Tag: Prayer

Friday’s Findings

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Family, Joy, Marriage, Parenting, Prayer

The goal of each Friday on my blog is to share a potpourri of links I’ve found to feed your soul, encourage your heart, bring a smile to your face, and cause you to rejoice.

What Will Your Kids Remember About You?  Parents, especially Moms, will need this one as you come to the end of your week.  A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:12). A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

Be Yourself In Prayer  This is an extremely practical, well-written help for all believers as we engage in the best work.  Remember, prayer is only beneficial and accepted before God the Father when you go through the only advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous One (1 John 2:1). Our goal is not pray perfect prayers, but to simply talk to our Heavenly Father through the Perfect One, Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16).  Share your heart, your burden, your praise, and let the Perfect One handled your prayers perfectly (Psalm 18:30). His ears are open to our cry (Psalm 34:15).

Marriage Takes More Than Love – A quick read with three practical helps for marriage.

Fall Foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains  This is one of the most spectacular times of the year as God paints His creation with colors from His perfect paintbrush along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Enjoy the pics!

The Zipper Story – Enjoy!

Eat All You Want Church

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

While driving through a nearby town, I read the following on a Bojangles Restaurant board, “Sunday Buffet, 11-2, Eat All You Want.”  This got me to thinking about what happens in churches across the country every Sunday from around 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or so. Every Sunday when you attend Sunday School and the morning and evening services, the following ought to be true:

1.  The teaching in SS and the preaching in the services should be a buffet that is well-prepared, presented and prayed over.

Therefore, the pastor needs to spend time alone with the Lord early in the mornings each day to know the heart of God and His Word.  He must pray through the passages that he’ll be preaching from in the coming days.  He needs to study the text, dig for the meaning, seek the Spirit of God to reveal the Truth, and come to the “table” ready to deliver the goods!

If Bojangles invites you to eat their food until you are full, they had better have the food prepared.  So should the pastor and teachers.

2.  The attenders should want nothing more than to leave having eaten all they could hold.

Now, since losing my weight, I do not have the capacity to eat like I used to.  There were years that buffet and happiness were synonymous in my book.   Sad to say, too many Christians have a greater capacity to eat temporal food than they do eternal manna.  Hence, it’s like the old hair gel commercial’s tag line, “A little dab will do you.”  We eat hardy at the world’s tables, but are satisfied with a light snack of God’s Word.  The reason I return to a restaurant is due to the good food.  When I heard a restaurant I love was opening in my town, I was excited!  We should be in the Word so much outside of church that when we attend, we eat until we are full and are looking forward to the next time!

Think on these truths:

Psalm 19:7-11

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

 

Psalm 119:97, 103

Oh, how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,

Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

 

Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them,

And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;

 

So, are you faithful member of the Eat All You Want Church?  I’ll pray, prepare, and present; you eat all you want!

An Abounding Advancement

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Prayer

Boones Creek Bible Church

My earnest desire and prayer for the congregation of Boones Creek Bible Church this week:

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

Oh, Those Precious, Pious Statements

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Prayer

Satan is a great deceiver.  Man is often so gullible. The devil loves to get us believing statements that sound so good, but are so deceitful and untrue.  They may partial truth, but are not completely true.  For instance, have you heard anyone say or have you said:

“Just follow your heart.”

“God works in mysterious ways.”

“Money is the root of all evil.”

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

“To thine ownself be true.”

“Spare the rod, spoil the child.”

“God helps those who help themselves.”

“God needed another angel in heaven, so He called him/her home.”

“The Lord won’t put on you more than you can bear.”

There are many others, but these are not to be found in Scripture.  The one I want to dwell on for a moment today is often said at the point of frustration, exasperation, and hopelessness, “Well, I guess all we can do now is pray!”  Have you really given thought to that statement?  What are you really saying?

This statement is a declaration of the following:

1.  “I’ve tried everything else, and it didn’t work, so I guess we can pray now.” This is making prayer a last resort.

What does Scripture say about this?

Philippians 4:6-7  Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.

2.  “I have looked everywhere except the Lord and His Word for the answer, for the great need I have, but finally after much searching, I recognize I better come to God.”

What does Scripture say about this?

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

James 1:5-8  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

3.  “Well, I don’t have any other options. Guess I’d better pray.”

What does Scripture say about this?

Psalm 18:6, 16-19  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.  He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

Often, the Lord does bring us to a place where all option are removed so we will depend upon Him, and Him alone!

Here’s the correct response to all of life, to all unanswered questions, to all needs, to all difficult situations, to all prayer burdens and to every situation:

Psalm 16:8-9 I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.

Psalm 18:1-3 I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Matthew 6:33   But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning, God . . . .

Today, drop the pithy, pious statements of the Christianese language, and speak the truth to yourself.  Run to Christ in prayer all day long; not as a last resort!!

Have Ya Got the Time?

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

There are many reasons why I love living in East Tennessee.   One of which is the down-home common sense bred in the hearts and character of many raised in these mountains.  Today, I have such a one who has agreed to let me share what the Lord gave him last week while studying the Word.  Wayne and his dear wife, Vickie, are dear members of our church and have gone through the furnace of affliction for the past six years.  These words are born out of a life that has been touched by the Master and continues to walk by faith and not by sight.  It is totally unedited just as he penned it.  Thanks, Wayne, for sharing your heart and letting me share with the readers today.

“Have ya got the time?”….I’ll bet its been a spell since you’ve heard that question. This day and time lots of folks have wrist watches, and most of the people have cell phones, so knowing the time is no problem.

Speaking of time, puts me in mind of the time Uncle Roby ordered him a pocket-watch from Sears and Roebuck. It finally come in the mail to Lansing NC post office. It had a fancy fob on one end and about 8-10 inches of gold colored chain with a genuine Elgin Pocket Watch, big as biscuit, on the other end.

Word gets around in Lansing pretty quick, so the next time Uncle Roby was in Walter Osbornes’ store, everyone was quizzing him about his new watch. Ole Doc Keyes up and says, “well Roby, what time is it”

Uncle Roby proudly pulls out his watch, flips up the lid and says, “there she be,” ..Ole Doc says, “well danged if it ain’t”…..neither one could tell time..such as it was in bygone days.

Now let me ask you, “have you got the time?”

We’ve got the time to get up on Monday morn and get to work at the correct time. We’ve got the time to stop and fill up the gas tank when the hand is close to the E. We’ve got the time to set down at the dinner table when suppers on. But, do we have the time to hear what God is saying…?

And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: Gen 19:27.……Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Ps.55:17.….To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Ps.92:2.……I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Prov.8:17.…..

It seems like early and in the morning is a common time to hear from God. Some of my best times with God has been early in the morn. Its quite, its peaceful, the business of the day has not started. My Bible in my lap, the Spirit of God in my heart. He reveals to me my short-comings and then His wonderful forgiveness. He reveals to me His will, and then that my will should be lined up with His will. Most of all, I guess, is He revels His love for me. So, try it one morn, get up a little early and seek Him…ponder on that a bit and remember…O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Ps 63:1.

We Need Him

by Dale, posted in Prayer

In one month, a very big event will take place in the Cunningham household as our youngest daughter will be wed to her beloved, Andrew.  Many thoughts come to my mind at this moment as I consider the past twenty-two years.  From before she was born, we prayed that she would be saved at the earliest possible moment, and we prayed for her mate that she would marry someday.  When she had back-to-back surgery as a toddler, we prayed.  When she stayed overnight with a friend for the first time, we prayed.  When she started kindergarten as a home-schooler, we prayed.  When she struggled with school, we prayed.  When she was outside riding bikes with the neighbors, we prayed.  When she was working on her 4H project for the county fair, we prayed.  When she came to gospel salvation, we prayed.  When she had to leave her friends in Indiana and move to Tennessee, we prayed.  When she struggled with music lessons, we prayed.  When she moved into her junior high years, we prayed.  When she was learning to drive . . ., we prayed!  When she was being influenced by the wrong crowd, we prayed.  When she started her first job at Chickfila, we prayed.  When she backed out of the driveway on her first solo auto flight, we prayed!  When she left for college, we prayed.  When worked for two summers at the Wilds, we prayed.  When she moved out of town, we prayed.  When she and her fiancé were hit head-on eight weeks ago by a drunk driver going the wrong way on the interstate, we prayed!  When they were looking for an apartment to rent, we prayed.

As I look back over the past twenty-two years, not only did we pray, but . . . we have rejoiced over and over and over and over again at answers to prayer for so many things!  You see, God has made our lives such that we need Him, we need to pray (Matthew 6:6-9; Luke 18:1; 1 Timothy 2:1-8).  We need to pray desperately, consistently, persistently, faithfully, firstly, joyfully, gratefully, etc.  If you live your life without that kind of prayer, you have convinced yourself that you can handle life on your own.  I remind myself and you of Jesus Christ’s very pointed words from one of his discourses on prayer, Without me, you can do nothing (John 15:5).  Enough said.

 

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

And when I am alone
Oh and when I am alone
And when I am alone
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

And when I come to die
Oh and when I come to die
And when I come to die
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

—– Fernando Ortega

40 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Day #31

by Dale, posted in 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting

Something Rare and Special Going On!

Yesterday morning, I read the following Facebook status from Gerald Wolfe that said, “If I lived anywhere near Albemarle, North Carolina, I’d join up with the folks at Prospect Baptist Church! There’s something rare and special going on there that should be the “norm” for Churches across the country!”  That statement peaked my interest.  Gerald did not give any further explanation, but someone from the church did, and I definitely want to share it with you.

“God has placed His hand on this place. It is not anything we do or can explain. It is a pastor in Stoney Benfield that had taught us through the Word about repentance, love & worship. There is a freedom of worship to clap, cry, laugh & love. There is a call to prayer & submission to the one Holy God. There is a challenge to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing. There is an expectation of meeting with the Lord every time the doors are open & that worship is out of the overflow of our personal time of worship, reflection & service throughout the week. There is a passion in ministry for the students, the children, the hurting, the addicted, the lost…this list goes on. …We can’t explain it, but we do experience it! No, we don’t get it all right. We are an imperfect people serving the Perfect God and we are so humbled and thankful that God had chosen to be here and pray that we remain amazed & humbled so that He continues to stay.”

I have one question to ask this morning, “Is something rare and special going on in your life this morning?”  If so, it will spill over into your family today and our church starting this Sunday.  Will you be a part of what should be the “norm”?

Isaiah 55:6-12

6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Reminder:  Our goal for these 40 days of prayer and fasting is that God would so revive and change us that we would both pray and act as the people of God for the glory of God!

40 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Day #29

by Dale, posted in 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting

Behold Your God

As a follow up to yesterday’s music and message from Nehemiah 5, I ask that you watch this brief video from A. W. Tozer.  If we are to have revival, we must “see God again!”

Praying Church

Reminder:  Our goal for these 40 days of prayer and fasting is that God would so revive and change us that we would both pray and act as the people of God for the glory of God!

40 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Day #26

by Dale, posted in 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting

As Todd walked out of the library on the University of Kentucky campus last evening, he was met by a man who greeted him and simply said, “Can I pray for you right now?”  This was the encouraging ministry of a few men standing on a secular college campus waiting for folks to pass by. All they wanted to do was to pray for them.  What boldness!  What compassion!  What zeal!

Where did Nehemiah pray?  He prayed at home (1:4-11), in the presence of the king (2:4), before his enemies (4:4) and with his people (4:9).  He prayed in private and in public.  He prayed in safety and in uncomfortable situations. He prayed with his friends and before his enemies. What boldness!  What compassion!  What zeal!

Something tells these men on the UK campus, along with Nehemiah, believe in the power of prayer through an awesome God Who answers the prayers of men who pray with boldness, compassion and zeal!  (Luke 18:1; John 15:7; James 5:16b)

Is that how you pray?  Are you that bold?  Do you have such compassion?  Are you zealous, fervent in prayer?  That answer will be seen in how you meet with the Lord this morning and how you respond to those the Lord sends your way today.  Suffice it to say, Jesus Christ made the way possible to be bold in prayer by His death before all men on the cross (Hebrews 4:14-16).  Therefore, I must be bold, compassionate and zealous in prayer for and with men today no matter where I am—home, work, church, school, golf course, gym floor, Bible study, grocery store, restaurant, family gatherings, hospital, coffee shop, etc.

“Can I pray for you right now?”

Reminder:  Our goal for these 40 days of prayer and fasting is that God would so revive and change us that we would both pray and act as the people of God for the glory of God!

40 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Day #25

by Dale, posted in 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting

Urgent Prayer!!

Yesterday, there were several urgent prayer requests posted on Facebook throughout the day.  How easy it is to just click “Like” and move on.  But these are urgent requests!  We are urged to pray because prayer is urgent—there are souls one breath away from hell; there are believer’s who are involved in great trials; we live in a sin-cursed world that needs to see grace abounding over sin; there’s the need to join with others at the Throne of Grace; there’s the need to obey and fulfill Scripture; and there’s the urgency that all we do glorifies our God!!

1 Timothy 2:1-4 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

1.  What two words in verse one describe the priority of prayer?

2.  What kinds of prayer are described in verse one?  Define them.

3.  Who are we to pray for? (vv. 1-2a)

4.  Why are we to pray for these people? (v. 2b)

5.  What is greatest motivation to pray? (v. 3)

6.  Why should we pray for lost souls and for revival? (v. 4)

7.  If we are “urged” to pray, shouldn’t there be an urgency to pray? (v.1)

Application:

Compare your time in prayer at home with how you pray in a corporate setting at church.  Would this passage describe your prayer life?  Is there a true urgency to pray because it is made a top priority by God?  Are you motivated to get down to the serious business of prayer in both locations?  Which song would describe your prayer life at home and at church:  “Sound the Battle Cry” or “Silent Night”?  From the picture above, would you describe this prayer meeting as sleepy or urgent?

Reminder:  Our goal for these 40 days of prayer and fasting is that God would so revive and change us that we would both pray and act as the people of God for the glory of God!