“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7-8
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
S (supplication or intercession):
Intercessory prayer is standing between God and His people. It is an incredible responsibility to stand before God in behalf of others.
The Bible gives many cases of people who intercede for others in prayer. When God desired to blot out the people of Israel, Moses interceded for the people and asked God for mercy (Dt 9:13-14, 25-29).
Paul desired to be cursed in behalf of his people (Rom 9:3). There are contemporary examples of intercessory prayers like George Mueller who asked God to provide finances and resources for the orphanages he served.
God calls each of us to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!
The following is only a partial list of those for whom we are to offer intercessory prayers: all in authority (1 Timothy 2:2); ministers (Philippians 1:19); the church (Psalm 122:6); friends (Job 42:8); fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1); the sick (James 5:14); enemies (Jeremiah 29:7); those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44); those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16); and all men (1 Timothy 2:1).
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Church Needs Men of Prayer
We are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel.
This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method.
The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men…What the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more novel methods.
[The church] needs men whom the Holy Spirit can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer!
E. M. Bounds, Power through Prayer, 9–11.
This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method.
The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men…What the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more novel methods.
[The church] needs men whom the Holy Spirit can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer!
E. M. Bounds, Power through Prayer, 9–11.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Supplication, Part 1
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7-8
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
S (supplication or intercession):
In our acronym, we come to the section of asking God about our needs. Notice that this is the last element of prayer. Most people will come to God with their requests first. How different it would be if you began your prayer with adoring God first and praising Him. When you begin with God by rehearsing His goodness, His faithfulness, and His power, your perspective will be changed. When you come to God with your needs, you acknowledge several qualities about God and yourself:
• Your inadequacy versus God’s sufficiency
• Your dependency versus God’s independency
• Your lack of resources versus God’s riches
Requests to bring to God:
• Spiritual, mental, physical, emotional needs
• Deliverance from temptation
• Your enemies
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
S (supplication or intercession):
In our acronym, we come to the section of asking God about our needs. Notice that this is the last element of prayer. Most people will come to God with their requests first. How different it would be if you began your prayer with adoring God first and praising Him. When you begin with God by rehearsing His goodness, His faithfulness, and His power, your perspective will be changed. When you come to God with your needs, you acknowledge several qualities about God and yourself:
• Your inadequacy versus God’s sufficiency
• Your dependency versus God’s independency
• Your lack of resources versus God’s riches
Requests to bring to God:
• Spiritual, mental, physical, emotional needs
• Deliverance from temptation
• Your enemies
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thanksgiving in Prayer, Part 3
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
Imprisoned in a Siberian gulag (prison) for criticizing the Russian premier Joseph Stalin, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn later wrote the following words, "Thank you, prison, for having been in my life." Isn’t it interesting how this man’s prison rekindled his faith in God? Take time to thank God for everything you experience, even in your prison.
Thanksgiving is your celebration of praise and worship Ps 100:1-2
Thanksgiving is your acknowledgement of God and His works Ps 100:3
Thanksgiving is your entrance before a holy God Ps 100:4
Thanksgiving is your reflection on God’s goodness Ps 100:5
S (supplication or intercession):
Ways to show your thankfulness:
• Write down the names of people who have touched your life and those whom you have touched. Thank God for them!
• Look for ways to give back to others. Write a letter, invite someone for a cup of coffee or take them out to lunch, spend an afternoon with them, make a phone call, etc.
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
Imprisoned in a Siberian gulag (prison) for criticizing the Russian premier Joseph Stalin, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn later wrote the following words, "Thank you, prison, for having been in my life." Isn’t it interesting how this man’s prison rekindled his faith in God? Take time to thank God for everything you experience, even in your prison.
Thanksgiving is your celebration of praise and worship Ps 100:1-2
Thanksgiving is your acknowledgement of God and His works Ps 100:3
Thanksgiving is your entrance before a holy God Ps 100:4
Thanksgiving is your reflection on God’s goodness Ps 100:5
S (supplication or intercession):
Ways to show your thankfulness:
• Write down the names of people who have touched your life and those whom you have touched. Thank God for them!
• Look for ways to give back to others. Write a letter, invite someone for a cup of coffee or take them out to lunch, spend an afternoon with them, make a phone call, etc.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Thanksgiving in Prayer, Part 2
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” Psalm 100:4
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
A spirit of ungratefulness is toxic and a mark of a spiritually immature Christian. When you are unthankful, it dishonors God and leads to a self-exalted life. An unthankful person is one who depends more on one self rather than God, and this attitude will eventually lead to feelings of hopelessness. Paul writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom 1:21).
When we are thankful, we realize that someone has met a need for us, and what better time to remember our need. We required a substitute for our sinful lives. We were unable to come to God, so God came to us through His Son Jesus Christ. And through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have access to God through grace by faith. Take time to thank our God for His provision today!
S (supplication or intercession):
Application:
• Thank God for what was accomplished on the cross!
Every penalty of sin was placed on Christ (Is 53:6)
Jesus took your place as a sinner (2 Cor 5:21)
Jesus saved you from the wrath of God (Rom 5:9)
Jesus redeemed you (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Pet 1:18-19)
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
A spirit of ungratefulness is toxic and a mark of a spiritually immature Christian. When you are unthankful, it dishonors God and leads to a self-exalted life. An unthankful person is one who depends more on one self rather than God, and this attitude will eventually lead to feelings of hopelessness. Paul writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom 1:21).
When we are thankful, we realize that someone has met a need for us, and what better time to remember our need. We required a substitute for our sinful lives. We were unable to come to God, so God came to us through His Son Jesus Christ. And through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have access to God through grace by faith. Take time to thank our God for His provision today!
S (supplication or intercession):
Application:
• Thank God for what was accomplished on the cross!
Every penalty of sin was placed on Christ (Is 53:6)
Jesus took your place as a sinner (2 Cor 5:21)
Jesus saved you from the wrath of God (Rom 5:9)
Jesus redeemed you (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Pet 1:18-19)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thanksgiving in Prayer
“Pray always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
The attitude of thankfulness is prevalent in the Scripture. We are told to express our gratitude and appreciation to God. The word thankfulness is used in the Greek New Testament in two ways: 1) grace and 2) to confess/ acknowledge. “Thankfulness is a mental and/or verbal expression of one's acknowledgement and appreciation of God's person, His grace, blessings, and sovereign work in one's life and the world.” (J. Hampton Keathley, III, The Reasons for Thanksgiving, bible.org).
Why should we be thankful:
1. Because God has given us His Son (Jn 3:16).
2. Because God has given us His Word (2 Pet 1:20-21).
3. Because God has given us His Spirit (Rom 8:
4. Because God is good (Ps 106:1; 107:1; 8, 15, 21, 31).
S (supplication or intercession):
Application:
• Take time to thank God for His character and many blessings today!
• Begin a journal and start recording His hand of goodness and faithfulness in your life.
A tool to help you to pray (A.C.T.S.)
A (adoration):
C (confession):
T (thanksgiving):
The attitude of thankfulness is prevalent in the Scripture. We are told to express our gratitude and appreciation to God. The word thankfulness is used in the Greek New Testament in two ways: 1) grace and 2) to confess/ acknowledge. “Thankfulness is a mental and/or verbal expression of one's acknowledgement and appreciation of God's person, His grace, blessings, and sovereign work in one's life and the world.” (J. Hampton Keathley, III, The Reasons for Thanksgiving, bible.org).
Why should we be thankful:
1. Because God has given us His Son (Jn 3:16).
2. Because God has given us His Word (2 Pet 1:20-21).
3. Because God has given us His Spirit (Rom 8:
4. Because God is good (Ps 106:1; 107:1; 8, 15, 21, 31).
S (supplication or intercession):
Application:
• Take time to thank God for His character and many blessings today!
• Begin a journal and start recording His hand of goodness and faithfulness in your life.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Why the Church Matters
Reasons why the church matters:
1. The church is the only institution that our Lord promised to build and to bless (Matt 16:18).
2. The church is the gathering place of true worshippers (Phil 3:3).
3. The church is the most precious assembly on earth since Christ purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 5:25; Col 1:20; 1 Pet 1:18; Rev 1:5).
4. The church is the earthly expression of the heavenly reality (Matt 6:10; 18:18).
5. The church will ultimately triumph both universally and locally (matt 16:18; Phil 1:6).
6. The church is the realm of spiritual fellowship (Heb 10:22-25; 1 John 1:3, 6-7).
7. The church is the proclaimer and protector of divine truth (1 Tim 3:15; Titus 2:1, 15).
8. The church is the chief place for spiritual edification and growth (Acts 20:32; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:1-2; 2 Pet 3:18).
9. The church is the launching pad for world evangelization (Mark 16:15; Titus 2:11).
10. The church is the environment where strong spiritual leadership develops and matures (2 Tim 2:2).
Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, Comeback Churches, 32-33. Quoted from John MacArthur, Rediscovering Pastoral Ministry, Shaping Contemporary Ministry with Biblical Mandates; and Richard Mayhue and Robert Thomas, The Master’s Perspective on Pastoral Ministry
1. The church is the only institution that our Lord promised to build and to bless (Matt 16:18).
2. The church is the gathering place of true worshippers (Phil 3:3).
3. The church is the most precious assembly on earth since Christ purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 5:25; Col 1:20; 1 Pet 1:18; Rev 1:5).
4. The church is the earthly expression of the heavenly reality (Matt 6:10; 18:18).
5. The church will ultimately triumph both universally and locally (matt 16:18; Phil 1:6).
6. The church is the realm of spiritual fellowship (Heb 10:22-25; 1 John 1:3, 6-7).
7. The church is the proclaimer and protector of divine truth (1 Tim 3:15; Titus 2:1, 15).
8. The church is the chief place for spiritual edification and growth (Acts 20:32; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:1-2; 2 Pet 3:18).
9. The church is the launching pad for world evangelization (Mark 16:15; Titus 2:11).
10. The church is the environment where strong spiritual leadership develops and matures (2 Tim 2:2).
Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, Comeback Churches, 32-33. Quoted from John MacArthur, Rediscovering Pastoral Ministry, Shaping Contemporary Ministry with Biblical Mandates; and Richard Mayhue and Robert Thomas, The Master’s Perspective on Pastoral Ministry
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