Prayer For Ministries That Support Orphans

He Fed Ten Thousand Orphans with Prayer: George Müller (1805–1898)

George Müller built five large orphan houses and cared for 10,024 orphans in his lifetime. When he started in 1834, there were accommodations for 3,600 orphans in all of England, and twice that many children under 8 were in prison.

One of the great effects of Müller’s ministry was to inspire others so that, according to biographer A.T. Pierson, “fifty years after Mr.

Müller began his work, at least one hundred thousand orphans were cared for in England alone” (George Müller of Bristol, 274).

He prayed in millions of dollars (in today’s currency) for the orphans, and never asked anyone directly for money. He never took a salary in the last 68 years of his ministry, but trusted God to put in people’s hearts to send him what he needed. He never took out a loan or went into debt. And neither he nor the orphans were ever hungry.

Active till the End

He did all this while he was preaching three times a week from 1830 to 1898, at least ten thousand times. And when he turned 70, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of missionary work for the next seventeen years, until he was 87. He traveled to 42 countries, preaching an average of once a day and addressing some three million people.

From the end of his travels in 1892 (when he was 87) until his death in March 1898, he preached in his church and worked for the Scripture Knowledge Institution.

He led a prayer meeting at his church on the evening of Wednesday, March 9, 1898. The next day, a cup of tea was taken to him at seven in the morning, but no answer came to the knock on the door.

He was found dead on the floor beside his bed.

“Tens of thousands of people reverently stood along the route of the simple procession; men left their workshops and offices, women left their elegant homes or humble kitchens, all seeking to pay a last token of respect.

” A thousand children gathered for a service at the Orphan House No. 3. They had now “for a second time lost a ‘father’” (George Müller of Bristol, 285–86).

Mary and Susannah

Müller had been married twice: to Mary Groves when he was 25 and to Susannah Sangar when he was 66. Mary bore him four children. Two were stillborn. One son, Elijah, died when he was a year old.

Müller’s daughter Lydia married James Wright, who succeeded him as the head of the Institution. But Lydia died in 1890 at 57 years of age. Five years later, Müller lost his second wife, just three years before he died.

And so he outlived his family and was left alone with his Savior, his church, and two thousand children.

When Müller received Mary’s diagnosis of rheumatic fever, his “heart was nigh to be broken on account of the depth of my affection” (A Narrative of Some of the Lord’s Dealings with George Müller, 2:398). The one who had seen God answer ten thousand prayers for the support of the orphan did not get what he asked this time. Or did he?

“I Was Satisfied”

Twenty minutes after four on the Lord’s Day, February 6, 1870, Mary died. “I fell on my knees and thanked God for her release, and for having taken her to Himself, and asked the Lord to help and support us” (A Narrative, 2:400).

He recalled later how he strengthened himself during these hours with Psalm 84:11: “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

” And here we see the key to his life:

I am in myself a poor worthless sinner, but I have been saved by the blood of Christ; and I do not live in sin; I walk uprightly before God. Therefore, if it is really good for me, my darling wife will be raised up again, sick as she is.

(A Narrative, 2:745)

Here is the cluster of unshakable convictions and experiences that are the key to Müller’s remarkable life.

• “I am in myself a poor worthless sinner.”
• “I have been saved by the blood of Christ.”
• “I do not live in sin.”
• “God is sovereign over life and death. If it is good for her and for me, she will be restored again. If it is not, she won’t.”
• “My heart is at rest.”
• “I am satisfied with God.”

All this comes from taking God at his word. There you see the innermost being of George Müller and the key to his life — the word of God, revealing his sin, revealing his Savior, revealing God’s sovereignty, revealing God’s goodness, revealing God’s promise, awakening his faith, satisfying his soul. “I was satisfied with God.”

Faith: Gift or Grace?

So, were his prayers for Mary answered? To understand how Müller himself would answer this question, we have to see the way he distinguished between the extraordinary gift of faith and the more ordinary grace of faith. He constantly insisted, when people put him on a pedestal, that he did not have the gift of faith just because he would pray for his own needs and the needs of the orphans, and the money would arrive in remarkable ways.

The reason he is so adamant about this is that his whole life — especially in the way he supported the orphans by faith and prayer without asking anyone but God for money — was consciously planned to encourage Christians that God could really be trusted to meet their needs. We will never understand Müller’s passion for the orphan ministry if we don’t see that the good of the orphans was second to this.

The three chief reasons for establishing an Orphan-House are: 1) That God may be glorified, should He be pleased to furnish me with the means, in its being seen that it is not a vain thing to trust in Him; and that thus the faith of His children may be strengthened. 2) The spiritual welfare of fatherless and motherless children. 3) Their temporal welfare. (A Narrative, 1:103)

That was the chief passion and unifying aim of Müller’s ministry: to live a life and lead a ministry in a way that proves God is real, God is trustworthy, and God answers prayer. He built orphanages the way he did to help Christians trust God. He says it over and over again.

Taking God at His Word

Now we see why he was so adamant that his faith was not the gift of faith mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:9, which only some people have, but was the grace of faith that all Christians should have.

If Christians simply say, “Müller is in a class by himself; he has the gift of faith,” then we are all off the hook and he is no longer a prod and proof and inspiration for how we ought to live.

Here is what he says:

The difference between the gift and the grace of faith seems to me this.

According to the gift of faith I am able to do a thing, or believe that a thing will come to pass, the not doing of which, or the not believing of which would not be sin; according to the grace of faith I am able to do a thing, or believe that a thing will come to pass, respecting which I have the word of God as the ground to rest upon, and, therefore, the not doing it, or the not believing it would be sin.

Müller did not think he had any biblical ground for being certain that God would spare his wife Mary.

He admits that a few times in his life he was given “something the gift (not grace) of faith so that unconditionally I could ask and look for an answer,” but he did not have that rare gift in Mary’s case (A Narrative, 1:65). And so he prayed for her healing conditionally — namely, if it would be good for them and for God’s glory.

But most deeply he prayed that they would be satisfied in God, whatever God did. And God did answer that prayer by helping Müller believe Psalm 84:11: “No good thing does he withhold.” God withheld no good thing from him, and he was satisfied with God’s sovereign will. All this, he says, “springs . . . from taking God at his word, believing what he says” (A Narrative, 2:745).

Oh, How He Loves

The aim of George Müller’s life was to glorify God by helping people take God at his word. To that end, he saturated his soul with the word of God.

At one point, he said that he read the Bible five or ten times more than he read any other books. His aim was to see God in Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead in order that he might maintain the happiness of his soul in God.

By this deep satisfaction in God, Müller was set free from the fears and lusts of the world.

And in this freedom of love, he chose a strategy of ministry and style of life that put the reality and trustworthiness and beauty of God on display. To use his own words, his life became a “visible proof to the unchangeable faithfulness of the Lord” (A Narrative, 1:105).

Müller was sustained in this extraordinary life by his deep convictions that God is sovereign over the human heart and can turn it where he wills in answer to prayer; that God is sovereign over life and death; and that God is good in his sovereignty and withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. He strengthened himself continually in his wife’s final illness with the words of a hymn:

Best of blessings He’ll provide us,Nought but good shall e’er betide us,Safe to glory He will guide us,

Oh, how He loves! (A Narrative, 2:399)

Will You Not Try This Way?

I will let Müller have the closing word of exhortation and pleading for us to join him in the path of radical, joyful faith:

My dear Christian reader, will you not try this way? Will you not know for yourself . . . the preciousness and the happiness of this way of casting all your cares and burdens and necessities upon God? This way is as open to you as to me. . . .

Every one is invited and commanded to trust in the Lord, to trust in Him with all his heart, and to cast his burden upon Him, and to call upon Him in the day of trouble. Will you not do this, my dear brethren in Christ? I long that you may do so.

Источник: //www.desiringgod.org/articles/he-fed-ten-thousand-orphans-with-prayer

Praying for the Destruction of Your Enemies

Have you ever prayed for someone’s complete to ruin? That God would destroy them and wipe them off the face of the earth.

It doesn’t seem very Christian does it?

Nevertheless these kinds of prayers are recorded in the Bible and especially in the Book of Psalms.

Prayers that call for the death and destruction of others are called imprecatory prayers. You may not have given much thought to this kind of prayer before, and I hope that you never need to.

Before the war started in Ukraine I also had not thought very much about the place of imprecatory prayers in my own life and in my theology. War, however, has a way of shaping your thinking and calling into question certain ideas.

Recommended reading

War or not, if you read your Bible seriously you can’t ignore the passionate plea for the violent destruction of enemies. Check out a few of them for yourself in the following Psalms: 5, 10, 17, 35, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, 139, 140.

They Are Inspired

We can’t just write these Psalms our Bible, Jesus himself considered them inspired and he never apologized for them, corrected them, or indicated that they do not teach truth.

Jesus quoted from at least two imprecatory psalms; Psa 35 and 69 (Joh 2:17 and 15:25). The Apostle Paul and Peter also quoted from Psalm 69 (Acts 1:20 and Rom 11:9).

An Example

For a good example of what an imprecatory prayer looks let’s look at Psalm 69.

Psa 69:22-28(22) Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.(23) Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.(24) Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.

(25) May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents.(26) For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.(27) Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.

(28) Let them be blotted the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

There are many texts in the Bible that talk about God’s judgment but an imprecatory prayer does more than just talk about God’s judgment it calls for God to bring judgement on someone.

But Jesus Said Love Your Enemies

One of the biggest problems Christians have with imprecatory prayers is that Jesus’ words seem to contradict the idea of praying for the destruction of your enemy.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 5:43-45

Some claim that imprecatory prayers represent David’s sinful desire for revenge and thus we should not copy him. Others claim that Jesus revoked this type of prayer when he told us to love our enemies in Matthew chapter 5.

I don’t believe that either of these solutions work well. Neither Jesus nor any of the other New Testament writers specifically correct the imprecatory prayers of the Old Testament.  In fact there are some New Testament texts that also seem to be imprecatory in nature.

For instance, in the book of Revelation, those martyred cry out to God and say,

“They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
(Rev 6:10)

Different Contexts

Recommended reading

It’s important to understand the difference in context between the imprecatory prayers of the Psalms and Jesus Sermon on the Mount. It’s clear from the context, Jesus is speaking about personal relationships what he asks us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us or to go the extra mile.

Jesus is not talking about mass genocide or a full military invasion of another country, he is talking about personal offenses and that’s exactly why he uses the example of turning the other cheek (Mat 5:39) there’s nothing inherently dangerous about receiving a slap on the cheek but it is humiliating personally.

The imprecatory prayers also focus their attention on how evil men have offended a holy God. Thus they call for judgment not simply because these men have killed the innocent but because they have offended the Holy. In this way the imprecatory prayers are also prophetic as they look forward to God’s just punishment on wicked men who will not repent of their evil deeds.

Where Does that Leave Us?

We know we are supposed to love our personal enemies and pray for them as Jesus commands us, but what if we find ourselves in a different context, one that looks more David’s context?

Can or can’t we pray David did against our enemies?

Here are some principles that I see in the imprecatory prayers that may help you decide if you should pray for the destruction of your enemies or not.

1. It should not be about personal revenge

In every instance of an imprecatory prayer in the Bible it’s clear that it’s not simply personal revenge and pride on the line. While the offence takes on a personal nature this is simply because the author is the representative of an entire nation.

You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah.
(Psa 59:5)

Imprecatory prayers are never against the neighbor down the street who doesn’t you and has called you a few bad names. Instead of personal revenge imprecatory prayers are about just retribution against an evil enemy who has come against another nation and against God.

2. It’s about stopping evil

A common theme you can see in the imprecatory prayers is that of stopping evil short so that it can not continue destroying the lives of the innocent.  These prayers are directed at evil men who have the power to take thousands or even millions of lives.

Here’s and example from Psalm 109

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth! For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
(Psa 109:14-16)

Let’s face it, war is the handy-work of Satan and he enjoys the death and suffering that it brings. Unfortunately no one suffers more in war than the innocent. Often the quickest and most effective way to end the killing of innocents is by taking out the evil man/men who are in charge.

That’s what an imprecatory prayer is about!

3. It’s about honoring God

Above all the imprecatory prayers show a desire to see God honored and glorified.  God is called upon to bring justice against men who do not honor him or worship Him.  The psalmists call upon God to restore his fame, to defend his name,  their deepest desire is not for revenge but for God’s glory and honor.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!
(Psa 79:9)

Reminders for Us

I believe the imprecatory prayers were the right thing at that time in that situation for those who prayed them, thus they are righteous and inspired prayers.

On the other hand I cannot tell you whether or not you should ever pray an imprecatory prayer. My suspicion is that few of us will have the exact circumstances that David had when he prayed these prayers.

Nevertheless, imprecatory prayers serve to remind us of two things.

1. Sin is worse that we thought

First they remind us of the awfulness and terribleness of sin. The reminder us that sin always brings destruction and death, that sin always against God, and that it is often the innocent who suffer because of sin. They remind us that sin causes all of war.

We underestimate sin, we underestimate the consequences of evil, we underestimate its power to destroy, and we underestimate how much is offends our holy God!

2. We aren’t concerned enough about God’s honor

Second he reminds us of our responsibility to honor God in all circumstances.

In individualistic Western cultures is easy to focus only on your personal responsibility to honor God, yet we all live in nations cities societies families who are also called to honor God.

Our desire to bring God glory should be set so deep within our hearts that when we see that someone not honoring God it bothers us!

Recommended Reading

Источник: //sukofamily.org/praying-for-the-destruction-of-your-enemies/

10 Awesome Bible Verses About the Power of Prayer

Who is your source of power? This list of awesome power of prayer Bible verses is meant to encourage you today. I pray that you read through these Bible verses and then take them to God in prayer.

Ask God for the wisdom and discernment to teach you how He wants you to pray and for what He wants you to pray for.

For a great Christian song check out the video to the right Shout to the Lord by Darlene Zschech.

Ask

Matthew 7:7  “Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 11:24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it

Pray in Faith

This list of awesome power of prayer Bible verses is meant to encourage you today.

Mark 9:29  And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

James 5:14-16 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Always & With Thanksgiving

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Christian Quotes About Prayer

Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. ~ John Bunyan

The fewer the words the better prayer.  ~ Martin Luther

Prayer is an effort of will.  ~ Oswald Chambers

Our prayer and God’s mercy are two buckets in a well; while one ascends, the other descends.  ~ Arthur Hopkins

If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.  ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

It is because of the hasty and superficial conversation with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and flee from sin as you should. ~ A.W. Tozer

Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. Gods voice in response to mine is its most essential part. ~ Andrew Murray

Don’t pray when you feel it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. ~ Corrie Ten Boom

Prayer is the acid test of devotion. ~ Samuel Chadwick

Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness.  ~ Williams Carey

Resources

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-about-the-power-of-prayer/

7 Steps to Prayer That Bring Results

If you’ve been praying, but feel your prayers aren’t bringing results, there is an answer. Mark 11:24 says, “You can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” The Bible clearly defines the formula for this kind of successful prayer that is 100 percent effective.

You were meant to live a successful, overcoming Christian life. God has magnificent plans for you. He has set aside an inheritance of abundance for you to enjoy. But God’s will is not automatic. You have a part to play.

If you’re ready to experience a 100 percent success rate in prayer, here are the seven steps to prayer that bring results.

Step No. 1: Base Your Prayers on God’s Word
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” –1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

The key to seeing the kind of results God wants you to achieve through prayer is not just shooting random arrows in the air, hoping something might happen. James wrote, “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss” (James 4:3, NKJV). If you want to hit the bulls-eye every time you pray, your prayers must be the Word of God.

You can go boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), by knowing what God’s will is in advance and having it firmly fixed in your heart.

So, the first step to praying prayers that bring results is to locate the promise or promises that fit your situation in the Word of God. Then, an arrow to a bulls-eye, shoot that prayer with boldness and confidence.

This principle works in any area of prayer. Do you need healing in your body? Don’t pray what the doctor says or what religious tradition has taught you. Pray, “By His stripes I am healed” (see 1 Peter 2:24, KJV). Say, “Thank You, Lord, that You’ve provided healing for my body. Help me to receive it now. I thank You and praise You for it!”

Do you have a financial need? Don’t pray your problem—pray the answer! God has said He will provide for you, so pray, “Thank You, God, that You have said You will supply all my need according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I call in this promise now, in the Name of Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

When you focus on the answer, it will activate your faith.

For more on effective prayer, try these 3 Prayer Secrets from Gloria Copeland.

Step No. 2: Submerge Your Prayers in Faith
“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” –Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)

Once you begin praying God’s Word, the next step in praying effectively is to submerge your prayers in faith. That means you don’t wait for a manifestation to believe you receive—that’s not faith!

This might seem difficult at first, but as you practice applying your faith, it will become a way of life for you. Here are some quick-start tips for adding faith to your prayers.

God’s Word is always true. If He says it’s done—it’s done. So, as you pray, begin to move yourself from believing He can to knowing He will.

When the 10 lepers came to Jesus for healing, He told them to show themselves to the priests, and when they went, they were cleansed. They didn’t stand there and wait for Him to do something. They did exactly what He said do. They acted on His word. That is how you apply faith.

The same was true of the woman with the issue of blood. She acted on her faith when she reached out to touch His robe to take her healing. When faith was applied (acted on), results came.

Kenneth Copeland put these steps into practice when he lost his voice while preaching a long series of meetings in Jamaica. Instead of shutting down the meetings, he took these steps to submerge his prayers in faith.

First, he found the scriptures that promised him healing. Then, he applied his faith. He said, “Lord, if I were to ask my voice if I’m healed, it would say no. If I were to ask the people here if I’m healed, they’d say no.

But I’m not asking my body; I’ve asked Your WORD and I believe I receive it in the Name of Jesus.”

He didn’t see it, he didn’t feel it, but he knew it. He walked right back out to the pulpit and whispered into the microphone, praising God. His voice came back, and he kept right on preaching!

Looking to strengthen your prayer life further? Find 7 Steps to a Deeper Prayer Life here.

Step No. 3: Stop Fear in Its Tracks
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” –2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)

Satan is a master trickster. But because he doesn’t have any real authority, he has to rely on the same old tactics. Mainly—fear.

Fear is debilitating. It will hinder your belief in God’s Word, it will stop you from receiving, and it will rob you of THE BLESSING. But Satan is wrong 100 percent of the time. Praise the Lord. He always is. He’s never told you the truth yet.

If you want to see results in your prayer life, fear and doubt can no longer be part of your vocabulary.

You don’t always need to say everything you think! And you certainly don’t need to say things you don’t mean. Jesus said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’” (Matthew 5:37, WEB).

  Anything outside of that stems from evil. Clean up your vocabulary and begin to talk the Word of God.

Refuse to allow doubt and fear to enter into your consciousness. The Bible says you have the ability to do so (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

You can’t stop the devil from knocking on the door, but you sure don’t have to answer! Brother Hagin said, “I can’t keep the birds from flying over my head, but they sure don’t get to nest in my hair.”

For more ways to strengthen your faith, try these 3 Ways to Overcome Unbelief.

“Then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” –Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

Part of having faith for prayer that brings results is seeing yourself succeeding and taking possession of what you’re believing for. Does this mean you see in the natural? No.

It means you see it with your spiritual eyes. When you can really see it, not just in your mind, but deep down in your spirit, it has become a reality to you—as real as a natural manifestation.

That’s the kind of believing prayer that brings results in the natural.

Dr. Bill Winston said it this way: “God told Abraham, ‘As far as you can see, I’ll give you.’ Until you see it, you’re not entitled to it. Without revelation there is no restoration. You’ve got to see it to have it.”

Part of seeing yourself succeeding is avoiding places, people and situations that talk failure. You can’t be around people who always talk about failing. It will eventually rub off on you.

Decide right now to succeed. Quit planning to fail. Don’t plan for a what-if. Plan for success, plan for victory, plan to receive everything you’re believing God for. Stretch your faith as far as it will go. “I can’t” should not be in your vocabulary.

Watch Gloria Copeland and Pastor George Pearsons, as they expand on this teaching about prayers that bring results.

Step No. 5: Testify That Your Prayer Is Answered
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” –Revelation 12:11 (NKJV)

This verse tells us we overcome the plots and plans of the enemy two ways: by the blood of Jesus and by the word of our testimony (speaking it out). Everything you need has been provided by the blood of Jesus, and as a born-again believer, those things are rightfully yours.

But, we do have an enemy who is out to steal, kill and destroy our rights. Jesus already did His part in defeating him, and our part is simple—our words. You’ve taken a lot of steps to get to this point in achieving prayer that brings results. Don’t stop now!

When you testify to answered prayer, you achieve two things:

1. 1. You claim what is rightfully yours. You have the right to have anything the sacrifice of Jesus procured. When you testify to that right, it begins to take place in your life.
   2. Your testimony of faith will encourage others and help build their faith. That’s why Jesus told the man who had been demon-possessed to go home and tell his family everything the Lord had done for him (Mark 5:18-20).

Your testimony is a powerful tool in your prayer life.

Find out How to Meditate on the Word of God here.

Step No. 6: Get Involved Helping Someone Else
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” –Galatians 5:6 (NIV)

So far, we’ve learned that prayer that brings results is fueled by faith. And now, we see that faith works by love.

In other words, if we want our faith to be at a level that will bring results in our prayer life, we’ve got to express that faith through love to others.
Our faith is strengthened as we reach out to others.

True prosperity is the ability to use the power of God to meet the needs of mankind in every realm of life—spirit, soul, body, financially and socially.

Step No. 7: Get on the Giving End“Give, and it will be given to you.” –Luke 6:38 (NIV)

If you want to be on the receiving end of prayer that brings results, start by getting in on the giving end.
What does that mean?

If you need healing, pray for someone else to be healed (James 5:16). The way you measure out is how it will be measured back. The Word says God is Love.

If you need your children to be more involved with God, go witness about salvation to someone else’s child.

  If you need more time, give what little you do have and ask God to redeem it for you—He’ll give it back in abundance. Walk in the light you have, and God will give you more.

Jesus said, “give and it will be given to you again.”
God is looking for someone He can use to become a channel of His blessings. The more He gives, the more you give. You can become a rich blessing of giving, not just receiving. If you’ll take the receiving end off your mind, and focus on giving, you’ll be in position for answered prayer.

In conclusion, when you determine to take these seven steps, your prayers will bring results every time. All you have to do is develop the kind of believing faith that receives all that Jesus did for you on the cross. You don’t have to struggle in your prayer closet anymore. Go boldly to the throne of grace!

Related Articles:

How to Meditate on the Word of God

Meditate on the Word to Battle Stress

© 1997 – 2019 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. Aka Kenneth Copeland Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

Источник: //blog.kcm.org/7-steps-prayer-bring-results/

10 things that will kill your orphan care ministry: Part 4

This is last part of a series (read parts 1, 2, and 3) born several years of consulting with and observing many churches across America develop orphan care ministries.

Over time, I have noticed some common mistakes that cause these ministries to struggle and even fail. I want to share those observations with you in an effort to help and to stir a discussion about the good things being done to minister well in orphan care.

8. Lack of pastoral support

One sure thing that will kill your church’s orphan care ministry is a lack of pastoral support.

I have repeatedly heard this as a chief frustration of orphan ministry leaders who are struggling to keep going or by those struggling to begin a ministry in their church.

Many times, it’s not that pastors outright oppose it as much they marginalize it by their lack of enthusiasm or weak support. The question is why?

One sure thing that will kill your church’s orphan care ministry is a lack of pastoral support.

• They think it will take away from the “more important” ministries of the church. Examples of these ministries include evangelism and discipleship. Recent research from the Barna Research Group indicates that just the opposite is true, at least for young adult Christians, when it comes to evangelism. They found that engaging in justice ministry tends to increase evangelism in born-again young adults.
• They don’t understand the gospel significance of caring for orphans. Too often, pastors see orphan care as a little something extra.They fail to see orphan care and other mercy ministries as natural good work that should flow a person who has been changed by the gospel (Matt. 25:31-46).
• They fear distraction from the church’s mission and dwindling of critical resources. Just the opposite is often the case, especially among younger Christians. Younger believers see giving and connection to mission differently than previous generations. They are less ly to give blindly to general church funds and pooled mission funds. They want to be part of the mission. They give to and work toward what they have a connection with. Orphans are people that the church can reach with purpose. It can give younger believers a way to be involved in the church’s mission financially and in presence. This involvement can translate to connection to the rest of the work of the church. The result is more connection and more passion for the gospel and the church’s work, not less.

I would caution you about two things at this point. Don’t expect your pastor to have the same passion for orphan ministry that you do. Secondly, don’t become a clanging symbol. You won’t nag your pastor into a greater vision for orphan care. Give him good facts and resources that will help inform about orphans, but most of all, pray for him. Trust God to give him a vision.

9. Poor connection to the church’s mission

For orphan ministry to be effective, it has to be connected to the overall mission and vision of the church. There are two important reasons why:

• The mission of the church isn’t alterable or debatable. Ultimately, the church’s mission is defined by Jesus, the head of the church. What we do in and through the church, we do under the rule and authority of Jesus because the church is his. The church’s mission is to make disciples, and orphan care is part of that mission. We can’t lose sight of either priority.
• Each church is set into a specific context. The time and place of its existence is part of what God uses to shape its unique vision. No two local churches will work to accomplish the mission of the universal church the same way. That means that no two churches can accomplish orphan ministry the same way. Not being sensitive to the culture inside and outside your church and accounting for the uniqueness will kill your church’s orphan ministry.

10. Prayerlessness

One final thing that will kill your orphan ministry is prayerlessness. The world’s orphan crisis is epic. According to UNICEF’s estimates, there are approximately 153 million orphans around the globe, but the number really fails to represent the crisis accurately.

This number represents children who have lost one parent to death, but it does not account for the scores of children abandoned by living parents, those living on the streets, those enslaved and trafficked, and those in countries (particularly Islamic) who fail to report orphan statistics.

In truth, the UNICEF number is a statistic that is meant to underscore the vulnerability of children to the worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic, not to account for what we would consider orphaned children.

God has given the responsibility of orphan care to his people in order to display his character and salvation to the nations, but we have to acknowledge that the task is beyond us. We need something more than the resources at our disposal to address the problem.

Unfortunately, many churches make the mistake of focusing too intently on the tangible over the intangible. Instead of taking sufficient time to pray, they are drawn into the easy trap of working hard at solving problems for orphans without seeking God’s power, direction, and provision.

We can’t afford not to take time to pray.

Being prayerless in orphan care is “taking a knife to a gunfight.” It is a powerless, losing proposition. It aims too low. We will find ourselves meeting mere temporal needs with no lasting significance and no gospel impact if we fail to pray for God’s direction and provision constantly.

Prioritizing prayer seems oxymoronic to many, but it makes perfect sense. In elevating prayer, we acknowledge our helplessness and utter dependence upon God. Prayer is something tangible. It is communion with the Most High God. It is the most important work.

This Lifeline originally appeared here.

Источник: //erlc.com/resource-library/articles/10-things-that-will-kill-your-orphan-care-ministry-part-4