Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Christians around the world are praying for revival. What are they praying for and do they have good reason to expect revival? Is revival something God wants to do for His people today? To answer these questions, we need to understand that God has always worked in the area of revival with His people. From the earliest days of Israel, on through the history of the Church, God’s method of dealing with His people h

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries After being in prayer ministry for many years, I have been in hundreds of prayer rooms in churches of every stripe. There are three basic types of prayer rooms I would like to address today: The Prayer/Storage Room– this is a “prayer room” that shares space and is not fully dedicated to the purpose of prayer. In many cases, it is used for sound equipment, stage props, Christmas decorations…well, you get the idea

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Growing up in the sixties and seventies gave me a firsthand view of the peace sign used by anti-war protestors and many others. Those two fingers signifying peace was all about being against war. Though being against war is good, the peace that Jesus speaks of is far more than the absence of hostilities. The peace of Christ is more about what is happening inside of you than what is happening around you. Ultimate

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries A few years ago, my husband went through his second of three battles with cancer. Following treatment that put him in remission, he had an appointment with an integrative oncologist to discuss some alternative ways to keep him healthy. Along with a green smoothie recipe and some other recommendations, Dr. Park talked a lot about stress. This was not a huge surprise as most of us now know how damaging stress can

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Have you ever wondered how to respond in a practical way to Paul’s admonition in I Thessalonians 5:18 to “pray without ceasing”? Some of you may have some of the same questions I have wrestled with over the years: How do you do that? What do you pray about continually? Is this even possible? One extremely useful way to do so in my daily prayer life came to light for me with this one verse:“But his delight is in

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Dave & Kim Butts with Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt.24:14). May I suggest to you that this massive, world-changing event, which Jesus told us to watch for, happened during the funeral of Billy Graham. In every nation, even those we call closed nations, the funeral of t

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Silence is very difficult . . . yet, it is in this place where God can choose to speak or not to speak and I am still able to know He is near because of the promise of His word in James 4:8 (“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”). Scripture is very clear that God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) dwells within those who believe and who have entered into relationship with the Living Jesus. It takes time to

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Though unwanted, fear seems to be a universal part of life. And yet, over and over again, scripture teaches us that we should not be afraid. It’s no wonder that the enemy of our souls, Satan, utilizes fear so effectively among the people of God. Reaction to fear varies from person to person, but fears that are not dealt with can bring damage and paralysis to a life. An example would be the individual with acroph

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Saturday, October 7, 2017, is marked in my mind and heart as one of the most extraordinary days I’ve ever experienced. My wife and I were in Washington, D.C. for the Awaken the Dawn days of worship and prayer. Though there was a main stage and some really great worship leaders and speakers, that’s not what I will carry with me the rest of my life. What impacted me most were 58 tents, one for each state, along wi

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Because this is a devotional on peace, it is embarrassing to admit that sometimes I have some anxiety. It can especially hit me at night when I am trying to sleep. If I’m not careful it can develop into a full-blown panic attack. I feel like I can’t stay in bed or I’ll suffocate. There have been times when I find myself up pacing through the house in the middle of the night trying to understand how a Christian w

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I love a good rain in the summer–especially after it has been awhile since we have had a downpour. Rain changes so much. There is a fresh, sweet smell that comes with it, a coolness in the heat, and all vegetation perks up and greens up. It makes one feel good. Rain is also a metaphor for the pouring out of the Spirit in our lives and churches. When our souls become parched and dry spiritually, we need something

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Do you find that you are sometimes easily sidetracked from the importance of an issue at hand by small, insignificant things that can cause you to lose your focus completely? I am very susceptible to such distractions, especially when I am attempting to attend to my soul. For instance, it is a simple thing to be intent upon sitti

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Christy’s dilemma: “How do I maintain a disciplined devotional time with God when I work full time and care for an infant?” She was exhausted after several days of travel to a conference for her work and her struggle was palpable, even over the phone. Uttering the most simple of prayers was difficult for her weary spirit. I remembered when I, as a young parent, felt this same struggle. I wished that I had known

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Over the past several years, God has been stretching my creativity and my imagination in prayer. It has been such a refreshing season of growth for me, as I am one who, in the past, tended to get stuck in comfortable ruts. Like many of us, I grew up praying with my head bowed, eyes closed and hands foldedin my lap. I was often told that this posture came about as an effective way to keep children from doing what

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I am on a journey to narrow the gaps of unawareness of Christ’s Presence within me so that the truth of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 can take root in my spirit and grow to fullness. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” If it is God’s will for me to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in the midst of all of my circumstanc