dream four (040911)

I went to bed at about 11pm. Hubby was sleepy around the same time too! That in itself is a miracle. We usually go to bed at different times. We started praying for our preparation for the trip and for the students we will be teaching.
I fell asleep after a while, and in that brief time, just before i woke up at 12.30am, i had a dream about teaching in a lecture theatre, where rows and rows of people were listening. I was stirring up the congregation to go forth to the harvest fields, to march in obedience to the Command and Clarion Call of our Lord. Up and down the rows i went, singing and encouraging them. Some joined me.
When i woke up, hubby had left the room for a while and was in the living room. I went to him and shared with him my dream. I could still remember the song i sang, and sang out a couple of lines to him. It was not a very long song to begin with.
I wonder whether it was what we prayed about in tongues...

aneityum (aka new hebrides)

Dr John Geddie (1815-1872) went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for 24 years.

Written in his memory are these words:

When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians.
When he left, in 1872, there were no heathens.

quotes (from LT and other sources)

Choosing to praise is the most unselfish decision and action to take in any and all circumstances.

Praise and worship gives Almighty God the legal opening to work in my life and situation.

Check only yourself,
not others - not even your spouse.

Overcome and reign over our minds and emotions by the spirit.

The power of His word=His word is powerful
vs
The word of His power=His power is expressed through His word.

quote on praise (KWH)

The power of God is activated through praise because praise is the language of faith.

Faith

"We have made faith a condition of mind, when it is a divinely imparted grace of the heart."

prayer school - ask of me

Psalms 2:7-8 – I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

We are sons of God. Part of the inheritance given to us through Jesus is the nations.

John 17:20 – I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word

Jesus prayed for the disciples and the impact they were going to have upon the world through the preaching of the word, and the empowering by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:14-15 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, We are joint heirs…

Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to make disciples throughout the earth.

Ephesians 6:19 - And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),

Paul was very aware of his calling and his dependence upon the power of God to fulfill his calling.

Romans 10:14-17 - But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] But they have not all heeded the Gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

Matthew 9:37-38 - Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.

Ekballo – forcefully eject; Not apostello – send forth

But God does not force us. It is with His persuasive love that He moves His people into the harvest field.

prayer school 21072011

Taught on using the Word of God in prayer.

• "The only way we can get acquainted with God is through the Word" - Kenneth E Hagin
• Shared two prayer tips from George Mueller (using the bible to pray - finds a promise, pleads that promise, receives what he asks; and how through meditation on scripture, he was more able to experience a meaningful prayer time)
• Not considering feelings or situations (Romans 4:19) but Jesus (Hebrews 12:3)
  
• Isaiah 55:9-11 - Speaking forth God's word which will not return to Him void...
• Students prayed for 15 minutes using Philippians 1:9-11 and also prayers taught (from Eph) by other instructors

prayer tips from george mueller

Two "Prayer Tips" from George Müller:
(from http://www.prayerfoundation.org/prayer_tips_george_mueller.htm)

1. Open Bible Before Him, and His Finger Upon That Promise, He would Plead That Promise, and So He Received What He Asked

One of the mightiest men of prayer of the last generation was George Mueller of Bristol, England, who in the last sixty years of his life (he lived to be ninety-two or ninety-three) obtained the English equivalent of $7,200,000.00 by prayer. But George Mueller never prayed for a thing just because he wanted it, or even just because he felt it was greatly needed for God's work. When it was laid upon George Mueller's heart to pray for anything, he would search the Scriptures to find if there was some promise that covered the case. Sometimes he would search the scriptures for days before he presented his petition to God. And then when he found the promise, with his open Bible before him, and his finger upon that promise, he would plead that promise, and so he received what he asked. He always prayed with an open Bible before him.

-R. A. Torrey on George Müller; "The Power of Prayer," 1924 (P. 81)

2. Müller's Discovery Was That After Meditating On Scripture He Was More Able to Experience a Meaningful Prayertime

"Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing."

-William Bridge, Puritan Writer

Christian meditation (thinking deeply on Scripture) is "the missing link between Bible intake and prayer." If there was a "secret" to George Müller's prayer life, it was his discovery of the connection between meditation and prayer. Müller's discovery was that after meditating on Scripture he was more able to experience a meaningful prayertime.

-Donald S. Whitney, "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" (partial quote and partial paraphrase).

the secret of george mueller's power in prayer

God then began to show me that the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things...

a modern paraphrase of john wesley's journal entries

Heard this in a recent message. Just had to post it.

The paraphrased journal entries below display John Wesley's perseverance and determination in the face of persecution and rejection:

Sunday a.m., May 5 -Preached in St. Ann's; was asked not to come back any more.
Sunday p.m., May 5- Preached at St. John's; deacons said, 'Get out and stay out.'
Sunday a.m., May 12 -Preached at St. Jude's; can't go back there either.
Sunday p.m., May 12-Preached at St. George's; kicked out again.
Sunday a.m., May 19- Preached at St. Somebody Else's; deacons called a special meeting and said I couldn't return.
Sunday p.m., May 19-Preached on the street; kicked off the street.
Sunday a.m., May 26- Preached out in a meadow; chased out of meadow when a bull was turned loose during the service.
Sunday a.m., June 2-Preached out at the edge of town; police moved me.
Sunday p.m., June 2-Afternoon service, preached in pasture; 10,000 people came.

Praise the Lord!

"We are fools for Christ's sake..."(1 Cor 4:10)

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Cor 15:57-58)