Another article worth checking out from “Joy in the House of Prayer”
Have you prayed for your pastor today? Some years ago I developed a weekly guide for praying for your pastor that I gave out to my congregation. Feel free to use it and adapt it to fit your situation.
The Complete series of Prayer Guides for Praying for Your Pastor Can be Found Here.
Check out my other blog: “Joy in the House of Prayer”
Did you catch this series of articles?
I’ve had opportunity to lead hundreds and hundreds of prayer gatherings over the years, I’ve developed a few principles for keeping your prayer meeting on-track and filled with joy. This week I’ll be sharing the “B’s” of praying together in a group.
Intro:
When leading a prayer gathering, either large or small, I like to remind the participants of the “B’s” of praying in a prayer gathering. The list may vary from gathering to gathering but almost always includes these:
1) Be Brief.
2) Be Bold.
3) Be Biblical
4) Burden
5) Build on each others prayers
6) Breakthrough
7) Be Careful to not break confidences
Ideas
“When ideas fail, words come in very handy.” –Goethe–
Idolatry
“It’s easy to get attached to idols, good things inappropriately adored. But when you have Jesus in the center of a room, everything else only junks up the decor.”
–Chuck Swindoll–
“This is golden-calf country. Relgious feeling runs high, but in ways far removed from what was said on Sinai and done on Calvary. While everyone has a hunger for God, deep and insatiable, none of us has any great desire for him. What we really want is to be our own gods and to have whatever other gods that are around help us in this work. This is as true for Christians as for non-Christians.”
— Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality, 151. —
“Calvin saw the human heart as a relentlessly efficient factory for producing idols. people commonly see the pastor as the quality-control engineer in the factory. The moment we accept the position we defect from our vocation. People want things to work better; they want a life that is more interesting; they want help through a difficult time; they want meaning and significance in their venture. They want God, in a way, but certainly not a “jealous God,” not the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Mostly they want to be their own god and stay in control, but have ancillary divine assistance for the hard parts.”
— Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality, 152. —
Image
The preoccupation with projecting the perfect image, of being a model Christian and edifying others with our virtues, leads to self-consciousness, sticky pedestal behavior, and bondage to human respect. As my spiritual director Larry Hein said…”‘Give up trying to look like a saint.’ It’ll be better for everybody.”
— Brennan Manning —
Imagination
“Imagination is the greatest gift God has given us and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him.”
— Oswald Chambers —
Impossible
“When we are facing the impossible we can count upon the God of the impossible.”
— Amy Carmichael —
Indecision
“I’m not indecisive. Am I indecisive?” Jim Seibel, when Mayor of St. Paul, MN
Individuality
“Basketball develops individuality, initiative, and leadership. Now get out there and do exactly what I tell you to.”
— Dick Vitale —
Integrity
“The most effective argument for Christianity is still the good lives of those who profess it.” A.W. Tozer, The Set of the Sail, 16.
Intelligence
“I want to gain 1,500 or 2,000 yards, whichever comes first.”
— George Rogers, New Orleans Saints Running Back —
Interest (Spiritual)
“If spiritual interest is on the rise and yet the church isn’t the dominant location for exploring this interest, then doesn’t this tell us something as leaders?”
Ron Martoia, Morph!, 22.
Intolerance of Intolerance
“I hate intolerant people.”
— Gloria Steinem —
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson.
June 29
Hear Me When I Call
Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 141:1-10 | 2 Kings 15:1-16:20 | Acts 19:13-41 | Proverbs 18:4-5
Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalms 141
I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:1-2 NIV
Whatever we face it is good to know we have a place to turn; wherever we go it is good to know we have someone to hear our concerns. The Psalmist beautifully pours out his heart to God seeking his protection and intervention against unnamed enemies.
While he is concerned about his enemies – evildoers he calls them—his prayer is focused more upon himself and his response to his enemies. There is often little we can do about the enemy, but we can pray for strength to respond well.
He prays for his mouth—that God would guard his words and keep him from saying something he would later regret. What a wise prayer. Our words can often lead us into even more dangerous places; often getting us into even more trouble.
He prays for his heart—his inner being—that he would not be drawn to evil. He knows the powerful draw of sin and evil. He prays for vigilance to stand against it.
He prays for his eyes—that they would be fixed on the LORD. God is his refuge and strength. As he keeps focused on the LORD, he expects to find safety.
He prays for his feet—that they would not get caught in the snares of the enemy. Instead he hopes that his enemies will fall into their own traps.
When we are confronted by opposition, we do well to follow the Psalmist in pouring out our hearts to God. We do well to pray for our response to that opposition—that God will strengthen our mouths, hearts, eyes and feet to follow his ways and not fall into the snares laid for us.
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson
365 Daily Devotions to encourage you in your daily time with God
Available at Amazon.com
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson
June 28
A Second Chance Squandered
Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 140:9-13 | 2 Kings 13:1-14:29 | Acts 18:23-19:12 | Proverbs 18:2-3
Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Kings 13:1-14:29
Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. (2 Kings 13:4 NIV)
———
On the one hand, Jehoahaz’ story is a reminder that God delights in giving second chances. On the other hand, Jehoahaz’ story is a reminder that we often squander the chances we are given—we often fail to enter into the fullness of the blessing that could be ours.
Jehoahaz was right to repent and cry out to God, but he failed to follow through—as the text reminds us, “The Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria” (6). Likewise, the people of Israel returned to their homes in freedom, yet quickly drifted back into idolatry. They somehow found the snooze button on God’s wake up call.
Life is filled with opportunities to follow the LORD and experience his blessing. We are too easily distracted, we too often procrastinate, and miss out on the opportunities he gives. Even when confronted with a second chance and a fresh start, it is easy to drift away from our initial enthusiasm.
Learn the lesson of Jehoahaz: make the best of the opportunities God gives. When you fail, cry out to the God of second chances. Then don’t squander the opportunity that he gives—don’t miss out on the fullness of his blessing!
[An excerpt from “A Second Chance Squandered” today’s devotional from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson. Jeff’s book is now available on Amazon.com]
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson. Now available on Amazon.com.
June 27
Under Attack
Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 140:8 | 2 Kings 10:32-12:21 | Acts 18:1-22 | Proverb 18:1
Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 140
They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s; the poison of vipers is on their lips. (Psalm 140:3 NIV)
The Psalmist is under attack. Though unconventional, the weapons used against him are not unfamiliar to most of us. He describes his foes this way: “They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s; the poison of vipers is on their lips.” Often times the deadliest weapons aimed against us are the words of others—words aimed to wound and destroy.
As children we used to say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Those words may be valiant attempts to downplay a verbal attack but they are untrue. Deep down we all know that words can wound us deeply.
Jesus gave us a pattern for praying that includes releasing forgiveness to those who sin against us (“forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”). An important part of following this pattern of prayer is found in releasing forgiveness to those who have wounded us through their words. Forgiving those who wound us by their words brings deep freedom and brings rest to our troubled souls.
Have you been wounded by the words of others? Take those words to the cross and leave them there. As you forgive those who have wounded you, you will find rest for your souls.
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson. 365 Devotionals to encourage you as you read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Available at Amazon.
Will you pray for two prayer retreats that I am going to be leading in July and August here in Southern California?
For more information see http://www.joyinthehouseofprayer.org
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson
June 26
Search Me, O God
Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 139:13-24 | 2 Kings 9:14-10:31 | Acts 17:1-34 | Proverbs 17:27-28
Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 139:13-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24] See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)
God knows us completely. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He sees the motives behind our words and actions.
We think we know ourselves, but as Jeremiah reminds us: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV). Our minds and hearts play many games to justify our behavior. Other times morbid introspection leaves us in a hopeless pit of false guilt and despair. But God sees through it all.
It is wise to pray the prayer of the psalmist daily. “God, you know me thoroughly. So search my heart. Test me and know my thoughts and cares. Show me the areas where I am causing offense.” As God searches our hearts, truth is revealed so we can deal with it.
Armin Gesswein often reminded us at the College of Prayer that, “what God wants is not morbid introspection, but Holy Spirit inspection.” Morbid introspection leads to false guilt, condemnation and despair. Holy Spirit inspection is completely different. As he searches our hearts, we can repent and be set free. God’s searchlight brings repentance and transformation and leads to freedom.
God search our hearts so we can be set free from sin and its effects and find the life that is full, free, and everlasting.
[Excerpt from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson. Order and download the e-book today at amazon.com]
More Information at http://www.joyinthehouseofprayer.org
Happy/Holy
“I do not believe that it is the will of God that we should seek to be happy, but rather that we should seek to be holy and useful.”
— A.W. Tozer, Man the Dwelling Place of God,104. —
“When the followers of Jesus Christ lose their interest in heaven they will no longer be happy Christians and when they are no longer happy Christians they cannot be a powerful force in a sad and sinful world.”
— A.W. Tozer, Who Put Jesus on the Cross?, 105 —
“…the people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world! People should be coming to us constantly and asking the source of our joy and delight…”
— A.W. Tozer, Who Put Jesus on the Cross?, 117
Healing
“God heals and the doctor takes the fee.” –Benjamin Franklin–
Of the thirty-five miracles performed by Christ, as recorded in the four Gospels, twenty eight fall in the category of bodily or mental healing. That much of the supernatural ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ should be devoted to healing is most significant. The miracles of Christ were not promotional items, but were deliberately designed compassionate acts to relieve human suffering. They are an index the very heart of God.
— Dr. Keith Bailey, The Children’s Bread, 100-101. —
Heaven: What’s it like (in the words of children)
“There’s like this big banquet with turkey legs and pudding and potato chips and ice cream and cake. And you get to eat and eat all day. And there’s all kinds of refrigerators that stay open. And you can eat whatever you want. Except there’s no junk food. God hates junk food.”
“In heaven you got your gold houses and people with rings. So it’s kinda like down here, except more gold, and all the people are dead.”
“Heaven is like Disney World….without the sweat.”
“O.K. Remember how great Christmas was? Well it’s Christmas every day in heaven!”
From Kids Say The Greatest things About God by Dandi Daley MacKall
Heaven–Heavenly Minded
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought the most of the next.”– C.S. Lewis —
Heaven Starved
“And here at last we find
Strict diagnosis of our malady,
Which is, in short, that man is heaven-starved–
Men are born thirsting for infinity.”
— E. Stanley Jones, Abundant Living —
History
“History repeats itself. It has to; nobody listens the first time around.”
— Woody Allen —
“History now comes equipped with a fast forward button.”
— Gore Vidal —
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
–George Santayana–
Holiness
“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.” — Robert Murray M’Cheyne —
“My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness” –Robert Murray M’Cheyne–
“Every man is as holy as he really wants to be.”
A.W. Tozer (Man, the Dwelling Place of God, 1966, p. 40)
“I believe the holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him.” C.H. Spurgeon, Sermons, Vol. 16, pg.221.
“There can be no such thing as perfect happiness till there is perfect holiness.” –Charles Spurgeon–
“What health is to the heart, holiness is to the soul.”
— John Flavel —
Honesty
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” –Mark Twain–
Hope
“Hope is never ill when faith is well.”
— John Bunyan —
Hopelessness
“More than any time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly.” –Woody Allen–
Humility
“I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the more easily we should reach them. I find now that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other and that is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping lower and that we have to go down, always down to get His best ones.”
–F.B. Meyer–
“If I only had a little humility, I would be perfect.” –Ted Turner (attrib.)
“When you’re as great as I am, it’s hard to be humble.” –Muhammed Ali–
“Jesus Christ did not lift up humility as an idea. He lived it. When we serve others only for the sake of Christ’s glory, and not for the purpose of being appreciated by them, we will be humble as He is.”
— Oswald Chambers, Devotions for a Deeper Life, 147. —
“God made us and God is able to empower us to do whatever he calls us to do. Denying that we can accomplish God’s work is not humility; it is the worst kind of pride!”
— Warren Wiersbe —
Humor
“Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” –E.B. White–
Hunger for God
“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable and almost incurable.
–John Piper, A Hunger for God, p. 14.–
Hurry
“We cannot possibly flatter the Almighty by hurrying into his presence, flinging a song and prayer at him, and hurrying out of church back into our hassled lifestyles. God is never flattered by our sanctified exhaustion.”
— Calvin Miller, Out of the Depths 49
Hypocrisy
“The charge against the church used to be that it was ‘full of hyporcrites’. The charge today is subtler but no less indicting. Now we’re just called ‘plastic and fake.’ ‘People who go to church just aren’t real. I don’t think they’re trying to be deceptive, they just seem fake and act like their lives are better than I know they really are.”
Ron Martoia, quoting an unchurched man on the golf course, Morph!, 64-65
From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson
June 25
Singing at Midnight
Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 139:1-12 | 2 Kings 8:1-9:13 | Acts 16:16-40 | Proverbs 17:26
Today’s Scripture Focus: Acts 16:16-40
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose (Acts 16:25-26 NIV)
Sometimes going to a prayer meeting can get you in trouble. On the way to pray, they confronted and brought deliverance to a demon possessed fortune teller, which angered those who profited from her predictions. This led to confrontation, a beating and finally, imprisonment for Paul and Silas.
How would Paul and Silas react to these unexpected circumstances? They prayed and praised God, at the top of their lungs, into the night. About midnight, they were still praying and praising, and doing so loud enough that the other prisoners couldn’t help but listen.
Finally, about midnight, an earthquake interrupted the prayer and praise. The prison was demolished. The chains were broken. Paul and Silas were set free. Prayer and praise led to God breaking chains and setting captives free.
——
When confronted with impossible circumstances, remember that prayer and praise can powerfully deliver and set us free. As you approach midnight, do not fear. Do not give up. Keep singing. Keep praying. Keep looking for the intervention of God.
[Excerpts from Singing at Midnight, today’s devotional from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson. Jeff’s book, Open Up Your Heart is now available at amazon.com]
