DISCIPLINE#3 OF 12 - PRAYER

 THE BMIC BLAST: JANUARY 2025

MY NEW BOOK: ACTIVATE - "UNLEASH THE PRAYER WARRIOR WITHIN"

It is with great humility and joy I wish to announce the release of my brand new book ACTIVATE: PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE REVEALED, Volume 1.  The Focus of this book is laid out right there at the foot of the front cover – “UNLEASH THE POWER OF PRAYER. ENERGIZE YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH”.

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The concept of Prayer has been studied so many ways, in so many forms that I think the original intent of the Founding Father – Almighty God, sometimes gets lost in the drive to create a movement, a mania or a “new way of praying”. This is not the thinking behind ACTIVATE.

Our view of God and His thinking determines our worldview as well as the quality of our relationship with Him. A small view of Abba leaves us in the dust with the majority of mankind and the vast majority of Christians. The latter group may be saved, but not much else. A big view of God leads opens up the eyes of our hearts to the untold riches of Kingdom which we could never imagine possible.

This is why I decided to take some very important chapters of the entire Bible, go through them page by page and discover the prayers of God’s people. We know that ALL Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Book of Genesis is obviously the very first place to begin to understand what Prayer really is. It is a conversation between God our Creator and His redeemed – us.  The very first prayer is so interesting and from there, we proceed all the way through to this mighty Book of Beginnings.

Chapter 2 of ACTIVATE will surprise a lot of people. As aforementioned, just like the Constitution of the United States, the key is Original Intent. In other words, how does God really want us to pray. I do not follow the book layout of the Bible, but God’s thinking after He gave us the Genesis or Beginnings of Prayer.

Therefore, the very next chapter of Activate is a full deep sea dive into the Book of James! There is a reason this little book of five short chapters, almost at the end of every bible, is so critical. We first have to understand just who the Apostle James really is! He was the unsaved half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself until after the Resurrection where the Bible makes a point of saying that Jesus showed Himself to 500 AND JAMES!  James was once one of His siblings who thought their older brother was a little of our His Mind. The Resurrection changed all that as two of the Lord’s brothers, who were direct sons of Joseph, wrote books in the Bible. They are James and Jude.

While the Sermon on the Mount is the definitive standard for Christian living, the Book of James is the standard for Christian conduct in everyday life situations. It is also the standard for prayer. There are no prayers in the Book of James. However, the great leader of the Church in Jerusalem – James, gives the most in-depth and beautiful teaching on HOW to pray, than any other book of the Bible.  This amazing instructional is called “The Mechanics of Prayer”.

James was called “Camel Knees”. It is no wonder that God revealed these teachings to His servant James to pass on to us, because only a fervent man of effective prayer could have written what we examined in Chapter 2 of this new book.

Some of the most critical issues of life, from matters of the soul to personal matters are not just addressed by the Lord in His Word here, but He explicitly demonstrates how His free people can approach Him, in prayer. This is more than a “How-to” manual straight from the Source. But it is a hands on, and pro-active examination which, if done as the men and women of the Bible shows us how, will put our spiritual maturity growth spurt on steroids.

God made us for relationship, first with Him and then others. In fact, Jesus said these are the two greatest commandments for anyone who ever lived. We nurture and grow that relationship with Abba Father ONLY through prayer. Proper application of the lessons learned from the Bible in this book – Activate – will unleash AND power the inner prayer warrior in us.
ACTIVATE (eBOOK AND/OR PAPERBACK IS AVAILABLE HERE ON AMAZON.COM)

PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF GENESIS #7

RESOLVED: CONFIDENT PRAYER BRINGS RESULTS

12 Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:12-14)

As in the days when Jesus spoke of the unbelievers who looked “for signs and wonders”, many are looking for the same today. They seek  physical manifestation, through signs, instead of trust by Faith. It is the old “Doubting Thomas Syndrome”, which permeates a lot of modern Christianity.  However, this unique prayer, early on in human history, is different in so many ways.

The name of Abraham’s apparent most trusted servant/right hand man is not made known, because the Spirit of the Living God is leading the faithful to focus more on HOW the faithful servant went about his mission. There is some thought that Eliezer was this faithful servant, seeing that he is the closest advisor and friend to the great Abraham. The faithful servant was entrusted by Abraham to go back to his own family in Haran to find a wife  who was not a pagan like the vile Canaanites, for the latter’s son, Isaac. Isaac was the vehicle through whom the God of Heaven would start His new paradigm, via the Hebrews.  Before looking closer at this prayer, please read Genesis 24:6-8 to get the serious instructions to walk away, if the leading of the Lord is not there.

This is an important truth for us Christians, in these last days. We need to remember that whatever we are going through, we ARE going through and it will be a lot easier to let God lead the way. He knows the way, holds sway, rules the day and if He is so inclined to say, we need to just walk away. This is the gist of the teaching from Abraham’s instruction to Eliezer if he discerns the woman not to be what God ordained.

That being said, let us dive, portion by portion, into not just the prayer, but the submissive heart and humility of this servant of Abraham.

-          “Oh LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day” (verse 12a)…being a sent man on a mission, from the Lord’s major prophet of the day, the servant seeks to please the master (Abraham) and not returned empty-handed from this, to which he had sworn to Abraham. The success he seeks is not for his personal gain. There is absolutely nothing wrong with praying for our mission to assist someone else to be a fruitful venture. Unlike the majority of mankind, we do have access to the Throne of Grace, and our Heavenly Father loves it when we just give even the smallest matter to Him.  This way, we exhibit our complete Faith in God.

-          “Behold, here I stand by the well of water….”(verse 13a)….when you and I place a matter before the LORD,  it is absolutely incumbent on us to leave it there and not run hither, tither and yon trying to then try to address the matter ourselves.  When we give something to the Lord, in faith, and pray for His Mighty Hand to bless, address or redress the matter – stay put, don’t try to replace God and allow Him to be Who we say and know He is. Psalm 46:10 is explicit in its instruction “be still and know that I am God”!                              

-          “Now let it be….”(verse  14a)….”let her be the one (verse 14b)…..and by this I will know (verse 14b)….these are the words (prayers) of a man who is confident, firm and completely sure of his relationship with God! The application for us is to do likewise and be clear in our intercession. Such clarity is always answered, at least in my experience, and definitely Abraham’s servant. He had to know the closeness the relationship between his master and the Great God of Heaven Who spoke directly and with no confusion in His Words, to Abraham. So he obviously expected the same kinds of answers and signs from Above, knowing that he was on a mission from one of God’s favored prophets of all time!

Does God answer such confident, bold, direct, clear and expectant prayer? You bet He does. Look at Genesis 24:15 “And it happened…!” It happened! God answered as clearly and directly as Abraham’s servant prayed.

Finally, we must never allow God’s love, grace, mercy and compassion and His answers to our prayers be showered upon us, without being overwhelmed by gratitude. When the Lord answered Abraham’s servant’s intercessory plea on behalf of his master’s request for a wife for Isaac, look at how a true believer in God should respond here in Genesis 24:27 “And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” 

~Amen~

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PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF GENESIS #4

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND

“He said, “O Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it?” (Genesis 15:8)

This very short prayer packs one of the biggest punches in history. We all know what became of this direct promise to God, not so much to Abraham as a mortal man with limited years to live, but to his seed and the vast array of his descendants. God had previously promised Abraham (Abram at the time) many descendants, which included those grafted into the Kingdom among the Gentiles (us) who believe in Christ and the Promise. Now, the Creator promised His servant the Land in which his untold millions of descendants would live.  As history records, both secular and Biblical, this land was Canaan, the pagan lands first settled by the wayward cursed grandson of Noah.

In this prayer, Abraham asked God one question "how may I know that I will possess it?" This answer was not for the man from Ur of the Chaldeans to know! The answer to this prayerful and thoughtful question was "bring Me a sacrifice"!

Now anyone who has been walking with the Lord for any good period of time, knows not just His sense of Humor, but HOW He answers our questions and prayers. Remember, His Ways are not our ways and while we may question "why" He may choose to respond (or not respond) the way He does, we must remain humble and grateful that He even responds to us. God owes us nothing but His wrath against our sin and it is only when we understand His mercy, grace, long-suffering and compassion that we will grasp why He answers one short question with the command to go get a sacrifice for Him.

He says in verse 9 "Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he (Abraham)brought all these to Him". Our Heavenly Father may guide, direct or command us to do something completely out of our comfort zone when our puny minds are set on one-directional responses for our immediate gratification. I remember a time when I was very down, if not depressed, over a matter and felt led to go help serve dinner at a Christian homeless mission. Lo and behold, with my mind being occupied doing things for somebody else and seeing the love through hungry eyes of the wonderful residents of that home, my troubles did not seem so bad afterwards, and all my self-pity was gone.

Let us remember when God does this, there is always a reason. God does not waste time like us or utter useless words. He answered a question about His Timing about His own generous plan with a lesson for Abraham on godly patience.  It was not an unfair question. Abraham had been wandering in the desert, it seems, and getting in skirmishes with kings etc. so it was entirely understandable that he wanted a place to plant his large contingent of employees and family. 

In the final analysis, ours is not to ask or reason why but to place our complete Faith and Trust in the One Who called us by His Grace. He has so many good things, plans and thoughts for us that if we just hold on, do not lose our minds or place and rely fully on Him, through pray and fellowship with Him, we can never go wrong. This is the absolute loving and awesome God we serve. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS #2

LOVE IN ACTION

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)
Oh that we too shall pray like the Apostle does here in verse 9! This is one of the most powerful prayers of the entire Scriptures, neatly hidden in plain sight! Here is what a man of God - Paul - writes from a prison cell: 
- He prays that the Love we should have for our brethren in the Faith grows by leaps and bounds.
- He prays for us, (through the Church at Philippi) may growing in actual doctrine and theological knowledge of the Oracles and Word of God. The word oracles is used in Romans 3:2.
- He prays for us (since ALL Scripture was written THEN for us NOW, for our instruction ) to UNDERSTAND the knowledge we are learning.
- He prays that because of THAT understanding that we remain authentic and with as little sin as possible until Christ calls us home!

Should this prayer not be obvious to us Christians who believe and stand firmly on the Word of God? Yes it should, but is it put into action? In the west, we can hardly get preachers and teachers to remember and pray for our persecuted brethren in the middle east, Asia or elsewhere. Christianity is an "inside-the-four-walls" system in most churches. There may be an acknowledgment of the lost and hurting outside church walls, but little is done to change that downward spiral. But here is a real encouragement to our prayer lives, which can have a positive impact, that leads to proactive solutions.

As simple as this model prayer from Paul is, it behooves us to add its pattern to our prayer lives, in order than we may grow richer in grace and love while blessing others. This is imperative as we see in verse 11. By following the progression of this prayer, as Paul demonstrates in his many flow charts of the attributes we need for spiritual maturity, that we are lifting high the Name of Jesus and the Father.

He is saying in this prayer that Prayer, rich in love, growing into knowledge and understanding will certify us as authentic and whole, until we are home with Christ. Therefore a life, which reflects such a solid lifestyle, visible to all around us (fruits of righteousness) will lead many to see the Power of God visible in you, and all of us, who glorify Him by our actions and obvious Christian character!

This is transformation aglow! Oh, that we may be so worthy! May such active and repeatable prayer lead to many seek the peace, power and loving arms of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES - THE BOOK OF JAMES, #2

THE METHODOLOGY OF ANTI-TEMPTATION PRAYER

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:12-15)

The second important prayer of the Book of James follows immediately after the directive to pray for Wisdom. If any more evidence is needed of James’ concern for the sanctification of the believer, look no further than his Prayer Directives. First, the Lord’s half-brother exhorts us to “ask our generous God” if we are in need of Wisdom.  This need will cover 100% of all Christians. However, immediately following that, James moves from the foundation of Wisdom to the Perseverance of the Saints.

His teaching on patiently enduring “testing and temptation”  illumines us on the sources of both while driving us to our knees. Indirectly, James shows us God’s plan for us to be able to successfully maneuver through these treacherous times in the Christian life. We can grasp this truth easily.  It is based on the knowledge that everything James, the head of the Christian church in ground zero of Judeo-Christianity – Jerusalem- taught, pointed us to a closer relationship with God. He accomplished that in what the English translators put as five chapters of the Book of James.

There is no doubt that testing is from the Lord and temptation from the devil. Please do not confuse both by thinking they have the same sources, when Biblical Truth says otherwise. If it were not for the testing and discipline of the Lord, none of His Elect – true Christians – would grow in maturity and sanctification to be more like Christ.  How we respond to this testing leads to either more and intense radical testing of our faith and commitment to Christ, or a higher level of knowledge of the Holy. Either scenario depends, in full measure, on our positional relationship to prayer.

Testing leads to perseverance which leads to spiritual maturity and the reward of the Christian life well lived. Temptation had better lead us to prayer or we will fall, as too many Godly people have, in human history. Temptation should lead us to pray Scripture immediately while RUNNING AWAY from it.

Jesus Himself gave the order in Matthew 26:41 ~~“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!"

Sometimes we cannot see the tempter or the temptress and are blindsided. As far as humanly possible, flee and depart from it, her or him – IMMEDIATELY. Reject it as from the devil and pray the situation at once into the Hands of the Lord, knowing that we are mortal flesh under demonic attack. The Lord will honor that and deliver from all evil.

Knowing Scripture is a powerful weapon against temptation as Jesus Himself demonstrated three times when the devil tempted the hungry and thirsty Messiah in the desert. Three statements dismissed the evil one as Jesus responded “IT IS WRITTEN” to every single temptation. The great Martin Luther wrote in “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” that “one little word shall fell him (the devil”). That Word is the Name of JESUS. Sometimes our prayers are simply the confident recitation of God’s Word back at the tempting situation or person and the command to “be gone, in the Name of Jesus”. When possible, speak it out loud! That will not only preach, but will pray!

Psalm 119:11 says “Thy Word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against thee”.  A follower of Christ who is read up, prayed up and stayed up on Jehovah is absolutely less likely to fall if the Word of God richly dwells and abides in such a one! 2 Peter 2:9 (the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment)is therefore what we stand on as our promise and the REASON we have to pray or say the Word for victory over Temptation. It says:”

This is unorthodox in method, but it is a level of prayer which the man or woman of God has to mature into, if we wish to live in the victory which is promised the believer. What an exciting thing James has led us to, as we blow open the Word, from his inspired words, to expand our universe of how indeed, we grow deeper in relationship with our Lord!

(Graphic Source Here)

PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF JOB, Prayer #2

Have you ever tried debating with God and calling it “praying”? Basically that is what we do when we start questioning Him about why did “thus and such happen to me”….or to someone very close to us. It is very easy for even the best students of the Bible and even long time prayer warriors to temporarily misunderstand the ways and even motives of God while praying about circumstances.

On the surface, in the many long discourses apparently between Job and his friends, it seems like major theological debate society stuff. However, in several instances,  he is clearly speaking to the Lord...as we pick that message up right here:

JOB CHAPTER 9 (25-35)

25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner;

They flee away, they see no good.

26 They pass by like swift ships,

Like an eagle swooping on its prey.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’

28 I am afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that You will not hold me innocent.

29 If I am condemned,

Why then do I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow water,

And cleanse my hands with soap,

31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes will abhor me.

32 “For He is not a man, as I am,

That I may answer Him,

And that we should go to court together.

33 Nor is there any mediator between us,

Who may lay his hand on us both.

34 Let Him take His rod away from me,

And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,

But it is not so with me.

The first part of this prayer (verses 25-28a) is more like a statement of self-pity before the Lord, but then all of a sudden Job address the Lord directly about what He would do! This is potentially a dangerous thing to pray, unless you and I are walking flawlessly in His Grace and Favor and we are not bent on trying shake our fists in the Holy Face of our Great God in Heaven!

Job was a blessed man that God did hold him innocent just as He will hold you and I innocent if we are forgiven and Jesus is our Lord. But when you read Job chapters 38 and on, you will see that God was not too happy with Job's incorrect assertions about Him!

There is a strange turn in the prayer here in Verses 29-32 where Job is posits the fact that though God may consider him an innocent man, how come he is in all this abhorrent pain, suffering and troubles with horrid sores and sights about him. Briefly put, Job says "why me, Lord, what have I ever done, to deserve even one...or this punishment I've known"....!!

However there is a lesson for us in verses 33-35 and it should affect the way we pray to Almighty God.  First of all, we are more fortunate than Job! Why? Contrary to what Job said in verse 33, we DO HAVE A MEDIATOR!! Christ was not yet alive on earth as a man nor was He risen from the dead to be our Advocate before the Father. But HE IS OUR MEDIATOR RIGHT NOW! Old Testament saints faced the stark reality that it was the Holy and often Fearsome Living God they faced and often thought it hard to please Him. Never mind He kept showing His patience, love and long-suffering through the prophets over and over and over again!!!

So let us learn from Job and replace some words in verse 33 with gratitude to our great God in Heaven that we do have a Mediator and an Intercessor - Christ the Lord - who will lay His Hands of healing and power upon us if we just ask Him.

Secondly, let us learn that because of this Truth of Christ our Savior and Judge before the Father, we really have not much to fear past what evil men can do to us.  The Scripture says "the Lord is on my side, what can man unto me? The Lord taketh my part with those that bless me therefore I shall see my reward against those that hate me". (Psalm 118:6-7). Jesus Christ - GOD - is LITERALLY on our side and as the Word says "oh, death, where is thy sting?!"

So thirdly, as Job realized, at least for this go around of prayer, if he had a mediator, he could speak to God and not fear him. We HAVE a mediator now but do not access Him as we should. Even four plus thousand years ago, a simple man of strong faith, knew his God (and ours) was a personal God and "maybe there is a possibility that I could get close to him"! You and I have the major opportunity to so do right now, in the body, mind and spirit. We ARE close to God! If we are born again, He lives in us via the Holy Spirit and you cannot get any closer to the Father than this very fact!

So let us press on in prayer!

NEW!!! PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF JOB, Prayer #1

The Bible is more than just an amazing historical record of God's redemption plan for all mankind, for all time. It is a living breathing document, occupied by the Spirit of God for the man or woman of God's instruction. It is also a book of Prayer as well as the Book of Life! 

The Bible is also full of the most amazing prayers ever prayed and prayers which should illustrate to us: both how we should pray; when we should pray and sometimes how we should not pray!

Prayer was not just for the saints mentioned in God's Word or for when there is a tragedy or a health emergency but it is the only methodology, given by God, by which we stay connected to the Creator and...to tell you the truth, it is the only way to live an authentic Christian life. To that end, I chose the very first Scriptures ever written (chronologically) - the Book of Job and to briefly look at some of the prayerful offerings of that great man.  Moses wrote the Torah, the Book of Beginnings (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) around 1500 BC but Job was alive before the time of Abraham (2000 BC) and was closer to creation than anyone else mentioned in detailed. In fact, God Himself, through the Power of His Spirit, revealed more details in the Book of Job. The trials and thoughts of Job are of great significance to Christians today because many of us would either go through similar circumstances and still get it wrong about God. Therefore, it is worthwhile to examine the way he prayed what Scripture reveals in relation to it, knowing that Scripture explains inspired- Scripture.

So, here is Prayer #1, gleaned from The Book of Job:
"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." (Job 1:20-22)

There are some really important observations here:
1. Job's ripping off his mantle shows his rank in his society at the time, which was very high and of tremendous wealth and importance. Still, he threw off his earthly rank, shaved his head and humbled himself. Since this was before the Law of the Lord, (over 500 years before it was given to Moses), Job was not violating the Torah but simply showing his inner knowledge of his Creator who gave that high position in society to begin with.  For us, the lesson is to never forget that we are who we are, and where we are because of Whose we are! It is all about God and nothing else. He owns everything, made everything and controls everything and nothing moves without Him.

2. After humbling himself, by the act described in point #1, Job went face down before the Lord and worshiped Him! The lesson for us is this - when we cry out to God in times of huge trouble, do not be surprised if the answer back from Abba is "Seek My Face"! He said so Himself in Psalm 27:7-8 "Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. In times of personal trauma and trouble - worship your way out of crisis. I have found this to be true.

3. Acknowledge Him. Job realized from when cometh both his help and his trials...and praised God for both "the Lord gave and the Lord taketh away....". Can we bless God and glorify Him in times of sickness, financial disaster and other catastrophes? This is the test!

4. Do not blaspheme God in your trials. Job never sinned in that sense. It is absolutely human to question God and ask "why me"....or "God, how could You let this happen to me (us...or such and such a person)! Who has not done that? However, please be careful even in your questioning of God as it can go over the line as Job did in the long discourses in the middle of the Book of Job. How God answered Job was amazing and a study for another time. The lesson here is question the Lord respectfully and accept His explanation, which most likely will be "wait or My Grace is sufficient for thee"!