Whose Side am I on Anyway?

Good and evil

Am I continually saying with amazement to my common-sense life—why do you want to turn me off? Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business? I must give myself to the Word and prayer. Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He getting His wonderful way in me, or have I carefully put Him on one side?

Is the Son of God praying in me or am I dictating to Him? Is the Son of God in me going through His passion for His own purposes?

Oswald Chambers

Then Why Pray?

Pondering

Provoking Thoughts on Prayer

“Your Father knows what things you need before you ask.” Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not first to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we only pray because we want answers, we will eventually get huffy with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect. We are not here to prove God answers prayer; we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace.

When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to fix blame somewhere. You will find there is a reason, which is a deep instruction to you, not to anyone else.

Oswald Chambers

The Ministry of the Interior Part 1

Interior

Provoking Thoughts on Prayer

Drawing close to God will give you personal rest and power in prayer. Draw near to God then it will be easy to pray in faith.

Let me remind you, when God calls you into the school of intercession, it is always more for your own benefit than others. He is drawing you near for deeper and more critical purpose. It is to be trained by the Holy Spirit. Here’s the question of the day, the month, the year, and maybe for your lifetime: Am I trainable? You have to be trained by the Holy Spirit to be still, to love, and to pray and believe.

Each one of us must learn to give ourselves to the “Ministry of the Interior”–it is here that we are trained for service by the Holy Spirit. How are you doing stewarding this ministry?

Tim Cameron

We Are That Widow

Widow

Day 5 of a week with Francis Frangipane on Prayer

Provoking thoughts on prayer

When it is all said and done, is it possible that this widow in Luke 18 may not have been a singular person but a corporate church—a “widow church”—united in Christ in a singular, desperate prayer for protection from her adversary?

It is our turn to pray. We are the widow who cannot give herself a reason for failure; God will answer our day-and-night cry. Let us position ourselves at His throne. Certainly, He will grant us legal protection in or cities.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for our lack of prayer and for giving ourselves excuses to fail. Lord, we thank You for making us desperate. Help us now to prevail, to attain the “legal protection” You have provided us against the adversary. In Jesus name.

Francis Frangipane

Jesus Challenges our Concept of Church Leadership

Fancy2

Jesus Challenges our Concept of Church Leadership

A week on prayer with Francis Frangipane Day 3

Church history began with her leadership devoted to the Word of God and prayer (Acts 2:32, 6:4). Every day the leaders gathered to pray and minister to the Lord (Acts 3:1). In this clarity of vision and simplicity of purpose, the church of Jesus Christ never had greater power or capacity to make true disciples. These men and women revealed the purity of the kingdom of God.

Today, however, our qualifications for church leadership include almost everything but devotion to God’s word and prayer. Leaders are expected to be organizers, counselors, and individuals with winning personalities whose charms alone can draw people.

In Luke 18, Jesus challenges our modern traditions. He asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” His question is a warning to Christians who would limit the power of God at the end of the age. Jesus is calling us to resist the downward pull of our traditions; He is asking us individually, “Will I find faith in you?”

Before we respond, let us note that Jesus associates faith with “day-and-night” prayer.