Issue 1 - Fall 2017

Living Messages
For Family Life and Christian Living
Issue #1
FEATURING
A Disciplined Christian..............3
Waiting On The Lord...................5
My Amazing Story ......................8
Our Children and Our Teens.....10
Dear Teenager..........................12
Let’s Start A Revival! ...............13
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FROM OUR FAMILY
TO YOURS
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the love of Jesus.
It has been a while since I last published an issue
of Living Messages. I am finally fully retired and plan
on dedicating my time to writing and publishing Living
Messages on a seasonal basis. My prayer is that you
will be blessed with this edition.
Pauline and I have been married for 52 years.
Our four children have given us a total of twelve
grandchildren, our two oldest grandchildren are now
married, and we have one great-grandchild! It is a
blessing to have all of them live within about an hour
from us.
Living Messages is not sponsored by any church or
organization. I receive no salary from Living Messages.
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ministry of Living Messages and are acknowledged
with a letter of thanks and a tax-deductible receipt. Your
letters are an encouragement to me. I look forward to
hearing from you.
Unless otherwise indicated all messages are written
by me. I write these messages from my heart. Please
read them with a prayerful attitude. Allow the Holy
Spirit to convict your heart, and then trust God to
give you the grace and determination to apply these
messages to your daily life. Please write to me, and let
me know how God has been moving in your life.
May the Lord bless you, your family, and your
church through Living Messages. Amen.
Your servant,
Phil Cannistraci, Editor
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“A DISCIPLINED
CHRISTIAN”
(I Cor. 9:24-27)
The dictionary definition of DISCIPLINE is “training
that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties
or moral character.” When parents properly discipline
their children they are giving them a type of training
that CORRECTS, MOLDS, AND PERFECTS THEM
MENTALLY AND MORALLY.
Self-discipline, however, is the unpleasant task
of disciplining ourselves by correcting ourselves,
even when we hate to be wrong. In other words, we
actually force ourselves to change our will and our
ways, even when we don’t feel like it. There is a severe
lack of SELF-DISCIPLINE in our society. Everywhere
we look, people are seeking escape from trouble,
opposition, work, and responsibility. The trend today is
to seek the easy way out.
The great patriot Patrick Henry said, “I know not
what course others may take but, as for me, GIVE ME
LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!” That’s courage,
determination, and discipline. General Douglas Mac
Arthur was disciplined and courageous when he said:
“There is no substitute for victory!”
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Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest praying
presidents, failed in business twice, was defeated 8
times in politics, and among other disappointments,
he suffered a nervous breakdown. He endured a total
of 30 years of heartache and failure before becoming
President of the United States. However, he made
it a TOP PRIORITY and, with much discipline, HE
FINALLY DID WIN!
SELF-DISCIPLINE
In our text, the apostle Paul is referring to the games
and sporting events of Greece. This particular event
was celebrated every four years near Corinth, Greece.
It included five exercises of leaping, discus throwing,
racing, boxing, and wrestling. I Cor. 9:26 specifically
speaks of running/racing and fighting/boxing. During
the ten months leading up to this event, the athletes
would be in continuous training and keep themselves
under strict discipline. Participants would sacrifice
comfort and pleasure in hopes of winning the special
wreath crown of honor.
In this passage, the apostle Paul also describes
the life of A DISCIPLINED CHRISTIAN. If we, as
Christians, do not practice self-discipline, we may find
ourselves being disorganized, even unstable, unfaithful,
and undependable. We will usually try to get our own
way, be easily offended, and unable to successfully face
opposition without fussing, arguing, or complaining.
If you are not a disciplined Christian, you may find
yourself blaming others for your difficulties. You may
even blame God. You may find yourself giving up on
your financial responsibilities, blaming your wife or
husband for your problems, and even calling it quits
on your marriage. You may become critical of other
Christians or critical of your church. It takes strict
discipline to go against the temptation to be critical of
others and refrain from talking about others.
You may be a good person, read religious books,
you may have listened to many sermons, served on
church committees, and you may feel religious or quite
spiritual. However, unless you add self-discipline to
every aspect of your Christian life, you will not keep
your spiritual victory and joy, and you will not be able
to be a contented, disciplined Christian!!
RUNNING TO WIN
Notice that verse 24 says, “So run that you may
obtain” or run in such a way as to receive the prize. The
attitude of such a Christian is as one running a race.
He is running to win the prize. Spiritual Christians will
always be running in the direction of spiritual growth.
Their underlying motivation is to live right and to
please the Lord in all that they do.
Verse 25 says that he “is temperate or has selfcontrol
in all things.” Self-control is a fruit of the spirit,
but it will not be a part of our Christian lives without
self-discipline. A disciplined Christian keeps himself
under strict training. There will be times when he must
deny himself of all personal comfort and ease. He must
be ready to go against any unspiritual tendency and be
determined to not compromise with even the smallest
of sins.
Verse 25 also says that athletes are disciplined
to receive a crown that will not last or one that is
corruptible. However, we bring our bodies under
subjection to receive a crown that is incorruptible, that
will last forever. In the athletic competitions of Paul’s
day, the winner of a race would receive a perishable
wreath crown. We, as Christians, must run our spiritual
race with a determination to receive our imperishable
spiritual crown in heaven and hear our Lord say, “Well
done, thou good and faithful servant.”
There are many church-attending Christians who
have never experienced a real salvation experience
resulting in a supernatural assurance of one’s sins being
forgiven. Our salvation was paid for by the death of
Jesus on the cross and confirmed by His resurrection
from the dead. We are all born as sinners and must
place our faith in Jesus as our own personal Savior by
asking Jesus to forgive us of our sins.
Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me.” (Luke 8:23) It takes self-denial and selfdiscipline
to humbly admit that we are sinners and to
humbly surrender to Jesus as the Lord and Master of
our lives. However, once we accept Jesus as our Savior
and surrender our hearts and lives to Him, He will give
us the Holy Spirit with the power and strength to live
happy and successful Christian lives.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Do you have a meaningful quiet time or devotions
every day? It requires self-discipline to spend quality
time in prayer and in God’s Word everyday. We
must discipline ourselves to spend time in QUIET
THANKFULNESS AND PRAYER. Every day, we
must also READ THE WORD OF GOD, STUDY IT,
FEED ON IT, LIVE BY IT IN EVERY ASPECT OF
OUR LIVES, AND BE WILLING TO EVEN DIE
FOR OUR FAITH IN GOD’S WORD!
In verse 26, Paul was running toward a desired goal.
Paul had an overpowering goal to deny his natural
tendencies and, instead, yield to God’s Spirit and obey
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God’s Word. Without self-discipline in our Christian
lives, we will not grow spiritually and accomplish our
spiritual goals.
RULING OUR OWN SPIRIT
A DISCIPLINED CHRISTIAN must also learn to
CONTROL OR RULE HIS OR HER OWN SPIRIT OR
ATTITUDE. In Proverbs 25:28 we read, “He that has
no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken
down and without walls.” In Old Testament times,
most cities had a large wall around them as a defense
against the enemy. Are you like a city without walls
of defense? Do the circumstances and the pressures of
your life rule over you? Or do you stand strong in your
faith and effectively use the Bible as your shield of faith
against the adverse circumstances of life? Do you know
the Bible well enough to stand on the promises of God
and effectively use God’s Word as your spiritual sword
against the temptations of your flesh to sin?
In Proverbs 16:32 we read, “He that is slow to anger
is better than the mighty, and he that rules his spirit [or
controls his temper] than he that takes a city.” It is not
easy to be in control of our own spirit. If we would
begin to discipline ourselves by taking control of our
mind and emotions in the same way that the athletes
discipline their bodies, we would become strong and
well-disciplined Christians.
Earl Britain, my friend and mentor, was one of three
most influential men in my Christian life. In World War
I, he experienced being under continuous shellfire for
97 days in “the hundred day offensive” which included
the battle of the Argonne Forest near Bantheville,
France. Years later, he wrote the following words:
“When everyone else is ANGRY, that’s the time for
you to KEEP SWEET. When everyone else is running,
that’s the time for you to watch your feet.
When everyone else is excited, that’s the time for you
to keep calm. When everyone else shows their hatred,
that’s the time for you to show love.
When everyone else looks at earthly things, that’s the
time for you to look above.
When everyone else shows their selfishness,
that’s the time for you to give.
When everyone else is perishing,
You will be just beginning to live!!!”
A GOOD SOLDIER
The apostle Paul said to Timothy in II Tim. 2:3,
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ.” What is a good soldier? A good soldier
is well-trained, well-disciplined, ready to serve, and
ready for battle. Are you willing to endure criticism and
opposition? Sometimes it will come from your wife,
your husband, your parents, or your family. Sometimes
it will come from church members or from those on
your job. It’s all part of ENDURING HARDNESS! It’s
all part of becoming A GOOD SOLDIER in the Lord.
Discipline takes time. It must be learned and practiced.
We must go against our selfish tendencies and our
fleshly temptations. We must go against our pride and
our ego. We must obey God’s Word. We must place
the Lord and the Lord’s work first in our lives. We
must place our mates and our family before ourselves.
Sometimes it will require us to step on our pride and
humble ourselves in our relationship with our wife or
husband, even when we think we are right.
CONTROLLING OUR BODIES
Verse 27 says, “I keep under my body and bring it
into subjection.” He kept the natural appetites of his
body under his control. A DISCIPLINED CHRISTIAN
not only stays in control of his or her spirit but also
their body. The apostle Peter admonishes us in I Pet.
2:11 to “Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against
the soul.” Do you indulge when you should abstain?
Just watching T.V. or the internet can easily activate
fleshly lusts and increase our love and our desire for the
things of the world more than the things of God. John
Wesley’s mother said, “anything which increases the
authority of the body over the mind is an evil thing.”
Paul practiced self-discipline on a daily basis. May God
help us to follow Paul’s example. We, as Christians,
can be victorious and more than conquerors if we, on a
daily basis, deny ourselves and discipline ourselves.
In I Pet. 5:5-10, the apostle Peter advises us to
“be clothed with humility.” He tells us to “humble
ourselves under the mighty hand of God.” He warns
us to “be sober” and to “resist the devil.” Lastly, he
reminds us that “after we have suffered awhile” by selfdenial
and self-discipline, God will “perfect us” and He
“will establish us, strengthen us, and settle us”!
Norm Swensen, who was pastor of a large church
for many years, suffered a stroke, became paralyzed
on one side and was placed in a nursing home. Every
time that I have visited him, he was often anxious for
the Lord to heal him so that he could return to active
ministry. However, during this last visit he said to me,
“Phil, I now know why I am here.” I said, “Really, why
are you here?” He, very seriously said, “the Lord wants
me to learn patience.” Imagine that! A great man of
God in his 80’s is realizing he is in need of gaining
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more patience in his Christian life. Pastor Norm had to
discipline himself to accept this verdict from the Lord.
We, likewise, are in need of spiritual growth until we
arrive in Heaven.
If we are active, disciplined Christians, our
testimony can be the same as Paul’s when he said, “I
can do all things through Christ which strengthens
me.” (Php. 4:13) Our final testimony can be the same
as Paul’s when he said, “I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith” 2 Tim.
4:7.
If we want God’s blessing on our lives, our
marriages, our families, and on our churches, we must
become disciplined Christians who trust in God every
day of our lives.
P.C.
“STAYING IN TUNE”
12 STEPS FOR DAILY
DEVOTIONS
1. Pray and ask for forgiveness of your sins in
thought, word, or action.
2. Thank the Lord for His forgiveness and any
answered prayers.
3. Pray for others.
4. Ask the Lord to feed you by His Word and to
fill you with the power of His Holy Spirit.
5. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and to guide
your day in His will.
6. Read and study the Word of God with a study
Bible or commentary.
7. Allow God to speak to your heart, not just your
mind.
8. Allow God to feed and inspire you by what
you read.
9. Be ready to obey God’s Word.
10. Lean on the Lord’s strength more than your
ability and strength.
11. Commit yourself to a Bible believing church
and serve in that church as unto the Lord.
12. You will be learning to stay in tune with God!
*Note: Whatever it takes for you to get alone with
God and His Word, do it with all your heart! If you
fail in any of these steps, try starting again from
step #1! ~ P.C.
“WAITING ON
THE LORD”
(Isaiah 40:28-31, Joshua 14:5-14)
T
he great New England preacher Phillips Brooks
was usually calm and relaxed during times of
crisis. His intimate friends, however, knew that he also
suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One
day a friend saw him pacing the floor like a caged lion.
“What is the trouble Dr. Brooks?” asked the friend. Dr.
Brooks replied, “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but
God isn’t!” (From “Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations”
#7l34, by Paul Lee Tan, Assurance Publishers)
SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH
Does our text say, “They that wait upon the Lord…
shall have all their problems solved?” “They that wait
upon the Lord…shall escape all tragedy and trouble?”
No, a thousand times no! “But they that wait upon the
Lord SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH!” God will
give us RENEWED STRENGTH during any trouble or
tragedy if we learn to patiently wait on Him and trust
Him in spite of the adverse circumstances in our lives.
There will be times we will have to wait for the
will of God. Abraham had to wait for Isaac the son of
promise. Moses had to wait forty years on the backside
of the desert. It was said of Moses that he was the
meekest man on earth. He must have learned many
lessons in life in order to produce such meekness.
Sometimes we learn and grow most in our spiritual
lives while patiently WAITING ON THE LORD on the
backside of a deserted, lonely time of our lives.
In our scripture reading of Joshua 14, the Israelites
were dividing the land of Canaan. Caleb was 40 years
old when he received the promise of his inheritance,
but he had to WAIT ON THE LORD until age 85 to
see the promise fulfilled. When we pray for something,
sometimes God says YES, sometimes God says NO,
but sometimes God says WAIT ON ME. God may not
answer your prayer when you want. However, God is
always on perfect timing if we obey His Word and learn
to patiently WAIT ON HIM.
In verse 11, we read that Caleb’s strength at 85 was
as good as it was when he was 40. Caleb had to WAIT
ON THE LORD until the time came for the fulfillment
of God’s promise to him. But God renewed Caleb’s
strength continuously through those 45 years of his
WAITING ON THE LORD until he was 85. Likewise,
God will renew your emotional and spiritual strength
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also as you wait on Him!
Caleb, after waiting many years, was ready as ever
to enter God’s plan for his life. He didn’t say, “It’s too
late” or “I’m too old.” Caleb said in verse 12, “...if so
be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able…as the
Lord said.”
Caleb was saying to Joshua, “It’s time for me to
stake my claim! I’ve waited long enough! I’m ready to
defeat the enemy! I want to live on this mountain!”
Caleb was saying, I have FULLY FOLLOWED
THE LORD. I have BECOME A MAN OF FAITH AND
A MAN OF PATIENCE. I have patiently WAITED ON
THE LORD, and THE LORD HAS FOUND DELIGHT
IN ME. I AM READY TO CLAIM GOD’S PROMISE.
Therefore, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!
If you will patiently WAIT ON THE LORD, then,
in due season and in God’s timing, you will be able
to say in faith like Caleb, “Give me this mountain!”
Perhaps it’s time for you to say, “With God all things
are possible,” “If God be for us who can be against us?”
“The Lord is the strength of my life.” Perhaps it’s time
for you to say, “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.”
God is looking for men, women, teens, boys, and
girls who have learned to not give in to hardship or
discouragement. He is looking for those who will take
a stand for God and stay in the battle right to the end
against all opposition by the world, the flesh, and the
devil. Will you be among them? In verses 13 and 14
we read that Joshua gave the land to Caleb because “he
completely followed the Lord.” If we want to completely
follow the Lord, we must spend time everyday in prayer
and in God’s Word and put God first in our lives by
obeying His Word. Are you ready to completely follow
the Lord and go all out for God? You can do it, and you
should do it right away!
WITH WINGS AS EAGLES
Back to our passage of Isaiah 40:31: They that wait
upon the Lord shall not only “renew their strength,” but,
secondly, “THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS
AS EAGLES!”
When a mother eagle makes a nest for her eggs, she
also gathers sharp objects like sticks and thorns and then
covers them with soft material like hay or fur. When
the eggs hatch and the eaglets grow, eventually the
mother eagle encourages them to get out of the nest and
begin to fly. She stirs up the nest and slowly removes
all the comfortable material from the nest so that the
young eagles begin to feel uncomfortable. Eventually,
it works, and the young eagles leave the nest and learn
to fly.
Perhaps God is stirring up your nest. He wants to
bring you to the place of being in an uncomfortable
situation so that you will grow strong in your Christian
life and “mount up with wings as eagles” and rise
above your problem. Eagles fly high above to get an
aerial view of their sources of food as well as seeing
hidden dangers. If we wait upon the Lord, we will
rise up with spiritual wings as eagles and see our lives
with a broader view and from a wider perspective. We
will live without expecting God to bail us out of every
problem. We will not demand that God answer our
every question as to why this or why not that. Instead,
we will have the testimony of David in Psalm 119:75:
“Thou, in faithfulness has afflicted me.”
RUN AND NOT BE WEARY
Thirdly, “They shall run and not be weary.” Joseph
was another man of faith and patience. (You can read
his story in Genesis 37-50.) He had to learn patience
and to WAIT ON THE LORD for many years until he
saw the fulfillment of his dreams. Your dreams may
have to wait also. Joseph’s brothers sold him and he
became a slave, he was falsely accused of immorality,
put in prison, and left there. He felt forgotten by man
and God. But Joseph had slowly, but surely, become A
MAN OF PATIENCE. He had to wait for God’s time.
Finally, at age thirty, Joseph became the head of Egypt
under Pharaoh.
But how did Joseph learn to “run and not be weary”?
What did he do while waiting patiently? Did he wallow
in self-pity? Did he continually think hatred toward his
brothers who sold him as a slave? No! Joseph said to
his brothers, “You thought evil against me, but God
meant it for good.” God meant it all for Joseph’s good
and for the good of his family and his nation.
FRUITFUL DURING WAITING
Joseph’s time of WAITING ON THE LORD was his
time of training. Joseph KEPT BUSY and was always
involved with meeting the needs of others. Joseph
said, “God has made me FRUITFUL IN THE LAND
OF MY SUFFERING.” God can make us fruitful in the
land of our suffering and during our time of WAITING
ON GOD.
How about you? What are you doing for others?
Are you serving in your church? Are you bearing good
fruit in the land of your suffering? Are you heartily
serving the Lord in spite of the adverse circumstances
of your life? Do you keep focused on serving the Lord
in spite of your troubles? Are you, like Joseph, fruitful
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in the land of your suffering?
Our passage does not say, “They that wait upon the
Lord shall automatically win in all the races of their
lives.” However, it does say, “They that wait upon
the Lord shall...RUN AND NOT BE WEARY”! What
wonderful promises we have if we learn to WAIT ON
THE LORD AND TRUST IN GOD!
In Hebrews 12:1-2, the apostle Paul regards us as
runners in the race of the Christian life: “Let us run
with patience the race that is set before us.” When
God gives us patience, that patience will be filled with
endurance to keep us from growing weary and worn.
Our faith will be renewed with positive anticipation
and assurance that all will be well in the big picture,
regardless of what happens in our lives day by day.
WALKING WITHOUT FAINTING
Lastly, “they that wait upon the Lord…shall walk
and not faint.” We usually have to wait longer than we
want, but God reminds us to continue to pray and trust
Him. He would say to us, “Don’t give up! Don’t quit!
Keep your vision in focus! Keep your faith strong! Be
ready to take action when it’s time to take action!”
Perhaps, in some situation of your life, you have
tried to take action prematurely and failed because you
were ahead of God. Keep in mind that great men and
women of the Bible like Abraham and Sarah, Isaac,
Jacob, and David failed, also. But, because they waited
on the Lord, in spite of their failings, they were not
failures. They became great men and women of God!
You can do the same!
Are you unfulfilled in your Christian life? Trust
Jesus as your Savior and surrender or re-surrender your
will to Him and make Him the Lord of your life. You
will not be truly happy until you do! Are you weary of
your life? Do you desire God to change your situation?
Are you asking God to reveal His will for your life?
Are you asking God for healing? Are you seeking
more suitable employment? Are you asking God to
give you a Christian wife or husband? Are you asking
God to change your wife or husband? Are you seeking
fulfillment in your spiritual life? Do you have a desire
to serve God more effectively? Then, it’s time to WAIT
ON THE LORD.
Our Father knows what is best for us. He knows
when to say YES to our prayers. He knows when to say
NO to our prayers. He also knows when to say WAIT
to our prayers! Remember, God is not finished with us
yet.
God wanted Joseph to grow spiritually before he
changed his difficult circumstances. God may want
you to grow spiritually in some area of your life before
He changes your difficult circumstances, your job or
financial situation, your frustrating marriage, or your
dysfunctional family.
Are you fruitful in the land of your suffering and
hardship? Are you LEARNING TO SERVE GOD
FAITHFULLY during your time of waiting? Are you
learning to walk and not faint?
Let me conclude with this true story: George
Mueller, the famous 19th century orphanage founder,
had to WAIT ON THE LORD. He strongly desired
to be a foreign missionary. He tried five times to
enter the mission field, but each time God said no.
George Mueller had to learn to BECOME A MAN OF
PATIENCE. He had to give up his own will and what
he desired. In spite of his disappointments, he decided
to go all out and fully surrendered to God’s will.
During the time of George Mueller’s WAITING ON
THE LORD, this man of faith and patience built five
orphan houses, fed and clothed over 10,000 orphans,
taught over 120,000 children at schools and Sunday
schools, circulated almost two million Bibles and Bible
portions, millions of books and tracts, and assisted
several hundred missionary laborers. Think of it! In
the 1800’s, he received donations of over 7 million
dollars without ever asking for offerings! (Note: Actual
in British pounds. The equivalent in today’s value is
estimated at 75 million dollars)
But this is not the end of the story. Finally, at age
70, after all these great accomplishments, instead of
retiring, George Mueller, in God’s timing, became a
foreign missionary in Europe, America, Asia, Africa,
and Australia and continued as such for 17 years, until
he was 87 years old. There is no telling what God may
do WITH US AND THROUGH US as we learn to
WAIT ON THE LORD! (Source: George Muller, The
Man of Faith, by Basil Miller/Zondervan)
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall RENEW
THEIR STRENGTH; they shall MOUNT UP WITH
WINGS AS EAGLES; they shall RUN AND NOT
BE WEARY; they shall WALK AND NOT FAINT.”
Amen!
P.C.
“WHEN FACED WITH A BUSY DAY,
SAVE PRECIOUS TIME BY SKIPPING
YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS.”
SATAN
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“MY AMAZING STORY
AS A SOLDIER IN
WORLD WAR I”
“A SOLDIER’S PRAYER”
(Found on the body of an
American Soldier killed in action)
Look, God, I have never spoken to you before
But now I want to say “How do you do.”
You see, God, they told me you didn’t exist
And like a fool I believed all this.
Last night from a shell hole I saw your sky,
I figured right then they had told me a lie.
Had I taken time to see things you made
I’d have known they weren’t calling a spade a spade.
I wonder God if you’d shake my hand,
Somehow I feel that you will understand.
Funny I had to come to this hellish place
Before I had time to see your face.
Well I guess there isn’t much more to say,
But I am sure glad, God, I met you today.
I guess the zero hour will soon be here.
I am not afraid since I know you are here.
The signal! Well God, I’ll have to go.
I like you lots, this I want you to know.
Look now this will be a horrible fight,
Who knows, I may come to your house tonight?
Though I wasn’t friendly to you before,
I wonder God, if you’d wait at your door.
Look, I am crying! Me shedding tears!
I wish I had known you these many years.
Well I have to go now, God goodbye!
Since I met you, I am not afraid to die.
“MY AMAZING STORY”
By: E. H. Britain
This poem THE SOLDIER’S PRAYER came to us
many years ago during World War II, and I never
could read it without letting the tears flow. It is so like
my own experience on the battlefield during World War I,
and I wonder how many thousands of soldiers, men of all
nations, have had a like experience on battlefields all over
the world. Douglas McArthur said, “There are no atheists
in fox holes,” and it may be true.
Before the war, I thought I was an atheist. I didn’t
think about God, heaven, hell, and religion, and I saw so
much hypocrisy and sham among professing Christians, I
had no confidence in it.
But there on the battle field, living every day in that
hell of carnage and destruction, seeing men being blown
to pieces, dead and dying men scattered everywhere,
the thunder of artillery fire pounding in my ears, shells
exploding overhead and on the ground all around me.
Sometimes, I was enveloped with dense gas fumes so that
I had to wear the gas mask for hours at a time with that
respirator in my mouth so that I could not close my mouth
to swallow the saliva, and had to let it run down my chin,
and seep out through the gas mask. Yet I knew that to take
it off meant slow but sure death from gas burning.
When I did have time to think, I saw many things in
an entirely different light than I ever had before. I came
to know that there certainly is a supreme intelligence
somewhere who knows and governs all things. I did
not know his name, whether it was God, Confucius, or
Mohammed but I did know that there certainly is an
Almighty One, who is over and above man. I attempted to
become reconciled to the will of that Almighty One. I was
not consciously talking to God but said in my musings,
“Since there certainly is a Supreme One who rules and
governs all things, I must resign myself to that One, and
be content in whatever might befall me. If it is His will
that I be killed over here in this war, OK. If it is His will
that I go back home, OK.” I did not know it then, but that
is the most effective prayer one could possibly pray.
From that time on, I never had any fear of death.
Many times I was in such terrible bombings and shell fire
that I didn’t see how any one could possibly live another
five or ten minutes. Shells exploded so close to my body
that my body was lifted from the ground and slammed
down again by the concussion.
On the morning of Nov. 1st, 1918, in the Argonne
Forest near Bantheville, France, our outfit endured for two
hours of the most horrific bombardment and concentrated
barrage that had ever been previously recorded in history.
What had been a forest the night before was reduced
to ragged stumps and snags of splintered trees with the
ground torn up as a plowed field with our radio antenna
repeatedly shot down by pieces of shrapnel. The six
men of the Radio Detail, of which I was the sergeant,
were all decorated with the gold star for putting it up
again and again under heavy bombardment so that
communication could be kept between our Regiment and
Corp Headquarters. There was no darkness during that
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night bombardment. One could have read a newspaper
by the light of exploding shells around him. Time after
time, the candles in our dugout were snuffed out by the
concussion and high explosive gas (which the gas masks
do not effect) so filled the air of the dugout our tongues
got so thick we could hardly talk. The noise was so that to
talk to anyone, you had to get right in his ear and then yell
just one word at a time.
At daybreak we went over the top, and began taking
German prisoners immediately, and they too had been
through something! With their “coal scuttle” helmets, they
no longer looked like human beings, but their terrified
eyes stared at you like ghostly apparitions. I saw one
German prisoner walking who had evidently been just
wounded. His mouth and chin were shot away, leaving
his windpipe just dangling under those scared eyes. You
will say that it cannot be, but I saw it! No doubt he did
not live but a few seconds, but I met him face to face and
never will forget that sight.
Some who read this story may remember that
morning, but perhaps not. There are not many of them
living now! After I had made my dedication to God, I
never knew what fear was. I had no dread of death. I was
not converted, for I did not yet believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and without the shedding of His blood, one cannot
be converted. But I was under his protection. I was a
soldier and was fighting for Uncle Sam, but I belonged to
the Almighty One.
My honorable discharge shows that I was under
shellfire for 97 days, and never received a scratch. But
I cannot say that I was not affected by the experiences. I
came home and tried to fit myself back into civilian life.
I found that THE WAY BACK is not as simple and easy
as it seems. Being in a semi shell-shocked condition, I
lived in that nightmare of war all the time. Whether asleep
or awake, I could see long lines of marching soldiers
marching to a point before me, and dropping into eternity.
I could not wipe that view from my eyes. With them
open it was there. With them closed it was still there. On
a foggy morning while we lived on a farm in Kansas, I
stepped out the door of my house and could see down the
slope those flashing guns, hear the rat-tat-tat of machine
guns, and hear the roar of cannon. I knew it wasn’t so, but
there it was! I knew I was losing my mind, but I could not
help it. I lived in constant fear of going berserk, as I read
of so many ex-soldiers doing and killing a lot of people.
When I would feel myself slipping and knew I might lose
my bearings, I would leave the house and go out in an
open field or down in the pasture. There, I would fight it
out, until I knew I had myself under control.
I will not bore you with the details of that long battle
I was fighting, from 1919 until I was converted in 1937,
sometimes getting out of bed in the night and walking
miles and miles just as hard as I could walk, to get myself
under control and wear my body out so that I could get a
few hours sleep.
You will not understand that, I am sure. I had dedicated
my life to the Almighty One there on the battle field, and
that delivered me from all fear, but I was still mentally
disturbed, confused, and unsettled, trying to get back to
normal thinking and living.
Then I heard the story of Jesus; at first and for many
years, I rejected it. I had been searching for something
solid, something real. I had studied many religions and
rejected them all. I became a Mason and studied Masonic
literature searching for something I could not find.
Then came the experience of my conversion. That was
a wonderful night when I knelt beside the bed, and prayed
to Jesus and asked him to manifest himself to me. The
Holy Spirit dealt with me all that night and all the next
day, until I came to believe that there is just a possible
chance of the story being true. I determined to go to the
altar every night for six months and seek the Lord. Of
course, I was converted that night, and it only took about
fifteen seconds, and I knew it! I knew that for the first
time in my life, I stood clear and clean before God. My
life of sin was blotted out, and I was the happiest person
you ever saw. I wasn’t ashamed of those tears, which
flowed so freely.
From that moment the nightmare of war left me, and
I was back to normal thinking. My body, which had been
with tense nerves all those years, relaxed, and I was free!
I had been under the care of an Osteopathic physician
who said to me, “I can feel your nerves in your back as
tight as fiddle strings, and I can’t do a thing for you. If
you could relax, I could help you.” I said, “Doc, if I could
relax, I wouldn’t need you!”
My next visit after my conversion, the doctor talked
to my wife as I put on my clothes, and he asked her what
had happened to me. He said, “He is as relaxed as a baby,
and I can manipulate his body just any way I want to.”
She told him of my conversion, and he said that must be
it. That was the last treatment I needed from him!
He surely did manifest Himself to me! And I knew He
was and is real! No wonder that since that day my whole
life has been given to trying to help other believers and
unbelievers to dedicate their lives to Jesus, and let him be
real in their lives, also.
(E. H. Britain was one of my three mentors. P.C., editor)
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WHO IS E. H. BRITAIN?
E. H. Britain wrote and published “Abundant Life
Messages.” In 1948, he and his wife Emma bought a 29-
acre hilltop in Fletcher, MO and called it “Little Mount
Zion.” The “Abundant Life Messages” continued to
be published monthly until 1972 when Brother Britain
retired. The messages have circled the globe impacting
lives and churches. Some were published in foreign
languages.
Brother and Sister Britain hosted 23 Christian camp
meetings through 1971. Pauline and I first met them
in the summer of 1969 at one of their camp meetings.
From then on we became close friends. We visited them
in their homes in Missouri and Michigan where they
retired with Sister Britain’s sister until they went to be
with the Lord. Through the years, we corresponded
regularly. Pauline and I loved them very much, and
I consider Brother Britain to be one of my three
“mentors.” The other two were Dan Detweiler a pastor
in Burton, Ohio and Herman Strong, a pastor in Flint,
Michigan. They and their wives are now in heaven, and
I am very indebted to all three of these wonderful men
of God.
OUR CHILDREN AND
OUR TEENS
One man said, “Before I got married I had six theories
about bringing up children. Now, I have six children
and no theories.”
A young counselor gave a lecture called “Ten
Commandments for Parents.” After getting married and
having one child he changed the lecture to 10 Hints for
parents, after two children he changed the lecture to 10
Suggestions for parents. After 3 children he stopped
lecturing. I admit that I was never a perfect Christian
parent; I did many things wrong but have learned a lot
and am still learning.
PRAYER
The #1 responsibility of Christian parents is to bring up
their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
(Eph. 6:1-4). Nurture = Godly discipline or correction;
admonition = Godly rebuke or warning. In order to obey
that scripture, a parent must begin with prayer. It is our
responsibility as Christian parents to pray for our children
and teenagers. Do you pray for your children and teens
every day? If not, then it’s time to begin. This includes
grandparents, also.
Don’t wait until your child becomes a problem
teenager before you pray for your children. My children
are all married, but I still pray for each one of them,
their mates, and their children by name everyday. We
need to be praying for our children’s and grandchildren’s
PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL HEALTH, but, above all,
we should be praying about their SALVATION and their
SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
Your children and teens not only need you to pray
FOR them, but they also need you to be praying WITH
them! As children get into their teens, they should learn to
PRAY PRIVATELY as well as WITH THEIR PARENTS.
It is such a blessing to know that your child or teen prays
while they are alone. The best way to get them started is
have them hear you pray for them and with them.
My children would fuss at times when I would get them
together for some family prayer time, but I am sure they
now look back on those times as precious and rewarding.
I believe it helped give them a conscience to have family
prayer time with their children, also. Prayer is the most
important aspect in parenting children and teens. If you
are not praying for and with your children or teenagers
regularly, then, you, as a Christian parent, need to begin
right away.
THE WORD
Next, we have the instruction of God’s Word to help
us as parents. In Proverbs 22:6 we read, “Train up a child
in the way he should go and when he is old he will not
depart from it.” Notice, that it does not only read “teach”
but “train.” You can be teaching a child correctly but
you may not be TRAINING them properly. Each child is
different and only the Holy Spirit can give us the wisdom
we need with each child. We can teach our children to be
religious, but we can train them to be spiritual Christians
by leading them to Jesus through God’s Word and by the
example of our own lives before them.
The time for God’s Word to be planted in the heart is
when one is a child. If children memorize scripture, they
will be more apt to grow up to be obedient Christians.
The Psalmist said, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart that
I might not sin against Thee.”
I realize life is hectic these days with parents and teens
working and everyone running in different directions, but
family devotions should and must take top priority over
all other family activities. Sometimes five or ten minutes
of Bible reading and prayer together may be sufficient.
If you are not regularly reading the Bible to your
children or teens, then you, as a Christian parent, need to
begin right away. Billy Sunday said, “We wait too long.
We wait until they stagger home drunk before we teach
them to ‘Look not upon the wine when it is red’ says the
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scriptures. We wait until swearing and cursing fall from
their mouth before we teach them, ‘Thou shall not take
the name of the Lord thy God in vain.’ We wait until they
are on the way to prison before we teach them, ‘Thou
shall not steal.’ It’s too late to take swimming lessons
after the ship begins to sink. It’s too late to insure your
house after the flames burst through the roof.” (From
“Saved by Grace…for Service” page 308-309, by Robert
L. Sumner)
Statistics reveal that 87% of all people who receive
Christ as their Savior do so before the age of 12. That
means that when a child reaches 13 yrs of age, there is
only a slim chance of them becoming a Christian. The
great evangelist D. L. Moody was asked, “How many
converts did you have last night?” He answered, “Two
and one half.” “You mean two adults and a child?” “No,”
he replied. “Two children and one adult. A child converted
is an entire life converted.” (“Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching” page 45, by Michael P. Green)
You are committing a sin against God and against
your child if you do not have regular family devotions of
prayer and Bible reading, and, as much as possible, bring
them to Sunday school and church every week!
WORK
Another important key in becoming successful
Christian parents is training children and teens to actually
enjoy work. The Biblical principle is “If a person doesn’t
work neither let them eat.” (II Th. 3:10) Many children
and teenagers have too much spare time today. Many
have a lack of responsibilities and duties. Do you require
your children and teens to do household and yard chores?
Your children and teens need to be learning to work,
perhaps learning to play an instrument, and earning money
and saving it for a particular item and even for college
expenses. Teach them responsibility and appreciation by
earning their own way through life. Having goals and
learning to work will do wonders for children and teens.
At age 10, my family moved to Vermont, and I started
mowing lawns and working on a nearby farm. Beside
the usual duties of farm work, I helped the farmer cut
cord wood for his customers and empty trashcans on his
rubbish route. At age 15, I was an apprentice barber in
my father’s barbershop. Most of the money I earned went
toward new clothes or things I needed. Our children and
teens need to experience, on a daily basis, the fulfillment
that comes from good old-fashioned work!
RULES
Another key in becoming successful Christian
parents is establishing RULES for our children and teens.
If a child or teenager is without sufficient rules, they will
lack direction in their lives and will be governed by their
feelings and impulses instead of Christian values and
common sense.
It has been said, “We’ve been soft when we should
have been tough. Permissive when we should have
cracked down. Generous when we should have been
stingy. Non-involved when we should have been up to
our ears.” (Source unknown)
Parents should always know where their children and
teens are, where they are going, and what they are doing
while there. They should know who is driving, when
they are going, and when they will be returning home.
Perhaps most important is WHO THEY ARE GOING
TO BE WITH! You may allow your child or teenager
to stay over night with some other Christian family,
but are you sure that you can trust the parents who are
supposed Christians? Can you trust the other children or
teens who may live there or may be visiting there? Most
child molestation today goes unreported to any parents or
authorities.
It is never safe for you to assume that your teenager
is old enough and capable to make proper judgments or
to take care of themselves. Don’t allow your teens to
be vague about their plans. If they say they are going
to watch a movie, ask them which movie. You might
be shocked at what they are watching when you are not
looking. Also, be open for alternatives when you don’t
like their plans. At times, it may be better to allow them
to invite a friend over instead of them going out with
friends. It might be better for them to “hang-out” at your
house than elsewhere.
If your child or teen is changing in their attitudes or in
their habits and routines you need to do some checking.
You must find who they talk and text to and who they
hang around with. Don’t be afraid to be a detective and
find out what is going on! After your teen gets seduced
into sexual activity or drugs, it is too late!
The most difficult years of my life were between the
ages of 13 and 17. I had already learned the importance
and satisfaction of working and earning money for my
own needs, but my parents did not carry through with
sufficient rules. They could not keep tabs on me enough
of the time and being with the wrong friends helped me to
get off course.
My parents were good Christians, however, my
feelings and my emotions were mostly developed by the
songs of the 1950’s, which were based on the physical
contact and activity between a boy and a girl. Body
chemistry was mistaken for love.
The two most powerful influences that kept me from
becoming a Christian were #1 - The rhythm and blues,
rock n roll music of the 50’s with it’s emphasis on the
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oy-girl relationship being centered on physical contact,
and #2 - the influence of non-Christian friends at school.
Soon my main objective was to just “live it up.”
I graduated high school in Springfield, Vermont at age
17. I immediately went to live on my own in N.Y.C. I
rented a room in Brooklyn and found a job in Manhattan
training as a clerk-teletype operator with Western Union.
After a few months of training, they placed me in a nice
office in the Times Square Broadway show area on 52nd
Street and Broadway. I wanted to “live it up,” and that is
just what I did.
However, at age 19, I had a real salvation-conversion
experience and have been living for the Lord for the past
55 years. Teenagers, take it from me! Save your romance
and your body for your future Christian husband or
Christian wife! Don’t play around with the world and its
ways. Stay right with the Lord, and God will bless your
life.
EXAMPLE
PRAYER, THE WORD OF GOD, WORK, AND
RULES are of utmost importance in becoming successful
Christian parents, and so is EXAMPLE. You must be a
proper EXAMPLE. Don’t expect your child or teenager
to be something that you are not. If you don’t abstain
from smoking, drinking, swearing, lying, being critical,
gossiping, always complaining, etc., don’t expect your
child or teenager to abstain either.
Are you a true Christian? Do you pray regularly each
day? Do you read and study the Bible everyday? Do you
attend church and church events consistently? Do you
unselfishly give of yourself to others, the church, and
spiritual activities?
The most powerful way to train your child or teenager
is by EXAMPLE. Years ago Dear Abby wrote the
following:
A PARENT’S PRAYER
“Oh, Heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach
me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what
they have to say, and to answer all their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting or contradicting them. Make
me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me.
Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes, or resort
to shame or ridicule when they displease me. May I never
punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or because I
am angry.
Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal. And guide
me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and
do that honesty produces happiness. Reduce, I pray, the
meanness in me. And, when I am out of sorts, help me, O,
Lord, to hold my tongue.
May I ever be mindful that my children are children
and I should not expect of them judgment as adults. Let
me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves
and to make some decisions on their own. Bless me with
the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests,
and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do
them harm.
Make me fair and just and kind. And fit me, Oh Lord,
to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.
Amen.”
(From “A Parent’s Prayer” - “Dear Abby”-The Day, New
London, CT., Oct. 25, 1971, Vol. 91, No. 95, pg. 14)
As Christian parents, it’s time for us to train our
children and teens in the ways of the Lord and in the way
they should go; through PRAYER, THE WORD, WORK,
RULES, AND, BY EXAMPLE!
Our children and teens are the only earthly possessions
we can take with us to heaven! Let’s make double sure
they will be with us!
May God bless you and your family is my prayer.
P.C.
ADVICE FROM MARTIN LUTHER
There was a saying Martin loved to quote: “Let
the wife make her husband glad to come home and
let him make her sorry to see him leave.”
DEAR TEENAGER
A teenager wrote the following:
“The Cry of the Teens”
“I am here, but I don’t know where I am.
I know where I came from, but I don’t
Know where I’m going.
I know my name, but I don’t know who I am.
I’m living the ‘happiest days of my life’
And I’m crying!” (Author unknown)
Christian teenager, are you happy? Are you satisfied
with your life? Do you feel accepted by those around
you? Have you been trying to act in ways that will make
your friends accept you? Perhaps you have been copying
and imitating your friends. If you have, then you are not
really being yourself.
Teenagers, I plead with you to be determined not to
give in to what the crowd around you seems to be doing.
Be determined to wait for your wedding night to have
your first sexual experience. You will be glad that you
can present yourself as a virgin to your future wife or
husband! “But,” you may be saying, “it is too late. I have
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already given in.” God still loves you. Just ask Him to
forgive you. Then stop giving in to it from now on and
save your body for your wife or husband and them alone!
You ask, “Why should I wait until I am married?” One
big reason is that God demands it. “For this is the will
of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain
from fornication.” (I Thess. 4:3) “…Be not deceived…
neither fornicators…nor adulterers…shall inherit the
kingdom of God” (or they will not go to Heaven!) (I Cor.
6:9-10)
In other words, you are not a Christian but are on your
way to an eternal hell if you are guilty of continuing to
commit the sin of fornication or sex outside of marriage.
I did not get saved until I was nineteen years old. I
will never forget that day! For the first time in my life I
experienced a peace and a joy that I never had before; I
knew I was saved!
Teenager, what about you??? Are you really saved?
Are you sure that you would go to Heaven if you died in
an auto accident today?
Teenager, you may question God and religion but
you can never stop God from loving you. The Bible
guarantees that God loves you and has a desired plan for
your life.
If you will surrender your heart and yield your life
to Jesus Christ, you will find what your heart is truly
searching for!
P.C.
LET’S START A REVIVAL!
II Chronicles 7:14
What exactly do we mean by the word REVIVAL?
According to Webster, the word REVIVE means
to “to return to consciousness or life; to become active
or flourishing again; to restore from a depressed,
inactive, or unused state.”
The Christian church of today needs a revival! Your
church needs a revival! You and I need a revival!
WHEN DO WE NEED REVIVAL?
“WE NEED REVIVAL when we have little or no
desire for prayer; when we make little effort to witness
to the lost; when we have time for sports, recreation,
and entertainment, but not for Bible study and prayer;
when God’s people are more concerned about their jobs
and their careers, than about the Kingdom of Christ and
the salvation of the lost; when we are more concerned
about what others think about us than what God thinks
about us; when believers can be at odds with each other
and not feel compelled to pursue reconciliation; when
our children are growing up to adopt worldly values,
secular philosophies, and ungodly lifestyles; when we
are more concerned about our children’s education and
their athletic activities than about the condition of their
souls.
When we will watch things on television and movies
that are not holy; when we are bored with worship;
when people have to be entertained to be drawn to
church; when our music and dress become patterned
after the world; when we start fitting into and adapting
to the world, rather than calling the world to adapt to
God’s standards of holiness; when we are unconcerned
about our neighbors, our business associates, and our
acquaintances who are lost and without Christ; when
our prayers lack fervency; when the fire has gone out in
our hearts, our marriages, and our church; when we are
blind to the extent of our need and don’t think we need
revival.”
(Adapted from “When Do We Need Revival?” by
Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth of Revive Our Hearts –
used by permission)
I would like to add some thoughts regarding “What
is Revival?” Revival is when Christians begin to get
closer to God. Revival is when more praying is done
by each Christian at home than at the church. Revival
is when we find ourselves broken before the Lord in
daily repentance of sin in thought, word, or action.
Revival is when we ask the Lord for forgiveness of not
being loving and considerate of our wives or husbands,
our parents, our children, or other Christians. Revival
is when we forgive people we don’t like or people
who have hurt or offended us. Revival is when we
spend time talking with someone at church who we
don’t like or we feel uncomfortable with. Revival
is when we love and obey God’s Word and do what
we know we should do even when we don’t feel like
doing it. Revival is having regular daily devotions
and daily prayer for others. Revival is when we are
anxious to give of ourselves and serve in our church.
Revival is when Christians invite one another over
for meals together and when they enjoy praying and
fellowshipping together. Revival is when Christians are
filled with love for the unsaved and they give out tracts
and try to talk about Jesus. Revival is when Christians
invite the unsaved to church and even give them a ride
to church - PRAYING CHRISTIANS AND PRAYING
CHURCHES.
II Chronicles 7:14, is a cry from the very heart of
God. God is yearning and waiting for us, as individuals
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and as a church, to humble ourselves more than we
have ever humbled ourselves before. He is yearning
and waiting for us to pray more wholeheartedly than
ever before. Do you have meaningful private daily
devotions? If not, then you need a revival in your
heart and soul! Do you have a desire to pray with
other Christians? If not, then you need a revival in
your soul! PRAYING CHRISTIANS AND PRAYING
CHURCHES.
If you have not yet admitted it, then it is time to
admit it: YOU NEED A REVIVAL! All of us need to
become PRAYING CHRISTIANS as never before and
our church needs to become a PRAYING CHURCH
as never before! Only then will we experience a
SUPERNATURAL REVIVAL in our personal lives, in
our families and in our churches! Only then will we
see people saved and delivered from drugs, smoking,
drinking, pornography, immorality, bitterness, gossip,
and every conceivable sin! May God severely convict
us so that we become PRAYING CHRISTIANS AND
PRAYING CHURCHES!
All through scripture, we are commanded to pray.
While speaking of the end times, Jesus said, “Watch
ye therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS...” (Luke 21:36)
The Apostle Paul told the church of the Ephesians to
be “PRAYING ALWAYS.” (Eph. 6:18-20) He told the
church of the Thessalonians to “PRAY WITHOUT
CEASING.” (I Th. 5:17) Paul exhorted the church
of the Philippians to pray about everything when he
said, “In everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.” (Php. 4:6)
TO HAVE OUR NEEDS MET
Here are four scriptural reasons why we need to
pray. The first reason is TO HAVE OUR NEEDS MET.
We will be unable to start a revival unless we pray to
have our needs met. Philippians 4:19 reads, “But my
God shall supply all your need according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus.” Take note that it says “all
your need.” That means all your spiritual, emotional,
physical, and material needs in their proper perspective
and priority. Keep in mind that Paul had just finished
telling them in verse 6 to let their “requests be made
known unto God” through prayer. James 4:2, reads,
“You have not because you ask not.” It is evident
that God wants us to HAVE OUR NEEDS MET BY
ASKING. Jesus said, “Ask and ye shall receive.” (John
16:24)
When you’re all wrong and willing to admit it,
you’re alright!
HOLY SPIRIT POWER
A second reason why we need to pray is for HOLY
SPIRIT POWER. A primary role of the Holy Spirit is
for the conviction of sin. In John 16:8 we read that the
power of the Holy Spirit will reprove and convict all of
us of sin. We, as Christians, all too often, are walking
around with sins that are not forgiven. We need to get
right with God and stay right with God. It’s time to
obey God’s Word. It’s time to turn from every sinful
way.
E.M. Bounds said, “An old fashioned revival is
the medicine for these times. Such a revival is not a
momentary outburst of excitement, not a temporary
manipulated stir, not a mere reformation, but a real
awakening, a profound and awful conviction of sin by
the eternal Spirit of God. For such a revival we ought to
pray with our whole souls; pray like Jacob till the day
dawns and the blessing comes; pray like Elijah, till the
answer by fire comes, till heaven is unlocked and pours
out its treasures.” (“Spirit of Revival-Anniversary
Edition” - Life Action Ministries)
We also need to pray for Holy Spirit power so that
we do not give in to the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life. (I John 2:15-17) Television
and movie watching will tend to increase our motivation
to live for the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life. We need Holy Spirit power to be able
to fulfill Gal. 5:16 in our lives: “Walk in the Spirit and
you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
OVERCOMING SATAN
Another reason why we need Holy Spirit power is
to overcome the power of Satan, the devil. The Bible
says that the devil is “as a roaring lion seeking whom
he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8) We are admonished in
Ephesians 6:11-18 to put on the whole armor of God
and be praying always “that we will be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.” The only way we can put
on God’s armor is through reading and obeying God’s
Word with serious daily prayer!
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
Not only do we need to pray in order TO HAVE
OUR NEEDS MET SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY,
PHYSICALLY, AND MATERIALLY, and HAVE
HOLY SPIRIT POWER in our lives. But, thirdly, we
need to pray so that we can HAVE FELLOWSHIP
WITH GOD. (John 15:7) We need our prayer times to
include fellowship with God.
In the story of Mary and Martha, we have a contrast
of SERVICE FOR GOD VERSUS FELLOWSHIP
AND COMMUNION WITH GOD. Martha was busy
serving the Lord while her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet
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and heard His Word. Actually, Martha was too busy
to spend time with Jesus. Jesus rebuked Martha but
commended Mary for her desire for fellowship and
communion with Him. (Luke 10:38-42) Don’t get busy
FOR GOD until you spend sufficient time WITH GOD
in daily prayer and daily Bible reading and study!
PRAYING FOR OTHERS
The last reason that we need to pray is to PRAY
FOR OTHERS AS WE OUGHT TO PRAY. That is
called intercession. (I Tim. 2:1-4) We should pray for
our president and for his salvation more than we speak
critically of him. If you have unsaved loved ones, pray
for their salvation everyday with all your heart.
Pray daily and fervently for your family. The very
heart of God is expressed in Deut. 5:29, “O that there
were such an heart in them, that they would fear me,
and keep all my commandments always, that it may be
well with them and with their children for ever.”
Pray that God may mightily use your children
and grandchildren. “George McCluskey was a man
of prayer. When he married and started a family, he
decided to invest one hour a day in prayer, because he
wanted his children to follow Christ. After a time, he
expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. Every day between 11 a.m. and
noon, he prayed for the next three generations.
As the years went by, his two daughters committed
their lives to Christ and married men who went into
full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls
and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and
the boy became a pastor. The first two children born to
this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from
high school, the two cousins chose the same college and
became roommates. During their sophomore year, one
boy decided to go into the ministry. The other didn’t. He
undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family
legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in
psychology. He earned his doctorate and eventually
wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He
started a radio program heard on more than a thousand
stations each day. The man’s name was James Dobson.
Through his prayers, George McCluskey affected far
more than one family.” (Fresh Illustrations pg. 165,
Leadership Journal)
Charles Spurgeon who preached to his church of
thousands, had hundreds of volunteer intercessors
praying before and during the church services in the
basement of the church. Pastor Jim Cymbala of the
Brooklyn Tabernacle has volunteer intercessors praying
in a separate room before and during the service. They
have a PRAYING CHURCH, and they have continuous
revival. Charles Spurgeon said, “Among all the
formative influences that go to make up a man honored
of God in the ministry, I know of none more mighty
than the intercession of his parishioners. Without it, he
will most likely be a failure!” (Daily Bread-Apr.24)
How much time do you spend praying for the
people of your church and your pastor? It has been said,
“There will be more POWER in the pulpit when there
is more PRAYER in the pew!”
We need to pray TO HAVE OUR NEEDS MET,
TO HAVE HOLY SPIRIT POWER, TO HAVE
COMMUNION AND FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD,
AND, TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY FOR OTHERS. WE
NEED TO PRAY!
WE NEED A REVIVAL just like the lukewarm,
backslidden church of the Laodiceans needed a revival,
especially because they didn’t think they needed a
revival.
WE NEED A FRESH VISION just like Isaiah
needed a fresh vision. Then, we will respond like
Isaiah did when he said in repentance, “Woe, is me,
for I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips.” We will
also respond with a surrender of our lives and say as he
said, “Here I am, Lord, send me!”
WE NEED A BURDEN just like Nehemiah needed
a burden. He saw the need, he felt the burden and then
he did something about his burden.
WHAT DO OUR CHURCHES NEED? WE NEED
A REVIVAL! WE NEED A VISION! WE NEED A
BURDEN! WE NEED TO PRAY!
God is saying to us today, “If my people, which are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from Heaven and heal their land.” (II
Chr. 7:14) And let me add that He will heal our hearts,
our lives, our marriages, our families, and our churches!
LET’S START A REVIVAL!!!
P.C.
SAID THE ROBIN TO THE SPARROW
Said the Robin to the Sparrow,
“I would surely like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the Sparrow to the Robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”
-- Elizabeth Cheny
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LIVING MESSAGES
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PERMIT NO. 5
THE GRUMBLE FAMILY
by Anonymous
There's a family nobody likes to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
In the city of Never-Are-Satisfied,
The River of Discontent beside.
They growl at that and they growl at this;
Whatever comes, there is something amiss;
And whether their station be high or humble,
They are all known by the name of Grumble.
The weather is always too hot or cold;
Summer and winter alike they scold.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.
They growl at the rain and they growl at the sun;
In fact, their growling is never done.
And if everything pleased them, there isn't a doubt
They'd growl that they'd nothing to grumble about!
But the queerest thing is that not one of the same
Can be brought to acknowledge his family name;
For never a Grumbler will own that he
Is connected with it at all, you see.
The worst thing is that if anyone stays
Among them too long, he will learn their ways;
And before he dreams of the terrible jumble
He's adopted into the family of Grumble.
And so it were wisest to keep our feet
From wandering into Complaining Street;
And never to growl, whatever we do,
Lest we be mistaken for Grumblers, too.
Let us learn to walk with a smile and a song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
And then, be our station high or humble,
We'll never belong to the family of Grumble!