mommy,” my daughter called out in the middle of the night when she was 4. “I’m scared. Come quick!” I stumbled down the hall to her room, muffling a yawn. “It’s that awful dream again. A monster’s in my closet!” she said trembling. “There’s no monster in here,” I said, checking her closet as I had done every night for the past week. “I’m afraid in the dark,” she said. “When I’m afraid, I pray to God, and He always takes care of me,” I said. “Just tell God how frightened you are, and He’ll take care of you too, OK?” “OK, Mommy.”

The next night, I woke up again. The house was quiet; my daughter wasn’t crying-so why was I awake? I got out of bed, tiptoed down the hall, and paused at the door to her room. “Are you awake, honey?” I asked softly. “Yes, Mommy,” she said. “My prayer worked. I had that dream again, but I didn’t yell for you. I asked God to bring you to me. And He did!”

As I hugged her close, I thought about God answering prayers in mysterious ways. All we had to do was ask, and, just as He had brought me to my daughter in the middle of the night, He would find a way to take care of all the “monsters” in our lives. -

Is it measured words that are memorized,

Forcefully said and dramatized,

offered with pomp and with arrogant pride

In words unmatched to the feelings inside?

No, prayer is so often words unspoken,

Whispered in tears by a heart that is broken,

For God is already deeply aware

Of the burdens we find too heavy to bear…

And all we need do is seek Him in prayer

And without a word He will help us to bear

Our trials and troubles, our sickness and sorrow

And show us the way to a brighter tomorrow.

There’s no need at all for impressive prayer,

For the minute we seek God He’s already there.

A lawyer was overheard praying in church: “We respectively request, and entreat, that due and adequate provisions be made this day and the date hereinafter subscribed, for the organizing of such methods and allocations and distribution as may be deemed necessary to properly assure the reception by and for said petitioner of such quantities of baked cereal products as shall, in the judgment of the aforementioned parishioners, constitute a sufficient supply thereof.”

INTERPRETATION: “… give us this day our daily bread.”

Be honest, have you ever wondered how it is logistically possible for God to hear the simultaneous prayers of His millions of believers scattered all over the world? Surely you have.

We can’t begin to understand it until we start to think of the seeming impossibility of our wireless communication system. If I sit inside my all metal car and dial my cell phone, how can it connect to any telephone in the world and allow me to talk back and forth? I don’t know, but that doesn’t keep me from using it.

So, how can God simultaneously hear all of us? I don’t know, but that doesn’t keep me from praying. The key to using either prayer or the cell phone is faith. In either case, I have the faith that a process I don’t understand is going to work, and I freely use it.

The last part of James 5:16 (NIV) says, “…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.” Believe it — really believe it! Have a super day …

(person)— ‘Our Father which art in heaven… ‘

(God)— Yes?

(person)— Don’t interrupt me. I’m praying.

(God)— But you called me.

(person)— Called you? I didn’t call you. I’m praying. “Our Father which art in heaven… “

(God)— There you did it again.

(person)— Did what?

(God)— Called me. You said, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Here I am… What’s on your mind?

(person)— But I didn’t mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord’s Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done.

(God)— All right. Go on.

(person)— “Hallowed be thy name… “

(God)— Hold it. What do you mean by that?

(person)— By what?

(God)— By “hallowed be thy name”?

(person)— It means… it means… Good grief, I don’t know what it means. How should I know? It’s just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?

(God)— It means honored, holy, wonderful.

(person)— Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what “hallowed” meant before. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

(God)— Do you really mean that?

(person)— Sure, why not?

(God)— What are you doing about it?

(person)— Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there.

(God)— Have I got control of you?

(person)— Well, I go to church.

(God)— That isn’t what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You’ve really got a problem there, you know. And then there’s the way you spend your money — all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?

(person)— Stop picking on me! I’m just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church.

(God)— Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you, for example.

(person)— Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.

(God)— So could I.

(person)— I haven’t thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.

(God)— Good. Now we’re getting somewhere. We’ll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I’m proud of you.

(person)— Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. “Give us this day, our daily bread.”

(God)— You need to cut out the bread. You’re overweight as it is.

(person)— Hey, wait a minute! What is this, “Criticize me day”? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

(God)— Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That’s what I’m trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It’s too late to stop now. Keep praying, I’m interested in the next part of your prayer… (pause). Well, go on.

(person)— I’m scared to.

(God)— Scared? Of what?

(person)— I know what you’ll say.

(God)— Try me and see.

(person)— “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

(God)— What about Ann?

(person)— See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she’s told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I’ve sworn to get even with her!

(God)— But your prayer? What about your prayer?

(person)— I didn’t mean it.

(God)— Well, at least you’re admitting it. But it’s not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it?

(person)— No. But I’ll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She’ll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood.

(God)— You won’t feel any better. You’ll feel worse. Revenge isn’t sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that.

(person)— You can? How?

(God)— Forgive Ann. Then I’ll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann’s problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.

(person)— Oh, you’re right. You always are. And more than I want to revenge Ann, I want to be right with you… (pause)… (sigh). All right. All right. I forgive her. Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She’s bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way.

(God)— There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?

(person)— Hmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don’t think I’ll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won’t be so tired from now on because I’m not getting enough rest.

(God)— You’re not through with your prayer. Go on.

(person)— Oh, all right. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

(God)— Good! Good! I’ll do that. Just don’t put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

(person)— What do you mean by that?

(God)— Don’t turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend coffee-ing with your friends, if you can’t influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn’t be your standard for “keeping up”. And please don’t use me for an escape hatch.

(person)— I don’t understand the last part.

(God)— Sure you do. You’ve done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me, “Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I’ll never do it again.” You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?

(person)— Yes, and I’m ashamed, Lord. I really am.

(God)— Which bargain are you remembering?

(person)— Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember praying, “Oh, God, if you spare us, I’ll never skip my devotions again.”

(God)— did you?

(person)— I’m sorry, Lord, I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord’s Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn’t expect anything to happen like it did.

(God)— Go ahead and finish your prayer.

(person)— “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Amen

(God)— Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?

(person)— No, but I’d like to know. I want now to please you. I can see what a mess I’ve made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers.

(God)— You just answered the question.

(person)— I did?

(God)— Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together.

(person)— Lord, let’s see what we can make of me, OK? Amen!

There was a Christian lady who lived next door to an atheist. Everyday, when the lady prayed, the atheist guy could hear her. He thought to himself, “She sure is crazy, praying all the time like that. Doesn’t she know there isn’t a God?”

Many times while she was praying, he would go to her house and harass her, saying “Lady, why do you pray all the time? Don’t you know there is no God?”

But she kept on praying.

One day, she ran out of groceries. As usual, she was praying to the Lord explaining her situation and thanking Him for what He was gonna do. As usual, the atheist heard her praying and thought to himself. “Hmph. I’ll fix her.” He went to the grocery store, bought a whole bunch of groceries, took them to her house, dropped them off on the front porch, rang the door bell and then hid in the bushes to see what she would do.

When she opened the door and saw the groceries, she began to praise the Lord with all her heart, jumping, singing and shoutin’ everywhere!

The atheist then jumped out of the bushes and told her, “You ol’ crazy lady, God didn’t buy you those groceries, I bought those groceries!”

Well, she broke out and started running down the street, shouting and praising the Lord. When he finally caught her, he asked what her problem was. She said, “I knew the Lord would provide me with some groceries, but I didn’t know he was gonna make the devil pay for them!”

Having to wait for someone or something is difficult. What we want, we want now. Our fast food must be just that-fast. Instant pudding, instant rice, and instant results are part of our way of life. One individual prayed for patience and told the Lord that he wanted it "Right away!"

However, we know so agonizingly well that the Lord does not work on our time table. Having to wait upon the Lord (Psalm 27:14; Psalm 37:34) can be painful at times! The principle of the Lord working as He wills requires faith. He is never late! His promises are sure.

May we have the faith and patience to wait! The Lord will work out His plan, His way and in His time.

Years ago an old lady had no money to buy food. She prayed, "Dear Lord, please send me a side of bacon and a sack of corn meal." Over and over again she prayed the same prayer aloud. One of the town's unscrupulous citizens decided to play a trick on her. He dropped a side of bacon and a sack of corn meal down her chimney. It landed in front of her as she knelt in prayer.

Jumping to her feet, she exclaimed, "Oh Lord! You have answered my prayer!" Then she went all over town telling everyone the good news.

This was too much for the scoundrel who dropped the food down her chimney. He ridiculed her publicly and told her that God did not

answer her prayer; he did. The old lady replied, "Well, the devil may have brought it, but it was the Lord who sent it!"

God answers prayers in many ways.

Have you ever watched how a bird sleeps on its perch and never falls off? How does it manage to do this?

The secret is the tendons of the bird's legs. They are so constructed that when the leg is bent at the knee, the claws contract and grip like a steel trap. The claws refuse to let go until the knees are unbent again. The bended knee gives the bird the ability to hold on to his perch so tightly.

Is this not also the secret of the holding power of the Christian?

Daniel found this to be true. Surrounded by a pagan environment, tempted to compromise with evil, urged to weaken his grip on God, he refused to let go. He held firm when others faltered because he was a man of prayer. He knew the power of the bended knee.

>From sleeping birds we can learn the secret of holding things which are most precious to us - honesty, purity, thoughtfulness, honor, character. That secret is the knee bent in prayer, seeking to get a firmer grip on those values which make life worth living. When we hold firmly to God in prayer, we can rest assured He will hold tightly to us.

Seeds and Weeds

Read: Matthew 24:1-14

Their voice has gone out into all the earth. — Romans 10:18

At Campbell University, where I teach, a lot of students are praying for revival. They want a movement of God to ignite our campus — Christians repenting, and non-Christians responding to what they see by starting a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

What unbelievers often see around them, however, are not the seeds of revival but the weeds of compromise. That is discouraging, but even such apathy has an encouraging side. As we read Matthew 24, we see that revival is not a sign of the end times. Jesus Christ predicted His return with words like persecution, false prophets, and wickedness — quite the opposite of revival.

Matthew 24:14 does talk about worldwide proclamation of the gospel at this time of persecution. But the spiritual weather for evangelism is going to be icy cold.

Christians differ about the specific time Jesus will rapture His church to heaven — whether before, during, or after the 7-year tribulation. Matthew 24:1-14, however, seems to describe a time before those events, a time of persecution that every Christian must be ready to face.

Persecution challenges any group of Christians, because it separates the true believers from the fakes. Some pretend-believers will even turn against the true ones (v.10). They, like all nonbelievers, will be easy targets for false prophets (v.11). Society, meanwhile, will head downhill, with wickedness on the increase (v.12).

Sounds like quite a downward spiral, huh? Sounds like the farthest thing from revival, huh?

So what are we supposed to do? The same thing as always: Seek a genuine, life-transforming relationship with God. If that’s where you are today, stay there. If you’re a Christian but your daily faith experience cannot be described as genuine and life-transforming, trust God to make it happen through His Holy Spirit. If this is not even close to who you are but is close to what your heart cries out for, you can trust God to make that happen too.

The revival that will begin in your heart might not be a sign of the end times, but it will show that you’re ready. — JC

REFLECTION

• Why do so many Christians my age pray for revival?

• What do I want God to do in my life, so I can stand strong against persecution?

• Lord, I often pray for revival, but I feel unprepared to face persecution. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can stand strong against any opposition, and not fall away from my faith.

Revival begins with prayer — or persecution.