The Truth Without Photoshop by Official P4CM Poet Janette...ikz

Resist [Satan], firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9

Starve Satan with Prayer

"Satan dines on what we withhold from God."
Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds.

I have noticed that, the things I do not share with God in prayer often become sources of bitterness and anger... pride.  Recently I have felt God giving me the desire for something that I never before wanted.  In fact, a long time ago I decided that this "good thing" just wasn't for me and I did not want it.  Now that I had these conflicting desires, my next move should have been to my knees in prayer.  I thought about this new desire.  I rationalized about it but I did not bring it to God.  I didn't want to talk with Him about it.  I said I didn't want this desire, and there is no foreseeable fulfillment of it so there is no sense in discussing it.  

My rebellion began to stir up confusion, anxiety and bitterness which then convicted me to believe there is sense in discussing it.  Even if it makes no sense to me God has a plan and He wants me to talk to Him.  God was giving me a godly desire and in return I was giving Satan a foothold.

I Will Help You

I will help you.  Isaiah 41:10

“Let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: ‘I will help you.  It is but a small thing for me, your God, to help you.  Consider what I have done already.  What! not help you?  Why, I bought you with my blood.  What! not help you?  I have died for you; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less?  Help you!  It is the least thing I will ever do for you.  I have done more, and will do more.  Before the world began I chose you.  I made the covenant for you.  I laid aside my glory and became a man for you, I gave up my life for you; and if I did all this, I will surely help you now.  In helping you, I am giving you what I have bought for you already.  If you had need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it to you; you require little compared with what I am ready to give.  ‘Tis much for you to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow.  Help you? Fear not!  If there were an ant at the door of your granary asking for help, it would not ruin you to give him a handful of your wheat; and you are nothing but a tiny insect at the door of my all-sufficiency.  I will help you.’

O my soul, is not this enough?  Do you need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity?  Do you want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit?  Bring here your empty pitcher!  Surely this well will fill it.  Haste, gather up your needs, and bring them here – your emptiness, your woes, your needs.  Behold, this river of God is full for your supply; what can you desire beside?  Go forth, my soul, in this your might.  The Eternal God is your helper.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  Style updated.

“I will help you” is a post from: Ray Ortlund

How May I Pray for You?

A couple weeks ago, my pastor preached about an old passion.  A passion for global missions.  In this sermon he reminded us of the command to share the gospel with those different and far off.  Our action in this is to: go, send or disobey.

As I thought and prayed over my life - health, wealth, talent, gifts, passions and current calling - I came to the conclusion that I am (at least for now) a "sender".  Currently, I am ministering to youth with autism who are very much different and (emotionally/socially) far off.  After an out of the blue blessing yesterday, I am even more sure that this is where God has called me to minister; however, I do want to remember my brothers and sisters across the globe.

Today I checked my "Stats" and found that there are people across the globe reading this blog!  People in Malaysia, Russia and all over Europe (and the U.S.).  So I would like to ask my brothers and sisters that are far off (from me), how may I pray for you?  God has given me the gift of encouragement and I would very much like to share that with you.  

Are you struggling in a community that is not accepting of Christ?  I would like to pray for you.  

Are struggling for joy?  I would like to pray for and encourage you.  

Are you considering Christ?  I would like to pray for you and answer any questions you may have. 

Seriously.  

I would be blessed to pray for you specifically.  You can put your request in the comment box below.  Or if you prefer, you can e-mail me (click on view my complete profile and then click on e-mail).  

Even if you don't contact me, please know that there is a community of believers in West Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. that is praying for you.

May the comfort of Christ overflow into your life.

Unbelief Prayers

"My Savior Christ, before You healed the blind men who cried out for Your mercy, You asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" After they replied, "Yes, Lord," You touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you." (Matt 9:28-29) Father, clearly my faith impacts what You are willing to perform in my life. Please help me to believe that You are able."

So there is no misunderstanding, let me clarify: just because God has not answered, "yes," to your prayer, does not mean you lack faith.  If you are praying in faith, praying with expectation, within God's will and He says, "no," or "not yet," this does not mean you lack faith.  The Apostle Paul had great faith, yet when he asked for the thorn in his flesh to be removed God answered, "My grace is sufficient."

Where some pray faithlessly, others pray in faith and God desires for your faith to grow.  He is sovereign and knows what is best for each of us.  Keep praying my friends and believe He is able.

"Father, Your Word says that if Your disciples believe, they will receive whatever they ask for in prayer. (Matt 21:22) Lord, as You mature my faith, also teach me how to pray and what to ask of You in prayer. I have so much to learn. Keep teaching me, Father."

Prayers from Beth Moore's, Praying God's Word: Breaking Free From Spiritual Strongholds

Impudent Prayer

“I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” Luke 11:8

“Impudence” is the key word.  Other versions show “importunity,” “persistence,” “boldness,” “shamelessness,” and “brazen insistence.”  All good translations.

The word is anaideia.  That’s the negative prefix an + aideia (“shame, respect, modesty”).  Souter glosses it as “shameless persistence (e.g. in greed).”  The ESV translates it “impudence.”  More casually, we might call it “nerve.”

Jesus is teaching us to pray impudent, nervy prayers, because that’s when we get serious with God.  He likes that, and doors start opening up.  Matthew Henry: “We prevail with men by impudence because they are displeased with it, but with God because he is pleased with it.”

As we enter 2011, how are we praying?  Do we have the nerve to ask God for what we really long for and what would really display his glory?  Let’s not settle for polite prayers that bore us and change nothing.

(HT: Ray Ortlund)

Hello, My Name is Pride

It gives birth to all other sins.  It is Satan's favorite sin.  It is not bred by difficult circumstances but revealed by them.  It is already in our hearts.  It can grow by our own power or be mortified by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Introducing, Pride:

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

  

I cheat you of your God-given destiny…

because you demand your own way.

  

I cheat you of contentment…

because you “deserve better than this.”

 

I cheat you of knowledge…

because you already know it all.

 

I cheat you of healing…

because you are too full of you to forgive.

 

I cheat you of holiness…

because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.

 

I cheat you of vision…

because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.

 

I cheat you of genuine friendship…

because nobody’s going to know the real you.

 

I cheat you of love…

because real romance demands sacrifice.

 

I cheat you of greatness in heaven…

because you refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.

 

I cheat you of God’s glory…

because I convinced you to seek your own.

 

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

 

You like me because you think I’m always looking out for you.

Untrue.

I’m looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry…

If you stick with me you’ll never know. 

 

<From Praying God’s Word: Breaking Free From Spiritual Strongholds  by Beth Moore>