Category Archives: Fasting

September 30, 2014 · 1:48 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (9/30/2014)

My ballpark guess is that 15-20% of America’s Christians have had a Pentacostal/Charismatic experience according to 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11, which means they may speak in tongues, prophesy, or walk in one of the other spiritual gifts. They may or may not attend a Pentacostal or Charismatic church.

At the other end of the spectrum would be the Christians who consider themselves cessationists. These Christians believe the spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues and prophesying, ended with the passing away of the First Century apostles. I’d guess this group of Christians to be approximately 5-10% of the whole.

Okay, that leaves 70-80% of America’s Christians who have not had a personal Pentacostal/Charismatic/spiritual gift experience, but at the same time, they are not totally against the spiritual gifts.

I believe it is important for today’s Christians to prophesy or be around believers who prophesy so that we are prepared for future calamities and terrorist attacks. How else can we be warned except by the Holy Spirit, who will tell us of things to come?

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for American believers that we will pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, but especially that we may prophesy. (Based on 1 Corinthians 14:1)

What do you think and did the Lord speak to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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September 29, 2014 · 9:49 am

Learning How to Pray Effectively in 59 Seconds or Less (Part 13)

Want to have a big church? Just check around because there are countless seminars to attend, books to read, and mentors to help with your dream. If you follow their advice, I am sure you will have a good chance at having a big church with a beautiful building.

If this is your goal, God bless you in your undertaking.

Now, if you want a powerful church, save your money because I have a plan on how to do this. But I have to warn you ahead of time that you probably will never need a big building for your group. In fact, the majority of your meetings will most likely fit into a small closet or a phone booth.

What’s my suggested plan of action? Make fasting and prayer one of the foundations for your church.

…Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. (Isaiah 58:4)

The above verse is written in the negative, but it still gives us insight into why proper fasting is important: to make our voices to be heard on high. Isn’t this what prayer is all about?

Let’s be honest with each other, okay?

We American Christians are not good at fasting. Yes, we may like the idea of fasting and even believe it’s biblical, but when the rubber meets the road, most of us lack the discipline that it takes to fast.

Why?

I am sure the answers are varied, but the biggest reason is that we are not desperate enough as yet to embrace fasting.

Besides having our voices heard on high, what are some other reasons that fasting can make our prayers more effective?

(Continued in Part 14…earlier parts can be read by clicking here or above on the header.)

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September 26, 2014 · 9:30 am

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (9/26/2014)

Each Friday I am praying and fasting for the nations where Christians suffer the worst persecution around the world, as of 2014. This week I pray and fast for:

Iraq. 25.9 million people with 330,000 Christians.

There was an increase in attacks and threats against Christians in 2013. Islamist terrorist groups, influenced by the conflict in Syria, are increasing in number. One of their aims is to empty the country of Christians, and this situation is aggravated by the government’s total authority. According to a local source, every two or three days a Christian is killed, kidnapped or abused. As a minority, Christians are an easy target for kidnappers. Even in the relatively unrestricted, semi-autonomous Kurdish region, the security situation for Christians is deteriorating. (Open Doors, World Watch List)

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for the Iraqi Christians that their love is genuine, they abhor what is evil, and hold on to what is good; that they are not slothful in zeal, but are fervent in Spirit to serve You; that they rejoice in hope, are patient in tribulation and constant in prayer; that they bless those who are persecuting them; and that they are not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Based on Romans 12:8-21)

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebre ws 13:3.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (9/23/214)

“Run for your lives. There are too many Philistines! We’ll all be slaughtered,” yelled the Israelites.

The soldiers dropped their weapons en masse and fled the battlefield for the hills surrounding the area. Clouds of dust marked their scrambling footsteps, all heading to safety.

Four Israelites remained in the middle of the battlefield. They formed a small square with their backs to each other and their swords pointing out at the advancing Philistine army.

“What’s the plan, my king?” shouted Eleazar over his shoulder.

King David nodded his head. “Our God is for us,” proclaimed the king. “Let’s continue fighting until all of these uncircumcised Philistines are either dead or retreat from the battlefield.” (Fictionalized version of 2 Samuel 23:9-10 and 1 Chronicles 11:12-14)

…but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (Daniel 11:32)

We Americans are very fortunate because we are not fighting ISIS and other Islamic Jihadists in our nation right now, but we will! In fact, you’d have to be blind as the…as the…average Christian not to see this war heading toward our malls, our streets, and our neighborhoods.

Yet, like I said, we’re fortunate because we have the time right now to build our faith and trust in God so we can pray and believe in our prayers.

Remember: it’s one thing to pray, but an entirely different matter to believe our prayers and then be willing to walk in them.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray that You will give us American believers the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him so that the eyes of our hearts are enlightened to know what is the hope, the riches of His glorious inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe. (Based on Ephesians 1:17-19)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

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September 19, 2014 · 8:22 am

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (9/19/2014)

Each Friday I am praying and fasting for the nations where Christians suffer the worst persecution around the world, as of 2014. This week I pray and fast for:

Syria. 21.8 million people with 1.3 million Christians.

As the civil conflict inside Syria becomes more and more severe, targeted violence against Christians has escalated. The Syrian opposition is increasingly ‘Islamizing’, and Christians are becoming more vulnerable in all spheres of life. Many Christians were reported to have been abducted, physically harmed or killed, and many churches damaged or destroyed. On October 21st, Islamist militias invaded the ancient Christian settlement of Sadad, killing at least 45 people, and injuring many more. (Open Doors, World Watch List)

The civil war that erupted in March 2011 has killed more than 100,000 people, displaced more than a million and sent 1.7 million fleeing across the country’s borders, according to U.N. reports. Historically, Syria has been home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawites, Shiites and Sunnis. It is a secular state, but Islam is recognized as the religion of the majority, and Shariah is the source of all legislation. (Voice of the Martyrs)

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I remember the Christians in Syria as though suffering with them and pray that You will strengthen those who have tired hands and encourage those who have weak knees. Lord, speak to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to save you.” (Based on Hebrews 13:3 and Isaiah 35:3-4)

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebre ws 13:3.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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September 16, 2014 · 3:20 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (9/16/2014)

Today, I struggled and finally prayed:

Lord, help us to embrace what You are doing in America, believing that You are able to build and plant a new nation out of the one You are uprooting and tearing down. (Based on Jeremiah 1:10)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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September 12, 2014 · 8:06 am

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (9/12/2014)

Each Friday I am praying and fasting for the nations where Christians suffer the worst persecution around the world, as of 2014. This week I pray and fast for:

Somalia. 10.3 million with a few hundred Christians in the whole nation.

Pressure is increasing on the tiny Christian community in this Muslim-majority country. Islamic leaders and government officials publicly reinforce that there is no room for Christians, and there is a strong drive to purge Christianity from Somalia. The militant Islamist group, al-Shabaab, targets Christians and local communities. Ten believers are reported to have been killed by members of al-Shabaab in 2013. There is a high level of fear and mistrust among believers, who have to hide their faith for fear of betrayal. (Open Doors, World Watch List)

Today I prayed:

Lord, I remember the few hundred Christians in Somalia as though suffering with them and although some will suffer tribulation and testing, I pray that all are faithful until death that they may receive the crown of life. (Based on Hebrews 13:3 and Revelation 2:10)

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebre ws 13:3.

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September 9, 2014 · 11:13 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (9/9/2014)

Untergang der Titanic (“Sinking of the Titanic”) by Willy Stöwer, 1912

If today’s Christians had manned the lifeboats at the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, they would have joined hands in a prayer meeting and prayed 2 Chronicles 7:14, hoping the ship would rise from the depths of the sea. So, they could return to the comforts and good times aboard the luxurious ship.

But the Titanic’s pride in its size and supposed unsinkability, its bad leadership, and poor planning sent the ship to its doom in the North Atlantic waters in less than three hours. Two thirds of the ship’s passengers and crew perished on that night.

Hello! Wake up! Yahoo! We have the same problems in America today.

And I am not talking about our government’s leaders in Washington, D. C. or at the state and local levels. I am referring to our supposed spiritual leaders and to ourselves. We are looking in our rearview mirrors and not seeing what’s heading toward us.

We need to drop everything and seek the Lord.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray that we Americans who are members of the Laodicean church will open our ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to our churches. (Based on Revelation 3:22)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

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September 5, 2014 · 2:56 pm

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (9/5/20014)

Each Friday I am praying and fasting for the nations where Christians suffer the worst persecution around the world, as of 2014. This week I pray and fast for:

North Korea. 24.5 million people with only 300,000 Christians in the whole nation.

For the 12th consecutive year, North Korea is the place where Christian persecution is most extreme. The God-like worship of the leader, Kim Jong-Un, and his predecessors leaves no room for any other religion, and Christians face unimaginable pressure in every sphere of life. Forced to meet only in secret, they dare not share their faith even with their families, for fear of imprisonment in a labor camp. Anyone discovered engaging in secret religious activity may be subject to arrest, disappearance, torture, even public execution. (Open Doors, World Watch List)

Today I prayed:

Lord, I remember the 50,000 – 70,000 Christian prisoners in North Korea as though in prison with them and those who are mistreated in North Korea as if I were suffering with them. Break my heart Lord for the people of North Korea in the same way that Your heart is broken for them. (Based on Hebrews 13:3)

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebre ws 13:3.

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September 2, 2014 · 12:10 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America ((9/2/2014)

Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Jews were either killed or carried off into captivity to Babylonia.

The Jewish exiles than returned under Ezra and Nehemiah in 537 BC to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and to begin building a new temple, which was labeled Zerubbabel’s temple. This temple was completed and dedicated in 515 BC.

Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Haggai 2:3)

The older Jews who remembered Solomon’s glorious temple wept with a loud voice when they looked at Zerubbabel’s much smaller and more ordinary temple.

Yet, the Lord said, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former…”

Today, I prayed:

Lord, help us American believers to quickly forget what lies behind us in our nation and to reach forward to what lies ahead. So that we continually press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ, never weeping over our yesterdays and embracing You as our Ancient of Days each moment of our lives. (Based on Philippians 3:13-14 and Daniel 7:22)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.