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Two young girls, Makiah and Zalaiah who are passionate about prayer and live in Sacramento, CA, decided to offer their neighbors a unique way to be prayed for! They set up a prayer table for their neighbors taking walks or driving by to stop and leave their requests. (Note: this was started in 2020 during Covid, however this idea can obviously be done in any context.) What You Will Need: Set a table out on your front lawn or driveway with a small basket or container that has new, sharpened pencils of any size, and index cards. Also, put a separate small box or basket on the table for people to put their prayer requests into. Make a large sign that says “How Can We Pray for You?” Simple Instructions to leave on the table: Hello Neighbors! I (we) would love to pray for you today.1. Please take a card, and write down a need or a request you have. You may put your name on the paper, or be completely anonymous.2. Put your card back in the other basket/box.3. I (we) will regularly pick up the prayer requests and pray over them! Thanks for letting us pray for you! Click here for A Simple Way to Pray for Your Neighbors: Part 2

Sometimes, in the rush of the Christmas season, we do not always focus our thoughts, our hearts and our minds on Christ, the very reason we celebrate. As you, your family and your church look toward the celebration of the birth of Christ (the first advent–His first coming), take time each day to focus on the One we long to see face to face. Set apart a time of devotion alone or together in community, to anticipate and await with delight the coming of the Christ Child–God’s own Son! Don’t allow Him to get lost in the shuffle of activity–even as you physically prepare to celebrate. Take time to prepare your heart for His coming . . . what is He calling you to do . . . how is He calling you to live for Him? These daily Scriptural prayers will help you to remain focused on Christ, and deepen your celebration–far beyond physical gifts, delicious food, or decorations. Instead, adorn your hearts with adoration. Take the time to prepare for His coming through Christmas and then to celebrate His Coming through the end of the month as you prepare to step into a new year! Click here to receive the PDF of this December Prayer Guide! DECEMBER 1 “Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem” (Zephaniah 3:14)! Lord, prepare our hearts to rejoice! We want to be glad today, and to rejoice with all of our hearts. May we be filled with joy because we seek You and because You have saved us. Help us to sing and give You thanks as we wait for the coming of the Christ child. (See also: Psalm 13:5; 1 Chronicles 16:10; Psalm 28:7b) DECEMBER 2 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1). Lord, prepare our hearts to be set on things above because we have been raised with Jesus! We have new life because He came here as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and rose again! Help us to set our hearts on things above as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 3 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Lord, prepare our hearts to seek You! You have promised that we will find You when we seek after You with all of our hearts. We seek after You today, Lord, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 27:8, 119:10, 58) DECEMBER 4 “But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24). Lord, prepare our hearts to serve You. Help us to consider the great things You have done for us. We want to do everything for You alone, and do it faithfully as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Colossians 3:23-24). DECEMBER 5 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6). Lord, prepare our hearts to have a spirit of unity with other believers. Help us to have a spirit of unity so that we might glorify You and share everything we have with others. We want to glorify You, Father, in our family and in the Body as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Acts 4:32) DECEMBER 6 “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a). Lord, prepare our hearts to be fully committed to You! May we be completely focused upon You so that You can strengthen us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: 1 Kings 8:61) DECEMBER 7 “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders” (Psalm 9:1). “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:12). Lord, prepare our hearts to praise You! You are worthy of all of our praise. May we tell of Your wonders and glorify Your name as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Lord, prepare our hearts to be pure. Help us to run away from sinful desires. Give us the ability to call on You out of a pure heart that seeks after faith, love and peace. Keep us from foolish arguing. Help us to desire pure hearts as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 22:11; 2 Timothy 2:22-23) DECEMBER 9 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). Lord, prepare our hearts to be humble. Help us to learn from You because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. May others see Your gentleness and humility in us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 10 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6)! Lord, prepare our hearts to trust in You. We rejoice in You because we trust in Your holy name. May we always lean on Your understanding instead of our own so that our hearts will not be troubled. Help us to acknowledge You in all of our ways so that You will make our paths straight. You are our strength and shield as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 28:7a, 33:21; John 14:1) DECEMBER 11 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). Lord, prepare our hearts to be sincere. Thank You for cleansing us from sin so that we can draw near to You. Help us to truly desire to know You better, and deepen our faith as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 12 “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD” (Psalm 112:7). Lord, prepare our hearts to be steadfast. Even in hard times, help us to trust You without question. Because our hearts can stand firm, we will sing and make music to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 57:7, 108:1) DECEMBER 13 “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). Lord, prepare our hearts to be prayerful. We call upon You, Father, because You are our refuge–our place of safety. Sometimes we don’t even know what to pray, but You have given us the Holy Spirit to help us. Teach us to listen to You, and to pray the things that are on Your heart. Give us a spirit of prayer as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 119:145; Romans 8:26-27) DECEMBER 14 “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11). Lord, prepare our hearts to be undivided so that we will fear Your name. Father, would You put a new spirit in us? Remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. We will be Your people and You will be our God as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Ezekiel 11:18-20) DECEMBER 15 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Lord, prepare our hearts to be wise. We want to learn from You. Help us to listen to Your instruction so that all of our days will be pleasing to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Proverbs 16:23, 23:12, 15, 19, 26, 24:32) DECEMBER 16 “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” (Psalm 119:34). Lord, prepare our hearts to be obedient. We ask for understanding so that we can obey You. Help us to learn Your Word so well that we will not sin against You. We want to obey You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 119:11) DECEMBER 17 “May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame” (Psalm 119:80). Lord, prepare our hearts to be blameless in our Christian walk. Help others to see that we follow You in all of the circumstances of life as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 18 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Proverbs 139:23-24). Lord, prepare our hearts to be searchable. Father, may we always be willing to have You look closely at our lives. We need Your help to get rid of anything offensive. We need Your help to replace our anxious thoughts with thoughts that are pleasing to You. Lead us in the way everlasting as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 19 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). Lord, prepare our hearts to be peaceful. Your peace goes beyond anything we can understand because You do not give like the world gives. Thank You for allowing our hearts to be at peace because of the power of the One You sent to us–the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. May our anxious thoughts be replaced by peaceful ones as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Proverbs 14:30; John 14:25-27; Philippians 4:6-7) DECEMBER 20 “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10). Lord, prepare our hearts to be upright. You have said that light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. May Your light shine upon us as we rejoice in You! We take refuge in You because You are our shield. You are God Most High. May we be counted among those whose hearts are upright as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 125:4, 97:11, 32:11, 36:10, 64:10) DECEMBER 21 “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” (Psalm 119:112). Lord, prepare our hearts to keep Your decrees. We want to walk in all Your ways. Help us to keep Your commands by seeking after You only! Turn our hearts toward You, Father, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Psalm 119:2, 36; 1 Kings 8:58) DECEMBER 22 “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15). Lord, prepare our hearts to be cheerful. May we always find our joy in You, even in the midst of difficult times. Father, help our hearts to have a continual feast as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Proverbs 17:22) DECEMBER 23 “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:29-31). Lord, prepare our hearts to be free from worry. We know that worry will take our minds off of You, so help us to seek Your kingdom for all that we need. You are our provider as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Ecclesiastes 11:10) DECEMBER 24 “He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27). Lord, prepare our hearts to be loving. There is no other like You. Your Word says that to love You with all of our heart and soul and strength and mind is the most important thing. We are also to love one another deeply, from our hearts. Father, help us to love our neighbors as ourselves as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:32-33; 1 Peter 1:22-23) DECEMBER 25 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Lord, prepare our hearts to shine Your light just as You have come to shine among us! You have given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God! May our hearts shine brightly in a dark world as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 26 “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:6-7). Lord, prepare our hearts to reflect the Spirit of Your Son. We can call You our Abba Father, because of Jesus. We belong to You as sons and daughters, not slaves. May we reflect the Spirit of Jesus to everyone we meet, as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 27 “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). Lord, prepare our hearts to be faithful. Strengthen us out of Your glorious riches with power through Your Spirit so that Jesus will dwell in our hearts through faith. May love and faithfulness never leave us as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: Ephesians 3:14-19) DECEMBER 28 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Lord, prepare our hearts to tell others about You! There are so many hungry people out there asking questions. Give us boldness to tell others what You have done in our lives. Help us to always be prepared to reach people for Jesus as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 29 “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isaiah 26:8). Lord, prepare our hearts to desire You. We wait for You, as we walk in Your ways. We will continually desire Your name as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. DECEMBER 30 “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (1 Thessalonians 3:13). Lord, prepare our hearts to be strong. We want to be blameless and holy in Your presence when Jesus returns. Please encourage us and strengthen us in every good deed and word as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (See also: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Psalm 27:14) DECEMBER 31 “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). Lord, prepare our hearts to be turned toward family. Will You draw us together as a family (in our homes and in our churches) so that we will become a people prepared for You? Help us to be clean and pure before You as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child and as we step into a new year of service in Your kingdom!

In the midst of a season when they are needed most, pastors are burning out at an alarming rate! As Christians, we should feel deep agony over this fact, especially since the main reason for it appears to be . . . us! The very Christians who comprise the congregations of pastors who are rapidly dropping out of ministry are often the cause. God has not called us to criticize or damage our pastors. He has called us to love them (1 Cor. 13:1-13), to be submissive to their leadership (Heb. 13:17), and to pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-2). The Father has called our pastors and has ordained them to be our shepherds (Acts 20:28). Healthy churches have healthy relationships between pastors and their congregations. Would you renew your personal resolve to be an intercessor for and an encourager to your pastor(s) and their families? How can you pray effectively for your pastors and their families? Make a commitment to pray for them daily. If your pastors knew that you, your family, and others were praying for them, and for their families, each day . . . can you imagine what an encouragement that would be? Would their hearts be lifted if they knew that they could share a need or a concern with your family and you would take it to the Lord on their behalf? You know it would! Pray that your congregation will allow them to minister in a loving and caring environment. Many pastors and their families feel very alone in the midst of their churches. Often, they don’t have close friends in the congregation to whom they can go with burdens. They may feel that they can’t share needs because they, of all people, should have everything together. In truth, the pastor’s family is just like yours. They struggle with similar issues and problems. They desperately need others to come alongside of them and commit to fervent, continuous prayer and to be their advocates so that the enemy won’t have the opportunity to do damage. Your pastor’s ministry will only be as effective as the prayer that fuels it. If you want a joyful, Spirit-filled shepherd, who confidently leads their congregation into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and demonstrates a passion for revival and for reaching the lost, then you must pray for them – and for their families!  If you would like a PDF of this article to use as a reference for prayer and action, click here!  Here are some specific prayers based on Scripture that your family can pray for your pastors and their families: 1. Pray that your pastors will always have a passion to know Christ more intimately. Prayer: Father, help our pastor(s) to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings (Phil. 3:10). Since we know of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints, may we never stop giving thanks for them, always remembering them in our prayers. We will keep asking that You, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know You better (Eph. 1:15-17). 2. Pray that your pastors will minister out of a humble spirit. Prayer:  Lord God Almighty, would You help our pastor(s) to humble themselves before You and under Your mighty hand, so that You will lift them up (Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6)? Guide them in what is right and teach them Your way (Psa. 25:9). May our congregation see that they are wise and understanding as shown by their good lives, and by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (Jas. 3:13). Father, You have said that the ones You esteem are those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at Your Word (Isa. 66:2). May our pastor be such a person! 3. Pray that your pastors will minister from the Spirit’s power. Prayer: Gracious Father, may our pastor’s messages and preaching come to us, not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that our faith might not rest on the wisdom of man, but upon Your power (1 Cor. 2:4-5). Help them never to depend upon their own might or power, but always upon Your Spirit, Lord Almighty (Zech. 4:6). May You, the God of hope, fill our pastor(s) with all joy and peace as they trust in you, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13). 4. Pray that your pastors will be persons of prayer and of the Word (Acts 6:4) in order to live a holy and pure life. Prayer: Glorious God, we pray that our pastor(s) will seek You with all of their hearts. Help them never to stray from Your commands. May they hide Your Word in their hearts so that they will not sin against You (Psa. 119:10-11). Give them a deep desire to meditate on Your precepts and to consider Your ways. May they delight in Your decrees and never neglect Your Word (Psa. 119:15-16). Give them understanding so that they will keep your law and obey it with all of their hearts. Direct them in the path of Your commands where they will find delight. Turn their hearts toward Your statutes and not toward selfish gain, and turn their eyes away from worthless things. Preserve their lives according to Your Word (Psa. 119:34-37). 5. Pray for the families of your pastors. Prayer: Gracious Lord, may our pastor(s) fear You so that they will have a secure fortress that will always be a refuge for their children (Prov. 14:26). May they consistently teach their children to revere Your commands by following their example (Psa. 34:11), so that they might be blessed (Psa. 112:1-2). Help them to manage their families well so that their children will obey them with proper respect (1 Tim. 3:4-5). May husbands love their wives just as Christ loved the Church (Eph. 5:25). Help them to be considerate and respectful to their wives so that nothing will hinder their prayers (1 Pet. 3:7). May wives be respectful to their husbands, submitting to their authority as they would submit to the Lord (Ephesians 5:22). Faithful Lord, strengthen and protect our pastor(s) and their families against the attacks of the enemy (2 Thess. 3:3), and may their households always choose to serve You (Josh. 24:15). 6. Pray for protection against the schemes of the devil. Prayer: Heavenly Father, help our pastor(s) to be strong in Your mighty power. May they continually remember to clothe themselves with Your armor so that they can take their stand against the devil’s schemes. Help them to remember that their struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Help them to stand their ground and to stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around their waists, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with their feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. In addition, help them to daily take up the shield of faith so that they can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one. May they put on the helmet of salvation and use the sword of the Spirit, Your Word. Give them the desire to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Help them to be continually alert, and to keep on praying for all the saints (Eph. 6:10-18). Don’t let the devil establish a foothold in any area of their lives (Eph. 4:27). Help them to have a good reputation with outsiders, so that they will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap (1 Tim. 3:7). May they continually submit themselves to You, Father, and may they be self-controlled and alert in order to resist the devil, standing firm in the faith, so that the devil will flee (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). Keep them from temptation and deliver them from the evil one, Lord (Matt. 6:13). 7. Pray blessing into the life of your pastor(s) and their families: O Lord, our Rock and Redeemer, may the words of our pastors’ mouths and the meditations of their hearts be pleasing in Your sight (Psa. 19:14). May You, O Lord, give our pastor(s) the desires of their hearts and make all of their plans succeed (Psa. 20:4). Lord, our God, may Your favor rest upon our pastor(s) and establish the work of their hands (Psa. 90:17). God of hope, may You fill our pastor(s) with all joy and peace as they trust in You, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13). Lord of peace, may You give our pastor(s) and their families peace at all times and in every way (2 Thess. 3:16). May You, the God of peace, equip our pastor(s) with everything good for doing Your will, and may You work in them what is pleasing to You, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (Heb. 13:20-21). Becoming the Answer Now that you have prayed for and blessed your pastor(s) and their families, here are some practical ways to care for, encourage, and show your appreciation to them: Submit to the spiritual authority of your pastor(s) and encourage others to do the same…especially if there are any who are complaining or grumbling. Extend hospitality to your pastor(s) and their families by inviting them to your home for a meal or including them in family activities. Think of other creative ideas. Recognize that your pastor(s) and their families go through the same struggles as everyone else’s families and be empathetic rather than critical. Give your pastor(s) and their spouses time together while you care for their children or hire someone to do so. Fix a meal and take it to them with an encouraging note. Take a basket of items you know would encourage them. Find out some things they like to snack on, or some of their favorite coffee, card games, etc. Find out if there are any needs in their home that need attention: leaky shower, car repairs, yard work, etc. and see that they are taken care of. Send notes of encouragement and appreciation from your whole family; have your children draw pictures or write their own notes. Recruit as many people as you can to pray regularly for your pastors and their families. Try to cover them in prayer seven days a week. Encourage your church leaders to send your pastor(s) on a spiritual retreat regularly so that they can be renewed and refreshed by the Holy Spirit. Use your imagination. There are so many things you can do to show your love and appreciation. Be determined to pray for and care for your pastors and their families and allow the Lord to work in and through you by encouraging other families to do the same. Your simple efforts will do much to advance the cause of Christ in your church and community, as God does a mighty work in and through your pastor(s)’ lives. May your prayers and those of many others in your church, along with expressions of kindness, care and appreciation, keep your pastors and their families safe, joyful and productive for many years to the glory and honor of Christ Jesus, our Lord! If you would like a nice quality PDF of this article including pictures to use as a reference for prayer and action, click here!

“Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving…” (Psalm 95:2). In the Old Testament, thank offerings were given in gratitude for deliverance from sickness, trouble or death, or for a blessing received. Often, these thank offerings were accompanied by an animal sacrifice, prayer and an expression of praise: “I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:17). Today, as New Testament believers, our thank offerings have taken a different form:• We are called to a continuous lifestyle of thanksgiving: “…always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). • By the example of Christ, and in His name, our lives are to be a reflection of Him: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). • It is God’s will that the life of the Christian should always be lived in the context of continuous praise and thanksgiving regardless of circumstance: “I will give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is Your will for me in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:18). • Instead of an accompanying animal sacrifice, as was appropriate in Old Testament times, we are instead to: “offer our bodies as living sacrifices, hold and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). Scriptural Prayers of Thanksgiving: God’s Word gives us so many reasons to give thanks that it should never be difficult to honor the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. May you be encouraged to begin or maintain a continuous lifestyle of thanksgiving.Take some time to meditate on these Scriptures and give thanks to God: • I give thanks to You for turning my mourning into dancing! (Psalm 30:11-12) • I thank You because You answered my prayers, and because You have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:21) • Because of Your righteous laws, I am thankful. (Psalm 119:62) • Father, I will give thanks to You because You are good! (Psalm 16:34) • Lord, I give thanks to You because Your love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:41) • I give thanks to You because of Your righteousness. (Psalm 7:17) • I thank You because You have delivered me from death and kept my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of life. (Psalm 56:12-13) • I thank You because Your Name is near. (Psalm 75:1) • I give You thanks because Your faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5) • I thank You for Your unfailing love and Your wonderful deeds for men. (Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31) • Thank You because You satisfy the thirsty and fill the hungry with good things. (Psalm 107:9) • I give thanks to You who alone does great wonders. By Your understanding You made the heavens, spread out the earth upon the waters and made the great lights – sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night. (Psalm 136:4-9) • I thank You because it is You who gives the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 15:57) • I thank you because You always lead me in triumphal procession in Christ and through me You spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Corinthians 2:4) • Thank You for Your Indescribable Gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15) • I give thanks for everything in your name, Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20) • I give thanks to You, Father, because you have qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. You have rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son You love, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12-14) • I give thanks to the Holy One who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever. (Revelation 4:9) • I give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, because You are the One who is and who was, and You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. (Revelation 11:17) If you would like a PDF version of this article, click below   Sharing Your Thanksgiving“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, make known among the nations what He has done” (Psalm 105:1)! Sharing the reasons for your thankful heart in all of the circumstances of your life can often be the most powerful and effective witness you could ever give. When others are curious about your response to certain situations, whether blessings or difficulties, TELL THEM and SHOW THEM. Thanksgiving is powerful evangelism.  10 Ways to Live Out Thankfulness to God in Practical Ways  1. Whenever you are feeling thankful, give all of the honor, glory and praise to God. Worship Him and lift up His holy name! 2. Whenever you are thankful for answered prayer, share the answered prayer with others. 3. Whenever you are thankful for how you have been blessed, tell others how God has blessed you. 4. Because you are thankful that He has saved you, pray for the boldness and opportunity to share your testimony/story. 5. To thank God for financial blessings, pray for guidance and direction about how to bless others with your finances. 6. Because you are thankful to be alive in Christ, ask God to show you how to offer joyful service to others. 7. When you are thankful for God’s faithfulness when you go through trials, ask God to put people in your path who are going through similar trials so that you might be an encouragement to them. 8. Because you are thankful for your family, be diligent about thanking God for them daily and praying for them! 9. Because you are thankful for victory over sin, pray that God will give you strength to overcome the temptation to sin in the future. 10. Because you are thankful for the spiritual leaders God has brought into your life, continuously bring them before the Lord in prayer and find ways to show them how much they are appreciated.  “Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise Your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 19:13).

It is no surprise that Israel is a source of division and contention, both in the world and in the Church. It has always been so. For reasons, one could look to the unique geographic place of the nation, a bridge of land between warring empires for millennia. Or one could look to the exclusivist monotheism of the Jewish faith that set it apart through the ages. Modern analysts can perhaps look to the deep-seated antagonism between Jew and Arab as an outgrowth of tribal hatreds born centuries ago, even reaching back to the children of the Patriarch Abraham. Christianity’s emergence from the root of Israel has led to a confusion of relationship that has shifted like sand through the years, ranging from love and respect to outright persecution. Though all of these points are true to some extent, I believe there is a spiritual source, literally a demonic one that underlies the controversy. From the beginning, the great adversary, Satan has hated the Jewish people. They were the ones, chosen by God through which the purposes of God were to be carried out on planet earth. It was through the Jewish people that God’s redemptive plan for mankind was to be enacted, thereby assuring Satan of defeat. The persistence and ferocity of anti-Semitism through the centuries can only be explained by a supernatural force. Satan has tried to destroy the out-working of God’s grace by destroying the people God would use to demonstrate His greatest grace upon and through. From Haman to Hitler  might be a good, if chilling title to a book about the deadly nature of anti-Semitism. In the biblical days of Esther and her uncle Mordecai, the Jews faced an enemy in the person of a Babylonian official named Haman whose desire was to have all the Jews killed. Though Haman perished, the spirit behind his deadly schemes did not. History records again and again how hatred against the Jewish people erupted into violence and persecution. In recent history, the efforts of Hitler and his Nazis to eliminate all European Jews during the Holocaust was such a monstrous act that it is hard to imagine such large scale murder apart from demonic involvement. Certainly Christians who pray for Israel will want to deal significantly with issues of spiritual warfare on behalf of the Jewish people. This may be hard for some to believe, but even praying for Israel can be a point of controversy for followers of Christ. The significance of the existence of the modern State of Israel is a point hotly disputed among Christians. I am guessing that the majority of those reading this article, are those who believe that the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 was an astonishing fulfillment of biblical prophecy and that events surrounding Israel are key to understanding the Last Days. That is certainly my view! But I have many godly friends who hold firmly to the Word of God who believe differently. I am not here to convince people to my view, but to present effective ways to pray for Israel. Those who do not see modern Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy may well not have the sense of urgency to pray for Israel, but my encouragement to them is still to pray. At the very least, all Christians can join together in obedience to the biblical admonition to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? First I would suggest that a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem is not confined to the city alone, but includes the whole nation of Israel. In Old Testament times, the capital city of Jerusalem represented the entire nation. When times of trouble came, much of the nation came inside the walls of Jerusalem for protection. So, then, how do we pray for Jerusalem (Israel)? Certainly there is the aspect of protection from war, violence and terrorism that we would all desire for Israel. While it appears prophetically that there will come a time when God’s hand of protection is withdrawn for a time from Jerusalem, until that time we are to pray for God’s peace. This aspect of peace involves a cessation of hostility and attack. If, in spite of our prayers, it appears that violence still occurs, we can only imagine to what extent there would be unbridled violence without our prayers. In one way, Jerusalem will never completely know peace, until the Prince of Peace comes (again) to reign. There is however, a peace that comes to the human heart when Jesus is made Lord of that heart and life. I believe it essential that we pray for the peace of Christ to come into many hearts in Israel. It is this peace that will comfort and endure, even through times of great trial and tribulation. On the first Sunday in October of each year, many in the Church come together for the International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. If your church has not become involved in this prayer event, please check out their website at: www.daytopray.com . Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is so much more than a one day event, but this day of prayer can help ignite your prayers for the rest of the year on Israel’s behalf. Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.’” With Israel having a central role politically, religiously, and prophetically in the Middle East, much effective intercession needs to be made on her behalf. My friend, Sandra Teplinsky, in her book  Why Care About Israel?  gives us some ways to pray for Israel: Blessing and strengthening of those in true spiritual authority Outpouring of grace leading to repentance for unsaved Jews and Arabs Revival and maturity in the Israeli body of Messiah Blessing and wisdom for government authorities and others in leadership God’s sending and sustaining of laborers into Israeli harvest fields, opening doors for Messianic Jewish aliyah (return) Sending of resources to the Messianic community in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel by believers in the nations Jerusalem’s (Israel’s) protection from enemy attack, physical and spiritual Jerusalem’s (Israel’s) enemies to be delivered from darkness into light Your particular nation’s blessing of Jerusalem and Israel The nations’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital city Protection from the spirit of antichrist The fulfillment of Jerusalem’s redemptive purpose on earth as the City of the Great King, a city of peace that blesses the nations The gift of intercessory tears to be shed on her behalf until these things come to pass I love the balance of these intercessory pleas on behalf of Israel. There is no attempt here to accept everything that the modern State of Israel does as an act endorsed by God. Israel is a secular state that has made many mistakes. Nor is there anything that demonizes the opponents of Israel. Instead, in prayer, we choose to align ourselves with God’s redemptive and prophetic purposes to use Israel as an important part of what God is doing and is going to do on planet earth. Praying for Israel is ultimately about asking God to use this tiny nation to bring Him glory and to use the Jewish people to bring about His purposes as He has so many times in the past. God uses our prayer for Israel to advance His Kingdom and to bring honor to His Son, Israel’s largely unrecognized Messiah. Because your prayers for Israel are such a critical part of God’s end-time purposes, these prayers are to become more intense as the time approaches. I believe that the day and night prayer movement that began about ten years ago and continues to intensify is in itself, a sign of the approaching end of days. This 24-7 prayer movement is an act of obedience and fulfillment of the command of Scriptures: “You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7). The ten days of day and night prayer in Jerusalem before Pentecost launched the Church in its mission two thousand years ago. In the early 1700’s, the 100 year day and night prayer meeting of the Moravians began the modern missions movement. I believe the current day and night prayer movement will usher in the fulfillment of the missi on of the Church, the glorious appearing of Christ. A Prayer God of Israel, how amazed I am at the way You have brought Your people back into the land of promise. In our day we have watched with our own eyes as You have restored Jerusalem to Your people Israel and, against all odds, have brought into being a nation that many have said could never exist again. Now Lord, pour out that spirit of grace and supplication upon Jerusalem (Zech. 12:10). May Jesus be recognized as Messiah by His own people. Bring peace to Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace is enthroned upon the hearts of the Jewish people and all who dwell in the land. Taken from  Prayer and the End of Days by Dave Butts – Church Prayer Leaders Network  (C) 2010 PrayerShop Publishing. Used by permission.

No one would argue that Christian service is important. Serving on teams and developing programs that help the church carry out its mission is vital. But we tend to be so activity-oriented that we often forget that the heart of Christianity is a relationship with a person, the person of Jesus Christ. This essential relationship often takes a backseat to our Christian service. Restoring this missing element in our prayer lives will rejuvenate us spiritually and enable us to carry on in our service to the Lord. There is a lot of discussion today about burnout in the church. Among those who serve and care and give of themselves, there seems to be a point of breakdown. An exhaustion, physically and emotionally as well as spiritually, saps them of their strength to continue service. I believe that many of the problems relating to burnout can be overcome by a restoration of relationship of intimacy with God in prayer. We are not the only ones who desire an intimate relationship. From Genesis to Revelation we read of a God who loves His people and desires to have fellowship with them. Since this is such an important matter to God, it also needs to be high on our list of priorities. As we commit ourselves to grow in intimacy with God through prayer, it is important that we examine biblical accounts of those who had this intimate walk with Him. It will help us better grasp how special a close relationship can be. How to Grow in Intimacy David provides one of the best examples of intimacy with God in prayer. In spite of his sins and problems, David longed for intimacy with the Lord. Feel David’s passion in this Psalm: “O God, my God! How I search for you! How I thirst for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. How I long to find you! How I wish I could go into your sanctuary to see your strength and glory, for your love and kindness are better to me than life itself. How I praise you! I will bless you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. At last I shall be fully satisfied; I will praise you with great joy. I lie awake at night thinking of you— of how much you have helped me—and how I rejoice through the night beneath the protecting shadow of your wings. I follow close behind you, protected by your strong right arm” (Psalm 63:1-8 TLB). David cries out for God, expressing his desire for intimacy with Him. Could it be that we are not intimate with God because we either don’t want to be or lack the passion to seek after Him wholeheartedly? Have we never gotten thirsty enough to desire Him and Him alone? Are our lives so saturated with things and activities that we have never really missed being alone with God? Perhaps our prayer needs to be, “God, create a longing within me for You! Make me thirsty for the living water that is in You.” How can we grow in this area of intimacy and develop such a passion for God? Here are some practical ideas to help us get started: 1. Spend more time with God.  This may seem overly simple; however, how many of us, in our busy lives (including our service for the Lord), are willing to spend more time seeking to know the Lord in prayer? So often we rush into His presence with our long lists that are usually focused on us and those we know…and rush out again into the busyness of life. On a purely human level, when we are growing in our love for someone, we want to spend more and more time with that person. It is the same with the Lord. The more we know Him the more we will want to be with Him. This relationship requires something of us – a sacrifice of time that allows love to grow and deepen. 2. Spend time with people who are in love with God.  Wouldn’t it have been amazing to spend time with David as he worshiped and prayed? In addition to learning from him, I think his passion would be contagious. That kind of desire shows in the lives of those, like David of old, who love the Lord, especially in the way they pray and worship. Find the people who are chasing God wholeheartedly and love Him desperately – and hang around them! 3. Get to know God more in His Word.  There’s no better place to begin your walk of intimacy with the Lord than in the pages of His Word. The Bible is not just intended to give us facts and doctrine (though it does that very well). Its purpose is to reveal God. Jesus criticized the Pharisees because they studied the Bible, which spoke of Jesus, but would not come to Him. Use the Bible as a place of prayer. We need to allow scripture to teach us more about our great God. As the Word of God teaches you something about the nature of God, stop and praise God for what you just learned about Him. Meditate on all that He is as you find out new ways of knowing Him. Praying through the Bible should be one of the greatest experiences of your life. Pray John 17:26 This is a prayer request that will change your life! At the close of His great high priestly prayer, Jesus prays to His Father on behalf of His disciples: “I have made You known to them, and make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.” How much does God the Father love Jesus the Son? We cannot even begin to imagine, can we? Yet, Jesus prayed that the love the Father has for Him would be in us. Because this is a biblical prayer, from the very lips of our Lord, we know that it is a prayer according to God’s will. And if we pray according to God’s will, we know that He will answer that prayer. What a great prayer for us to pray every day of our lives: “Father, I pray that You will help me to love Jesus as You love Him, that Your love for Jesus may be in me.” Imagine how our love for the Lord will grow as we pray this prayer and as God begins to answer. More on intimacy with God: Creating an Atmosphere for the Presence of Jesus Time in the Tent The Discipline of Solitude in Everyday Life Aloneness in Prayer Hearing God in Silence 6 Simple Ways to Deeper Intimacy with God through Prayer

The phone call from my doctor was a surprise to my wife Kim and me. We knew something was amiss with my health, but we had no idea the seriousness of it. It’s amazing how one phone call with unexpected news can realign our best-laid plans. The Lord has amazing timing! For several months prior, I had been pulling together resources and studying Scripture to write a devotional book on prayer, peace, and the presence of Christ. By the time I sat down to write, that peace was far more than just a topic to study. It was now an integral part of my life. I had no idea how important the truth of Philippians 4:7 would become to me: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God Knows I often withdraw to other places to write, and I did so for this devotional book. The Holy Spirit was clearly at work as I wrote. It seemed like the devotionals flowed from my heart and mind as I wrote for several days. Then came the call I had been waiting for regarding medical tests a week earlier. The results showed that I have a rare form of cancer called B-cell mantle lymphoma. I confess that the writing stopped for some days while Kim and I scoured the Internet to discover all we could about this disease. As we learned about the rarity of this cancer—and often discovered things we didn’t want to know—God’s peace never left us. Now I’m back to writing again, this time about God’s peace in an imperfect world. Through His Word, God prepared me with His peace for the news I received. Far more than just an academic topic, His peace is a reality. It is a precious gift we have received, and we thank Him for it. On Guard This peace from God is beyond understanding. A cancer diagnosis typically brings much fear and anxiety—and I confess I have had anxious thoughts. But in a way I cannot understand or begin to explain, God’s amazing peace guarded our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. I think the key word is guard. Anxious thoughts and fears do arise. But God, through Christ, has supernaturally set a guard upon our hearts. This guard—awake and alert—prevents the natural thoughts and fears from gaining a foothold. Our minds and emotions do not have to be subservient to the circumstances around us. The peace of God is a strong guard that protects us and allows us to overcome a situation through the thoughts that come from Him. The key to all this is desiring God’s peace and asking for it. We can read Philippians 4:7 and feel good about the potential for peace. But if we do not receive it into our lives through prayer and faith, we are allowing this truth to be nothing more than a nice thought. God’s peace is available for all followers of Christ if we will ask and receive. Then we can cultivate His peace through a life of intimacy in prayer and studying the Word. As I began my cancer treatments, a good friend wrote to assure me of his prayers. He asked how I was doing, then he followed up his question with “Really, how are you doing?” This was my response: “Alan, How am I doing? That’s harder to answer than you might think. Everything radically changed in my life with the diagnosis of a stage IV rare form of lymphoma. The things I thought were critical are not so critical. All my speaking engagements are either cancelled or put on hold. For a guy who has spent his career living by the calendar, the calendar is irrelevant, except for doctor visits. But how am I doing? Hate to say it this way, but I’m in an amazing place! God is so good to me. I’m experiencing His peace day by day and He has removed any and all anxiety from me. The only tears I have shed have come not from cancer, but from the amazing care and love shown by the Body of Christ. God’s people have provided finances, care, and above all, an avalanche of prayer that covers me continually. I am in an amazing place! Even ministry-wise, I am able to write and connect with prayer leaders around the nation and even the world. I’m convinced that this temporary illness will sharpen me for far greater effectiveness in ministry and compassion than ever before. I do believe it is “an illness not unto death,” but even if I’m wrong, I can’t lose on this one. I don’t pretend to enjoy what I’m going through. The chemo last week was really intense because I have a very aggressive cancer. I’m paying the price for it this week. And in two more weeks I get to do the whole thing over again, for 6–8 cycles. Then we see whether the chemo killed the cancer or it killed me. I’m believing the cancer is going down! How am I doing? I certainly cannot complain. I am on a journey with the Lord that is exciting and daunting at the same time. I am already watching Him do some amazing things and am committed to keeping my eyes open and to learning more of His ways as we go together. Thanks for asking. Didn’t mean to get carried away. I appreciate your prayers and friendship. Blessings! Dave” The only way I can explain the ability to deal with cancer is the supernatural peace that Christ gives to His followers. Jesus said to us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). This kind of peace is not a temperament type, nor is it the result of carefully cultivating a peaceful lifestyle. It is a gift from God to be received. And it is an important aspect of God’s will for each of us. The peace that Jesus speaks of is closely associated with His presence. The 23rd Psalm is a favorite for many people. It has become life-giving for me. You see, I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Though I firmly believe I will experience physical healing, the truth is that I currently am in stage IV lymphoma—and death shadows me. But like King David, I can say that I am not afraid. The reason? Because Jesus is walking with me through this valley. The rod and the staff that comfort me (Ps. 23:4) are symbols of a king and a shepherd. My King and Shepherd is walking with me—and that provides perfect peace regardless of outward circumstances. Benefits of Walking in Peace Kim and I have discovered the amazing benefits of peace as it impacts others. Many people who are struggling with illness or other difficulties have shared ways our peace in our circumstance has encouraged them in whatever they are facing. Several of the medical staff at the hospital told us that they look forward to our every-three-week stay because we don’t come in complaining. They notice the way we are filled with joy—and that has opened the doors for us to pray with nurses and share about Jesus. With God’s peace, despite serious illness, you can focus on others and on ministry to the Lord. There are other by-products of this peace: Peace gives rise to worship. I often find myself up in the early hours of the morning, walking and worshiping the Lord. My infirmities have allowed me to be more compassionate toward others who are struggling with illness. My appreciation for the prayers of others on my behalf has led me to greater prayer for others. God has been so gracious to me in this time of illness. The prayers of thousands and the release of the power of God, along with the best of medical science, have brought me rapidly to remission. Though the medical community says that mantle cell lymphoma is “incurable,” I worship a God who doesn’t recognize that word. My trust and hope is in Him for complete healing. But the Lord also provides peace and strength to deal with what amounts to a chronic disease. Ministry continues unabated and with even greater effectiveness because of the peace God has given to Kim and me. The presence of Jesus brings peace to whatever circumstances any of us are walking through. As we daily draw near to the Lord and commit ourselves to deeper intimacy with Him, His peace becomes a guard that banishes fear and gives joy. When the Prince of Peace reigns in believers, a supernatural peace marks their lives—and that speaks volumes to the world! –This article is based on the book,  Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God  and appeared in Prayer Connect, Issue 31, Hope for a World in Turmoil.

My favorite Bible story is found in 2 Kings 6. It is the story of the prophet Elisha and his involvement in the war between Israel and the Arameans. The king of the Arameans had declared war against Israel, which wasn’t a good thing for Israel with its smaller army. The Aramean king called his generals together and gave them the battle plans for the attack on Israel. The one thing that the king hadn’t planned on was that God was listening to the strategy as well. He told Elisha the enemy plans, who then immediately passed the information on to the King of Israel. With his much smaller army, the Israelite king simply moved his army out of the way and avoided defeat. After a couple of fiascoes like this, the king of the Arameans became suspicious. He called his generals in and demanded to know who was leaking information to the Israelites. His generals explained that it wasn’t any of them, but the prophet Elisha who had revealed the plans. They explained to the king that Elisha knew everything that went on, even the things in the king’s own bedchamber. Upset over this information, the king began to make plans to take care of the prophet who was interfering in his attempts at conquest. The king’s new strategy was really simple. Go after one man…. Elisha! In 2 Kings chapter six, the story continues with Elisha and his young servant in the little village of Dothan. We can imagine what it must have been like that morning. The servant got up first, as was his custom, to go outside and prepare breakfast for his master. As he walked outside he looked in terror about him, as he saw the entire army of the Arameans surrounding the tiny village. He rushed back in and woke up the prophet. Can’t you see Elisha walking outside the hut, muttering and rubbing the sleep from his eyes? The first words out of his mouth were amazing, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” His young servant had to be thinking, “Wait a minute. There are just two of us. Prophets must be lousy mathematicians.” Then Elisha began to pray. What is astonishing in his prayer is what he didn’t pray. He didn’t begin to panic by praying, “Oh Lord, save us from this army.” Instead, there was this calm, yet amazing request: “Lord, open this young man’s eyes.” I believe the implied meaning was, “Lord, open this young man’s eyes so that he can see what is already there.” Elisha’s prayer was answered immediately as his servant’s eyes were opened and he saw there, surrounding the army of the Arameans, the army of heaven–a host of angels, decked out in battle armor, ready to move at God’s command. I’ll let you read the conclusion of the story on your own. It has a fascinating finish. The point of the story for our purposes is that Elisha did not ask God to send angels. With his prophet’s discernment he saw or sensed their presence. His prayer was for his young servant, that he too, would be able to know of the protective presence of God’s angels on their behalf. The Bible teaches, from beginning to end, of the existence of the invisible world, the world of the spirit. A world of angels and demons, yet a world that we touch daily as those who have been given not merely a body, but a spirit. This invisible world is difficult to believe in for many of us today. We tend to focus on that which our senses tell us is real. Things we can touch, taste, smell, hear, or see are real to us. An invisible world of the spirit seems a bit unreal or mystical. One of the things I love about the way God’s Word presents the things of the spirit, is the way it stays away from the mystical or unreal. It presents the unseen world as simply a matter-of-fact. There are things that are seen; there are things that are unseen. Both are real. One is not more real than the other. The invisible world is not a matter of myth but of solid, well-grounded reality. Jesus had a firm grasp of this reality. He was aware of and interacted with this invisible world on a regular basis. After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days of prayer and fasting. During this time He encountered the Devil and was faced with a time of temptation. The battle is not presented with a flourish as if to say, “This was a unique, once-for-all battle reserved only for the Son of God.” Instead, it almost seems as though it is a model of what may happen to any believer who makes a decision to follow at all costs, the direction of God. At any rate, the battle in the wilderness was not waged with miraculous signs, but with a clear-headed use of the Word of God to counter the suggestions of the Enemy. As Jesus moved through His years of ministry in His earthly body, He encountered the invisible realm a number of times. There was the time He was preparing to go to Jerusalem and Peter spoke up against the trip. Jesus turned to him, and we can almost see Him pointing His finger in Peter’s direction as He said, “Get behind Me Satan.” How unnerving that must have been for Simon Peter! I don’t believe Jesus was calling Peter, “Satan,” but rather was responding to Satan himself. Jesus understood how Satan could put words into the mouths of others, like Peter, and simply went to the root of the problem with His rebuke. By the way, if Satan could put his thoughts into the mind of the Apostle Peter, do you suppose he can do the same to us? I’m convinced that one of the major reasons for the many commands given in Scriptures regarding watching what we say, is the possibility that our words, unchecked, may contain the thoughts of the Enemy. There is another encounter with the unseen world that gives great insight into Jesus’ beliefs concerning the role of the Enemy in human affairs. It concerned the healing of a woman who had been crippled for 18 years. She was so bent over that she couldn’t stand up straight. Jesus healed her on the Sabbath. In response to His critics, He said, “Should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” Jesus believed and taught that, at least some illness can be caused by the Enemy. He did not teach that all illness is from Satan, but that some may find its source in the spirit world. Have you ever noticed, as you read the Gospels, how many times demons manifest themselves in the midst of Jesus’ times of teaching? Jesus gave us a great model for dealing with the demonic. He interrupted His teaching just long enough to get rid of the distraction, then turned immediately back to His teaching. His focus was not on the kingdom of darkness, but on God’s Kingdom. Jesus did not have a deliverance ministry, in the sense that He went out looking for demons to cast out of people. He went about proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven. When a demon had the audacity to interrupt, Jesus dealt decisively with it. The Apostle Paul continued the attitude of his Master toward the invisible world. He clearly saw Satan as a real, created being, who was scheming against God and those who followed the ways of God. In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Paul spoke of the importance of forgiveness, “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” Later in 2 Corinthians he spoke of the god of this age (a clear reference to Satan) who is blinding the minds of unbelievers. In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul warned us that in later times (ours?) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. It is Paul who began to develop a military terminology for this spiritual conflict. He referred to Christians as soldiers. He told us that we do not wage war as this world does, but rather we use spiritual weapons. Then in Ephesians 6:10-18, he gave us this great treatise on spiritual warfare with special emphasis on putting on the armor of God. Not to be left out, the Apostle Peter added his teaching concerning the battle in 1 Peter 5:8-9: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him.” In his second letter, he wrote of angels who sinned, whom God sent to hell to be held for judgment (2 Peter 2:4). In his short letter, Jude also spoke of these fallen angels, and gave us the amazing story of how the archangel Michael got into a dispute with the devil over the body of Moses (Jude 9). It’s obvious the New Testament authors took spiritual warfare seriously. We ignore it to our detriment and danger. Certainly some may go too far in their practice of this doctrine. We often hear reference to some Christian teacher who sees a demon behind every bush. I doubt demons are much interested in bushes, but the point is well taken. If we are not careful, we can end up focusing more on the devil than Jesus. But much of the Church in the last century has taken the opposite tactic of simply ignoring or denying the devil. There is however, a growing awareness today in the Church that our battle is real and against that ages-old Enemy whom the saints have always faced. The good news of the Bible is that our victory is sure and is based on the victory of Jesus over the enemy at the Cross and the empty tomb. Our job in prayer is to walk in that victory, putting on the armor of God, and watchfully praying for God’s Kingdom to triumph in our day.

“‘And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God” (Luke 24: 49-53). Jesus instructed His followers to stay in Jerusalem to await being “clothed with power from on high.” They could never have imagined the mighty rushing wind of the Spirit and the Shekinah glory of God coming upon them and so many others. The world would never be the same. God had come to dwell in the hearts of people forever! Thousands of Christians have been finding ways to pray night and day throughout the ten days following the day marking the ascension of Jesus, and leading to the Global Day of Prayer, celebrated by many believers on Pentecost Sunday. We watch and pray following the pattern of Christ’s followers in Jerusalem before the first Pentecost. Here is a powerful prayer for the world to celebrate this season of waiting, which for believers today, precedes His return! This prayer can be used in part or as a whole, prayed in unison or responsively. Take time to pause and reflect after each section: Prayer: “I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7) . Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You alone are holy and righteous. We gather with believers all over the world, to humble ourselves before You, to pray, to seek your Face and to turn from our wicked ways, to intercede for the lost, the hopeless, the helpless and the world. Lord, have mercy on us. (Pause) Our Father in heaven, Thank You for loving the world so much that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be reconciled to You and adopted into your Family. Lord, have mercy on us. Let your Kingdom be established in every nation of the world, Your will be done through the transformation among peoples of all tribes and languages, so that righteousness and justice will prevail. We call on You for the salvation of the unsaved, for the unreached and for those who have never heard about Jesus Christ, our Lord. May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting. (Pause) Father of mercy and grace, We have sinned. Our world is gripped by the power of sin. Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence. We are shamed by oppression, racism, corruption, rape, theft and bloodshed in our land. We mourn all loss of life in murder, abortion, war and terrorism. Lord, have mercy on us, forgive our sins and heal our land. (Pause) Lord Jesus Christ, You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan. Deliver us from demonically-inspired financial, religious and ideological systems, from poverty, slavery and tyranny. Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples. Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death. Lord, have mercy on us and deliver us from evil. (Pause) Holy Spirit, Spirit of Grace, Spirit of Truth, Anoint us to bring healing to the sick, deliverance to the oppressed and to comfort those who mourn. Strengthen those who care for the sick. Fill us with love and compassion for the homeless, the hungry, the orphans, the elderly and the marginalized. Lord, have mercy on us and heal our diseases. (Pause) Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the Church, We confess that our homes are broken and our churches divided. Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual perversions. We draw near to You for forgiveness, healing and restoration. We need wisdom and insight for the global financial crisis and how to use the resources of the Earth for the well-being of all. Lord, have mercy on us, sanctify and consecrate us. (Pause) King of Glory, Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations. From all continents and islands, we cry: Lift up your heads, O you gates! Be lifted up ancient doors so that the King of glory may come in! Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory as the waters cover the sea. The Spirit and the Bride say: Amen! Come Lord Jesus! *Prayer from Global Voice of Prayer

One of the more disturbing verses in Scripture concerns Cain, the second man to ever live – the eldest son of Adam and Eve. After Cain killed his brother Abel, he is put under a curse that makes him a wanderer. The ground, which received his brother Abel’s blood, will no longer produce for Cain. A worker of the soil, Cain is cut off by his own actions from his means of livelihood. Following his conversation with God after Abel’s murder, comes an action that foreshadows much of future human history. It is found in Genesis 4:16: “So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” We don’t know where Nod was. There is no recollection in any historical account of where this land was. But the Hebrew meaning of the word “nod” tells us much about the spiritual condition of Cain. Nod means “wanderings” in the original Hebrew. Cain went out into the land of wanderings…. wanderings apart from the presence of God. We don’t know if Cain had a choice here. Maybe he was driven from the Lord’s presence, though the text does not clearly state that. It seems more likely that Cain chose to leave the Lord’s presence because of his sin and feelings of guilt. It certainly seems that way when you consider the resultant generations and their wickedness and rebellion against God. What Cain did physically, mankind has since done spiritually. We have left the presence of the Lord, wandering off in our ways, doing what seems right to us. Ignoring our Maker, we live in the land of Nod. It is easy to understand how those who have never encountered the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ can wander off. It is almost beyond belief that Christians can do the same. But I would suggest to you with sorrow that much of the Church today is asleep in the Land of Nod. They have left the presence of God for a life of wandering apart from Him. Harsh words? Perhaps! But consider the warnings of Scripture about just such a possibility. Jesus asked if He would find faith on earth when He returned. The Apostle John in the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation warns about the danger of a church failing to remain a church. The author of Hebrews warns against the danger of drifting away from the faith: “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (Hebrews 2:1). Perhaps that phrase “drifting away” may be helpful to us as we try to understand the dangers here. We may not be like Cain and simply leave God’s presence. It may be more of a drifting away. Less time with Him today…even less time tomorrow. Suddenly it seems we are so far away that it might not be worth the effort to try and return. Have you ever been in a rowboat on a good-sized lake? The boat isn’t far from shore, so it wouldn’t take long to row back to the dock. But the sun is hot and it feels so good beating down on you that you decide to close your eyes and take a bit of a nap. You awake from your nap, astonished at how far away the dock is now. It’s no longer a short row, but a long distance requiring strenuous effort. You didn’t so much decide to leave the shore as you simply decided to let things drift. The third verse of the old hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” speaks much to us of this tendency toward drifting: O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love: Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above. – Robert Robinson This leaving the presence of the Lord can obviously happen to an individual, but it is of great concern that it can happen to a body of believers as well. The Lord’s warning to the Ephesian Church in Revelation 2 is directed at the whole congregation. Together they had served the Lord and held on to the right doctrines, but had lost their first love. As a church, they had left the Lord’s presence and were dwelling in the land of Nod. How many congregations today are asleep in the land of Nod? Isn’t it interesting that there are outward similarities in the Hebrew word for wanderings (nod) and our English word “nod”? Webster’s dictionary defines the English word “nod” as: “a quick downward motion of the head as one falls off to sleep.” Sleepy churches drift off to sleep, moving away from the presence of God, not so much by intention, as by inaction. These spiritually sleepy churches may in fact be very noisy – filled with loud songs and much activity. But in fact, a spiritual drowsiness has come over them as they drift away from any true interaction with the Christ who is their Head. What will wake up sleepy Christians in the Land of Nod? Only a fresh awakening to the presence of Christ in their midst! This is not a call to a new program for waking the sleeping. Enough of our programs! It is a call for repentance and a return to the presence of Christ. This happens as pastors and church leaders lead their congregations in prayers of humility and repentance for trying to do the Lord’s work apart from His strength and empowerment. It happens as preachers covenant to preach Christ and Him alone! It happens as individual believers resolve to seek His face in a fresh, new way. It happens as our hearts join with the heart of David as he prays: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face Lord, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8).