Prayer Request Post

Please Pray for Allan as he fights against cancer...

Do You Really Love Him?

She has done a good work for Me —Mark 14:6

If what we call love doesn't take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.

Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? “She has done a good work for Me.”

There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. “. . . but perfect love casts out fear . . .” once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, “Am I of any use?” and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.

(Source: My Utmost for His Highest_Friday Feb. 21, 2014)

Listening to God's Voice

Hello Prayer Center,

 

  You know the hard feeling so time things dos not go your way and you just have to let it go and let God taking care of it? Well, reflecting back to this weekend I believe that God is teaching me to view things the way He see it. From man’s prospective it is very alarming as long as you haling on to”your ways”. Well, a few days before this past weekend I have a place a new online order on "XXX" online store, and have no idea that it would be difficult to communicate  a simple request that seems making sense to me.  In Isaiah 55: 8-9 the sculpture says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”.

 

 If I would still looking at things by my view I would still be stressful about this experience that is.  Looking back on this past weekend, I find out that I was holding on to "My way" which would sound more logical on my end but it did not work out for the "XXX" online store as well as the carrier for the package. It was always “my”, me and I. It was the lie that the evil one want you to keep on biting on so that he may setup his operation in your heart. In the book of Ephesians 5: 15-17 Paul teach us to:

 

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. “

 That was the key element that I was lacking of. Despite all my vain effort God is still showing grace through it all. I see now that He was crafting my rough edges. This morning I was letting go and making decision that I should be making. I believe that God do honor that request. At the end of day I realize that I was wasting my time and effort to try to fix thing during the weekend. I learn that we do need to taking care of our responsibility that God has entrusted in us before God could reveal a greater responsibility in the future. A lot of time if we cannot see God’s heat, we should always trust His heart. A lot of time we are minding our own business and not allow God to be part of our life and because of our narrow view often we miss God’s blessing. My friend, if we need to make this right  we need to backing off form our view and take the issue through the Word of God and setting up the priority of focus. I we will making good use of time that God has given us with. And remember God Loves you: He Always Has- He always Will.

Closure: Our God is Greater

Read the story below:
JOHN 6:2-12 (The Voice)
2 As Jesus walked, a large crowd pursued Him hoping to see new signs and miracles; His healings of the sick and lame were garnering great attention. 3 Jesus went up a mountain and found a place to sit down and teach. His disciples gathered around. 4 The celebration of the Passover, one of the principal Jewish feasts, would take place soon. 5 But when Jesus looked up, He could see an immense crowd coming toward Him. Jesus approached Philip.

Jesus (to Philip): 
Where is a place to buy bread so these people may eat?
6 Jesus knew what He was planning to do, but He asked Philip nonetheless. He had something to teach, and it started with a test.

Philip: 7 I could work for more than half of a year[a] and still not have the money to buy enough bread to give each person a very small piece.
8 Andrew, the disciple who was Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up.
Andrew: 9 I met a young boy in the crowd carrying five barley loaves and two fish, but that is practically useless in feeding a crowd this large.
Jesus: 10 Tell the people to sit down.
They all sat together on a large grassy area. Those counting the people reported approximately 5,000 men—not including the women and children—sitting in the crowd. 11 Jesus picked up the bread, gave thanks to God, and passed it to everyone. He repeated this ritual with the fish. Men, women, and children all ate until their hearts were content. 12 When the people had all they could eat, He told the disciples to gather the leftovers.

As we come to a close for the school year of 2012-2013, we can say that God has done a marvelous work at the LU Prayer Center. In the Fall Semester, God brought a faithful, God-loving, people-caring pastor into our Prayer Center Team--Pastor Tim Voogd. As Pastor Tim and Dr. Hughes poured their lives into the students serving here at the Prayer Center, God also brought a team of God-loving, people-caring students together, and manifested His blessings to us day by day. From the formation of the mission of the Prayer Center, to the implementation of SharePoint (Thanks Mr. Matthew Coplin!)--God had brought much effectiveness and influence to the ministry of the Prayer Center. With our "two fishes and five loaves of bread," God had granted us a feast to dine in! As of today, we have received over A THOUSAND prayer request from the Liberty Family in this past half-a-year! Praise God for giving us the privilege of ministering and caring for people around us.

Having been serving at the Prayer Center since 2010, I am able to say that God had brought us a long way. In increasing the amount of student volunteers and the magnitude of our influence, God had started a fire within the hearts of the students here. The LU Prayer Center’s mission is "to encourage, comfort, intercede, and uplift people by walking with them into the throne room of almighty God and presenting their requests through prayer." As students gather together to pray for others, we can sense that God is doing something marvelous these days. What is God doing in the coming semesters? I do not know, but I know that we are confident in the promises that God has given to us through His Word!

As we go through our finals week and enter into our summer season, we believe that God will do marvelous things in the lives of those whom we have been praying for--not because our prayers are big, but because the God we pray to, IS BIG! Let's praise Him and trust in His Word as we go forth from here!

Forgive me, Father!

Hi! My name is Bryan Tang and I am a Student Worker at the LU Prayer Center. Just as God wrote Joey's love story (see previous post), God also brought me a wonderful lady by the name of Becky Wood! In fact, we are preparing ourselves for our wedding in August. How exciting it is! Well, at least for the both of us:)  Part of the preparation entails us reading through several books together. As of now, we are reading through "The Five Love Languages of Apology" by Dr. Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas. It's a wonderful book that gave us much practical insights as to how people apologize and such. A good read!

As I was reading through the book, one of the things that convicted me the most was the purpose of apologizing. The book said, "When we apologize simply to avoid facing an issue rather than seeking genuine reconciliation, the apology ceases to be sincere. Remember, the purpose of apologies is to receive forgiveness and reconciliation with the person you have offended."

Many times in the past, I have confessed my sins to God and asked for forgiveness because I know that my sins deserved to be punished and judged. However, whenever I have such a perspective on seeking forgiveness, I have merely scraped the surface of the issue-my rebellious heart towards God. In fact, I have missed out on what God had originally intended for me to experience. Picture this,

"There was a young little boy who got in trouble in his house. A huge trouble - he broke his mom's favorite cookie jar! Afraid of being punished by his mother, he teared up and cried out to his mother for forgiveness. His mother, who loved the boy to death, bent down to the little boy and gave him a kiss on his forehead, and told him, "my son, I love you. I forgive you." and she wrapped her arms around the little boy and held him until he stopped crying"

This story, in some sense, illustrates the forgiveness that believers ought to experience through the cross of Christ. Just like the little boy in the story, we ought to experience his love, and his forgiveness -- and the reconciliation that comes when we humbly come before Him and confess. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Romans 5:10 tells us, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

The next time you come before God, remember that He has reconciled us to God! Not only are we forgiven, we are also reconciled into a relationship with Him and loved by God Himself! Therefore, let us examine our hearts and humbly lay it before Him - ask Him to examine it and reveal to us how we can please Him, the glorious King who deserves all the glory, honor, and praise! 

When God writes your love story

Hi everyone, my name is Joey and I am a prayer manager at the prayer center. I will love to share my love story to you all today :)

Last Wednesday, the last day of 3 years together with my boyfriend, Alvin, he got down on one knee, under the Brooklyn Bridge, overlook the beautiful sunset of NYC, and he asked me the most beautiful question of all time, "Will you marry me?"

I was in tears, couldn't even say a word, just nodding my head, lol! There were so many things running through my head at that time, all I can think of is, Jesus, You are good, all the time.

To be frank, I went through a lot of broken hearts before I met Alvin. I would spent time feeling sad about my loneliness, cried myself to sleep over boys who do not love me back. Sometime I feel like he was the right person but it was just at the wrong time. I did not understand why God will allow me to be so lonely and broken, yet He promised that He has the best plan for me. However, I did not know that all the while, Jesus wanted me to know that right thing in the wrong time is still a wrong thing.

There's one night when I was crying and praying in the balcony of my dorm in the heart of the city of Malaysia, God gave me a peace to trust in Him. I committed myself to Him, let go completely the pen of my love story to allow Jesus to write one for me. I still remember doubting Him that He will take away my feelings toward a particular someone at that time completely but I promised to keep on trusting.

I committed myself in doing morning devotion early in the morning at the balcony, praying while the sun was rising. I volunteered to help out a missionary from the states who were serving in Malaysia at that time. My heart was occupied by Jesus every day. I was very busy but I was full of joy. I found love and joy that I will never find in an earthly relationship. Little did I realized, I had completely let go of thinking about boy friends or liking someone who will not like me back.

I heard of people saying, "when you stop thinking about dating, that guy will appear". I guess, love is waiting till you are ready, till is right. And I met Alvin. I did not have any feelings towards him at first, we were just friends. I love being with him. He never lead me on emotionally, instead he protected me like how a brother of Christ should protect their sisters in Christ. We are both crazy about Jesus and as times passed by, I started to have strong feeling towards him.

However, the feelings I have is different. There is no scary moment or sadness, it was just pure joy and peace. Even though we knew at that time that we like each other, we decided to wait and pray since he would be going to school in New York while I was in Virginia. Jesus makes things beautiful in its time. This is true! Despite of long distance, my feelings towards Alvin grow stronger each day and finally he asked me to be his girl friend after talking to my parents. As an engineer who loves logic, Alvin is not boring at all. He is so romantic and he makes me fall in love more and more each day. Most importantly, with his leadership in the relationship, we fall in love more and more to our first love, Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for all the blessings from my beloved families and friends. And I am amazed and beyond grateful to my sweet Jesus.

I love this quote from Brooke Fraser, my favorite singer:

I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
and like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
neither should I rush my way into your heart

I am glad that I waited for the Lord, and when God writes your love story, He will blow your mind away ;)

Love,

Joey

Watch and pray!

"My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And Jesus came to His disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:38-41

While I was reading this passage today, I was reminded of the importance of watching and praying. Jesus encouraged His disciples to watch and pray with Him before He was taken from them to be crucified. As I read that passage, I wonder, "if Peter had watched and prayed that night, would he still have denied Christ three times? Would Peter had the strength of God to overcome his fear that caused him to deny Christ?"

Ephesians 6:10-12 says, "be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." 

After reading these passages, I have to confess that I have depended on my own strength to fight against sin far too often. As a result, I have doubly failed. First, I do not have sufficient strength to fight against sin. Second, I have declared independence from God the moment I depend on my own strength. Instead, I should acknowledge my total dependence on God. In Matthew 26, Jesus did not ask Peter struggle harder in his strength. Instead, He called Peter to watch and pray! Oh how we need to just let our guards down and allow the Spirit to work within us!

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 says, "I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the persishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The string of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! HE gives us Victory through OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

"Father, forgive us when we depend on ourselves for strength. We acknowledge our desperate need for You. Far too often have we depended on ourselves--in our struggle against sin, in our ministry to honor you.. You have said in 1 Peter 4:11 that we should depend on you for strength and for words. Forgive us Father! We let our guards down in Your presence, and acknowledge our total dependency on You! Fill us with the Spirit. Stir within us a sense of dependency on You every moment! Father, we praise You for You give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Breathe upon us O God! We pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen!"

Keep Praying!!

If you quit before the call, you'll never get the reward you were intended to have. I recently started working at the Liberty University Prayer Center and realized that the 4-6 hours a week were actually making an impact on my own time. With all of the homework and other groups that I'm involved in, I began to wonder if God had me in the right place. Sadly, I started feeling like maybe I needed to focus on my own needs rather than others- a convicting thought. But today I realized that God has me in the exact place He wants me to be. I received a prayer request and responded with an email and prayer. Surprisingly, the requester asked me if there was anything he/she could pray for me about. I responded and thanked him/her for his/her kind effort! Within 2 hours I received a fantastic email and prayer from him/her that encouraged me beyond what I could have imagined. Breaking down in tears I realized that praying with the Prayer Center team has been more of a blessing than an hindrance as I thought at first. This simple prayer changed my night and my perspective of God's sovereignty. Prayer WORKS as proven by my experience tonight. So I challenge you...Who can you reach out to and pray for today? Take 5 minutes to truly listen to and to pray for someone else's need, not your own. Maybe you're interested in praying for others in the Prayer Center and seeing the change in your own life? If so, stop by/email us and tell us you want to volunteer! Or maybe you need prayer? Let us help by emailing us at prayercenter@liberty.edu, texting us at (434) 515-1854, or coming to visit us on the first floor of dorm 17 on the hill! May God work in your lives as He just worked in mine!

By Liz Kemmerer

Prayer Center Minister

"Showing Appreciation for the Gift of Jesus!"

How easy it is to forget what our Lord Jesus has done for us! When a person does something kind and loving for another, the hope is that it will be appreciated. We appreciate people who display an attitude of gratitude in response to an act of kindness. This response naturally surfaces when a person pauses to reflect on what has been done for them through the selfless generosity of another. How much greater should be our wonder and appreciation at the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. As the holy Son of God Almighty, knowing no sin, yet becoming sin for you and I, so that we might become right with the Father, Jesus came as a selfless, helpless baby! Personally I am grieved to think of the times I flippantly say: "Yes, Jesus loves me", but fail to ponder and truly understand just how deep that love goes. Is it possible I become numb to the depth of His love, has my heart become calloused?  Have I become so self-centered that all I think about is what satisfies me?  "I’m sorry Lord, please forgive me!"

An everyday opportunity to show Jesus my appreciation for His loving actions is through my decisions. I must ask myself: Do I truly believe that there are consequences to ALL of my actions?  Everything I do, say or think does impact my life in some way, either positively or negatively.  If I believe the lie that states, “it’s not hurting anyone” or “it’s only hurting me, so what does it matter?”, then I am sadly mistaken. Everything I do brings about a cause and effect; therefore I want the results of my actions to be beneficial, uplifting, and transforming.  I want to model my life after Jesus Christ, who has impacted the world through His birth, life, death, and resurrection. The effect left on the world has been beneficial, uplifting, and transforming! "Lord, please help me to remember that my everyday choices will have consequences." I must pause and consider what I want the results to be before I choose my actions. Our daily choices could range from small ones which do not need a second thought, all the way to crucial decisions we have considered for weeks that could determine a drastic change of course for the path we are traveling! None-the-less, we are wise to remember that ALL of our choices have consequences!

Would you like to say "Thank You!" to Jesus in a different way this year? Terrific! Pause and give consideration to the potential impact of your thoughts, words or actions...before you turn them loose! Develop the selfless attitude that Jesus modeled for us. Think of others first! Merry Christmas! May this be your year of intentional decision-making.

guest writer: Kathy Voogd

"Where Are the Men and Women of Prayer?"

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:16, “[Redeem] the time for the days are evil.” We live in exciting times. More people are alive today than any previous generation. The opportunity to impact our world for Christ has never been greater. We have all the resources we need. But there’s one disturbing question, “Where are the workers?”

Jesus said that the solution to enough workers for the harvest is found in prayer (Mt. 9:37-38). But that presents another problem. Where are the men and women of prayer?

Too many of us have become so busy that we have no time for God. It’s impossible to have an intimate relationship with anyone without sufficient time with that person. How much more true is that with God? We long to spend time with those we love. Therefore, if you truly love God, you will desire to spend time alone with Him sharing your heart and allowing Him to share His heart with you.

This may be the greatest hindrance of this generation of pastors. We have become “professional” ministers and learned well how to produce “quality” programs. But we’ve forgotten the secret chamber of prayer. We often entertain but seldom convict. We draw crowds to our buildings but few to our Savior. We’ve learned the art of developing partnerships, but lost the passion to know the one Partner that really matters.

The Father longs to spend time with His children. He calls to us. Steal away and make time to meet with Him. If there is any hindrance to your intimacy with God, identify it, confess it, and repent of it. Determine in your heart that you long to know Him, really know Him, more than anything in life. He will come to you. He will meet with you. Don’t allow any obstacle to keep you from such intimacy with God.

–Adapted from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 37, Hindrances to Effective Prayer by Sammy Tippit).

"A Renewed Mind"

We may say a person has an ulterior motive, there are strings attached, they are in it for the money, they have a hidden agenda, it is not what it seems, or it seems too good to be true. We are naturally skeptical people when it comes to changing our mind about someone or something we do not trust. Have you ever attempted to help someone only to have them skeptically turn down your offer? Have you ever doubted a salesman’s pitch as you were determining to make a major purchase? Have you ever needed to change your mind about someone who proved to be more trustworthy than you initially thought? Have you noticed that it is nearly impossible to fully appreciate the value of someone or something until you understand and trust them/it? For this to occur we typically must change the way in which we view them or think about it.

Pastor Fred Luter shared a message in Convocation on Wednesday about “The Importance of Having a Renewed Mind”. Using Philippians 2:5-8, he reminded all of us that we are being tempted to sin every day by the enemy who has many effective tactics in his bag of tricks. The only way we can stand against his attacks is to have a mind like Jesus. With a renewed mind I am capable of realizing the over-whelming value of what Jesus has accomplished for me through His death. My response should be nothing short of sacrificing my life for Him and living every day for His purposes. Just as Jesus humbly chose to become one of us, my choices should be those that make my Father in heaven pleased. A renewed mind allows me to realize that there are consequences connected to every choice I make. The Cross meant suffering and shame for Jesus. With a renewed mind, I am able to reflect on the message of the Cross unlike those whose minds are still darkened. Many of us Christians fail to appreciate how blessed we are to have access to a renewed mind. We attempt life through our own understanding.

So if you are a Christ-follower, yet find your spiritual walk somewhat dry and passionless, you may need to renew your mind. If you will change your mind, Jesus will change your heart. It is a heart problem! Did Jesus have an ulterior motive; does His message seem too good to be true? Until one renews their mind about who He is and what He has done, Jesus cannot be fully appreciated as Lord and Savior! If you want to grow in your worship and appreciation of Jesus Christ, simply learn more about Him through studying the Bible and then meditate on what you learn…”A Renewed Mind”! Spend some time in prayer right now, asking God to help you renew your mind.

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." Phil. 2:5 NLT

"When God Calls"

Imagine you get a personal phone call from Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. asking you for a favor. Let’s say he asks you to come to his office right away so that he can talk to you about something very important. He tells you not to worry about your class schedule; he can have his secretary take care of that for the rest of the day. He is adamant about needing you there immediately because the window of opportunity is small. Do you drop everything and go? Are you excited about the possibility of sitting in his office and visiting with him about how you can help him? Or do you share with him that you are busy and do not have any free time until tomorrow afternoon? What about simply not showing up at his office and ignoring his request? What if he called you personally every day for a week…would you go meet with him?

Ken Davis brought us a challenge on Monday during Convocation (watch it online if you missed it! Ken Davis). If God clearly and miraculously revealed Himself to you and called on you to do something for Him…how long would it take you obey? We were reminded that God speaks to us every day. When God comes near and speaks to us we are standing on holy ground. God promises to build His Kingdom but He chooses to use our lives to do the work. Moses was a less than capable ordinary guy empowered by an extraordinary God. For every excuse Moses gave as to why he could not do the job, God reminded him that it wasn’t about his abilities…it was all about God’s abilities! “God will never ask you to do anything He hasn’t first prepared you to do.”

God wants us to experience live to its fullest. Full life is directly connected to our level of obedience when God calls. We cannot do our own thing, ignore God’s call, and assume we should enjoy the blessings of being fully alive. How often do we believe we should be given more blessings than we already have? Is God loving when He tells us “NO”? Is it right for God to withhold from me when I refuse to obey His call? Which excuse am I using to ignore God’s call to me? “Who am I?; How should I explain who You are God?; What if they don’t believe me?; What if they won’t listen?; What if they doubt me?; What if…?” God tells us “You can’t…but I can!” Will you trust Him?

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” John 14:21 NLT

"Who Gets the Thanks?"

Have you ever realized a habit or tradition you practice regularly but have no idea why or what it's purpose is? You have heard of the husband who asked his wife why she cuts the holiday ham before she cooks it. Her answer was, "My mom always cut it". One day out of curiosity he asked his mother-in-law why she cut the holiday ham before cooking it. She answered "My mother always cut it." Now he had to know why this family always cut the holiday ham in half before cooking it. One holiday they were all at grandma's house so he asked her: "Grandma, why do you cut the ham in half before you cook it?" She answered, "That's simple, I never had a pan large enough to cook a whole ham!"

How often do we stop to consider why we hold to the traditions we do? I think this is an excellent time of the year to consider the purpose of holidays, most specifically Thanksgiving! I have always been amazed at the many people who celebrate Thanksgiving, yet have no appreciation for God or what He offers us through His Son Jesus. They believe they are self-made and have no appreciation for the blessings God has given to them. If one does not believe there is a God who sovereignly rules and is the source of all blessings, then there must be another answer. Here is an answer I found online: "The Pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving, because they wanted to give thanks to Squanto and the Native Americans for teaching them how to do things and live life in different ways, not just the ways the Pilgrims used to live like. Without the Native American's, they probably would have died. Today, at Thanksgiving time, we express gratitude for the good things, people, and events in our lives and the greater world around us." So basically some believe we are simply thankful to each other for what we have. We fail to mention that the Pilgrim's gave thanks to God Almighty.

President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation was pretty clear: "...To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. ...They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God...I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens..." 10/3/1863

Maybe you can help someone better understand the history of Thanksgiving Day in America by pointing them to the goodness of our Lord. We are so blessed and enjoy the many gifts that have come from His hand even though we do not deserve any of it. Let's help each other keep a proper perspective this year as we remember to give thanks to our Creator God! Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!!


"Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." Psalm 100:3-5

"Choosing Friends"

How much thought have you given to choosing friends? Should we be concerned about those we spend great amounts of time with?

• "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." (George Washington) 
• "When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character." (W. Somerset Maugham) 
• “A good friend will always stab you in the front.” (Oscar Wilde) 
• "Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up." (Thomas J. Watson)

Is it true that friends can help make you into more than you are but that they can also break you and prevent you from becoming what you could be? This appears to be a valid consideration for all of us to process.

Is it really possible that the choice of friends made by Amnon, king David's son, is what led to his murder? In 2 Samuel 13 we find the story that our Convocation speaker, Pastor Jentezen Franklin, used to sharpen us with on Wednesday. He has challenged us to reflect on the importance of surrounding ourselves with the right kind of people. Young ladies were challenged to protect themselves from young men who do not have God's ways in mind, and likewise for young men regarding young ladies. How many of us really believe this subject is that critical today? We often do not see ourselves choosing friends that could ever be like Jonadab ("a very shrewd man"). Do we really believe that a choice of friends could lead to our murder (that's pretty drastic isn't it?). Isn't it possible that we could change that person who may be a little rough around the edges, after all we always have fun times when they are around! "I don't think I need to stay away from them, it's not like I will become like them." Aren't we entitled to unbridled fun during this time in life? We can always get serious later, right? Is it realistic for us to to say to someone "I like you, but I love Jesus!", and then put some distance between us and them? Is it OK to be alone for a season...aren't we missing out?

We were reminded by Pastor Franklin, that the enemy always wins the battle when we get on his turf...in the darkness of sin. "Sin is not your friend, but it will disguise itself as such." The problem is that we often do not realize when we are in his house! The solution is to have friends that will warn us! Will you honestly consider the dangers of having the wrong friends? Consider your behavior, have your friends changed you over the last 6 months? Your call.


"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." Prov. 12:26

"Steven Furtick: How to Approach God"

It’s common practice to teach your kids to say "please" and then "thank you" when they have requests. It’s considered proper protocol. And when talking to adults, it is. But with God, things are a little bit different.

God has a protocol for how He wants to be approached. And it starts with thanksgiving:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

With God, "thank you" should always come before "please." The first thing that needs to come out of my mouth in prayer and worship needs to be praise for who God is and what He has done. Not just instructions for what I want or even need Him to do.

Thank you is the key that opens the door to God’s house. There’s a lot of reasons for this, but more than anything, it’s about perspective.

If you thank God for everything before you ask Him for anything, it makes you realize you deserve nothing. It gives you the worldview that but for the grace of God, you would be in hell. And in turn, it makes you even more thankful because you’re not. And because God still answers your prayers.

Additionally, starting with "thank you" is just practical. When we start with praise, we establish the goodness and greatness of God right off the bat. Now all of our subsequent prayers and complaints can be answered by a good and great God who can both respond to us and who wants to.

It’s impossible to be self-absorbed and God-conscious at the same time. Realign your perspective in prayer today.

Start with "thank you." And then move on to "please."

by Steven Furtick

"Understanding Prayer = Effective Prayer"

I continue to meet people who honestly admit that they do not fully understand the game of football. Now most of us would be surprised at this revelation, thinking that clearly everyone understands such a well-known popular past-time! Yet the reality is that some people watch the game without: really making sense out of all of the plays or the penalties; knowing what the individual referees are responsible for (why do they need so many?); knowing why there are so many coaches among the players; or why so many players stand around on the sideline dressed in their jerseys, without pads on, but don't look injured! There may also be some confusion about the various rules: is it the knee or elbow on the ground...or both, that stops the play; how many feet need to touch before it is a catch; does a touch-back come out to the 20 or 25 yard line...is that on a punt or kick-off; why can some guys grab with their hands but others try it and get a yellow hankie thrown at them; why do they call a safety when a safety tackles the QB in the end-zone; what about downs, conversions, PAT's, illegal touching?, huddle, snap, flea-flicker, swing-pass; and the list could continue...

I believe that prayer is similar in a way to football. It is easy to listen to it, talk about it, watch it, participate in it, and even like it, without understanding it. When we do not understand something well, we are at a distinct disadvantage when trying to explain it to others, enjoy it fully, engage in it, teach it, lead it, improve it, or simplify it. In other words, what does it take for our prayers to be more effective? Is it possible that many people who pray or those who would like to pray more than they do, might not understand what they should about prayer? Like football, is it simply easier not to ask the questions because we might be embarrassed for not knowing the answer? Could it be though, that the answers would actually lead one to a greater understanding of prayer or football, which would also open up greater enjoyment and appreciation on our part? I imagine the difficulty in recruiting for a class on "Becoming a Better Fan - Understanding Football Better"...would anyone attend? I have discovered that when people hang out with those who truly know the game of football and humbly share what they know, knowledge of the game is passed along, understanding increases, and appreciation for the game grows. Is it possible that it would be the same for prayer? Let's talk about prayer....

Ascribe Glory to the LORD

Ever been in a situation where you just don't seem to have the desire to worship God anymore? Simple solution: don't try. As human beings, we are given the privilege of free will--to act and respond. Hence, we simply cannot outwardly express our worship to God if it does not exist inwardly. For example, if a water bottle is empty, one cannot pour a single drop of water from it unless he first refills it. Therefore, instead of trying to muster "water" from your "empty bottle," try to fill your empty bottle with His Word and let worship overflow as a natural response to Him!

Psalm 29 centers on calling the Israelites to ascribe glory to the Lord. In efforts of leading the Israelites to worship, David provides a context in which the Israelites can respond. Verses 3-9 are an account of the power and awesomeness of God's voice. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, thunders, is powerful, is full of majesty, breaks the cedars, makes Lebanon skip like a calf, flashes forth flames of fire, shakes the wilderness, makes the deer give birth, and strips the forest bare (Ps. 29:3-9). In essence, David is trying to remind the Israelites that God is and will forever be enthroned over all things because He is the King of all kings. By His voice alone, God is able to make His will come true!

In response to God's omnipotence and God's sovereignty as revealed in His Word, let us meditate upon His majesty and allow worship to naturally flow out of us--to ascribe glory and strength to Him, to ascribe to the Lord glory due his name! 

(Revelation 4:11) “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

God is on His Throne

Any time there is a vote cast and tallied for or against someone or something, there will be losers and winners. None of us like losing at anything! Whether your candidate(s) won or lost we are all invited to consider a proper perspective within the larger picture. As Christians, we pray for God's will to be seen. We ask for His blessing on this nation. We ask that He would mature the Church in America so that we would have greater impact for Jesus Christ in the world. Sometimes we pray narrowly for God to grant specific requests and other times we pray in general for God to bring about His Kingdom work in His way and time. When God's method is different than what we expected, it can disappoint and create confusion. The solution is for us to "pan out" so that we can see more of what God sees. 

Is it possible for God to use unrighteous means to accomplish righteous goals? This thought troubles us, as it did Habakkuk some 2600 years ago when God told him that the Babylonians were His disciplinary tool of choice. The prophet could not believe that God in His holiness would use unrighteous means to accomplish His sovereign work. He asked the Lord why violence, evil deeds, misery, and injustice went unnoticed: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look,   I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. (Hab. 1:2-4)"

God's answer to him is also for us today according to our Convocation speaker today. Tim Lee shared from this text to give us hope and the challenge not to quit. We were told to stand taller, stand for Israel, stand for the unborn babies, and stand for what is righteous! I would add, stand for biblical marriage, stand for the trustworthiness of God's Word as error free, and stand for absolute truth. God is able to work His plan in many ways that we have not even thought of. God knew what the election results were before FOX News did! He is not worried today. It is all in His plan...will you find peace in Him? 

"The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." (Hab. 1:5)

We must pray for this nation that God would have mercy on us and bring spiritual reform to His people. "And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right." (2 Thess. 3:13)

"But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him." (Hab. 2:20)

People-Oriented Christianity

As a type-A personality with a slight case of OCD, my need for organization and to-do lists sometimes hinders my spiritual walk. Thus, when God called me to step out of my comfort zone and travel to a foreign country for an internship, I experienced a lot of stretching. Through living in a people-oriented culture, God opened my eyes to how callous I had become.

American culture is pretty cold. We like our personal space, and we don’t want other people sucking valuable time slots from our already busy schedule. We smile and nod and say, “Oh yes, we’ll have to get together sometime,” but we don’t prioritize relationships enough to follow through. Time is money, after all.

At church we check our watches as our stomachs rumble and we wonder how much longer the pastor is going to keep us. We wipe noses and change diapers and wonder when in the world those parents are going to pick their kids up. We avoid the “talkers,” like the plague and when they do catch us, we smile and nod as we back toward the door with an apologetic, “Well, I’ve got to go now…”

In this world of electronic distractions and technological multi-tasking we are caught up in the busyness of life. We have forgotten how to truly listen, focusing 100% of our attention on one person, looking them in the eye, and really hearing what they are saying. We have forgotten that people are more important than to-do lists, and relationships are more imperative than appointments.

Christ was never too busy for people. Although he sometimes withdrew to rest and recharge, He always charged back into the fray. For three consecutive years, Christ was surrounded by people pushing and pulling, demanding His attention and His talents. How tired He must have been! Yet He knew what was truly important: people. Let us follow Christ’s example and love as He loved. 

--C. Wilson

Knowing God vs. Seeing God

We live in a day when electronic communications rule. We have the ability to email, text, tweet, Facebook, blog, Skype, etc. (does anyone know what a pager is?). I did not get text capability until about two years ago, thinking I wouldn't like it...now I don't know how I got by without it! I thought it would damage my ability to know how to have meaningful conversations on the phone, let alone have quality face to face conversations. But I have since discovered that texting can enhance our communication options. (I still believe time spent together is priority and that we should practice quality phone skills!)

Working in the Prayer Center, I am able to communicate with many people using digital tools. It truly helps as I try to encourage as many people as possible in a meaningful way. At the same time I also realize that it can appear somewhat impersonal to have prayer with/for someone through e-mail or text. I would much rather sit with the person, look at their face, experience their emotions, and allow them to receive a touch of God's love through my being with them personally. 

We would all agree that a relationship has a better chance of developing into one of quality as people have more time spent with each other. Chances are you know the people sitting next to you in class better than the average student who sits across the room. Clearly there will be levels of friendship within any group of people simply because we cannot spend the same amount of time with everyone. How well do we really know people? Do we simply know something about most of our friends?

Louie Giglio shared with us today that there is a difference between information and revelation, that knowing about someone or something is not the same as knowing them intimately and personally. Many of us know a great amount of information about God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We have experienced a few really cool spiritual moments. We know about Sanctification, Justification, Redemption, Atonement, Glorification, all of the Omni's, Heaven, Hell, Rapture, Millennium...you get the point! The question on the table is: Has God revealed Himself to you personally? Did you find yourself without words to speak when you realized you were in the Creator's presence? Have you experienced what it is to worship such a holy, awesome God? For the men out there - have you ever been overcome with tears that you couldn't explain? Ladies, have you experienced His arms wrapping around you and the security of being in His grasp? When you walk into His throne-room, is it familiar territory? 

God wants to reveal Himself to us, but He will not do so if He knows we are not longing for Him to do so! Will you allow God to "ruin" you as in Isaiah 6:5  “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”  Let's not limit our relationship with this great God to "digital communication." Let us seek an audience with Him and allow Him to invade our space in all of His Glory...we will never be the same again!