ALWAYS PRAYING AND NOT FAINTING - PART VI

This is the follow up teaching on prayer by the eminent Bible teacher R.A Torrey. 

In two parables in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches with great emphasis the lesson that men ought always to pray and not to faint. The first parable is found in Luke 11:5-8, and the other in Luke 18:1-8.

"And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him: 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?' And he from within shall answer and say: 'Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee.' I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth." (Luke 11:5-8)

"And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men always ought to pray and not to faint, saying: There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man; and there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying:

"'Avenge me of mine adversary.'

"And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself: 'Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'

"And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)

In the former of these two parables Jesus sets forth the necessity of importunity in prayer in a startling way. The word rendered "importunity" means literally "shamelessness," as if Jesus would have us understand that God would have us draw nigh to Him with a determination to obtain the things we seek that will not be put to shame by any seeming refusal or delay on God's part. God delights in the holy boldness that will not take "no" for an answer. It is an expression of great faith, and nothing pleases God more than faith.

Jesus seemed to put the Syro-Phoenician woman away almost with rudeness, but she would not be put away, and Jesus looked upon her shameless importunity with pleasure, and said, "O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt." (Matt. 15:28) God does not always let us get things at our first effort. He would train us and make us strong men by compelling us to work hard for the best things. So also He does not always give us what we ask in answer to the first prayer; He would train us and make us strong men of prayer by compelling us to pray hard for the best things. He makes us PRAY THROUGH.

I am glad that this is so. There is no more blessed training in prayer than that that comes through being compelled to ask again and again and again even through a long period of years before one obtains that which he seeks from God. Many people call it submission to the will of God when God does not grant them their requests at the first or second asking, and they say:

"Well, perhaps it is not God's will."

As a rule this is not submission, but spiritual laziness. We do not call it submission to the will of God when we give up after one or two efforts to obtain things by action; we call it lack of strength of character. When the strong man of action starts out to accomplish a thing, if he does not accomplish it the first, or second or one hundredth time, he keeps hammering away until he does accomplish it; and the strong man of prayer when he starts to pray for a thing keeps on praying until he prays it through, and obtains what he seeks. We should be careful about what we ask from God, but when we do begin to pray for a thing we should never give up praying for it until we get it, or until God makes it very clear and very definite to us that it is not His will to give it.

Some would have us believe that it shows unbelief to pray twice for the same thing, that we ought to "take it" the first time that we ask. Doubtless there are times when we are able through faith in the Word or the leading of the Holy Spirit to CLAIM the first time that which we have asked of God; but beyond question there are other times when we must pray again and again and again for the same thing before we get our answer. Those who have gotten beyond praying twice for the same thing have gotten beyond their Master, (Matt. 26:44). George Muller prayed for two men daily for upwards of sixty years. One of these men was converted shortly before his death, I think at the last service that George Muller held, the other was converted within a year after his death. One of the great needs of the present day is men and women who will not only start out to pray for things, but pray on and on and on until they obtain that which they seek from the Lord.

By R. A. Torrey (1856-1928)

Update News on My Activities!

Hello friends in the Lord,

This is just a short coucou to wish you all a blessed day and week in Jesus' name.

I have FIVE points of interest that i'd like to mention.

1. First, the Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship International (FGBMFI) is planning to host a possible regional colloquial/Christian camp/ conference/Training of 2-3days somewhere in the lost forest* of Rwanda, sometime in June or early July 2012. More detail will follow when I'll know more .. still waiting for the official approval from the National Bureau of FGBMFI.

2. This Sunday February 5th, 2012 - we are planning to have a rather intense but cordial dialogue between Pastor Oshumba from Greater Grace Church/ South Africa and Theologian Kirsten Lake of The Well Spring Foundation/ Rwanda on Radio10 at the Help Me Understand Show from 8:00am to 9:00 am. The topic will be 'Acceptable Christianity'.

3. Something worth reading about an interview of TD Jakes on the volatile topic of the Holy Trinity of God and his response to his critics. Click Here .

4. It seems to me that Christian unity is getting harder and harder as we multiply churches and ministries. That's sad. However, reading the evangelical apologist Lee Strobel talking not antagonistically of the parachurches while fellow evangelical apologist John MacArthur talking rather antagonistically of the emergent churches  was rather funny.

5. In few weeks from now, I'll start working on my new book - 'Why I Am Still A Christian!' This will be sort of a spiritual autobiography retelling and detailing the many theological & doctrinal shocks and traumatic life experiences that normally should have made me abandon the faith but DID NOT  and why it is so!

Pray for me as I engulf myself into these new projects particularly the number 1 and the number 5 on the list above.

Have blessed year of grace in Jesus' name.
*Just kidding .. we ain't going at the forest. We are still looking for a suitable place.


P.S: An excerpt of my book 'Help Me understand Jesus' can now be read online. Click here.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT - PART V

I have heard that some of you have been blessed by this series of teaching about prayer. So I hope that this one will also be received with the same warmth as the former posts.

• 1. Over and over again in what has already been said, we have seen our dependence upon the Holy Spirit in prayer. This comes out very definitely in Eph. 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT," and in Jude 20, "Praying IN THE HOLY GHOST." Indeed the whole secret of prayer is found in these three words, "in the Spirit." It is the prayer that God the Holy Spirit inspires that God the Father answers.

The disciples did not know how to pray as they ought, so they came to Jesus and said, "Lord teach us to pray." We know not how to pray as we ought, but we have another Teacher and Guide right at hand to help us (John 14:16,17), "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity" (Rom. 8:26, R.V.). He teaches us how to pray. True prayer is prayer in the Spirit; that is, the prayer the Spirit inspires and directs. When we come into God's presence we should recognize "our infirmity," our ignorance of what we should pray for or how we should pray for it, and in the consciousness of our utter inability to pray aright we should look up to the Holy Spirit, casting ourselves utterly upon Him to direct our prayers, to lead out our desires and to guide our utterance of them.

Nothing can be more foolish in prayer than to rush heedlessly into God's presence, and ask the first thing that comes into our mind, or that some thoughtless friend has asked us to pray for. When we first come into God's presence we should be silent before Him. We should look up to Him to send His Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray. We must wait for the Holy Spirit, and surrender ourselves to the Spirit, then we shall pray aright.

Oftentimes when we come to God in prayer, we do not feel like praying. What shall one do in such a case? cease praying until he does feel like it? Not at all. When we feel least like praying is the time when we most need to pray. We should wait quietly before God and tell Him how cold and prayerless our hearts are, and look up to Him and trust Him and expect Him to send the Holy Spirit to warm our hearts and draw them out in prayer. It will not be long before the glow of the Spirit's presence will fill our hearts, and we will begin to pray with freedom, directness, earnestness and power. Many of the most blessed seasons of prayer I have ever known have begun with a feeling of utter deadness and prayerlessness, but in my helplessness and coldness I have cast myself upon God, and looked to Him to send His Holy Spirit to teach me to pray, and He has done it.

When we pray in the Spirit, we will pray for the right things and in the right way. There will be joy and power in our prayer.

• 2. If we are to pray with power we must pray WITH FAITH. In Mark 11:24 Jesus says, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." No matter how positive any promise of God's Word may be, we will not enjoy it in actual experience unless we confidently expect its fulfillment in answer to our prayer. "If any of you lack wisdom," says James, "let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Now that promise is as positive as a promise can be, but the next verse adds, "But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." (R.V.) There must then be confident unwavering expectation. But there is a faith that goes beyond expectation, that believes that the prayer is heard and the promise granted. This comes out in the Revised Version of Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye HAVE received them, and ye shall have them."

But how can one get this faith?

Let us say with all emphasis, it cannot be pumped up. Many a one reads this promise about the prayer of faith, and then asks for things that he desires and tries to make himself believe that God has heard the prayer. This ends only in disappointment, for it is not real faith and the thing is not granted. It is at this point that many people make a collapse of faith altogether by trying to work up faith by an effort of their will, and as the thing they made themselves believe they expected to get is not given, the very foundation of faith is oftentimes undermined.

But how does real faith come?

Rom 10:17 answers the question: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD." If we are to have real faith, we must study the Word of God and find out what is promised, then simply believe the promises of God. Faith must have a warrant. Trying to believe something that you want to believe is not faith. Believing what God says in His Word is faith. If I am to have faith when I pray, I must find some promise in the Word of God on which to rest my faith. Faith furthermore comes through the Spirit. The Spirit knows the will of God, and if I pray in the Spirit, and look to the Spirit to teach me God's will, He will lead me out in prayer along the line of that will, and give me faith that the prayer is to be answered; but in no case does real faith come by simply determining that you are going to get the thing that you want to get.

> If there is no promise in the Word of God, and no clear leading of the Spirit, there can be no real faith, and there should be no upbraiding of self for lack of faith in such a case. But if the thing desired is promised in the Word of God, we may well upbraid ourselves for lack of faith if we doubt; for we are making God a liar by doubting His Word.

By R. A. Torrey (1856-1928)

HOW TO PRAY THE RIGHT WAY - PART IV

 Following the previous discussion about effective prayers through obedience, we are going to discover what it is often meant by:

PRAYING IN THE NAME OF CHRIST AND ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD

• 1. It was a wonderful word about prayer that Jesus spoke to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, "Whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it."

Prayer in the name of Christ has power with God. God is well pleased with His Son Jesus Christ. He hears Him always, and He also hears always the prayer that is really in His name. There is a fragrance in the name of Christ that makes acceptable to God every prayer that bears it.

But what is it to pray in the name of Christ?

Many explanations have been attempted that to ordinary minds do not explain. But there is nothing mystical or mysterious about this expression. If one will go through the Bible and examine all the passages in which the expression "in My name" or "in His name" or synonymous expressions are used, he will find that it means just about what it does in modern usage. If I go to a bank and hand in a check with my name signed to it, I ask of that bank IN MY OWN NAME. If I have money deposited in that bank, the check will be cashed; if not, it will not be. If, however, I go to a bank with somebody else's name signed to the check, I am asking IN HIS NAME, and it does not matter whether I have money in that bank or any other, if the person whose name is signed to the check has money there, the check will be cashed.

> If, for example, I should go to the First National Bank of Chicago, and present a check which I had signed for $50.00, the paying teller would say to me:

"Why, Mr. Torrey, we cannot cash that. You have no money in this bank."

But if I should go to the First National Bank with a check for $5,000.00 made payable to me, and signed by one of the large depositors in that bank, they would not ask whether I had money in that bank or in any bank, but would honor the check at once.

So it is when I go to the bank of heaven, when I go to God in prayer. I have nothing deposited there, I have absolutely no credit there, and if I go in my own name I will get absolutely nothing; but Jesus Christ has unlimited credit in heaven, and He has granted to me the privilege of going to the bank with His name on my checks, and when I thus go, my prayers will be honored to any extent.

To pray then in the name of Christ is to pray on the ground, not of my credit, but His; to renounce the thought that I have any claims on God whatever, and approach Him on the ground of God's claims. Praying in the name of Christ is not merely adding the phrase "I ask these things in Jesus' name" to my prayer. I may put that phrase in my prayer and really be resting in my own merit all the time. But when I really do approach God, not on the ground of my merit, but on the ground of Christ's merit, not on the ground of my goodness, but on the ground of the atoning blood (Heb. 10:19), God will hear me. Very much of our modern prayer is vain because men approach God imagining that they have some claim upon God whereby He is under obligations to answer their prayers.

Years ago when Mr. Moody was young in Christian work, he visited a town in Illinois. A judge in the town was an infidel. This judge's wife besought Mr. Moody to call upon her husband, but Mr. Moody replied:

"I cannot talk with your husband. I am only an uneducated young Christian, and your husband is a book infidel."

But the wife would not take no for an answer, so Mr. Moody made the call. The clerks in the outer office tittered as the young salesman from Chicago went in to talk with the scholarly judge.

> The conversation was short. Mr. Moody said:

"Judge, I can't talk with you. You are a book infidel, and I have no learning, but I simply want to say if you are ever converted, I want you to let me know."

The judge replied: "Yes, young man, if I am ever converted I will let you know. Yes, I will let you know."

The conversation ended. The clerks tittered still louder when the zealous young Christian left the office, but the judge was converted within a year. Mr. Moody visiting the town again asked the judge to explain how it came about. The judge said:

"One night, when my wife was at prayer meeting, I began to grow very uneasy and miserable. I did not know what was the matter with me, but finally retired before my wife come home. I could not sleep all that night. I got up early, told my wife that I would eat no breakfast, and went down to the office. I told the clerks they could take a holiday, and shut myself up in the inner office. I kept growing more and more miserable, and finally I got down and asked God to forgive my sins, but I would not say `for Jesus' sake,' for I was a Unitarian and I did not believe in the atonement. I kept praying 'God forgive my sins'; but no answer came. At last in desperation I cried, 'O God, for Christ's sake forgive my sins,' and found peace at once."

> The judge had no access to God until he came in the name of Christ, but when he thus came, he was heard and answered at once.

• 2. Great light is thrown upon the subject "How to Pray" by 1_John 5:14,15: "And this is the boldness which we have toward Him, that if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, He heareth us; and if we know that He heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him." (R.V.)

This passage teaches us plainly that if we are to pray aright, we must pray according to God's will, then will we beyond a peradventure get the thing we ask of Him.

But can we know the will of God? Can we know that any specific prayer is according to His will?

We most surely can.

How?

• (1) First by the Word. God has revealed His will in His Word. When anything is definitely promised in the Word of God, we know that it is His will to give that thing. If then when I pray, I can find some definite promise of God's Word and lay that promise before God, I know that He hears me, and if I know that He hears me, I know that I have the petition that I have asked of Him. For example, when I pray for wisdom I know that it is the will of God to give me wisdom, for He says so in James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." So when I ask for wisdom I know that the prayer is heard, and that wisdom will be given me. In like manner when I pray for the Holy Spirit I know from Luke 11:13 that it is God's will, that my prayer is heard, and that I have the petition that I have asked of Him: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

Some years ago a minister came to me at the close of an address on prayer at a Y.M.C.A. Bible school, and said,

"You have produced upon those young men the impression that they can ask for definite things and get the very things that they ask."
I replied that I did not know whether that was the impression that I produced or not, but that was certainly the impression that I desired to produce.

"But," he replied, "that is not right. We cannot be sure, for we don't know God's will."

I turned him at once to James 1:5, read it and said to him, "Is it not God's will to give us wisdom, and if you ask for wisdom do you not know that you are going to get it?"

"Ah!" he said, "we don't know what wisdom is." I said, "No, if we did, we would not need to ask; but whatever wisdom may be, don't you know that you will get it?"

Certainly it is our privilege to know. When we have a specific promise in the Word of God, if we doubt that it is God's will, or if we doubt that God will do the thing that we ask, we make God a liar.

Here is one of the greatest secrets of prevailing prayer: To study the Word to find what God's will is as revealed there in the promises, and then simply take these promises and spread them out before God in prayer with the absolutely unwavering expectation that He will do what He has promised in His Word.

• (2) But there is still another way in which we may know the will of God, that is, by the teaching of His Holy Spirit. There are many things that we need from God which are not covered by any specific promise, but we are not left in ignorance of the will of God even then. In Rom. 8:26,27 we are told, "And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD." (R.V.) Here we are distinctly told that the Spirit of God prays in us, draws out our prayer, in the line of God's will. When we are thus led out by the Holy Spirit in any direction, to pray for any given object, we may do it in all confidence that it is God's will, and that we are to get the very thing we ask of Him, even though there is no specific promise to cover the case. Often God by His Spirit lays upon us a heavy burden of prayer for some given individual. We cannot rest, we pray for him with groanings which cannot be uttered. Perhaps the man is entirely beyond our reach, but God hears the prayer, and in many a case it is not long before we hear of his definite conversion.

The passage 1_John 5:14,15 is one of the most abused passages in the Bible: "This is THE CONFIDENCE that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us; and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." The Holy Spirit beyond a doubt put it into the Bible to encourage our faith. It begins with "This is THE CONFIDENCE that we have in Him," and closes with "WE KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of Him;" but one of the most frequent usages of this passage, which was so manifestly given to beget confidence, is to introduce an element of uncertainty into our prayers. Oftentimes when one waxes confident in prayer, some cautious brother will come and say:

"Now, don't be too confident. If it is God's will He will do it. You should put in, `If it be Thy will.'"

Doubtless there are many times when we do not know the will of God, and in all prayer submission to the excellent will of God should underlie it; but when we know God's will, there need be no "ifs"; and this passage was not put into the Bible in order that we might introduce "ifs" into all our prayers, but in order that we might throw our "ifs" to the wind, and have "CONFIDENCE" and "KNOW that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him."

By R. A. Torrey (1856-1928) 

OBEYING AND PRAYING - PART III

Here is the following studies on prayer based on R.A Torrey teachings. The previous text can be found here.

• 1. One of the most significant verses in the Bible on prayer is 1 John 3:22. John says, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

What an astounding statement! John says in so many words, that everything he asked for he got. How many of us can say this: "Whatsoever I ask I receive"? But John explains why this was so, "Because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." In other words, the one who expects God to do as he asks Him, must on his part DO WHATEVER GOD BIDS HIM. If we give a listening ear to all God's commands to us, He will give a listening ear to all our petitions to Him. If, on the other hand, we turn a deaf ear to His precepts, He will be likely to turn a deaf ear to our prayers. Here we find the secret of much unanswered prayer. We are not listening to God's Word, and therefore He is not listening to our petitions.

I was once speaking to a woman who had been a professed Christian, but had given it all up. I asked her why she was not a Christian still. She replied, because she did not believe the Bible. I asked her why she did not believe the Bible.

"Because I have tried its promises and found them untrue."

"Which promises?"

"The promises about prayer."

"Which promises about prayer?"

"Does it not say in the Bible, 'Whatsoever ye ask believing ye shall receive'?"

"It says something nearly like that."

"Well, I asked fully expecting to get and did not receive, so the promise failed."

"Was the promise made to you?"

"Why, certainly, it is made to all Christians, is it not?"

"No, God carefully defines who the 'ye's' are, whose believing prayers He agrees to answer."

I then turned her to 1_John 3:22, and read the description of those whose prayers had power with God.

"Now," I said, "were you keeping His commandments and doing those things which are pleasing in His sight?"

She frankly confessed that she was not, and soon came to see that the real difficulty was not with God's promises, but with herself. That is the difficulty with many an unanswered prayer to-day: the one who offers it is not obedient.

If we would have power in prayer, we must be earnest students of His Word to find out what His will regarding us is, and then having found it, do it. One unconfessed act of disobedience on our part will shut the ear of God against many petitions.

• 2. But this verse goes beyond the mere keeping of God's commandments. John tells us that we must DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT.

There are many things which it would be pleasing to God for us to do which He has not specifically commanded us. A true child is not content with merely doing those things which his father specifically commands him to do. He studies to know his father's will, and if he thinks that there is any thing that he can do that would please his father, he does it gladly, though his father has never given him any specific order to do it. So it is with the true child of God. He does not ask merely whether certain things are commanded or certain things forbidden. He studies to know his Father's will in all things.

There are many Christians to-day who are doing things that are not pleasing to God, and leaving undone things which would be pleasing to God. When you speak to them about these things they will confront you at once with the question, "Is there any command in the Bible not to do this thing?" And if you cannot show them some verse in which the matter in question is plainly forbidden, they think they are under no obligation whatever to give it up; but a true child of God does not demand a specific command. If we make it our study to find out and to do the things which are pleasing to God, He will make His study to do the things which are pleasing to us. Here again we find the explanation of much unanswered prayer: We are not making it the study of our lives to know what would please our Father, and so our prayers are not answered.

Take as an illustration of questions that are constantly coming up, the matter of theater going, dancing and the use of tobacco. Many who are indulging in these things will ask you triumphantly if you speak against them, "Does the Bible say, 'Thou shalt not go to the theater'?" "Does the Bible say, 'Thou shalt not dance'?" "Does the Bible say, 'Thou shalt not smoke'?" That is not the question. The question is, Is our heavenly Father well pleased when He sees one of His children in the theater, at the dance, or smoking? That is a question for each to decide for himself, prayerfully, seeking light from the Holy Spirit. "Where is the harm in these things?" many ask. It is aside from our purpose to go into the general question, but beyond a doubt there is this great harm in many a case; they rob our prayers of power.

• 3. Psalm 145:18 throws a great deal of light on the question of how to pray: "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth."

That little expression "in truth" is worthy of study. If you will take your concordance and go through the Bible, you will find that this expression means "in reality," "in sincerity." The prayer that God answers is the prayer that is real, the prayer that asks for something that is sincerely desired.

Much prayer is insincere. People ask for things which they do not wish. Many a woman is praying for the conversion of her husband, who does not really wish her husband to be converted. She thinks that she does, but if she knew what would be involved in the conversion of her husband, how it would necessitate an entire revolution in his manner of doing business, and how consequently it would reduce their income and make necessary an entire change in their method of living, the real prayer of her heart would be, if she were to be sincere with God:

"O God, do not convert my husband."

She does not wish his conversion at so great cost.

Many a church is praying for a revival that does not really desire a revival. They think they do, for to their minds a revival means an increase of membership, an increase of income, an increase of reputation among the churches, but if they knew what a real revival meant, what a searching of hearts on the part of professed Christians would be involved, what a radical transformation of individual, domestic and social life would be brought about, and many other things that would come to pass if the Spirit of God was poured out in reality and power; if all this were known, the real cry of the church would be:

"O God, keep us from having a revival."

Many a minister is praying for the baptism with the Holy Spirit who does not really desire it. He things he does, for the baptism with the Spirit means to him new joy, new power in preaching the Word, a wider reputation among men, a larger prominence in the church of Christ. But if he understood what a baptism with the Holy Spirit really involved, how for example it would necessarily bring him into antagonism with the world, and with unspiritual Christians, how it would cause his name to be "cast out as evil," how it might necessitate his leaving a good comfortable living and going down to work in the slums, or even in some foreign land; if he understood all this, his prayer quite likely would be--if he were to express the real wish of his heart,--

"O God, save me from being baptized with the Holy Ghost."

But when we do come to the place where we really desire the conversion of friends at any cost, really desire the outpouring of the Holy Spirit whatever it may involve, really desire the baptism with the Holy Ghost come what may, where we desire anything "in truth" and then call upon God for it "in truth," God is going to hear.

By R. A. Torrey (1856-1928)

HOW TO PRAY UNTO GOD - PART II

We have seen something of the tremendous importance and the resistless power of prayer, and now we come directly to the question- -how to pray with power.

• 1. In the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we have the record of a prayer that prevailed with God, and brought to pass great results. In the 5th verse of this chapter, the manner and method of this prayer is described in few words:

"Prayer was made without ceasing of the church UNTO GOD for him."

The first thing to notice in this verse is the brief expression "unto God." The prayer that has power is the prayer that is offered unto God.

But some will say, "Is not all prayer unto God?"

No. Very much of so-called prayer, both public and private, is not unto God. In order that a prayer should be really unto God, there must be a definite and conscious approach to God when we pray; we must have a definite and vivid realization that God is bending over us and listening as we pray. In very much of our prayer there is really but little thought of God. Our mind is taken up with the thought of what we need, and is not occupied with the thought of the mighty and loving Father of whom we are seeking it. Oftentimes it is the case that we are occupied neither with the need nor with the One to whom we are praying, but our mind is wandering here and there throughout the world. There is no power in that sort of prayer. But when we really come into God's presence, really meet Him face to face in the place of prayer, really seek the things that we desire FROM HIM, then there is power.

> If, then, we would pray aright, the first thing that we should do is to see to it that we really get an audience with God, that we really get into His very presence. Before a word of petition is offered, we should have the definite and vivid consciousness that we are talking to God, and should believe that He is listening to our petition and is going to grant the thing that we ask of Him. This is only possible by the Holy Spirit's power, so we should look to the Holy Spirit to really lead us into the presence of God, and should not be hasty in words until He has actually brought us there.

> One night a very active Christian man dropped into a little prayer-meeting that I was leading. Before we knelt to pray, I said something like the above, telling all the friends to be sure before they prayed, and while they were praying, that they really were in God's presence, that they had the thought of Him definitely in mind, and to be more taken up with Him than with their petition. A few days after I met this same gentleman, and he said that this simple thought was entirely new to him, that it had made prayer an entirely new experience to him.

> If then we would pray aright, these two little words must sink deep into our hearts, "UNTO GOD."

• 2. The second secret of effective praying is found in the same verse, in the words "WITHOUT CEASING."

In the Revised Version, "without ceasing" is rendered "earnestly." Neither rendering gives the full force of the Greek. The word means literally "stretched-out-ed-ly." It is a pictorial word, and wonderfully expressive. It represents the soul on a stretch of earnest and intense desire. "Intensely" would perhaps come as near translating it as any English word. It is the word used of our Lord in Luke 22:44 where it is said, "He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

We read in Heb. 5:7 that "in the days of His flesh" Christ "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears." In Rom. 15:30, Paul beseeches the saints in Rome to STRIVE together with him in their prayers. The word translated "strive" means primarily to contend as in athletic games or in a fight. In other words, the prayer that prevails with God is the prayer into which we put our whole soul, stretching out toward God in intense and agonizing desire. Much of our modern prayer has no power in it because there is no heart in it. We rush into God's presence, run through a string of petitions, jump up and go out. If someone should ask us an hour afterward for what we prayed, oftentimes we could not tell. If we put so little heart into our prayers, we cannot expect God to put much heart into answering them.

We hear much in our day of the rest of faith, but there is such a thing as the fight of faith in prayer as well as in effort. Those who would have us think that they have attained to some sublime height of faith and trust because they never know any agony of conflict or of prayer, have surely gotten beyond their Lord, and beyond the mightiest victors for God, both in effort and prayer, that the ages of Christian history have known. When we learn to come to God with an intensity of desire that wrings the soul, then shall we know a power in prayer that most of us do not know now.

But how shall we attain to this earnestness in prayer?

Not by trying to work ourselves up into it. The true method is explained in Rom. 8:26, "And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (R.V.) The earnestness that we work up in the energy of the flesh is a repulsive thing. The earnestness wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit is pleasing to God. Here again, if we would pray aright, we must look to the Spirit of God to teach us to pray.

It is in this connection that fasting comes. In Dan. 9:3 we read that Daniel set his face "unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." There are those who think that fasting belongs to the old dispensation; but when we look at Acts 14:23, and Acts 13:2,3, we find that it was practised by the earnest men of the apostolic day.

If we would pray with power, we should pray with fasting. This of course does not mean that we should fast every time we pray; but there are times of emergency or special crisis in work or in our individual lives, when men of downright earnestness will withdraw themselves even from the gratification of natural appetites that would be perfectly proper under other circumstances, that they may give themselves up wholly to prayer. There is a peculiar power in such prayer. Every great crisis in life and work should be met in that way. There is nothing pleasing to God in our giving up in a purely Pharisaic and legal way things which are pleasant, but there is power in that downright earnestness and determination to obtain in prayer the things of which we sorely feel our need, that leads us to put away everything, even the things in themselves most right and necessary, that we may set our faces to find God, and obtain blessings from Him.

• 3. A third secret of right praying is also found in this same verse, Acts 12:5. It appears in the three words "OF THE CHURCH."

There is power in UNITED PRAYER. Of course there is power in the prayer of an individual, but there is vastly increased power in united prayer. God delights in the unity of His people, and seeks to emphasize it in every way, and so He pronounces a special blessing upon united prayer. We read in Matt. 18:19, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven." This unity, however, must be real. The passage just quoted does not say that if two shall agree in asking, but if two shall agree AS TOUCHING anything they shall ask. Two persons might agree to ask for the same thing, and yet there be no real agreement as touching the thing they asked. One might ask it because he really desired it, the other might ask it simply to please his friend. But where there is real agreement, where the Spirit of God brings two believers into perfect harmony as concerning that which they may ask of God, where the Spirit lays the same burden on two hearts; in all such prayer there is absolutely irresistible power.

- By R. A. Torrey (1856-1928)

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER - Part I

In the 6th chapter of Ephesians in the 18th verse we read words which put the tremendous importance of prayer with startling and overwhelming force:

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, then note the connection in which they are found, the intelligent child of God is driven to say,

"I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray."

The Revised Version is, if possible, stronger than the Authorized:

"With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

Note the ALLS: "with ALL prayer," "at ALL seasons," "in ALL perseverance," "for ALL the saints." Note the piling up of strong words, "prayer," "supplication," "perseverance." Note once more the strong expression, "watching thereunto," more literally, "being sleepless thereunto." Paul realized the natural slothfulness of man, and especially his natural slothfulness in prayer. How seldom we pray things through! How often the church and the individual get right up to the verge of a great blessing in prayer and just then let go, get drowsy, quit. I wish that these words "being sleepless unto prayer" might burn into our hearts. I wish the whole verse might burn into our hearts.

But why is this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer so needful?

• 1. First of all, BECAUSE THERE IS A DEVIL. He is cunning, he is mighty, he never rests, he is ever plotting the downfall of the child of God; and if the child of God relaxes in prayer, the devil will succeed in ensnaring him.

This is the thought of the context. The 12th verse reads: "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (R.V.) Then comes the 13th verse: "Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand." (R.V.) Next follows a description of the different parts of the Christian's armor, which we are to put on if we are to stand against the devil and his mighty wiles. Then Paul brings all to a climax in the 18th verse, telling us that to all else we must add prayer -- constant, persistent, untiring, sleepless prayer in the Holy Spirit, or all else will go for nothing.

• 2. A second reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer is that PRAYER IS GOD'S APPOINTED WAY FOR OBTAINING THINGS, AND THE GREAT SECRET OF ALL LACK IN OUR EXPERIENCE, IN OUR LIFE AND IN OUR WORK IS NEGLECT OF PRAYER.

James brings this out very forcibly in the 4th chapter and 2nd verse of his epistle: "Ye have not because ye ask not." These words contain the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average Christian -- neglect of prayer.

"Why is it," many a Christian is asking, "I make so little progress in my Christian life?"

"Neglect of prayer," God answers. "You have not because you ask not."

"Why is it," many a minister is asking, "I see so little fruit from my labors?"

Again God answers, "Neglect of prayer. You have not because you ask not."

"Why is it," many a Sunday-School teacher is asking, "that I see so few converted in my Sunday-School class?"

Still God answers, "Neglect of prayer. You have not because you ask not."

"Why is it," both ministers and churches are asking, "that the church of Christ makes so little headway against unbelief and error and sin and worldliness?"

Once more we hear God answering, "Neglect of prayer. You have not because you ask not."

• 3. The third reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer is that THOSE MEN WHOM GOD SET FORTH AS A PATTERN OF WHAT HE EXPECTED CHRISTIANS TO BE -- THE APOSTLES -- REGARDED PRAYER AS THE MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF THEIR LIVES.

When the multiplying responsibilities of the early church crowded in upon them, they "called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER and to the ministry of the Word." It is evident from what Paul wrote to the churches and to individuals about praying for them, that very much of his time and strength and thought was given to prayer. (Rom. 1:9, R.V.; Eph. 1:15,16; Col. 1:9, R.V.; 1_Thess. 3:10; 2_Tim. 1:3, R.V.)

All the mighty men of God outside the Bible have been men of prayer. They have differed from one another in many things, but in this they have been alike.

• 4. But there is a still weightier reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer. It is, PRAYER OCCUPIED A VERY PROMINENT PLACE AND PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THE EARTHLY LIFE OF OUR LORD.

Turn, for example, to Mark 1:35. We read, "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." The preceding day had been a very busy and exciting one, but Jesus shortened the hours of needed sleep that He might arise early and give Himself to more sorely needed prayer.

> Turn again to Luke 6:12, where we read, "And it came to pass in those days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Our Savior found it necessary on occasion to take a whole night for prayer.

> The words "pray" and "prayer" are used at least twenty-five times in connection with our Lord in the brief record of His life in the four Gospels, and His praying is mentioned in places where the words are not used. Evidently prayer took much of the time and strength of Jesus, and a man or woman who does not spend much time in prayer, cannot properly be called a follower of Jesus Christ.

• 5. There is another reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer that seems if possible even more forcible than this, namely, PRAYING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PRESENT MINISTRY OF OUR RISEN LORD.

Christ's ministry did not close with His death. His atoning work was finished then, but when He rose and ascended to the right hand of the Father, He entered upon other work for us just as important in its place as His atoning work. It cannot be divorced from His atoning work; it rests upon that as its basis, but it is necessary to our complete salvation.

What that great present work is, by which He carries our salvation on to completeness, we read in Heb. 7:25, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM." This verse tells us that Jesus is able to save us unto the uttermost, not merely FROM the uttermost, but UNTO the uttermost, unto entire completeness, absolute perfection, because He not merely died, but because He also "ever liveth." The verse also tells us for what purpose He now lives, "TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US," to pray. Praying is the principal thing He is doing in these days. It is by His prayers that He is saving us.

The same thought is found in Paul's remarkable, triumphant challenge in Rom. 8:34 -- "Who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, WHO ALSO MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US." (R.V.)

> If we then are to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in His present work, we must spend much time in prayer; we must give ourselves to earnest, constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer. I know of nothing that has so impressed me with a sense of the importance of praying at all seasons, being much and constantly in prayer, as the thought that that is the principal occupation at present of my risen Lord. I want to have fellowship with Him, and to that end I have asked the Father that whatever else He may make me, to make me at all events an intercessor, to make me a man who knows how to pray, and who spends much time in prayer.


This ministry of intercession is a glorious and a mighty ministry, and we can all have part in it. The man or the woman who is shut away from the public meeting by sickness can have part in it; the busy mother; the woman who has to take in washing for a living can have part -- she can mingle prayers for the saints, and for her pastor, and for the unsaved, and for foreign missionaries, with the soap and water as she bends over the washtub, and not do the washing any more poorly on that account; the hard driven man of business can have part in it, praying as he hurries from duty to duty. But of course we must, if we would maintain this spirit of constant prayer, take time -- and take plenty of it -- when we shall shut ourselves up in the secret place alone with God for nothing but prayer.

• 6. The sixth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer is that PRAYER IS THE MEANS THAT GOD HAS APPOINTED FOR OUR RECEIVING MERCY, AND OBTAINING GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

Heb. 4:16 is one of the simplest and sweetest verses in the Bible, -- "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." These words make it very plain that God has appointed a way by which we shall seek and obtain mercy and grace. That way is prayer; bold, confident, outspoken approach to the throne of grace, the most holy place of God's presence, where our sympathizing High Priest, Jesus Christ, has entered in our behalf. (Verses 14, 15.)

Mercy is what we need, grace is what we must have, or all our life and effort will end in complete failure. Prayer is the way to get them. There is infinite grace at our disposal, and we make it ours experimentally by prayer. Oh, if we only realized the fullness of God's grace, that is ours for the asking, its height and depth and length and breadth, I am sure that we would spend more time in prayer. The measure of our appropriation of grace is determined by the measure of our prayers.

Who is there that does not feel that he needs more grace? Then ask for it. Be constant and persistent in your asking. Be importunate and untiring in your asking. God delights to have us "shameless" beggars in this direction; for it shows our faith in Him, and He is mightily pleased with faith. Because of our "shamelessness" He will rise and give us as much as we need (Luke 11:8). What little streams of mercy and grace most of us know, when we might know rivers overflowing their banks!

• 7. The next reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer is that PRAYER IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF HAS APPOINTED FOR HIS DISCIPLES TO OBTAIN FULLNESS OF JOY.

He states this simply and beautifully in John 16:24, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled." "Made full" is the way the Revised Version reads. Who is there that does not wish his joy filled full? Well, the way to have it filled full is by praying in the name of Jesus. We all know people whose joy is filled full, indeed, it is just running over, is shining from their eyes, bubbling out of their very lips, and running off their finger tips when they shake hands with you. Coming in contact with them is like coming in contact with an electrical machine charged with gladness. Now people of that sort are always people that spend much time in prayer.

> Why is it that prayer in the name of Christ brings such fullness of joy? In part, because we get what we ask. But that is not the only reason, nor the greatest. It makes God real. When we ask something definite of God, and He gives it, how real God becomes! He is right there! It is blessed to have a God who is real, and not merely an idea. I remember how once I was taken suddenly and seriously sick all alone in my study. I dropped upon my knees and cried to God for help. Instantly all pain left me -- I was perfectly well. It seemed as if God stood right there, and had put out His hand and touched me. The joy of the healing was not so great as the joy of meeting God.

There is no greater joy on earth or in heaven, than communion with God, and prayer in the name of Jesus brings us into communion with Him. The Psalmist was surely not speaking only of future blessedness, but also of present blessedness when he said, "In Thy presence is fullness of joy." (Ps. 16.11.) O the unutterable joy of those moments when in our prayers we really press into the presence of God!

Does some one say. "I have never known any such joy as that in prayer"?

Do you take enough leisure for prayer to actually get into God's presence? Do you really give yourself up to prayer in the time which you do take?

• 8. The eighth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer is that PRAYER, IN EVERY CARE AND ANXIETY AND NEED OF LIFE, WITH THANKSGIVING, IS THE MEANS THAT GOD HAS APPOINTED FOR OBTAINING FREEDOM FROM ALL ANXIETY, AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING.

"Be careful for nothing," says Paul, "but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:6,7.) To many this seems at the first glance, the picture of a life that is beautiful, but beyond the reach of ordinary mortals; not so at all. The verse tells us how the life is attainable by every child of God: "Be careful for nothing," or as the Revised Version reads, "In nothing be anxious." The remainder of the verse

Ethics In An Age of Relativism

Dr. Ravi Zacharias loves quoting this, and with years of listening to him I have come to love it to. :

“Ours is an age where ethics has become obsolete. It is superseded by science, deleted by philosophy and dismissed as emotive by psychology. It is drowned in compassion, evaporates into aesthetics and retreats before relativism. The usual moral distinctions between good and bad are simply drowned in a maudlin emotion in which we feel more sympathy for the murderer than for the murdered, for the adulterer than for the betrayed, and in which we have actually begun to believe that the real guilty party, the one who somehow caused it all, is the victim, and not the perpetrator of the crime.”

A quote from the political science professor Robert Fitch, from a 1959 article entitled The Obsolescence of Ethics.

The Gift of Sleep

Here is a word for you from the Word.

Psalm 126:1-2

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. NAS

That pictures the only way to true security and success. It's relying on the Lord's oversight, the Lord's blessing, the Lord's provision. We can work hard, we can build, we can stay awake, we can lose sleep and be so busy with all that we are seeking to accomplish and put all our effort into it, but without the Lord's blessing it will come to nothing. There is no security outside of God, His blessing and His provision.

But if we are laboring in the blessing and the provision, in the will, of the Lord then there's that sweet and beautiful promise, "He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." When you've done what God requires you to do, you can lie down and sleep, you can relax. You don't have to stay awake and worry, because God gives even while you're asleep. The results of your labors will be apportioned to you.

You see, ultimately we don't depend on our own effort, we depend on God's faithfulness, and God's faithfulness is committed to reward that which we do in His will. If we build in the will of God, the house will stand. If we watch in the will of God, the city will be secure. Security is found only in God. - Derek Prince

FASTING from a possible Historical perspective

I read a piece of historical treatise about fasting, and it was the first that i have ever read and i loved it so so much. I really hope to get some day other books that speak of fasting from an historical perspective. I recommend this link.

In Princeton Seminary's 1810 charter, "The Plan of a Theological Seminary," Article 5, Section 1, "It is also wished and recommended, that each student should ordinarily set apart one day in a month for special prayer and self-examination in secret, accompanied with fasting."

I will briefly give some names on the Catholic and the Protestant side who have been practicing in their own way the discipline of fasting. This is just to encourage those of us who are either Christian Catholic or Protestant that this issue of fasting is part of the whole christian community and history. So don't miss in the privilege to be part of history. lol

Catholics:

1. Antony (ca. 251-356), Athanasius' classic depiction of Antony shows him eating bread and salt, with water, once a day in the evenings, and frequently foregoing these. Fasting, combined with prayer, was seen as a means of thwarting demonic temptations.

2. John Chrysostom and Ephrem the Syrian (4^th century), Diadokos of Photiki and Mark the Hermit (5^th century), and John Climacus (6^th century). With Ephrem (ca. 306-373) who wrote at least ten hymns on fasting that were featured in the liturgical year. Hymn 1 features Jesus defeating Satan in the desert. Hymn 4.11 Moses and Elijah as forerunners of Christ experiencing the same fasting duration and supernatural power. Hymns 7-9 refer to the exemplary biblical fasts of Esther, the Ninevites, Daniel and his three friends. In addition to the negative example of Adam and Eve, the hypocritical fast of Ahab and Jezebel against Naboth is recalled in Hymn 3. For Ephrem, the many good uses of fasting were ultimately transcended by the purification it fosters that allows a clearer vision of God: "Beau et utile est le jeûne pour celui qui se purifie afin de contempler Dieu."
3. John Cassian's (ca. 360-ca. 435), Maximus the Confessor (7^th century), Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Paul of Thebes etc.

Monks were to fast until the ninth hour on Wednesdays and Fridays from Pentecost through the summer. The ninth hour is our current 3 P.M (15h00) making the first hour being at 6 A.M in the morning.

Protestants:

1.Martin Luther (1483-1546) was the protestant reformer who started the Lutheran church.
2.John Calvin (1509-1564), known also because of his theological works and the often debated Calvinism doctrine on election and predestination.
3.Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), John Knox (1514-1572), Chaplain Thomas Becon (Anglican), John Wesley (1703-1791), founder of the Methodists etc.

These people also kept their fasting time usually up to 3 P.M (the ninth hour) too on occasion.

People all over the world have been fasting using different durations and have been limiting their food intakes upon different things. Some only ate and still eat snacks instead of food, other take legume, fruits and Juice, etc.  while other just go for an absolute fast with no food intake and some time with no water intake (though this last one (lack of water) is not recommended for a longer period of time.

The most important thing during a fast is to have a reason for depriving yourself of food. Fasting in itself is not intrinsically spiritually good, it becomes good as it gets practiced along a noble cause. Remember the hymn of Ephrem above among the catholic list i gave you, even queen Jezebel made a sort of a fasting vow in order to take by force Naboth possession. Even some Jew seemed to have made a fasting vow to kill St. Paul the apostle (Act 23:14).  Derek Prince once told the story of a woman he met in a flight who politely refused all foods brought to her bu the flight attendant hostess. At Derek inquiry, she answered that she was not a Christian, but she was a Satanist. After he asked the reason of the fast, she said that she was fasting so that Christian marriages may end in divorce. I read that at the close of the 90's (end of the 20th Century). I suspect that, if she is still alive and unrepentant, given the current statistics about Christian marriages that end in divorce, she might feel very encouraged to keep fasting.

So the usefulness of a fast goes hand to hand with the prompting of the Spirit in you and the way you are spiritually predisposed in doing it. As seen in Isaiah 58, the true fast has in it the element of spiritual* and moral virtue entangle in it.

Some people fast the whole day until the Sun sets. other do that up to 3 P.M, while other goes up to Midnight (12 A.M) before they break their fast. Some takes only a morning Break-Fast and then eat nothing up to the next morning. The methods varies so much and i am sure that they are other means of depriving oneself of solid foods for a spiritual reason with different timing that i haven't heard yet.

Remember all that fasting is not a competition of who can resist hunger better and who can fast longer. Rev. Kenneth Haggin mentioned once in one of his books that he never faster  more than 3 days and i do not know of any one who has fasted more than a week and who has reported more supernatural manifestation in their lives or ministry as the one reported in Kenneth Haggin ministry. This is just to say that, it is not a competition. It is about searching for God for specific petitions or else. If you have your answer after a day by God grace, that is good! If you have to go to 21 or 40 days to get your answer(s) then tough luck. But all it is, it's that you have to look for God and receiving what He has for you and not if you can outperform others by lasting longer. Answer is the reason, the only reason that matter!

Have great day and remaining week in Jesus' name.

How to approach Muslim

In 2010, my friend Ngabe requested that I give few advise on how to conduct a possible effective evangelism to Muslims. Since they planed to do small evangelistic team of two to preach the gospel of Christ. Below was few advises i gave them. I thought it might help some of you too involved in Christian's ministry.

....
Since i might not be available as i am all week long outside Kigali, i'll rather give some tips for the possible Muslim evangelism at Atenee (Kigali) so that the whole evangelistic team of L.W may know what to do or  expect from Muslim prospective convert to Christianity.

1. The conversation will be quite long depending on what type of Muslim you'll meet. I can almost guaranty that they will not go down without a fight. So the usual evangelism style might not work with them. You'll need to mix it a bit with some apologetic, while avoiding to be argumentative. Avoid a complete debate style emphasis, do consider to compromise on some points that are not necessarily part of your objective. E.g. you may find yourself using Issac as the sacrifice Abraham wanted to give to God, and you'll realize at the insistence of your Muslim interlocutor that it was Ishmael that was presented as sacrifice. At this point of the dialogue, it will be a waste of time to start arguing historically who was the real son who was given as sacrifice. If you want to prove your point at all cost, you may as well forget your evangelism purpose, because you'll have an endless, fruitless and frustrating discussion and before you know it, it will be time to go home. So for the sake of argument just grant some points that are immediately irrelevant to your objective and focus to the salient point the Holy Spirit has put in your heart to share.

2. Most Muslim are somehow apologists of their faith, which means that they are trained to defend it, so they have some way to put sticks on your wheels. one of them is to accuse you of ignorance about their religion and one of the way of doing that is to ask you if you speak Arabic. Since the expected answer is no, they continue saying that the day you'll speak Arabic, you'll understand the beauty and truth of the Koran. Here is an Ex-Muslim scholar that explains how to respond to these charges that are real conversation-stoppers.

3. Another charge of ignorance that they usually use, depending of who you are meeting with of-course, is to accuse you of taking the text out of context while they'll be doing a lot of that themselves. But since most of Christians aren't familiar with Islam they can't identify where they are being played - by the Muslim. I have to say that at time, the accusation of some Muslim of non-Muslim misrepresenting them are indeed correct. So in order to avoid that i hope that our evangelists will do at least a minimum reading about what their Muslim friend believe in. You can start with the 36 pages PDF that i have added to the J.C archive this week. But do not also just believe everything that they say to you. Verify their context too. Here is a link that will arouse your awareness about that. Example:

"For instance, after September 11, 2001, many Muslims and apologists of Islam glibly came out with the following Koranic quote to show that Islam and the Koran disapproved of violence and killing: Sura V.32: "Whoever killed a human being shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind". Unfortunately, these wonderful sounding words are being quoted out of context. Here is the entire quote: V.32: "That was why We laid it down for the Israelites that whoever killed a human being, except as a punishment for murder or other villainy in the land, shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind; and that whoever saved a human life shall be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles brought them veritable proofs: yet it was not long before many of them committed great evils in the land. Those that make war against God and His apostle (Muhammad) and spread disorder shall be put to death or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the country."

4. Be patient and resilient. And ask a lot of questions. Do not assume to know what he believes. Let him/her be the one who informs you about his/her belief. Keep asking questions, ask a lot of questions. In this way, you'll will not be accused of not knowing about the specifics of his/her belief system, since it would be him/her who has informed you about it. If you know better, propose to make some corrections. Do not assume that s/he will be honest in everything that s/he'll say. Remember point 3 above.

5. For Christ' sake please, before you start talking, at least know what Jesus said as reported in your Bible. Sure, you may not have read your whole Bible, but at least read what Jesus said in the Gospel since He is the one that you are going to preach. I am serious. If you haven't done that, then let your partner do the talking and you can just shut up and pray as s/he speaks. This is evangelism not public debating performance. If you intend to do the first one, you need to understand the gospel and if it is for the latter one, you need to know the Law of logic and some other basic philosophical tools and historical knowledge to stand firm during the exchange. So decide, 'are you out there for evangelism or for a debate purpose?' Or both? Which is also possible.

6. Finally, here is a small personal story that happened between the year 2004-2005. I was at Eaton Hall Hotel, it was a Sunday morning. I didn't go to Church that morning because i usually attended the Evening Mass at the Pretoria Cathedral Sacred Heart. I can't quite remember what i was doing that morning. I was either reading or watching the SmallVille series. The phone rang, and on the other end, a lady friend of mine asked me to come immediately in her room. She didn't tell why, but i knew her enough to sense that it was important. So i did. When i entered the room, she greeted me with a smile and as i look around i saw an unknown guest, a perfect stranger. She told me that he was a Muslim friend of her and that she was a bit confused after an hour or so of conversation with him. I thought to myself: "Is that so?!" and i smile as i understood then the reason of the emergency call.

So here's what happened in brief. We exchanged some polite greetings and before we knew it, the religious topic was up. Embarrassingly, the Muslim had been correcting her about some important New Testament topics before i came. So i had to agree with the Muslim about her mistakes as they briefed me about the previous dialogue between them. She was shocked, not so much with me. Not anymore.  Then i also made some statements. Our Bibles were still closed. Then after some arguments which happened to have been overwhelming to him, he struggled in answering and in formulating a defense and that is when he just spitted these words: "These are from this hooligans of Paul who taught these heresies (falsity)". I smiled nervously as i felt that i was about to return the favor about Mohammad but i cooled myself (and for the sake of the argument, I ignored his rude outburst about St.Paul). I then said: "Actually no. What i have been telling you is from the Injil (the Gospels). Not from Paul" I then asked him, 'do you believe in the Gospel?' Imagine his answer? ofcourse he believed it. He had no choice. I was smiling and excited. Then he wanted to rant some more against St. Paul again, but i reminded him that i can prove to him that it wasn't Paul who said what i was arguing about Jesus but that it was from the Gospel narrative. He wanted proof. And i was happy to provide them.

Then we opened the Bible, in the book of Luke and we read. He said that it wasn't Jesus who said that but one of his disciples and that the text was corrupted. I smiled and said approximately this,'matter of fact, i wasn't reading Luke commentary but his rendition of Jesus saying.' I insisted again just to be sure that he understood the implication. Since i had that bible that has Jesus sayings in red (it was hers), i said 'the letter in red are Jesus words and in black is the narrator words'. And since he just wanted the Jesus word, he agreed to continue the conversation. I showed him from Mathew, Marc and Luke on the topic we were discussing; at the end he didn't want to answer anymore of my question and wasn't able to ask me anymore question either. He looked confused and i was feeling great! Vindicated!

With a smile, he asked me to give him more time and that he'll come back to me. And with those words we parted company, and our hostess was satisfied and insisted that he should come back soon so that we could resume the dialogue that had ignited her interest on the subject. Well, as you can guess, he never came back! I stayed in Pretoria for another 3 more years but he just never contacted us again.

So don't be surprise if all of them do not immediately convert. Bringing them at least in a position where there are willing to give you a hearing is the first step. Because you'll have earned their respect during the conversation. Preaching Christ to an already committed religious folk is a tough job. One which demands respect and patience. It is the same for all people who have already adhered to another worldview from a different school of thought than yours. Patience and prayer always prevail at the end, anyway. I saw it in other occasions and i wish you also see it regularly in Jesus' name during your evangelism.

Have a great weekend in Jesus' name.
P.S: An excerpt of my book can now be read online. Click here.

HOW ISLAM TAKE OVER

I read a review  from a debate about Islam from two Christians .. interesting review! on the comment section, there is a comment that attracted my attention and i thought this might interest you, especially if you are interesting in the study of demography, globalization and the Islamic infiltration of other non-Arab nations. You need not to agree with this author if you have a diverging appreciation of the evidences presented below in statistical format, but you ought it to yourself to at least read it.

Have a great day in Jesus' name.
P.S: An excerpt of my book can now be read online. Click here.
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Spencer went on to cite a number of Qur'anic injunctions to conquer, convert, or subjugate Jews and Christians--and noted that because these verses of the Qur'an were spoken by Muhammad later in his life, orthodox Muslims consider them more normative than his earlier calls for religious toleration. "Essentially, when Muhammad was weak and unpopular, he asked members of other faiths to live and let live. Once he controlled the city of Medina and led an army, he received new revelations that called for jihad and religious persecution. Islamic scholars believe that the later revelations abrogated (or overruled) the earlier ones. But when they are in a position of weakness--as they are today in America--Muslims like to cite the peaceful verses. Sad to say, they are merely being strategic. When they gain a position of power, they will always change their tune."

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HOW MUSLIMS TAKE OVER

Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult.

In its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100% system of life.

Islam has religious, legal, political, economic, social, and military components. The religious component is a mask for all of the other components.

Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their "religious" privileges.

When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the other components tend to creep in as well.

As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the case in:

United States — Muslim 0.6%
Australia — Muslim 1.5%
Canada — Muslim 1.9%
China — Muslim 1.8%
Italy — Muslim 1.5%
Norway — Muslim 1.8%

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:

Denmark — Muslim 2%
Germany — Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom — Muslim 2.7%
Spain — Muslim 4%
Thailand — Muslim 4.6%

In the USA this inordinate influence is being experienced because the leftists & MSM cabal which want to see the USA, based as it is on Judeo-Christian principles, fail by any means necessary.

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves — along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:

France — Muslim 8%
Philippines — 5%
Sweden — Muslim 5%
Switzerland — Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands — Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago — Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris , we are already seeing car-burnings. In Russia, grade-schools were attacked. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in:

Guyana — Muslim 10%
India — Muslim 13.4%
Israel — Muslim 16%
Kenya — Muslim 10%
Russia — Muslim 15%

After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:

Ethiopia — Muslim 32.8%

At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:Bosnia — Muslim 40%

Chad — Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon — Muslim 59.7%

From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in:

Albania — Muslim 70%
Malaysia — Muslim 60.4%
Qatar — Muslim 77.5%
Sudan — Muslim

Divine Reward

I have always .. ok, that's an overstatement, ... i have often heard that we should do things for God without having in our minds that attitude of expecting a reward from Him. People have been really defending that view as being the honorable way of doing the Christian service. We are told in these more or less utterance: 'do it without expecting to be blessed in return otherwise it is a worthless service'.

But the Lord Jesus has spoken about reward and not in any negative terms, and scripture tells us actually that we are allowed to expect reward for certain spiritual thing that we do.

These verses are just one of the many new testament verses that can be advanced to make the point that reward is something that we should actually have in mind in order to perform actively certain spiritual things.

Hebrew 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."


Mark 10:28-30  "Then Peter began to say unto him [Jesus], Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

May the Lord bless you all in Jesus' name.

Mr. Nice or Prince charming? - Lesson from Walt Disney

This is just to share something that i found funny but i know you'll disagree. But anyway, just read it and if you don't like it, just forget it.
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Do you know the story of Snow White? Then surely you remember how the seven dwarves took her in when she was homeless, provided her with food and shelter, and cared so much about her that they shed tears for her and built her a spectacular crystal pedestalbier.

And of course, you will recall that she ran off with Prince Charming at the very first opportunity.

Dwarves are Gammas. Alphas are Prince Charmings. Most men, being Betas and Deltas, fall somewhere in between and therefore face a choice about how to comport themselves in their interactions with the opposite sex. But we can draw two important conclusions from the fairy tale. One, behaving like a dwarf won't get you the girl. Two, Prince Charming doesn't stick around to ask twice; if Snow White doesn't want to get on the horse right away, he rides on without her. It's a big forest and there are plenty of girls on the girl tree.

By Vox Day

The Truth

Today, i wanted to advocate for the search for truth on a personal basis as well as in helping other to get it. 

The Ravi Zacharias ministry has this beautiful statement for motto: "HELPING THE THINKER BELIEVE; HELPING THE BELIEVER THINK". I happen to be one of the product of this christian ministry. I have always thought to myself, if i have to join a ministry beside the FGBMFI, which God used in my early christian life, i will certainly join the RZIM, since this last one strengthened my faith foundations and gave me materials to complete some of my spiritual superstructures.

The Business of leading people to believe or to live a satisfactory life is profoundly entrenched into the concept of truth. But this is exactly were the problem resides. Who wants to know the truth? Even more succinctly put, even if we demand the truth as we almost unmistakeably always do, would we be able to handle it once we get it? Can we handle the truth? We better be able to do so because that's the only thing that keep us connected to real life and reality in any meaningful way. 

In my many hours of counseling people with a great range of problems in their lives, I have found that one fact comes out again and again. If our sense of security, sense of being loved, senses of well-being, pride, or simple desire to pursue pleasure are at risk, we will readily believe in almost any lie, whether it is told by others or from our own invention, if it is consistent with what makes us feel more comfortable. An alcoholic is a victim. Premarital sex is a good idea to determine if two people are compatible. I could never get AIDS. People can take advantage of each other and still be great friends. A woman can change an abusive guy by staying with him. It is OK for a taxpayer to cheat on his taxes; after all, everyone else does it. If someone is feeling bad, overeating will make it go away. Success in a career will make a person happy.

Lies, Lies, Lies!!

Every one of these statements is a lie! At one level or another, we know they are all lies. Yet, at one time or another all of us have believed some of these lies. Why? It is difficult for us to accept the truth. The truth can be threatening intellectually or emotionally or in some other way. Nevertheless, we would do ourselves a favor to admit that our human nature makes us prone to believe lies if we do not closely watch ourselves. We don't want people "telling us" the truth. (Is There a God: Questions About Science and the Bible, Page 17-18. John M. Oakes, Ph.D. 1999)

Not only do we get confused about the nature of truth, but we also get confused about it sources. For anyone in search of truth should always ask oneself this basic question, 'where will i get the right information?' As the bible reveals, the world is filled with plenty of voices fighting for our attention and not all of them proceeds from God nor are they necessarily truthful. Therefore we should be selective on the kind of sources we go digging for information. Most human actions are driven by beliefs. And if we believe the right thing, we might be doing what is right and if we believe the wrong thing we might end up doing the wrong things. If that serves us as any relevant guide about human behavior, we can therefore discover someone else beliefs just by observing how he/she behaves.

Voltaire may have been correct to write that "those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities," but a more meaningfully rational statement would be to say: If you commit atrocities, then you believe absurdities. And the undeniable fact is that the absurdity most often believed by those who have committed Man's greatest atrocities is that there is no God. (The Irrational Atheist. Page 77.  Vox Day. 2008)

 Wanting the truth and looking for truth at the right places is just part of what we need to do. There is something else that we need to make sure that we have. It is called paradigm. The right paradigm is like a map and it precedes good intention and good character in the shaping of who we are. This little illustration below will help to clarify that. Here the paradigm is illustrated by a map:

Suppose you wanted to arrive at a specific location in central Chicago. A street map of the city would be a great help to you in reaching your destination. But suppose you were given the wrong map. Through a printing error, the map labeled "Chicago" was actually a map of Detroit. Can you imagine the frustration, the ineffectiveness of trying to reach your destination? You might work on your behavior -- you could try harder, being more diligent, doubling your speed. But your efforts would only succeed in getting you to the wrong place faster. You might work on your attitude -- you could think more positively. You still wouldn't get to the right place, but perhaps you wouldn't care. Your attitude would be so positive, you'd be happy wherever you were. The point is, you'd still be lost.

The fundamental problem has nothing to do with your behavior or your attitude. It has everything to do with having a wrong map. If you have the right map of Chicago, then diligence becomes important, and when you encounter frustrating obstacles along the way, then attitude can make a real difference. But the first and most important requirement is the accuracy of the map.

Each of us has many, many maps in our head, which can be divided into two main categories: maps of the way things are, or realities, and maps of the way things should be, or values. We interpret everything we experience through these mental maps. We seldom question their accuracy; we're usually even unaware that we have them. We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of those assumptions. The way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act. (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Page 6-7. Stephen R. Covey).

I have long learned that when i discuss or debate a subject, I always try to identify what are the assumptions or the working paradigm my interlocutor is bringing in the conversation. It helps to understand the questions behind the questions. If we ever want to help people we better learn what are our own functioning paradigm as well as the other person paradigm. It might help most dialogue to become more effective and productive. Know yourself first, and try to know others.

May God bless you, prosper you and guide you in all His grace and truth! Have a nice day and new year 2012 in Jesus' name.