Category Archives: Prayer

-The Family, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Future of America

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In the last several months there has been a dialogue going on in America concerning our direction and the future of this nation when it comes to the major building block of society- the family.

Sunday we celebrated motherhood but earlier in the week the topic of conversation was same-sex marriage as President Obama came out in support of it and ironically cited the teachings of Jesus and the Golden Rule as having a part in his decision.

In April one of the big topics on the political scene was a comment that was made by a Democratic operative that Ann Romney never worked a day in her life since all she ever did was stay at home and raise 5 boys. In March the big controversy revolved around contraceptives and abortives and whether the government would force insurance companies to pay for them -even self insured religious organizations who were opposed to their use. It really was a matter of freedom of religion but the mainstream media and one political party styled those who opposed that idea as being in a ‘war against women.’

However, the real war in America is against motherhood, parenthood, and God’s design for humanity and Creation itself. My question is this:

Can God continue to bless America the way we are going? I believe that the answer is no and that our very future is hanging in the balance.

Honoring God’s order and design of the family was important enough to be included in the 10 commandments as a requirement for those who were seeking his blessing:

Ex 20:11-12
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
ESV

This was also confirmed in the New Testament teaching on the family in Ephesians:

Eph 6:2-4
“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
ESV

Do you really think that we are really honoring God’s plan for mothers, fathers, and the family in America today? So many children are brought into the world with single parents or in households where the parents are not fully committed to each other in marriage. And now if that is not bad enough, marriage itself is being re-defined as including same-sex partners and families are being re-defined to include all of these different perversions. Not only that, but Christians who question this direction in our culture are being cast as bigots, homophobes, and hopelessly on the ‘wrong side of history.’

If we continue in this direction I am afraid that America will ultimately be on God’s wrong side of history.

Again, can we expect God to continue to bless America in the midst of this rebellion against his order in Creation? As long as we were a nation that honored God and followed his order in creation for marriage and the family we could expect his blessings and that our days would be long and prosperous in this land. But that is no longer the case .

How we need revival.                    

-Miami: ONE Conference Unites 200 Local Churches

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Last weekend in Miami, Florida, Christians from 200 local churches of different denominations across the greater Miami area came together to worship God at the ONE Conference.

The 3 day conference, held at the BankUnited Center on the campus of the University of Miami, brought together folks from every denomination including  charismatics, Pentecostals, non-denominational evangelicals along with  traditional Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists and others.  The get together for Jesus was the culmination of a vision by Pedro Garcia, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Kendall. He hoped that the meetings would ignite a new passion for Jesus and impact the the entire region and world for the glory of God.

Approximately 6,000 attended the event sharing a common focus on Jesus Christ, with teaching from more than a dozen well known Christian leaders as well as worship music by Hillsong United, Dominic Balli and the Rebel Band.

Each speaker challenged the body of Christ in Miami to rise to a higher level of experiencing God and through the Spirit of Unity to actually make a difference and change the world for the better in the name of Jesus. The vision of the conference was “to have charismatics working alongside Evangelicals and other mainline Christian denominations in Miami to demonstrate the love of Christ with strength and unity.”

<Read about it here>

Response: Conferences of this type need to be repeated all across America. It is time for all Christians to stand up and be counted and united together in the name of Jesus.

It is time to see what the Father is doing and follow through. It is time for Christians to reach a new level of worship and love of Jesus. For too long we have allowed ourselves to be divided. America needs the church to be unified as never before if this nation is come out of its current trouble and continue to lead the world in freedom. Otherwise we could well see our nation descend into the dust bowl of history.   

The vision I was given many years ago of a major revival in America went across denominational lines and brought a new unity to American Christians and turned them into a force for cultural change pulling the nation out of the fire and destruction that the enemy had planned on.

This year is a critical moment where our nation is facing a number of different choices and paths. Most are not good and do not include or even recognize the hand of God. It is time for American Christians to stand up and be counted in this critical juncture of history. 

Our enemies are planning our destruction but God has different plans for our nation if Christians will stand up and be counted together bringing a new spirit of unity throughout the land—Not by military power, not by might but by my Spirit says the Lord. 

-71,000 Christians Attend Prayer Event in Cairo, Egypt

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Most of the time ‘bad news’ is coming out of Egypt, for once here’s a sovereign work of God.

The following report comes to us from long-time Christian blogger Andrew Jones (Tall Skinny Kiwi) who was visiting in Egypt at the time and attended the ‘Day of Prayer 11.11.11’:

– 71,000 attended the all-night prayer meeting in Cairo.

– It was the largest Christian event in Egypt for over a thousand years

– It was held at the cave church on Cairo’s largest garbage city, Mokattam. This church is called St Simeon the Tanner Coptic Orthodox Church.

– The gospel was proclaimed during the Prayer event and some people responded to the challenge call to follow Jesus.

– Prayers for healing were made at midnight and some people were healed of physical problems.

– It was an Egyptian event. Buses took people to this event from all over Egypt. …

One Egyptian Evangelical leader told Andrew following this event:

“I saw signs of the beginning of revival that I have never seen before!”

<<Read the entire report and the instructive comments following>>

Also while you are at it, read some of the other stories of Andrew’s visit in Egypt. They are eye opening and heart warming to say the least.

Response: It was remarkable on a number of different levels. Folks being healed and coming to Christ plus a real unity displayed in the Christian community. Also read Andrew’s report of prophetic words coming to the Christian leaders there. Obviously the Holy Spirit is at work awakening all of the Christians in Egypt including the Coptic Church. Amazing.

Note how in the report the Evangelical pastor was seemingly slighted at the prayer event but continued anyway in support and unity with his fellow Coptic Christians. What a great example for all of us.

The Christians in Egypt have been constantly under pressure and attack from the radical Islamists since the storied beginning of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ which the Western media has cast as a push towards Western-style democracy.

However, it is in reality an Islamist revival with undercurrents that have brought increased intolerance and persecution of the Christian community. We should remember to throw up a few prayers of our own in agreement and support for our Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt. Also let’s pray that real revival will spring up and bring a new kind of ‘Arab Spring’ starting with this event in Cairo.  

-It began with a Prayer and a Miracle

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Here’s the story of how a major radio ministry and business began with one prayer and a miracle:

Vic Eliason still remembers the exact spot on the floor where he stood with three students in 1961, praying for a miracle…

“We prayed on that spot on a Friday, believing that if God wanted us to have air time, He would have to provide it,” Eliason recalled. “On Monday, the door slammed open and a man I had never seen before asked, ‘Could anybody here use some free air time?’”

That was just the beginning of a life of miracles. On another occasion Eliason was involved with trying to purchase their first radio station -a 100,000-watt station evaluated at $465,000 even though the ministry “didn’t have a dime”:

“The bank said they’d look it over, to see if it would be wise for us to take on that size of an expansion. And not only did the bank suggest it was a good idea, but they also said, ‘The people you reach are your greatest resource. We urge you to do it. How much do you have to put down?’

“I went like this,” Eliason said, holding his forefinger to his thumb in the shape of a zero. “’Well,’ the bank said, ‘I guess we’ll have to write your whole check.’”

Eliason could only shake his head, saying, “To God be the glory.”

From there the ministry –VCY America, has grown to operate nearly 30 Christian radio stations across the mid-west and provide on-air content for dozens more.

Response: Just a good story to remind all of us in the middle of a major recession that God is still in the miracle business. Whether you are starting a ministry or a business in his name.

Thousands of ministries and churches across America got started with miracles of their own and in today’s recession keep on keeping on depending on God’s alternative kingdom economy.

This well could be the finest hour of the American church where everyone must turn to God in a new way just to pay the bills. But not only that, we are called to expand and take the Gospel to every nation. That is going to take a bunch of miracles, but Praise the Lord he is still in that business.       

-While We Are At It We Should Be Praying For This Guy Also!

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(Image by Violentz via Flickr)

Wednesday morning at the Marketplace Prayer Group at VCC Laguna Niguel, Pastor Mike Hudgins reminded us that we should be praying for President Obama and his administration.

Lately I must confess that I have forgotten all about praying for the President. In fact most of what I have been saying about him lately is not all that pleasant or edifying.

I did sign up and commit to pray for the new President for the first six months and followed through but after that..well let’s just say that I can’t remember the last time I really prayed for him and his family.

Pastor Mike reminded us that the President and his key advisers were making decisions for better or worse that affect all of us — the entire country and even the world. We are in the midst of a major recession and the world is getting more dangerous as we speak. We really should be praying for our leaders to receive wisdom from the Lord and pray that they pay attention to it. Not only that, but they make the right decisions in spite of themselves.

Our best President ever would be having difficulties right now in our present state and …well anyway it is time to pray.

Then Pastor Mike reminded us that we should be praying for our state leaders. I almost want to draw the line with the ‘Govenator’ but the State of California is nearly bankrupt and many key businesses are leaving the state because of the over-the-top corporate taxes and regulations.

Therefore out of self interest it is important to pray for my least favorite governor and state legislators. Maybe they can finally come up with a new budget before the summer is over.      

-Halloween? No–Reformation Day—a Great Time to Pray for Revival

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On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of a church Wittenberg, Germany starting the Reformation of the Church. The enemy likes to use this day for propagating his dark agenda but this is also Reformation Day—a great day to pray for revival.

Generals International Ministry are sponsoring a conference of over 2,000 intercessors today to pray and intercede for this nation. According to Cindy Jacobs the meeting is all about responding to a call of the Spirit to prayer :

“Believers across America are deeply concerned about the state of our nation. Prayer warriors are writing and calling us daily to warn that they feel we are on the verge of something catastrophic in scope coming to the nation.”  …

“We’re going to pray for a reformation back to a biblical worldview in our nation, against terrorist attacks, for the economy [and for] the state of the nation.”

“We’re not for the donkey or the elephant; we’re for whoever stands up. This is not the time to water down the message. … We definitely feel the Holy Spirit stirring, and we are very concerned for our nation. There is a feeling of sobriety in our country.”

The message that some of the prophetic folks around the nation are getting right now is that it is time to pray. What ever else we do today let’s remember to join in prayer continually for this nation and people, and for Revival to flood across America once more.  

-Dueling Prayers: Changing the Spiritual Climate of America

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(Muslims Praying in Washington DC -by talkradionews via Flickr)

There is a lot of praying going on in America lately. Last week 60,000 or so showed up in New York’s Time square to pray for America. Also 2 million or so students showed up at the flag poles at their schools to pray.

Then last Friday 3,500 Muslims showed up at the Capitol to ‘pray for the soul of America’ while probably hundreds of thousands of Christians were recruited to pray for the Muslims. It was sort of like ‘dueling prayers’ over the future of America.

I don’t believe that any of this is by accident.

I know that many Intercessors across the land have been particularly inspired lately to pray for America like they never have before. In my own home church Pastor Mike asked congregation and the leaders to pray and fast from sundown Sunday through sundown Monday evening (which significantly was on Yom Kippur) for the future of America, for the church and the ministries, and particularly for our area and for revival.

We are beginning a new year on the Biblical calendar and the spiritual climate of America seems to be up for grabs. It really is a time to pray in earnest for the future of America and for the American church. 

-Pray For President Obama If You Want to Please God!

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I’ve read a number of different blogs which call for Christians to actually pray against the new President with all sorts of reasons why this is a good idea. I won’t link any of them because I don’t believe that their approach is Biblical. In fact I know it isn’t!

Then I have also found several other sites who rightly called for believers to intercede for the New President and his administration. Most have cited 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

1Timothy 2:1-4

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Response: The way I read it–It will actually please God if we offer prayers and intercede for the new President and his administration. After all, Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to give counsel to his folks to pray for the Roman emperor and his henchmen and be thankful.

Wow–we may end up disagreeing with the new President over some important issues but I doubt that he’s going to burn Rome and blame it on the Christians and crucify Peter and Paul! Regardless, according to the scripture it will actually please God if we pray for him and be thankful anyway.         

-Should Christians Pray Against Their Enemies?

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Are ‘imprecatory prayers’ justified? Should Christians pray against their enemies?

The following story has been bothering me ever since I read it. It was posted by the LA Times Online sometime in August, unfortunately the link no longer works.

The Rev. Wiley Drake, Pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, California, asked his congregation (August) to pray an ‘imprecatory prayer’ against the leaders of an opposing organization. He listed Psalm 109 as a reference.

The Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington-based group had asked the IRS to investigate the tax-exempt status of Drake’s congregation because the Pastor had sent out a letter supporting Gov. Mike Huckabee for President on a church letterhead.

All heck broke loose when the Pastor asked for ‘imprecatory prayers’ against the AUSCS and it somehow became public knowledge. Even those who profess to have little or no faith in God were offended and became upset with Rev. Drake, which is surprising to me. It has became the subject of numerous news articles including an article in the LA Times which sought out responses from several religious leaders and scholars, who came across with mixed opinions.

Comments: One of the more interesting things that you run into when you are going through the Psalms in the Bible are the prayers of David asking God for justice and to take action against his enemies. I have always appreciated the candor of David and his ability to talk truthfully about his feelings with God. I have always thought that it is a good example for all of us.

However some of things that David prays for should also be shocking to Christians especially in light of the teaching of Christ to pray for our enemies:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matt. 5:44clip_image002)

I have no problem praying against the real enemy, Satan and all of his minions and plans. However, I hope and pray for everyone to find Jesus, even those I disagree with and those who consider me their foe for some reason.

I guess what bothers me about this story, the Christians here (the Pastor and his congregation) come across as unforgiving and seeking retribution rather than bearing a positive testimony of Christ and hoping, praying, and expecting for the best. For me, to pray against a bunch of people in an organization is tantamount to performing a curse and way to close to witchcraft. Am I wrong?

Personal Testimony:

Here’s a personal story: On one occasion I was bothered by one of my business rivals who had obviously stepped over the line and personally cost me over $2,000. I was driving down the road praying and calling upon the Lord for justice and as I remember, I felt justified to pray against the person and cried out that judgment should be upon him since he had ‘moved the stakes’ and violated his contractual obligations.

Immediately the Spirit spoke to me and told me to retract it or I would be under the same curse and judgment since the company that I represented had years before broken their word with this man.

Immediately a huge truck pulled into my lane and I miraculously avoided a major accident (I took that as a warning).

Then the Holy Spirit asked me to pray for blessings to heaped upon him. That was one of the hardest things I have ever done. However, I have personally prospered ever since and my rival not so much. So the Lord Himself took care of it.