Planting with hope

From greedy Czars to power-hungry Communists, rulers of Russia have often treated the people with abandon. We're over 90 years from the Russian Revolution, which was to free the people and instead plunged into them into hopelessness.

I'm praying over Europe with Campus Crusade for 40 days. If you haven't heard about it, check out this link.

Since 1990, when socialism fell and religious freedom was written into their new constitution, American Christians were hopeful that we could bring new faith and hope to them.

Even though Russia is the largest country in the world, spanning 11 time zones and inhabiting more than 160 million people, Christians have been busy explaining the gospel throughout the country. Campus Crusade reports that "there is not a region, republic, city or village where seeds of the gospel have not been planted."

Yet the fruit has been slow in coming.

Cuba still sleeps under a socialist dictator, which little religious freedom. Yet there is a flourishing Christian community there.

A Cuban Christian explained why: "Americans came to our country 150 years ago. Missionaries came to teach us about Jesus. Today, we are your fruit."

A foreign missions movement in the 1800's left spiritual seeds that have blossomed today.

In the first century, Paul faced a similar problem where the message was not always well received. His viewpoint is valuable. " I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." (1 Cor 3:6-7)

Without God, many lose hope. Let us not join them but continue on planting and watering. God will bring growth.


 

 

Pray for Europe

A good friend who has worked in Europe for over 20 years send this information to me. Maybe you'd be interested, too:

"Hey friends!

"This is just a quick note to invite you to join me and boatloads of folks around the world in praying for Europe during lent (which starts tomorrow, by the way!!). So many major moves of God in the world have been preceded by concerted times of prayer in the body of Christ (think back to all that took place in the fall of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe). Well, this lent is your chance to join the body of Christ in praying for the “prodigal continent” of Europe!!

http://www.prayeurope.com/prayerupdate.php

The suggestion

It was good advice but the men slept instead.

Jesus had gone to the Mount of Olives, as he usually did, and the disciples followed. They gave the appearance of wanting to join Jesus and he made a suggestion: "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."

Then Jesus entered into some heavy-duty conversation with the Father.

But the night air was heavy, the Passover meal settling into their stomachs, and the disciples didn't stay awake. While Jesus battled in prayer, they snoozed.

Jesus awoke them, repeated his warning, and continued to pray.

When the mob came to arrest him, Jesus had strengthened himself in the Father, ready to walk forward in the will of God.

The disciples had slept instead.

Which preparation worked out better?

Temptation did come, just as Jesus had predicted. Jesus could have swept the crowd aside with a wave of his hand. He could have refused to walk the road of humiliation, pain and death. The coming separation from the Father which caused him anguish on the cross ("My God, why have you forsaken me?") might have tempted him to change the plan.

It didn't.

But the disciples didn't fare so well. Peter denied him publicly three times. The other disciples ran away. Their fear was so great they were suspicious of the women's report on Sunday morning.

Peter had boldly promised that he would follow Jesus to prison or death but, when the time came, he couldn't stand up to a servant girl.

How had the disciples tumbled so quickly? They had slept rather than prayed.

We face temptations as well. What are we doing with our time?

Withholding

Lyle wanted prayer a few weeks ago because "God's not answering my prayers. Things aren't going so good for me."

Lyle reported that he prayed every morning and had even tried fasting one day last week. But he still couldn't get all his bills paid and his girlfriend was having problems with her ex-husband. "I been wondering what God has against me, you know? I'm trying but He's not doing what I need."

After God created time, one of his first gifts was lush provision. "Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food..." (Gen 2:9) Yet Adam and Eve shortly were convinced by a serpent that God withheld from them.

What do we make of Lyle's problem, which is so common today? Does God withheld?

J.B. Phillips, in his marvelous classic Your God is too Small, comments:

God will inevitably appear to disappoint the man who is attempting to use Him as a convenience, a prop, or a comfort, for his own plans. God has never been known to disappoint the man who is sincerely wanting to co-operate with His own purposes.

The next time I talk to Lyle, I hope to point him to God's awesome power and wisdom. Blaming God when our prayers fall flat leads nowhere except to show we don't know him very well.

You can't worship a Disappointment.

Awakening America

I got information today about a new prayer effort called "Cry Out America." Planners are hoping to have prayer meetings coordinated across America on Sept 11 to ask God for a new awakening in
our country.

Quoting from Joel 1:14, which says, "...and cry out to the Lord," organizers say that "America is in a Spiritual Crisis."

Their website can be found here.

Closing in

Wilma had a party when she was 89 because she hoped to dance before God's throne by her 90th birthday. But God had other plans so, when the 90th rolled around, she flew to Florida to visit friends.

You feel the joy of the Lord when you're around Wilma. She claps her hands with delight and hugs the young man in black leather, studs, and tattoos. She kisses the babies and presses her hands against my cheeks when she asks for prayer. Although she's served God for many years, she's brutally candid about her own doubts and mistakes. With her sweet southern drawl, she always honors God.

But today she's in the hospital, awaiting treatments for a tumor and leukemia. She's anxious to meet her Heavenly Father.

Several of us are praying and fasting. She wants us to pray for her family but we're selfish: we pray more for her. We'd like the joy of her presence for a few more years. Please join me in asking for God's mercy on her family. And a little prayer for her health would be appreciated, too.

Captured in Iran

Maryam Rostampour (27) and Marzieh Esmaeilabad (30) are active members of Iran's Christian community. After being arrested by Ministry of Intelligence officers on March 5, they faced a hearing in a Revolutionary Court on March 18.

Accused of "acting against state security" and "taking part in illegal gatherings," they were imprisoned without charge in the notorious Evin Prison. There they shared an overcrowded cell with 27 other women. They are both very ill and are not receiving adequate medical attention.

With its hard-line stance against dissidents, advocacy for Iran seems hopeless, but we can enter the courts of the Lord, and "with God nothing will be impossible," (Luke 1:37 NKJV). (Source: Assist News Service)

Please pray for the lives of Maryam and Marzieh and for the healing of their bodies and minds. Pray for their protection from mistreatment and torture.

Pray the efforts of advocacy groups on the women's behalf do not go unnoticed or ignored by the Iranian government, but that they would be moved to release these sisters in Christ.

Information is from Voice of the Martyrs.

Dancing with tambourines

I’d be dancing with a tambourine if I had one.

Jamaica has hovered on my imagination for several years and I thought this was the year to go. Until last week.

I told you last fall that God has asked me to pray about joining a team going to Jamaica. I did pray and I expected to go, but God never gave me the go-ahead. When the deadline came to buy plane tickets, I didn’t feel God’s permission and I didn’t go.

The team went last week and I stayed home, praying for them.

A week ago, a small ache began in my cheekbones and I assumed I had a sinus infection setting in. But by Friday, I was sitting in a dentist’s chair getting a root canal.

The week had been painful and uncomfortable.

When I realized that I could have spent the week in Jamaica with a horrible toothache, I began thanking God.

But why did he ask me to pray about going if he knew I shouldn’t go?

I think this is why: to be sure I noticed what he had done.

If he hadn’t asked me to pray about the trip, I wouldn’t have seen the overlap of toothache and trip.

He didn’t give me the toothache but he set the stage to keep me in the right place to deal with it. And to notice that listening to his words protected me.

He reminded his people before: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jer 31:3)

But here’s the tambourine part: “Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful.” (Jer 31:4)

Even without a tambourine, I’m dancing with the joyful for such a Father.

Prayin' him home

Well, the cat came back. He disappeared yesterday morning and, in our farm environment, could easily have met unfriendly coyotes nearby. We didn't want to think about that.

He is our son's cat, named for a Bionicle and generally unfriendly to us adults. But we still prayed for him last night at bedtime.

Within 5 minutes of that prayer, I looked out the back door and there he was, darting through the light with nervous eyes. He was glad to come in.

The best part, though, was how our son declared shortly afterwards, "See what happens when you pray?"

He noticed what happens and that was worth the whole adventure.

The big day

The big party rocks today. I don’t know many millions of dollars have been spent to celebrate the changing of the guard in Washington DC.

For some, it’s a new bright future filled with possibilities and hope. For others, this day marks the start of some trepidation about future decisions.

I’m not going to talk politics today but reminders.

"

"Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"

"Caesar's," they replied.

Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
Matt 22:17-21

"

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good.

But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
Romans 13:1-5

"

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
Titus 3:1-2

"

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
1 Peter 2:13-17

Going boldly

It wasn't a prayer I'd have expected. After Peter and John were arrested- and released - by the religious leaders in Jerusalem for preaching about Jesus, they joined with fellow believers in prayer.

But their prayer wasn't for protection or safety or comfort. Here's part of their prayer: "consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." (Acts 4:29)

These early believers asked differently than we often ask for in our prayer requests. We seek comfort and safety but they asked God for great boldness and confidence.

Although I've given occasional reports about the persecuted believers in Orissa, India, I've been tempted to pray for protection and safety for them. Make the persecution go away and give them comfortable lives. That's what I'd like for them but these believers in the book of Acts challenge me.

So I've prayed for great boldness.

But then the lens swings around, as it always does, to my own life. Ugh. Do I really want to ask for boldness for myself?

Now this is getting close to meddling. How easily I worship comfort and safety and luxury.

"Beware of squatting lazily before God instead of putting up a glorious fight so that you may lay hold of His strength." Oswald Chamber's admonishment makes me squirm. Sometimes I only want to lie on the spiritual couch and eat spiritual bon-bons. I don't want to fight any glorious fight if it means living in the woods like the believers in Orissa. But when I walk along that line, I find the fire in my heart thins and my passion chills.

There's no time in the world for such laziness and I yearn for the fiery passion of those early believers. The glorious fight stokes the fires and it reaches across the distance between the Lord and myself.

I do want to fight and I am praying for boldness. Not just for believers in Orissa and beyond, but here, too, where the temptation to squat lazily before God is so powerful.

"When they saw the courage [boldness] of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(Acts 4:13)

Jamaica opportunity

I have an opportunity to join a team going to Jamaica for a week in February. Bible quizzing is allowed (encouraged) in the public schools there and the team going to Jamaica will be facilitating their national tournament.


I'd appreciate your prayers as I consider this. I don't want my decision to be based on finances or even on my schedule, but on the Lord's plan. God asked me to pray about going but he hasn't made it clear yet if I'm actually to go! Thanks for praying.

Cuba again

Cuba got pounded last weekend by yet another hurricane. Those crops that had been replanted after Ike and Gustav were ripped apart by Hurricane Paloma. Please keep these people in your prayers. This has been a devastating hurricane season for them, with many many homes destroyed by the storms. Take a look here for a complete report.

It was a wonderful day, with the sun shining and music pumping a beautiful melody into my car. I was driving alone, a bit unusual to be without any children along, when I suddenly had one of those little spiritual jolts and I knew in an instant, somebody’s praying for me.

Now I hadn’t asked for a special prayer at any recent meetings and I wasn’t struggling with any physical ailments. No big crisis looming. So who’s praying for me?

I was merely curious. I wasn’t feeling any self-pity knowing that probably nobody was praying.

Isn’t it funny sometimes how a random thought leaps into our brain after a question like that? Well, this time it was a verse.

“...and he always lives to make intercede for them.”(Heb. 7:25)

My heart got to pounding then for I realized, as I drove down a sunflower-lined country road, that I knew who was praying. Jesus, my savior and redeemer, sat right beside the Father always interceding for me.

It was a wonderful day.

My plan

Yesterday, I talked about sexism and Sarah Palin's campaign as vice president. Here's my plan of attack:

A Psalm for Sarah:

Intercession for Gov. Sarah Palin according to Psalm 27

Pray for Sarah, husband Todd, sons Track, baby Trig, daughters Bristol, Willow, Piper, from today through November 4.


Pray for:

Singleness of Vision, Moral Clarity

Ps 27:1a - The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?

Fearlessness, Boldness

Ps 27:1b - The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

Protection from Libel, Slander, Hatred, Persecution

Ps 27:2 - When [not 'if'] evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my
adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Confidence in Christ, a Guarded Heart

Ps 27:3 - Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.

Priorities Devotions, Rest, Balance

Ps 27:4 - One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I
may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the
beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.

Deliverance, Favor

Ps 27:5 - For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

An Overcoming Spirit, a Higher Perspective

Ps 27:6 - And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing,
yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Direction, Wisdom, Surefootedness

Ps 27:7, 11 - Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me. . . . Teach me Thy way, O Lord and lead me in a level path because of my foes.

A Release of Faith, an Expectancy of Good,

Ps 27:13 - I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Strength, Courage, Endurance,

Ps 27:14 - Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage.
Yes, wait for the Lord.


And let Your kingdom come and let Your will be done.


(Thanks to Dee for sharing this prayer with me.)

Ike's turn to slam Cuba

I’m a landlocked Coloradoan, generally oblivious to hurricane season but this year I’m changed. After visiting the Yucatan and Cuba this summer, I pray for friends in those places who are being pelted by the onrush of hurricanes.

Cuba was clipped by Gustav last week but is now being bruised by Ike, which is running the length of the island. The photo at right is a shot of damage from Ike in Comaguey, Cuba.

Please pray that God will give the believers in Cuba opportunity to love their neighbors as they dig out from this storm. They can’t get our financial aid but they trust in God’s provision – and we can pray for that.

Here's more information:
Fox News report
Hurricane tracking maps
Satellite view of Ike
Tropical storm tracking

Over in Malta

People once saw illnesses cured and a man survive a poisonous snake bite on the island of Malta. If you'll take a peek at Acts 28, you can read the story, where Paul was shipwrecked on the island and spent three months there, along with all the people on the ship.

This was a ship of prisoners being escorted by Roman soldiers to Rome. They had started too late in the season and gotten caught by the winter storms, forcing them to stay at Malta until spring.

Shortly after the bedraggled group from the ship crawled ashore, Paul was bitten by a snake. In that pagan culture, such an event was evidence that Paul was some sort of evil person being punished by the gods. "Maybe he's a murderer," was the idea of the islanders. They assumed that, although he had survived the shipwreck, justice would be done anyway.

However, Paul lived and soon was invited into the home of Publius, the main landowner of the island. When Publius became ill with dysentery, Paul prayed for him and laid hands on him. Publius was healed.

During the three months that Paul was on the island of Malta, many others were healed as well. When the Roman entourage headed for Rome in the spring, the Maltans gave them many honors and send along all the provisions they'd need.

Knowing Paul, I am sure that he spent those three months telling the Maltans about Jesus. I suspect he left many believers behind when he sailed on to Rome.

I tell you this because my friend, Angela, is in Malta right now. She is part of a prayer team walking through the island and participating in the International Day of Prayer there. Please pray for her daily if you can.

There have been believers on Malta since the days of Paul, but these days I'm told their faith has tilted toward formal traditionalism with little life. Angela is on the front line there, trying to pierce that apathy. Let's support her with our prayers.

She'll be in Malta 10 days and will be posting updates to her blog. Please keep her in your prayers.

The bar

“We started praying that the bar would close,” Harlan confided. Harlan had purchased the seminary building a few years before and, with sweat and muscle from many volunteers, has seen it transformed from a crumbling dump into a functioning, shiny, tiled building.

In Merida, Yucatan, the streets are narrow with the concrete buildings pressed hard against the thin sidewalk. The bar was only a two car widths plus maybe two people widths from the seminary.

The bar disturbed Harlan, because he saw the drunkenness and shattered lives as people staggered out. It was noisy, with broken people sometimes lying on on the sidewalk or singing obscenely to the stars.

The seminary students were disturbed as well and they began praying. One day, Harlan wandered over to have a chat with the owner of the bar. Before the visit was over, the owner of the bar had become a believer.

And he became convinced that a follower of Jesus would not operate a bar. He closed it himself and is now remodeling the place into an apartment. He’s going to church and starting to recruit others as well.

Sometimes we don’t pray for enough. I’m reminded of the believers praying fervently for Peter when he was in jail. Remember how surprised they were when he was released? That’s because they weren’t praying for his release – would you have? – but more likely for strength and protection.

God answered beyond what they prayed. And he did the same for a seminary in the Yucatan.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.

Eph 3:20

Whose desire?

Think of the last thing you prayed about -
were you devoted to your desire or to God?

-Oswald Chambers

A small window

It’s hard telling what Ben had done, but he got to watch the whole program from the second floor through a small barred window. On the first floor, his buddies were learning a tricky game with hand motions. They got to sing songs and hear a story that made them laugh.

When the teenage girl talked about persevering, even in a hard place like this detention center, Ben could barely hear her words. But he pressed his head hard against the bars.

He’d gotten caught in a scuffle with some of the other boys and earned a few days in solitary. So he wouldn’t get any of the cake and soda brought in for the other boys.

Or so he thought.

For one of the men in our group noticed Ben listening intently at that tiny window. He scooped slices of cake onto napkins and wandered over to the guards standing together by the fence. They were happy to take a slice and then he came back with cups of soda.

He continued to hand out refreshments to all the guards and then, with one more set of goodies in his hand, asked if he could take some to Ben. They agreed.

So Ben got his cake and soda. But the man also prayed with him, shook his hand, and told him a little more about Jesus. You can do a lot through a tiny window.

Please pray for Ben. God opened a door that day and we may never know what will happen. But we trust God’s goodness.

He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.

Isaiah 40:29-31