Tag Archives: Prayer

January 7, 2024 · 4:48 pm

In the recent spiritual and sexual abuse scandals, could the church leaders have avoided moral failure by undergoing deliverance? (Part 3)

Judson Cornwall (1924 – 2005) was a noted preacher, pastor and prolific author of over 50 books, some of which are considered classics today.

Cornwall was invited to be the main speaker for a graduation ceremony at Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York. He concluded his speech by saying, “Let me offer you some advice. Don’t go directly from this ceremony into fulltime ministry or to being a church pastor. Take three or four or five years off. Get a job and work in the market place. Discover the problems normal people struggle with every day. You will learn how to better relate to your congregations and how to help them. And all the while, the Holy Spirit will change you. So, do your congregations a favor, get a job.”

The result of Cornwall’s wise advice was that Elim Bible Institute never invited him to speak again at their college.

*******

Four months after Vice President Mike Pence eulogized Ravi Zacharias as “the greatest apologist of this century,” Zacharias’ reputation began falling apart. Three women who worked at two spas he co-owned in the Atlanta area came forth, alleging sexual harassment and abuse by Zacharias.

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) hired a law firm to investigate Zacharias. Their 12-page report contained findings far worse than anyone could have ever imagined. Two hundred contacts of female massage therapists with photos, some in the nude, were on Zacharias’ cell phones. A trail of misuse of RZIM funds to fund his sexual escapades in the US, India, Thailand and Malaysia was uncovered.

The law firm’s best estimates were that Zacharias’ sexual escapades had happened over the ten-year period leading up to just a few months before his death.

One woman told the investigators that “after he arranged for his ministry to provide her with financial support, he required sex from her.” She called it rape.

She said Zacharias “made her pray with him to thank God for the ‘opportunity’ they both received” and, as with other victims, “called her his ‘reward’ for living a life of service to God,” the report says. Zacharias warned the woman—a fellow believer—if she ever spoke out against him, she would be responsible for millions of souls lost when his reputation was damaged.

More information can be read here and here.

******

Okay, here’s my supposition and like all opinions, it can be somewhat true or totally false. So, reader beware!

Zacharias was delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God when he was seventeen years old. He was saved.

But like me, he may still have had some iniquity intertwined with his personality by puppet strings leading to a demon. This demon may have been able to pull on his soul – mind, will and emotions – at various times throughout his life, tempting him toward his inner sexual lusts. His inner lusts may have slowly overcome his spiritual learning and fear of the Lord, until he finally fell into sin. And the sin eventually became full-grown so that he was completely dead to any conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Was Ravi Zacharias ever possessed by the demon? No, but he was heavily deceived.

Maybe if Ravi Zacharias’ path would have crossed with Judson Cornwall, maybe Zacharias would have listened to the wise advice. But this did not happen because Zacharias moved from high school graduation, to emigrating to Canada, to Bible school, to marriage, to studying for his Masters of Divinity and then working in fulltime ministry. He never worked a normal job.

Thus, no friends talked with him after a church service, asking to pray for him so that he could be delivered from the demon.

Why have I mentioned Zacharias not having a normal job? Is this really that important?

Once Zacharias stepped into a pulpit of a traditional church, his gifting elevated him far above the people sitting in the pews before him. The congregation could no longer talk to him on an equal basis.

Can you imagine confronting Ravi Zacharias about his demon and his need for deliverance after a pulpit appearance? I can’t imagine that ending well, can you?

The biggest chasm in the traditional church system is between the pulpit and the pews. Seldom is there a bridge between the two.

I’ve used Ravi Zacharias in my article for a few reasons. One, he is dead; and two, there is so much info available about him.

But I have done some checking on other sexual abuse scandals, almost every pastor and leader has followed Zacharias’ example. Could these scandals have been avoided by deliverance from a demon at an earlier age? Maybe.

The comedian Flip Wilson used to joke, “The devil made me do it!”

Yet, pastors and leaders can’t use that for an excuse because the man with 2,000 demons ran up to Jesus, bowed down and worshipped Him.

It still all comes down to having humility and a godly character

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Tagged as Bible, Christianity, Christmas, Church, Faith, Prayer, Prophecy

January 3, 2024 · 3:12 pm

In the recent spiritual and sexual abuse scandals, could the church leaders have avoided moral failure by undergoing deliverance? (Part 2)

In the early months of 2020, I learned that one of my heroes of the faith, Ravi Zacharias, was suffering from a rare cancer – sarcoma. The article asked for prayers for him because without divine intervention, he was only expected to live a couple of weeks.

I prayed for Zacharias and even tried to negotiate with God. “Lord, I am willing to take Ravi’s sickness in my body so that he can be healed and live to touch millions more people.”

My negotiations and prayers were not heeded because Ravi Zacharias died on May 19, 2020. He was seventy-four years old when he died which was my age also. (I was born in February and he was born in March.)

A few months later, I was shocked to learn that Zacharias was not the man of God I thought he was.

******

Ravi Zacharias was born on March 26, 1946, in Madras, India. He grew up in the Delhi area and was fluent in both English and Hindi.

His parents were Anglican, but he remained a skeptic until a failed suicided attempt landed him in the hospital when he was seventeen years old. A Christian worker brought him a Bible and asked his mother to read John Chapter 14 to Ravi.

“Because I live, you will live also” were the words that sliced through Ravi’s skepticism. Ravi committed his life to Christ and prayed, “Jesus if you are the One who gives life as it is meant to be, I want it. Please get me out of this hospital bed well, and I promise I will leave no stone unturned in my pursuit of truth.”

Soon after, Ravi and his parents emigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he received his undergraduate degree from Ontario Bible College (now Tyndale University) in 1972. He furthered his education with a Masters of Divinity from Trinity International University and also studied in Cambridge, England, at a Church of England theological school.

Ravi first evangelized U. S. soldiers and Viet Cong prisoners in Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Then, he packed his bags and traveled the globe. In August, 1984, he founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) in Toronto, with his goal to be a “classical evangelist in the arena of the intellectually resistant.” The ministry was later moved to the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

As an apologist for Christianity, Ravi argued that a coherent worldview must be able to satisfactorily answer four questions: that of origin, meaning of life, morality and destiny. He said that while every major religion makes exclusive claims about truth, the Christian faith is unique in its ability to answer all four of these questions.

Ravi wrote more than thirty books and hosted two radio programs, all while traveling the world to fulfill his calling. He touched millions of people through his ministry, including mine.

Vice President Mike Pence called Ravi “the greatest apologist of this century” at his funeral which was watched live by 1.2 million people. Tim Tebow and other luminaries spoke of their admiration for Ravi. Whitehouse spokesman, Kayleigh McEnany, summed up what many felt about Ravi: “He made us feel that we didn’t need to check our brains at the door to be a
Christian.”

And yet, he had a secret life which exploded onto the public scene only weeks after his death.

(Continued in Part 3)

In the recent spiritual and sexual abuse scandals, could the church leaders have avoided moral failure by undergoing deliverance?

Have you ever had a demon throw you across a room?

Maybe your first thought was one of deep skepticism at my question, believing this types of demonic activities do not happen in America. Yes, it may occur in Nigeria where witch doctors are prevalent, but certainly not in America, right?

If these activities are in the Bible, they can happen anywhere, even here in America.

They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:20-22).

In the early 1990’s, I spent three to four hours each day in prayer, an hour or more per day in Bible study and reading and two days per week fasting. You would think if anyone should have been free of problems with demons, it would have been me, right?

Let’s stop here and settle something: can Christians be demon possessed?

We humans resemble the Trinity in that we are also three-part beings. Our three parts consist of body, soul and spirit. Jesus moves into our spirit at salvation and reigns there forever and ever. He becomes our treasure in earthen vessel and we proclaim, “We’re saved.”

Our souls − mind, will and emotions − have to be renewed to agree with Jesus and His teachings while our bodies −lusts, desires, pleasures, appetites, etc. − have to be brought into subjection, much like slaves. Both our souls and bodies are continuing works, which we struggle with while we live here on earth.

To be demon possessed, a believer’s spirit would have to be inhabited by a demon. This cannot happen because our spirits are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.

Therefore, Christians cannot be demon possessed, but they can certainly have demon problems with their minds, emotions, wills and bodies.

My particular demonic problem proved to be a deep-rooted one.

We are all born into a fallen world, which is filled with sin and governed by the creator of sin: Satan. Our physical makeup is determined by genetics and statistical probabilities, but our spiritual DNA is always based on one thing: sin.

Keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 34:7).

The word iniquity means depravity and always carries within it the hatred of God and His ways.

Iniquity is not a voluntary disobedience to the commands of God, like sin and transgressions, but instead, it is a second nature sin. It is a demonic stronghold within the individual, which may have been passed on through one’s ancestors or the result of continued willful transgressions or the surrender of oneself to an evil ruling principality over a region.

The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin (Proverbs 5:22 ESV).

Ridding a person of iniquity is not as easy as it is for sins or transgressions because it may be intertwined with the person’s personality and attitudes. It requires acceptance of truth, God’s mercy, and the fear of the Lord to set an individual free. This normally depends on a deliverance move by the Spirit of God upon His creation.

My deep-rooted demonic problems were most likely caused by iniquity committed by my parents, grandparents or great grandparents. Do I have any clue about who may have committed it?

My grandmother was born in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee, but unlike my grandfather who was a staunch Southern Baptist, she never opened up to the gospel as a young woman. She instead enjoyed going to palm readers and learning about her future from them. Did she learn this from her parents? I do not know, but palm reading and understanding lifelines on hands are a part of mountain folklore, even today.

There shall not be found among you anyone who…tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer…For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord… (Deuteronomy 18:10, 12).

The story ends well because my grandmother accepted Jesus as her Savior just days before dying at 81 years of age.

On that particular Sunday, I attended church from 10 a.m. to noon. A married couple approached me before I left.

“Larry, we’d like to pray for you,” said the wife.

“When?” I said.

“Is right now, okay?”

“No, I’m taking my daughter Susan out to lunch.”

“Can we do it later?”

“Sure.”

We agreed on a time for later that afternoon.

I gave no thought as to why the couple wanted to pray for me. We were close friends and these types of things often happened at our small church because many had strong prophetic gifts.

The couple waited for me in the apartment attached to the rear of the church when I arrived. The church’s pastor, her husband and another couple also waited there.

What have I done now? I thought. Oh well, I guess they’ll let me know.

“Do you remember Ellen?” said the wife.

“Yes the intercessor who prays five hours each day.”

“One of the prophetic words you spoke to her was wrong.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll ask forgiveness of her.”

“No, that’s okay because your mistake caused her to spend time praying for you. She found some problems with you.”

With those words, I was thrown across the room. Everyone instantly began praying in tongues. The wife and her husband began commanding the demon to let loose of me. I rolled back and forth across the floor, out of control.

What was going through my mind during all this?

I hoped someone had enough spiritual power to set me free from this monster.

It ended after a few minutes. I stood up and hugged everyone.

“Do you feel better?” asked the wife.

“I don’t know…maybe,” I replied.

I noticed a big difference in the following days, which probably was not so obvious to others, but I felt freer in my spirit.

I eventually believed the Lord revealed it was a religious spirit, which had puppet-like strings attached to my soul −mind, will and emotions. The demon could pull on these at certain times, causing problems. The strings were so tightly woven around my personality I did not even notice them.

Here’s my take on this: hang around believers who pray, hear God’s voice, and have spiritual power and anointing. You need strong friends in spiritual warfare.

(Above excerpt from The Hunt for Larry Who by Larry Nevenhoven)

Continued in Part 2

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December 6, 2023 · 4:23 pm

The Dividing Line for the End Times

Let no one deceive you by any means; for the Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

Most scholars think that the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Thessalonica soon after he wrote his first letter. He probably wrote the second one because in the first, he wrote: “But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write you.”

As one scholar wrote: “Paul’s letters are like listening to a phone conversation and hearing only one side of the conversation. You have to guess what the other side is saying from the info you have received.”

From reading 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, I figure Paul received some questions from the Thessalonian church concerning the timing of the Lord’s return. A few must have worried that the Lord had already returned and they had missed the rapture. This means they were not so sure about the times and the seasons as Paul had originally thought when he wrote 1 Thessalonians.

So, Paul emphatically answered their questions by stating that two events had to occur before the Lord returned: (1) the great falling away or apostasy and (2) the revealing of the Antichrist.

Where did Paul get his information about the two events? Although the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke had not been written as yet, the story lines would have been passed on to him by Peter, Luke and the other disciples. You see, it was Jesus Himself who first spoke about believers falling away and the revealing of the Antichrist.

Okay, many have felt that the falling away has already taken place. They point out the many pastors and leaders who have left Christianity as examples of the “falling away.” But these are only a few drips compared to what Paul experienced when “all of Asia turned away from Him and his gospel.”

And yet, Paul did not state that the turning away of Phygellus, Hermogenes, Demas and all of Asia fulfilled his words about the “great falling away.” Instead, he encouraged Timothy to continue preaching the word!

A few years ago, I felt the Lord say to my heart: “Fifty to seventy percent of American believers could fall away in the great apostasy. Warn your children and grandchildren and others to prepare themselves for this upcoming time period.”

Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed. ((Proverbs 23:17-18)

How can we prepare ourselves for this chaotic upcoming event?

As I wrote in my last blog post, I believe the fear of the Lord will be the dividing line between those who fall away and those who continue to walk with the Lord.

Thus, we can pray for ourselves, our loved ones and others the following prayer:

Father, in Jesus’ name, help us to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit, help us to depart from evil and do good, help us to seek Your peace and pursue it all the days of our lives. And help us to never envy sinners and also to be zealous for the fear of the Lord. (Based on Psalm 34:13-14 and Proverbs 23:17)

Remember: Jesus and Paul gave us advance warnings to help us through this event. We do not have to become a part of the falling away. We can set our hearts to fear the Lord all of our days here on earth.

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Tagged as Christianity, End-Times, Fear of the Lord, Prayer, Prophecy

October 29, 2023 · 2:53 pm

A Return to the Fear of the Lord

On an afternoon in 1995, I sat alone in my apartment, reading a biography about the healing and faith pioneer, John G. Lake. As I turned the pages and read how God continually provided for Lake’s needs, it dawned on me — “My life really sucks right now! Where was the God who was supposed to be my Provider?”

At the time, I owed thousands of dollars to numerous creditors, most of my friends had dropped me like a hot potato, the woman who I thought would be my wife didn’t want to see me and my kitchen cupboard was bare. I was lonely, broke, hungry and angry.

I laid the book down and stood up. “God if You’re such a big God,” I said, “how come You can’t help me with my problems right now? Maybe Your arm is not as strong as it was a hundred years ago. Is that Your problem?”

I sat down, quite satisfied with the way I confronted God. I picked up the book to continue my reading.

Then, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit burst into the room in His holiness and power. His fearful Presence blanketed me. I dropped the book and fell on my knees. “O Lord, don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Please don’t kill me!” I said over and over again.

In the midst of my plea bargaining, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. “If I wanted to, I could deliver you from all of your problems in one day.”

“O Lord,” I whispered, “I believe You and will never doubt You again.”

The Holy Spirit’s heavy presence eventually lifted off me.

By mercy and love, truth and fidelity [to God and man—not by sacrificial offerings], iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil. (Proverbs 16:6 AMP)

A coworker used to say about certain job situations: “That will put the fear of the Lord into you.” Then, he would laugh.

In his mind, the fear of the Lord was always fearful and life threatening.

And to be honest, the fear of the Lord does contain dread and a terrible fear within it, but that is only in part. Because the fear of the Lord also contains within it a deep reverence and awe for our majestic Creator. A reverence so strong that one would never, ever want to offend God.

Recently, the Lord spoke to my heart: “In the End-Times, the fear of the Lord will be the dividing line between those who fall away and those who continue to walk with the Lord.”

Here’s my prayer:

Father, in Jesus’ name, help us to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit, help us to depart from evil and do good, help us to seek Your peace and pursue it all the days of our lives. And help us to never envy sinners and to be zealous for the fear of the Lord. (Based on Psalm 34:13-14 and Proverbs 23:17)

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February 21, 2022 · 4:25 am

Free eBook Copy of “A Black River”

Advertising blurb:

“I had a vision that showed a black river flowing out of America’s inner cities, filled with black apostles and prophets. Their moral characters were at a level never before witnessed in America.

“No longer would believers have to gaze back at John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, Billy Graham or whomever for examples of godly men because these black apostles and prophets would raise the bar of godliness to a level approaching the character of Jesus… This is the generation of men that America has been longing to see. (Excerpt from Chapter 13 of “A Black River”)

God is never late, but He sure misses lots of opportunities to be early. This is especially true for Black Americans who have suffered through four hundred years of oppression and discrimination while chasing the American dream. The years have all merged themselves together into one long day of weary hopelessness.

But now at last, hope arises. The same God who looked upon Israel’s captivity in Egypt, is looking down on the Black Americans living in our nation’s inner cities and is preparing to act.

How? What? Why?

“A Black River” is one of the most important ebooks published in 2021, especially for those believers hungering for revival.

To receive your free eBook copy, just go here.

Prayer for 2022 and Beyond

The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians a couple of years before he was executed. By comparison, the letter was written six or seven years after he wrote his second letter to the Corinthian church.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about his many trials: being whipped. Facing death often. Being flogged with thirty-nine lashes on five different occasions. Beaten with rods. Stoned and left for dead. Shipwrecked three times. Adrift at sea for a whole day. And more!

But yet, Paul wrote this to the Philippians:

For I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. (Philippians 4:11 AMP)

How can a person be content while being beaten, flogged, stoned, shipwrecked and more?

Contentment while suffering is not normal for us Americans. We want to voice our complaints on social media or wherever there are sympathetic ears who will commiserate with us in our agony. Misery loves company!

So, how could the Apostle Paul learn how to be content?

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NASB)

Although the above scripture is often used to reinforce our super-Christian mentalities, the scriptural context actually implies that Christ’s strength is there for us in our sufferings.

My prayer for 2022 and beyond:

Lord, teach me how to be content in all things for 2022 and the years beyond, whether it is prosperity or bankruptcy, feast or famine, happiness or grief, because You said that Your strength would empower me to face whatever comes my way.

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October 17, 2021 · 10:06 am

Why are our healing prayers so ineffective?

The female pastor walked to the pulpit and began her eulogy for my friend Brad. I have no idea what she said because the Lord chose that moment to speak to me.

I felt Him whisper to my heart:

“My church is a bunch of nice losers. They lay their hands on the sick and pray for them, but when they die, they aren’t mad at all. They don’t check themselves out to see what happened or what they may have done wrong with their prayers and actions. They accept defeats and don’t think any more about them.

“Now, Major League baseball teams are all filled with good players. Each player has to be one of the best in the world to make it to the Major Leagues. Losing teams have good players on their rosters, too. But after a while, losing teams’ players don’t mind losing because after all, they still receive their Major League paychecks and bonuses.

“But winning Major League baseball teams are different. They hate losing and will do anything and whatever it takes to win. They hate losing.

“I want My church to hate losing!”

This time the grief, which hit me, measured a ten on the Richter Scale. (Excerpt from my memoir, The Hunt for Larry Who)

These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” (Mark 16:17-18)

I have prayed for numerous sick people in the last few years. What have been the results? Many have died and others have continued on in their ailments. I’m not exactly a ringing endorsement for the truths of Mark 16:18.

Finally, I am fed up and angry about my efforts!

You see, I mirrored what the Church as a whole has been doing. Like them, I’ve gone through all of the traditional motions. Anointing the sick with oil. Laying hands on them. And tossing prayers out there for their healing. Maybe even fasting a little. But I failed to ask myself some tough questions: why are the sick still dying after my prayers? Why are they still ailing and crippled? What am I doing wrong?

I have become like the losing Major League baseball teams. I didn’t hate losing…until now.

Recently, I sought the Lord on what I was doing wrong.

The Lord showed me that my healing efforts were centered on the hope that one of my gifts – gift of healing, gift of faith or the gift of working of miracles – would show up and the sick person would be healed right then and there on the spot.

Yes, I have seen healing miracles through these gifts over the years, but to be honest, these gifts have not been consistently working through me in the last few years. And from my observations, these gifts haven’t been working that well in the Church as a whole.

You see, the Church and I have been guilty of trying to walk in the gifts used by Kathryn Kuhlman, Oral Roberts, William Branham, Jack Coe, Paul Cain, A. A. Allen and others during the healing revival of the 1940s and 1950s. But the problem is that healing revival is over and the next healing revival has not arrived here as yet. We are living in the in-between time period.

So, what changes am I planning on doing in the future?

But Jesus turned around and when He saw her, He said, “Be of good cheer, your faith has made you well…(Matthew 9:22)

Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way, your faith has made you well… (Mark 10:52)

And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19)

This man was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul looked at him intently and saw that he had faith to be made well (Acts 14:9 NASB)

I plan on giving a short teaching to each person that I pray for. Something like this:

“Listen, I am going to anoint you with oil and lay my hands on you according to James 5:14- 15 which states that my prayer of faith will heal you. Do you believe that? If you are instantly healed, we will both rejoice.

“But if you aren’t instantly healed, do not despair because instant healing is not always the Lord’s way. Instead, it will probably be through your faith. My anointing you with oil and praying a prayer of faith will be your point of contact to activate your faith in the Lord for your healing. Our belief is that the Lord will eventually say to you, ‘Your faith has made you well.’

“Do you believe that?”

Healing by faith works. We need to learn how to walk in it and also teach people how to receive their healing through faith.

Pray for My Friends in Manila

BASECO Slum in Manilla http://www.markpedder.wordpress.com

A missionary friend, Mark Pedder, texted me yesterday evening asking for prayer for a sad happening in Manila, specifically BASECO:

Marco and Marivic’s oldest boy, Nicolai has had a girlfriend for I think the last four years. Her name was Mikey, just 21 years old, beautiful girl. She got pregnant etc, etc…she was full term this week.

She went in to deliver and both mum and child are dead. Then to add to the trauma of the whole thing, due to the virus getting out of control there, all dead bodies are being cremated, so no funerals.

So the body goes from the hospital to the crematory and instead of his girlfriend and a baby, Nicolai gets a pot of ashes. Neither of them were walking with God. No one was allowed in the room with her, so she went through that literally all alone, just very incompetent staff with her at the time. All just her horrific thoughts.

It’s Manila, in a povo’ hospital, so there will be no real way of ever knowing exactly what happened, but Nicolai went from waiting in a waiting room to see his new baby, then waiting at the crematorium for the body to be burn’t…not sure how you carry that.

It’s more or less a 12 hour turn-around from healthy, happy and having a baby, to literally ashes. Very, very sudden.

There is no way she’d be dead if she was in another country. Marco already has so much pressure on him, Marivic is overseas and there are no flights, it would take a miracle for her to be able to get home. There are a lot of other complexities, it’s really a mess. It’s all sort of madness.

My wife Christine is not doing well with it at all.

Mark

These are our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you can, pray for:

Nicolai – the young father.

Marco – Nicolai’s father

Marivic – Nicolai’s mother

Mark and Christine Pedder – missionaries to BASECO.

Father,

We run quickly to Your throne of grace, asking to find mercy and obtain grace to help Nicolai, Marco, Marivic, Mark and Christine right now in their time of need. Our minds can’t wrap around this tragedy, but we know You, Father, can offer each one of them comfort and a peace that will pass all understanding. Only You can do that for them. They need Your Father’s heart of compassion, pouring out Your love on them.

And Father, out of this terrible tragedy, use it for Your good. Raise up Nicolai with a passion for You and Your ways and send Him to the nations.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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May 27, 2020 · 9:12 am

Over 60? Is it too Late to Build a Prayer Life? (Part 4)

praying

Along with our friends, Tony and Janelle, Carol and I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in late 1997 to join The Watch of the Lord prayer ministry and to attend All Nations Church. Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda headed both ministries.

Each of us felt the Lord directed us to move there. Our billfolds lacked money and credit cards, but faith filled our hearts, believing God would somehow supply our needs.

We pooled out money together and rented a room with two double beds at the Charlotte Residence Inn. The room contained less than two hundred square-feet of floor space with a kitchenette, two beds, four chairs, table, and a bathroom.

A mortgage financing company hired the four of us as telephone sales reps on our second day in Charlotte. The company paid its employees on a biweekly basis, which meant our first paychecks arrived two weeks later. This posed a problem because we only had enough money for one week of rent at the motel.

Each morning the four of us gathered together and prayed for our finances, as in, “Oh Lord, help! HELP!”

We introduced ourselves to the church and ministry as soon as it was possible. The members said we were the answers to many prophecies spoken to the group about people moving from different parts of America to be a part of the ministry. Their words encouraged us, but our money still dwindled daily because of food and gas.

A couple from All Nations Church invited us to their home for a small group meeting and Christmas party on the last night of our motel rental. The four of us agreed not to mention our dire financial needs to the group, but instead, we were determined to trust the Father, according to Matthew 6:6 −

But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

The married couple lived in a beautiful new two-story home located in a picturesque area with tall pine trees. It had a large living room, three bedrooms, fireplace, two bathrooms, and large kitchen. A perfect place for four needy, soon to be homeless, believers like us.

The meeting began with Christmas songs and prayers, with the group then waiting on the Lord to hear His voice. The group leader broke the silence by turning to Tony and Janelle.

“Do you guys need something?” he asked, looking at them.

Tony and Janelle shook their heads.

“Not really. The Lord is taking care of us,” said Tony.

The group returned to waiting on the Lord, but the leader was not satisfied and again turned to Tony and Janelle.

“I just don’t feel good about your answers. What do you need?”

Tony and Janelle answered again in the same manner.

“The Lord is taking care of our needs. Thanks for asking.”

The leader would not quit. He continued to ask them what they needed.

“Okay, here’s the story,” Janelle finally said, “we’re out of money for rent and groceries starting tomorrow morning. We don’t know where we shall go or how we’ll survive until we get paid next week.”

How do you think these joyous, Christmas celebrating Christians replied to her statement? And remember: it was December and cold outside.

The group’s leader digested Janelle’s statement for a moment. He motioned with his hands.

“Let’s gather around these two couples and pray for them.”

Tony, Janelle, Carol, and I stood in the middle of the living room while ten Christians placed their hands on our shoulders and prayed. They cried out to the Lord with passion for our circumstances.

I cheated a little by keeping my eyes open and watching the group. Oh Lord, I thought, this looks like the sum total of their aid for our needs. If so, I feel like puking all over their carpet for their level of Christianity.

The rhythm of their prayers reached a crescendo and backed off, waiting for someone to speak.

“I see the Lord raining drops of gold on the four of you,” prophesied a woman. “And all you have to do is reach up by faith and grab what you need. Just reach up right now.”

The prayers ended and we sat down again.

What a convenient prophecy, I thought. They actually believe they don’t have to help us in our time of need because of the woman’s prophetic words. Shouldn’t someone ask how much gold we were able to cram into our pockets during the prayers? Why did the Holy Spirit unmask our financial needs? To reveal our lack of faith or to reveal the group’s hypocrisy?

Various types of Christmas cookies, fudge candy, sandwiches, chips, and potato salad kept the four of us busy after the prayers. We stuffed ourselves and then graciously said our goodbyes and left.

The four of us did our best to pray blessings on the group and forgive them for their lack of hospitality on our drive back to the motel.

We checked out of the motel the next morning, packed our cars, and went to work. After our phone sales shift, we drove to a large shopping mall and stayed there until it closed at 9 p.m. We then drove both cars behind a large motel and slept in our cars.

How we handled the cold December temperatures was out of necessity rather than comfort. We only started our engines when the cold became unbearable. As soon as they warmed up, we turned the engines off to conserve fuel.

This routine continued for days.

I now wonder about the what if’s, such as, what if we had been four fluffy Golden Retriever puppies abandoned by a cruel master on the couple’s front steps. Would the small group have ignored our pleading eyes and whimpering yelps, allowing us to freeze to death outside in the cold weather? I don’t think so because that’s too inhumane, right?

But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth (1 John 3:17-18).

If we want to build our prayer lives, we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that we might end up being the answer to someone else’s prayers. If we don’t want to do that, why even pray, right?

(Continued in Part 5)

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Filed under America, Christianity, Church, Faith, Prayer

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Faith, Prayer