Monthly Archives: November 2014

Learning How to Pray Effectively in 59 Seconds or Less (Part 17)

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I recently had coffee with a friend at Starbucks. “You will never guess what the leader of our Bible study asked me last night?” he said.

I shook my head.

“The leader asked, ‘On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your faith level?’ I answered her by saying that mine was probably a zero or a one.”

“What did she say to that?” I asked.

“She wasn’t impressed and said that her faith level was at least an eight or a nine. Another person stated that his faith level was a perfect ten. Larry, what would you have replied to them?”

I laughed and said, “I probably would have jumped up and said, ‘Let’s go to a hospital or a funeral home right now. Such great faith needs to be used for healing the sick and raising the dead. Let’s not waste any time!'”

We both laughed.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

At our salvation, we each received our own lumps of faith. What we do with our lumps is up to each of us. We can increase our faith through studying God’s word, prayer, hearing the voice of God, our experiences, fasting, and so forth. Yet, there will eventually be certain situations where we realize that our faith is not enough.

looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith… (Hebrews 12:2)

Then, our faith must be in the Lord, His power, and His wisdom to do what’s best for that situation. If the Lord heals, if He provides, or if He shows up with a miracle, praise the Lord. If He doesn’t, praise Him anyway.

“Sometimes God allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent by His power.” (Graham Cooke)

How can we boast in our weakness like the Apostle Paul did?

(Continued in Part 18…earlier parts can be read by clicking here.)

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Filed under Christianity, Church, Faith, Kingdom of God, Prayer, Prophecy, spiritual warfare

Got Five Minutes?

Today, (or any Sunday in November), join churches across America in lifting up the persecuted church through unified prayer. If you want, share this video with your congregation or small group, and let them see how their prayers can strengthen believers and expand God’s kingdom into the most unreached places.

Here are the prayer requests mentioned by Pastor Roshan in the above video:

1. Pray that Satan will not discourage the pastors and ministers from serving the Lord.

2. Pray that the Lord will give the pastors and ministers grace to serve Him faithfully.

3. Pray that ministries will grow, with many coming to know Christ and many villages learning about Him.

Just five minutes of your time could make the difference in thousands of lives. And who knows? Someday, you may need them to spend five minutes for you and your family.

Got five minutes?

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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Filed under 10/40 Window, Christianity, Church, Gospel For Asia, Prayer, spiritual warfare

No iPhone 6 for Shanti

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Shanti was not one of the twenty million people who recently purchased an iPhone 6 at $650 and up. Her friends never received texts from Shanti announcing, “I got one! I got one! Come over and look at it. It’s so cool!”

But then again, ten-year old Shanti lives in rural West Bengal, India, which is in Northwestern India, near Nepal and Bangladesh. She also doesn’t have a MacBook Computer, an iPod, flatscreen SONY TV, microwave, closet full of GAP clothing, Pandora Bracelet, and NIKE tennis shoes. Her list of what she doesn’t have includes almost everything we consider as necessities here in America.

You see, Shanti is a Dalit, one of the nearly 300 million people in India who are considered “untouchables.” Her parents are poor because her dad works as an agricultural laborer, earning a couple of dollars per day for his backbreaking efforts. Her mom is a housewife and raises some chickens.

An iPhone 6? It would take all of the family’s income for one year to buy one. So, no iPhone 6 for her.

Shanti was the first Bridge of Hope child that my wife and I began sponsoring over three years ago. Since then, we have communicated often by letters and have sent her photos of us

In one letter she wrote: “God has blessed you so much.” 

Her words caused me to reflect for a moment until it dawned on me. Yes, we are so blessed that the Creator of heaven and earth, the Lord God Almighty, our Father would entrust us to help a beautiful girl like Shanti.

If you also want to be blessed by sponsoring a child in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program, click here. Or click on my campaign icon below:

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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Filed under 10/40 Window, Christianity, Church, Gospel For Asia, India, Kingdom of God, Poverty