Tag: Prayer

The Making of a Man: Men’s Prayer Advance

by Dale, posted in Men, Praise & Worship, Prayer

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Executives.  Missionaries.  Hunters.  Teens. Former drug addicts. Pastors.  White-collar/blue-collar. Musicians. Sinners. Millennials. Fishermen. Unsaved.  Broken.   Hurting.   Lonely.  Spirit-filled.  Disciples.  Multi-cultural. And I could go on and on.  This is a brief description of over 600 men that gathered in the mountains of Central Virginia for what is called Men’s Prayer Advance.  Imagine that many men coming to sing, eat, worship, listen to preaching, pray, sleep, sing, eat, pray, listen to preaching, worship and watch the Spirit of God work and move!  This is my third Advance in four years.  This is the highlight of my year as far as a ministry event is concerned outside of my own church.  Why is this Advance so special?

Uninhibited Worship – From the time the sessions begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and end at noon on Saturday, I am in the midst of men singing with gusto, praising the Lord and letting the texts of the songs flood their hearts with praise that comes out through their voices!  The songs include “It Is Well With My Soul,” “Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners,” “In Christ Alone,” “I Will Rise,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “Father, I Adore You” just to name a very few.  Imagine standing with men as described above singing with hands raised, shouts of joy, tears, and real meditation.  I’m telling you, it has got to be a precursor to the heavenly praise that awaits us.  Men . . . worshiping the Lord.  I said, men.

Ambitious Praying – Ambitious is an adjective describing an attitude of prayer that is 1) “eagerly desirous to obtain success” (Dictionary.com) in believing, faith-filled prayer, 2) to have an earnest, eager desire for and in prayer, and 3) prayer that takes effort.  That’s the kind of praying we were challenged to give our life to on a daily basis.  That’s the kind of prayer demonstrated among the men attending the Advance.  To hear over 600 men crying out to the Lord (Psalm 61:2) in fervent prayer as we gathered many times in the Spring Center was an awesome experience.  Hands raised in pleading prayer; voices crying out in adoring praise and earnest petitions; tears flowing in brokenness before God; lives touched by the Spirit of God; and two men on Thursday night crying out to God for salvation (and testifying of it later on that night)!!! 600 plus men assembled before the Throne of Grace!!!  Wow!!  (By the way, no Super Bowl game holds a candle to that experience.)

The best part of the emphasis on prayer is what’s known as the “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Before lunch on Friday, we go someone on the camp site and get alone with God for one hour.  Here’s the statement that I’ve heard most from men after the “Sweet Hour of Prayer,”— “I didn’t know I could pray for one hour.  It went by so quick!”  Enough said.

Furthermore, I love what the name of this event says, Men’s Prayer Advance.  We are not attending a retreat or  in retreat mode.  We are advancing in prayer!!

Spirit-empowered Preaching – Every message I heard was like fresh manna from Heaven.  The power of God was upon the preachers as they delivered the Word with courage, compassion, and conviction leading to change.  Sitting under the preaching of an Irishman who has walked with the Lord for years was like listening to a prophet of God.  This man knows the heart of God and has learned His heart in the quiet place of personal prayer and the blessing of corporate prayer as well as meditation on God’s Word.  The practical, applicational, straight-forward, “right down where we live” preaching of one of the other men was a touch down from Heaven, too!  Powerful, Spirit-filled preaching exalts Christ and glorifies God.  That is what we heard many, many times in the main sessions and break-out meetings.  God honors the preaching of His Word!

Undistracted Meeting with God – There is something special about going way up in the mountains and getting away from so much that distracts us in our lives.  Cell phone service was sketchy at best.  The whole emphasis of the three days was simply meeting with God.  Nothing else.  May I say right here that every man of God should plan in his yearly schedule a time or two in the year to get away for a day to just simply meet with God in prayer and Bible study.

So, there’s just a brief out-pouring from my heart why the Men’s Prayer Advance is so special. Many, many times, in the moment of a song, prayer and/or preaching, I found myself saying, “I wish this would not end.”  So often I felt like a sponge just soaking in all I could in the moment.  Just think; that’s the way it will be in Heaven!

Men, are you advancing today?

Want to join us next year, January 28-30, 2016?  Check out the following link:

Men’s Prayer Advance

P1011261  P1011283

Friday’s Findings

by Dale, posted in Money, Pastoring, Prayer

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Every Friday, I am sharing some blog posts that I have come across in the past few weeks that I trust will be beneficial to you.  As I’ve noted on my blog site, what I am doing is from my heart.  I want to help and encourage us to keep on for the Lord and to enjoy all that He has for us here while we wait for the best life to come!

Three Simple Pastoral Priorities – Excellent counsel and transparency from Cary Schmidt for pastors.

13 Ways You Waste Your Money – Tim Challies give some very practical thoughts and cautions about money.

Husbands Pray With Your Wives – Good article and so helpful.  Men, please read.  Thanks, Wendy, for your insight and help in homeschooling years ago.

The Making of a Man

by Dale, posted in Men, Prayer

Trucks, cars, guns/hunting, soldiers, cowboys, football, basketball, sledding, bicycles & motorcycles, hiking, the farm, the outdoors, the Word of God, the local church, The Wilds, evangelism, and strong preaching!  That sort of sums up my boyhood years right through my teens.  Just typing those words brings back some really great memories!  These were some of the important ingredients of growing into manhood that my parents always gladly provided (except the motorcycle) and encouraged.  There is so much I would love to share with you about each one.  My background is one of the reasons I love Ephesians 6:10-20.  Read it as a boy all dressed up in his cowboy boots w/ holster and six-shooter or as a soldier in your front yard with the neighborhood boys getting ready to take out the enemy or baling hay and stacking it up in the top of the barn on a blistering hot day or as it is so portrayed, putting on your shield, armor and sword and preparing for battle!  Read it with some umphh in your voice; with gravel in your teeth; with heart pumping out of your chest; and sweat oozing from underneath your helmet!!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Are you ready for battle?  Is your heart still pumping with vigor?  Is this a manly passage or what?  Wow!!!  Men, I notice something that is so manly coming out of this passage that is a huge need in our lives today—-it is verse 18.  I will say it now rather than lead into it by more verbiage—–you are no more a man than when you are in earnest prayer on your knees before God the Father!!!  The dressing room for the armor of God is the prayer room.  There you put on each piece which is Christ (Next Tuesday, we will examine each part of the armor). Oh, just look at those manly words in verse 18, praying always, being watchful to the end, perseverance. That’s the characteristics of a strong man, a man of truth, faith, ready for daily conflict, and ready to defend and protect!

Men, we must be men of prayer!  For far too long, the ladies have led the charge when it comes to this awesome privilege.  I am so grateful for a praying wife and a praying mom, but oh the sight I see right now is the many, many times I saw my dad on his knees weeping for lost souls within his family, church and city, crying out for revival among the saints, adoring his Heavenly Father through intercession and supplication, and praising God for all His goodness in answered prayer and for Who He is!!!  Thanks, Dad!!  The Tonka trucks and cap pistols are long gone—but the need for men of prayer remains!!!!  How are you dressed today, men?

To the People in the Pews

by Dale, posted in Prayer

As a follow up to yesterday’s messages from 1 John 4:7-10, I will ask some questions and then share an encouragement.

Questions          

  • How have you seen God at work through prayer since yesterday? Was the work in your heart?  Was His work seen in someone else?
  • What attribute of God was seen through His working in prayer?
  • What was your attitude about God when you left the quiet place this morning? Anything you want to share?

Encouragement

A month ago, my wife gave the abridged version of Missionary Rosalind Goforth’s autobiography at the Missionary Teen Retreat 11 in northern Spain.  On the flight over, I read a good portion of another writing by this dear saint of God entitled, How I Know God Answers Prayer, The Personal Testimony of One Life-Time.  This book gives you great insight into the impact of prayer upon Rosalind’s childhood and adult life.  Here’s a portion of Chapter Three from “Go Forward on Your Knees” (1887-1894).

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron” (Isa. 45:2).

IN ATTEMPTING to record what prayer meant in our early pioneer days, other than purely personal testimonies must be given; for we were, as a little band of missionaries, bound together in our common needs and dangers by a very close bond.

In October, 1887, my husband was appointed by the Canadian Presbyterian Church to open a new field, in the northern section of the Province of Honan, China. We left Canada the following January, reaching China in March, 1888. Not till then did we realize the tremendous difficulties of the task before us.

Dr. Hudson Taylor, of the China Inland Mission, writing to us at this time, said: “We understand North Honan is to be your field; we, as a mission, have tried for ten years to enter that province from the south, and have only just succeeded. It is one of the most anti-foreign provinces in China. . . . Brother, if you would enter that province, you must go forward on your knees.”

These words gave the key-note to our early pioneer years. Would that a faithful record had been kept of God’s faithfulness in answering prayer! Our strength as a mission and as individuals, during those years so fraught with dangers and difficulties, lay in the fact that we did realize the hopelessness of our task apart from divine aid.

What a “key note” statement from the godly missionary Hudson Taylor to Jonathan & Rosalind, “Brother, if you would enter that province, you must go forward on your knees.”  I say to you, the congregation of BCBC, if you are to enter into “your province” (replace the word with what fits for you), you must “go forward on your knees.”  No retreat; go forward in prayer. And I must add, our strength as a church and to you as an individual, “during these years fraught with dangers and difficulties, lay in the fact that we must realize the hopelessness of our task apart from Divine Aid.”

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Go forward on your knees!!

The Making of a Man

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Evangelism, Family, God's Word, Marriage, Men, Parenting, Prayer

Last Tuesday’s blog was the first entry in the weekly series entitled, “The Making of a Man.”  As I said in that blog post, January 6, my heart’s desire is to see us be genuine, Spirit-filled, Christlike, servant leaders . . . men of God.  Obviously, to do so, we MUST be in the Word of God on a daily basis reading the Word and letting it read us.  Also, I mentioned that oft-repeated statement, “Leaders are readers.”  So, in today’s post, I want to share some book titles that have impacted me in my relationship with Christ, my wife, my children, my ministry and life in general.  Many of these books can still be purchased in book form, or as many of us do today, you can get the Kindle edition.  Men, let’s read the Bible first, and then let’s read other good books so we can be made a man of God!

Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes

“The Christian leader’s vision of God makes all the difference in his life” (p.163).  I have read this book several times and have even used it with deacons and men’s meetings.

Disciplines – Kindle Edition

 

The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, Hans Finzel

“Top-flight leaders really aren’t born, they learn by trial and error.” (p.18)

“My greatest fear is that our best days were our past days.  I loathe the thought that we should fade into irrelevance” (p.71).

Top Ten Mistakes – Kindle Edition

 

The Masculine Mandate:  God’s Calling to Men, Richard D. Phillips

“It is virtually impossible to find a man greatly used by God who is not strongly devoted to prayer.” (p. 39)

“God intends for man to have a [wife] who bears God’s image along with man, and who with man can look upward to God and live for Him.” (p. 58)

Chapter Five, “Man as Shepherd-Lord,” is an excellent read.

Masculine Mandate – Kindle Edition

 

Power Through Prayer, E.M. Bounds

Here’s a little book that every man of God must read!!  A classic.

Power Through Prayer – Kindle Edition

 

There are many, many others, but these are just a few.  I’ll share more in later posts.  Men, let’s take the challenge to read, to share, to grow, and to make a difference for Christ wherever we live!

To the People in the Pews: Desperate Prayer

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Prayer

The final congregational song last night at church was requested by someone who is going through a series of trials; heartbreaking, mind searching, body aching trials. Wonder why this song is so dear to this person?  Click the link to read the lyrics and listen to Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer.

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I’ll follow, though I’m worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go –
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

This song speaks volumes to that someone because they are desperate. They have come to the end of themselves.  They have come to a place where answers seem few.  They have come to endure great contradiction from others. They have come to experience loneliness in its deep forms.  They have come to the end of their own strength. They have come to pray such a song from their heart because they are desperate.  They need Jesus.

How desperate are you this morning in prayer for Jesus?  How desperate in prayer are you for your Shepherd to lead you?  How desperate in prayer are you today to rise on wings of faith?  How desperate are you?

I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?  (Psalm 118:5-6)

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

For further study:  The Power of Desperate Prayer

New Year’s Response

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, Prayer, Trials

Happy New Year!!  And even more than that, a special thank you to all of you who have faithfully read this blog.  I am honored and quite frankly overwhelmed that you spend some time on this site.  Nevertheless, thank you, thank you, thank you.

2015, as in previous years, and for the rest of our lives, will present us with many decisions, disappointments, delights, dangers, discouragements, and dreams.  For them all, may I encourage you to respond with Hebrews 4:14-16?

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

For all the situations of life, respond with, “Well, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of the grace.”  Why?  Read verses 14-15.  Jesus Christ is our high priest who has passed into the heavens and understands all of life, all about life, because He is life (John 14:6)!!

So, Happy New Year, and let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace!

Far-Reaching Prayer

by Dale, posted in Prayer

Upon returning from a mission trip in northern Spain, I checked my office mail box and found a letter from Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut.  The contents of the letter said, “Each week our people pray for a preacher in the United States.  As you can see from the enclosed bulletin, we will be praying for you and your ministry this week. Our people will especially pray for God to richly bless you and to protect you from the attacks of Satan.  They will be praying for your health, your family and your people, and that the Lord will greatly use you for His glory.”

Sometimes we think that our praying is so insignificant; that it doesn’t reach very far in its effects.   What these folks in West Hartford did not know when they were praying was that my wife and I were ministering in the Basque region of Spain at a retreat for missionary teens.  These young folks came from Mexico, six countries in Europe, and the island of Yap. Furthermore, when I read through FABC’s list of their supported missionaries, I noticed some familiar names.  Two of their family’s teens had attended the retreat, as well as another missionary who has served at this location in Spain for years. Point being, these dear folks at FABC thought they were just praying for us in East Tennessee, but their prayers went far beyond their intended destination.  You see, when you talk to our omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, transcendent God, your intercession becomes as big as your God and moves in ways and to areas that you would never imagine!

As you begin your day today, do not let your focus be what you think may be just simple prayer requests alone.  See them as going through our perfect, righteous High Priest and Advocate (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1) into the very presence of Jehovah Who then answers in awe-inspiring and glorifying ways!  As Henry Blackaby has said, “God is always at work around you, and He invites you to become involved with Him in His work at His invitation.”

So, get on your knees this morning and join God in far-reaching ways as He leads and provides.  Thank you, Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, for being faithful to pray and join God in His work!!

Thanksgiving Filled Praying

by Dale, posted in Praise & Worship, Prayer, Uncategorized

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Did you notice the first phrase of this passage?  We are exhorted to be anxious for nothing, but to pray and be thankful for everything.  As we consider Thanksgiving and our minds are focused on gratitude, I want to give you a challenge for today and this week:  Pray about everything with thanksgiving.   Here’s what I mean.

A typical prayer can go something like this:  “Lord, you know I need that job and would you supply my need?  And Lord, you know my grandmother is sick, and would you heal her?  And Lord, please save my brother so we can go to heaven together.”

My challenge is for us to not focus solely on the requests which can cause us to be man-centered in our praying, but focus on God Who hears and answers prayer, and give Him thanks.  For instance, taking the same prayer example above, look at that prayer filled with gratitude and praise.

“Heavenly Father, what a blessing to know that You hear and answer prayer, that Your ear is open to the cry of the righteous.  What a blessing to know that everything that is on my heart, You are already aware of and have the need already met by your grace and for Your glory!  Now, Lord, you know about my need for a job, and I want to thank You right now that in Your time and in Your way, You will provide what I need because ‘As for God, His way is perfect.’ Your grace is sufficient.  Also, I want praise You that You are near and dear to my grandmother in her illness.  May she learn all You have for her through this sickness, and thank You for strength that You will give her during these days.  May in the multitude of her thoughts, Your comforts be her delight that each moment she will think on You and rejoice and be encouraged!  And most of all, how wonderful to know that You have sent Your Son to die for my brother that he might have eternal life through believing in Jesus’ name!  Thank You that You are not willing that He would perish but come to  repentance.  So, Lord, I am thanking You now for my salvation and for the day my brother will receive Christ as his Lord and Savior!  How marvelous to know that my God is able, and He is faithful!!

See the difference in prayers focused on thanksgiving and praise as opposed to just simply wanting something done, even if it is good thing?

Try it this week.  You will be so wrapped up in Who God is, thanking Him through your supplications, that anxiety will be removed and your heart will flood over with joy and thanksgiving!

When you finish praying, take a listen and rejoice!  You might shed a tear, raise a hand, or shout “Glory to God!” I Have Been Blessed

Lessons From a Hernia: Day 2

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Discipleship, Health, Trials

As noted in yesterday’s blog post, Lesson #1, I have recently undergone hernia surgery.  As I told my surgeon yesterday during my post-op visit, “Doc, I really don’t like to be around you when you start cuttin’ up!”  There have been times in my past that got in trouble for that!  Well, as the Lord would have it, this time was for my good.  These are the times when God does some work of heart and draws us to Himself for personal discipleship (Matthew 11:28-30).

Lesson #2 – He must increase; I must decrease.

The past year in ministry has been the most demanding that I’ve gone through in years.  When ministry takes the turns that it has, my automatic reaction is to work harder; to increase.  All I want to say today is, the hardest work of increase should come on our knees.  There, Christ is increased, and I am decreased.  That’s way it’s supposed to work (John 3:30).  “Thank You, Lord, for leading me beside the still waters of that passage on the day after surgery.  Sure is hard to do my work of increase while medicated and grounded.”  And . . . Christ’s ministry just kept right on going.