Faith includes ownership, what you ask for, you agree to carry.

Enjoying The Mystery of Restored Strength - Bill Johnson as I approach starting our 3rd Prayer Course at MNTC Portland House, I'm encouraged to carry what I've asked for in prayer.

Bill says God restores strength not only through waiting, but through sanctified desire. Desire is not a flaw to suppress. It is a God-designed capacity meant to be shaped by intimacy with Him. When we abide in Christ, our desires are refined to reflect His nature, and answered prayer becomes a means by which God reveals Himself in the world. Fulfilled desire is not indulgence. It is partnership. Prayer, then, is not passive asking but responsible co-laboring with God to see His will made visible, producing joy, renewal, and life.

Three Applications

1. Desire What God Desires

• Practice: Abide before you ask. Let Scripture and presence shape your longings.
• Posture: Desire flows from relationship, not impulse.
• Outcome: Your desires become trustworthy because they mirror God’s heart.
• But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7
• Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
• Application: Regularly ask, “Is this desire drawing me deeper into Christ and revealing His nature?”

2. Pray With Responsibility, Not Passivity

• Practice: Pray believing you are a steward, not a spectator.
• Posture: Faith includes ownership. What you ask for, you agree to carry.
• Outcome: Prayer becomes alignment with God’s will, not outsourcing it.
•  I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:24 
• You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. John 16:24.
• Application: Write down what emerges in prayer and ask, “What obedience does this require of me?”

3. Expect Renewal Through God’s Goodness

• Practice: Refuse to forget God’s benefits, including personal kindness.
• Posture: Gratitude sharpens spiritual vision.
• Outcome: Strength is renewed as joy is restored, like youth renewed as the eagle’s.
• Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:2–5
• Application: Track answered prayers and moments of God’s attention to your desires. Let testimony fuel expectation.

Bottom Line

Desire is not the enemy of holiness. Disconnected desire is.

When desire is anchored in Christ and prayer is carried with responsibility, God’s will moves from heaven into lived reality, and joy becomes full.

Read More ->>

Jesus teaches how faith is practical and effective (Matthew 21:18-22)

 Matthew 21:18-22:14

Want to "cut out (Matt 5:29-30)" what is not working, want to learn how to die to self? Jesus shows us how it happens immediately. Faith with God, spoken word prayer without a doubt. 

A) Jesus teaches how desire can prompt us towards prayer of deliverance

18-19) Jesus hungry, sees fig tree without figs, "May you never bear fruit again" it immediately withered

 - Thinking of this in terms of addiction, which tricks us into being "hungry" for it, in faith we can say NO, NEVER AGAIN, and receive immediate deliverance. 

 - He saw the figs didn't have fruit, we must know the truth for the truth can set us free. Addictive substances offer no real relief or support, rather they only pacify the withdrawal (feeling of hunger). 

 - Sometimes we need prayer and fasting to gain deliverance. (Mark 9:29)

20-22) Disciples asked how, Jesus "Fatih without doubt, believe = receive whatever you ask for in prayer"

 - 20th of 31 "truly I tell you" in Matthew, 6 are about faith, and words Matthew 8:9,10;17:20;18:18,19;21:21,22;26:13 But rest are about judgment and fulfillment of the law at the end of all things.

Read More ->>

Bring yourself to God, then bring people to God before talking to people for God

AIM: Effective ministry is conditional on the minister.  

or

The power to pray the effectually is dependant on the life of the prayer

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. He will never talk well and with real success to men for God who has not learned well how to talk to God for men. More than this, prayerless words in the pulpit and out of it are deadening words. - Power Through Prayer - EM Bounds

Reading, The-Ministry-of-Intercession-Andrew-Murray, it's clearly a condition on the person praying for the other. 

We found that Christ taught us that the answer depended upon certain conditions. He spoke of faith, of perseverance, of praying in His Name, of praying in the will of God. But all these conditions were summed up in the one central one: "If ye abide in Me, ask whatsoever ye will and it shall be done unto you."; It became clear that the power to pray the effectual prayer of faith depended upon the life. It is only to a man given up to live as entirely in Christ and for Christ as the branch in the vine and for the vine, that these promises can come true.

John 15:7, Abide means to remain, abide, stay, wait; "I wait for, await", "to stay"

One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, "Ask, and I will give it to you!" - 1 Kings 3:5

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. - Matthew 7:7

So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. - John 8:31

You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will remain--so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. - John 15:16

(John 15:7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you . . .--He is now passing from the figure, which recurs again only in John 15:8; John 15:16. We should have expected here, "and I abide in you" (John 15:4); but His abiding in them necessarily accompanies their abiding in Him. The abiding of His words in them is the means by which, and the proof that they do abide in Him. (Comp. John 14:15; John 14:23-24.)

Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.--The reading is not certain, but the first verb should probably be imperative, "Ask what ye will . . ." The promise in all its width is the same as that in John 14:13-14 (see Note there), and it is attended by the same condition, for they who abide in Christ, and in whom Christ's words abide, cannot pray otherwise than in His name. . . . Ellicott's commentary

Pulpit Commentary

...But in such harmony with Christ as these words supply, all the conditions of acceptable prayer are present. The believer in Christ, full of his words, evermore consciously realizing union with Christ, charged with the thoughts, burning with the purposes, filled with words of Jesus, will have no will that is not in harmony with the Divine will. Then faith is possible in the fulfillment of his own desire, and prayer becomes a prophecy and pledge of the answer. The apostle, after many years of pondering and of putting these principles into practice, confirms the truth of them (1 John 5:14-16). This is the true philosophy of prayer. The psalmist had gone a long way in the same direction (Psalm 37:4, "Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee thy heart's desire").

Read More ->>

Complementing the faith God gave me holistically (Eph 2:7-10, 2 Peter 1:5-11)

Prayer tonight for Alpha in TC thinking of how God intercedes on our behalf, was drawn to Only A Prayer Meeting by Charles Spurgeon after reviewing Prayer Tool: How to Run a Non-boring Prayer Meeting from prayercourse.org/toolshed/ continuing my 40days, brought me to the familiar passage: 2 Peter 1:5-11 that I've written in my work journal to remind myself of the character I'm working toward developing. I like meditating on multiple verses that link and expand on an idea and then reading it in multiple translations for Example: Eph 2:7-10,2 Peter 1:5-11 version=NLT;AMP;MSG

In view of all this (Eph 2:7-10), make every effort to respond to God’s promises (2 Peter 1:5-11);

• Complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others.
• I like how the Amplified Version defines Christian Love in verse 7) and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit]. 
• Today is building on yesterday's lesson: Sign of Jonah - Listen and repent for salvation and receive true Light (Luke 11:29-36)
• 8-9) For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins.
• So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Read More ->>

Greatness is a welcomed child in Jesus name (Luke 9:46-62)

Luke 9:46-50) Disciples argue about greatness; "welcome children in my name", "least is greatest", "not against you is for you"

51-56) Samaritan village wouldn't help, bigots toward Jerusalem; James/John fire from heaven to destroy them? Jesus rebuked them - move on.

 - Harboring bitterness is the opposite of repentance. Our words are disproportionately powerful, inherently evil James 3:1-8, and contrasting impactful James 3:9-12 (it can do things not possible in the natural world). But God's first act of salvation is to give us a new tongue. James 3, Exodus 4:10-12, Acts 2:1-4. James is about spiritual maturity

 - John wrote so you would believe in Jesus, Son of God

57-62) "3 Professions, desire to follow Jesus", "Son of man has no place to lay his head"/"Follow me", "need time for elder father", "go, proclaim the kingdom of God"/"Let me say goodbye to family", "plow forward, don't look back"

No man having put his hand to the plough] He who would make straight furrows must not look about him (Hesiod, Works and Days, 11. 60). The light ploughs of the East, easily overturned, require constant attention.

fit] Rather, well-adapted. By way of comment see Luke 17:32; Psalm 78:9; Hebrews 10:38-39. The general lesson of the section is, Give yourself wholly to your duty, and count the cost, Luke 14:25-33. Christ cannot accept ‘a conditional service.’ Neither hardship, nor bereavement, nor home ties must delay us from following Him. Is it more than a curious accident that the last four incidents illustrate the peculiarities of the four marked human temperaments—the Choleric (Luke 9:51-56); the Sanguine (Luke 9:57-58); the Melancholic (Luke 9:59-60); the Phlegmatic (Luke 9:61-62)? - Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Read More ->>

Integrity of heart and skill (Psalm 78:70-72, 2 Cor 3:2-6,12-18)

He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;  from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. Psalm 78:70-72

1. Shepherd: loving compassion and care

 - Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.

 - The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.

2. Visionary: a clear vision of the future, see God's way to attract younger generations

3. Passion: eradicate Biblical poverty

3 part covenant

Doctrinal Integrity

Expository teaching methods

Non-negotiable policies: Leadership, financial, safety

2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

(v7-11 contrasts the old covenant glorious ministry that brought death and condemnation, with the new ministry that brings righteousness and eternal life)

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Prayer: Lord help me take this training to heart, that I would have the integrity of heart and skill as evidenced by the men I'm called to lead.

Read More ->>

Everyone's choice: sacrilege or coram Deo

God's work in my life is harmonious, bringing clarity to my soul

• Last Friday: Bob C at church gave me a shirt to promote men's ministry. "If we believe what we believe TO BE TRUE, how will we live our lives - and if we don't live it out, do we really believe it?"
• During Christmas worship on Sunday as we sang "Gloria, in Excelsis Deo", my friend James asked me to look up coram Deo, he had forgotten it's meaning. 
• On Monday I saw James (beggar with one foot), he remembered my name but I had forgotten his
• Later Monday I met with James C, who surprises me with how "stuck" he is in his thinking.
• Then Tuesday I met with Josh, who I haven't seen in a long time but support his CRU mission at St Thomas. It was great to catch up with him.

The big idea of the Christian life is coram Deo. 

To live all of life coram Deo is to live a life of integrity. It is a life of wholeness that finds its unity and coherency in the majesty of God. A fragmented life is a life of disintegration. It is marked by inconsistency, disharmony, confusion, conflict, contradiction, and chaos. 

The Christian who compartmentalizes his or her life into two sections of the religious and the nonreligious has failed to grasp the big idea. The big idea is that all of life is religious or none of life is religious. To divide life between the religious and the nonreligious is itself a sacrilege (violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred). 

“The big idea of the Christian life is coram Deo. Coram Deocaptures the essence of the Christian life.” 

This phrase literally refers to something that takes place in the presence of, or before the face of, God. To live coram Deo is to live one’s entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.

So last night my friend Josh was telling me about thefour and how so many Christians feel that they have to work for God or do penance before contributing the kingdom. This reminded of a journey the Lord has traveled with me on, Lord, wash my feet and I got to share my testimony about a recent time I got real with God and he immediately set my path straight. God used this testimony to help Seth flush his drugs down the toilet a few weeks ago.

Application:
Why am I on the fence with drinking alcohol and falling back into old habits of thinking and behavior? It's like God tells me to do something and I say, yeah but God you made me this way... The fact remains God made me for greater things, so why aren't I walking the righteous path. My friend Bob C at church gave me a shirt to promote men's ministry. "If we believe what we believe to be true, how will we live our lives - and if we don't live it out, do we really believe it?"

Bible Verses About Vision
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Eph 1:3)

Read More ->>

Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20)

I'm at Cannon Beach in Oregon and struck by the beautiful coastline and how the tide pulls so far out into the ocean. God is able to do not simply "more" than we can ask or image, but "infinitely more". I love this verse (and all of Ephesians, have the app read it to you - only takes 25 minutes). I love that this verse has both aspects of "ask" and "image". I see in scripture that God wants us to ask and tell him all that we care about (1 Peter 5:7). Hope and imagination go hand in hand as well, I imagine that someone reading this post will be blessed. I imagine that God will use me today to be a blessing to someone because I've seen this happen many times in the past. Love covers a multitude of sins, today I'll show God's gracious love to people around me and look forward in hope as God continues to fulfill his promise to Abraham, "I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. " Genesis 22:17

http://biblehub.com/ephesians/3-20.htm

Read More ->>

Assurance of Eternal Security

John 10:27-29 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,  for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
 - Safely held in Jesus hand, the Father's hand
 - He covers our past, present and future
 - What sin do we need to forgive in ourselves and others
 - What fear is keeping me from serving, witnessing and working. Where do hide from the light of the Gospel?
 - God's unconditional love, our conditional acceptance

Free Will and Authority of Jesus
 - Freely giving his life, lays it down.
 - Freely raises it up (John 10: 30) I and the Father are one.

Jesus confidently saw and understood that he would lay down his life and pick it up again. Continues his work to this day.

Read More ->>

Seeing your life through the lens of Gratitiude

Problem: You or someone you love is having a tantrum about how life isn't fair, nothing is good and "we don't have anything"
Solution: Write a list of things you are thankful for, if your like me you might find it useful to make columns of categories like health/ability, food/shelter, community/safety, opportunity/gifts. Then spend time thanking God for the good things that you've got, remember for others it's just a dream.
Here's a template

Read More ->>