Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Don't You Quit

From the God at the Movies series @ CLCtoday.org and Jerry Mcquay, this familiar poem was the cheer squad/coach/mom in your face chant I needed to hear: 
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Find Your Wings - For Gracie, today & always


It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And if I never told you
I want you to know
that as I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God will fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

Song by Mark Harris, lyrics are found on http://www.songlyrics.com

Friday, October 12, 2007

30 Days of Prayer - Pakistan




An Islamic Offshoot - Zikri Baluch



Zikri


Ramadan 2007 / 1428 : Day 30 for October 12


The Zikri Baluch are an offshoot of mainstream Islam that is concentrated in the Baluchistan Province of Pakistan. There are about 750,000 adherents in this group. Most Zikris live in Baluchistan, but a large number also live in the region around Karachi and Iran. A high percentage of Zikris are involved in fishing, mainly along the coast of the Arabian Sea. Some are also involved in farming, basket weaving and making other hand crafted items.


Muslim But Different


Their practices are based around the teachings of Syed Mohammad Jaunpuri, a 15th century and South Asian Islamic Messiah figure (Mahdi). In religious practice, the Zikris differ greatly from mainstream Muslims. Zikris perform five daily prayer rituals called Zikr in which sacred verses are recited which differ from orthodox Islamic prayer. Zikris do pilgrimage to their most famous shrine at Koh-e-Murad, near the city of Turbat in Baluchistan, on the twenty seventh night of Ramadan. “Koh” means “mountain”, and “Murad” is a name, meaning “aim”or “desire”. It has been reported that the Zikris perform rites similar to a traditional Hajj when on pilgrimage to the shrine.


The name Zikri comes from the Arabic word dhikr (pronounced “Zikr” in South Asia) that refers to remembrance, usually of Allah. This is reflective of the Zikri worship, focused on the recitation of Islamic credos. The movement of Syed Jaunpuri started as a reaction to the worldly pursuits of the Muslim elite. Zikris have faced persecution mainly from Sunni Muslims, but this usually has occurred in areas where they are in a minority, or in conflict with non-Zikri power groups. The Zikri came to Baluchistan seeking safety, and in their isolation, they deviated from the Muslim majority practices.


The Future Question


It is probable that many other influences will come into the lives of the Zikri in the coming years. The Pakistani and Chinese governments have been deeply involved in developing the Gwadar deep-sea port which is being linked to the rest of Pakistan, to China and to Central Asia through a system of roads and pipelines. Gwadar’s population is about 50% Zikri. If the forecasted economic development based on the port actually takes place all of Baluchistan and the region will be significantly affected.


It has been reported by a couple of fishermen that Jesus appeared to them in a storm and rescued them while on a fishing trip. Pray that many more Zikri fishermen would truly encounter Jesus, and become real fishers of men!



Prayer Requests for the Zikri Baluch:


* In recent years a number of Zikris who have become followers of Jesus. Pray for growth in the ways of God (faith, hope and love) for all of these new believers (1 Cor 13).


* Pray also that these new believers would make known their faith among their family and friends, and that whole families and clans would become followers of Jesus.


* Pray that the top religious leaders of the Zikris would come to know Jesus, through the Scriptures, testimonies, films, dreams, visions, healings, etc., so that their followers would also embrace the Truth.


Background information, map and statistics about Pakistan can be found on our site here …>>

Sunday, October 07, 2007

30 Days of Prayer - Dreams & Visions




Dreams and Visions of Jesus



Dreams and Visions


Ramadan 2007 / 1428 : Day 25 for October 7


During the next few nights many Muslims around the world will often spend much of the night praying to God. Many will be seeking divine intervention for pressing needs.


Night of Power


The so called Night of Power, or “Laylat ul-Qadr” as it is known in Arabic, is one of the most significant moments of the Islamic year (It is the 27th night of Ramadan which varies from country to country depending on when people start Ramadan). Muslims believe that groups of angels are sent out on the Night of Power to perform special acts. Some come down to earth to worship Allah, others come to bring about the requests of believing Muslims. Special angels are also said to descend to earth to make proclamations about the coming year. This night is also called the “Night of the Decree or Destiny” by some. This night of “blessing” is supposedly the same night of the month of Ramadan as when Mohammed first received the revelation of the Qur’an. Muslims are often encouraged to stay awake during the entire night, and pray for blessings and forgiveness. This is one moment of the year when Muslims are perhaps a bit less fatalistic and have increased confidence that God will hear and act on their behalf.


The “30 Days” movement wants to encourage Christians around the world to especially pray for Muslims especially during the next 48 hours that many Muslims will really meet the Lord in visions and dreams. We also want you to pray for the success of a special web site which tells the stories of several Muslims who met the Lord in incredible ways (www.DreamsAndVisions.com).


Testimony


A testimony from the site: Mohammed grew up in a Fulani tribe in Nigeria and started rearing cattle when he was six years old. He did this for almost 10 years until he went to an Arabic school to study the Qur’an. Prior to this, Mohammed had learned about Islam from his father. After several years of schooling, he returned home.


One night he had a frightening dream. Then as second and a third. Then for six nights, Mohammed had similar dreams. Each time, Mohammed saw himself in different places and, regardless of where he was, the same man in white came and helped him. In the last dream (the 9th dream), Mohammed was sitting under a tree reading books that he couldn’t understand. The man in white (Jesus) was sitting beside him. Jesus took a book and said, “This book comes from the Lord and it has the message of God inside of it. In this book, I will show you verses which will help you.” Jesus read scriptures to Mohammed, including John 14:6, which says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” The next day Mohammed told a Christian acquaintance about his dream. Mohammed suffered greatly for his new found faith. He was rejected by his father and several times he was in danger of death by persecution.


You can read his whole story on the dreamsandvisions.com web site.



Suggested prayers:


* Lord, may You break down all thoughts of self-righteousness through religious activity among Muslims who participate in the Night of Power. May You move them toward true humility before You (Dan 4:37).


* May all glory be Yours because of Your loving character and for all You have done. Lord, may You be acting during the Night of Power so that people may have a revelation of Jesus, the Messiah.


* Lord, remember those who are genuinely seeking Your help this night. May You give them the help they need in such a way that they will understand that help comes through the Messiah, Jesus (Ps 34:18, Zech 9:9).


* Lord may the dreams and visions site (dreamsandvisions.com and morethandreams.org) become well known in the Muslim world. Open many doors so that many Muslims can have similar experiences and be encouraged by the testimonies on the site.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Push Away From the Table - cont

I've been sharing a bit lately about fasting and resulting breakthrough when we deny ourselves and seek God's face. Again, this is taken from Christian Life Center 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting Devotional Guide.

Breakthrough to Solve Complex Problems - see previous post

Breakthrough to Revival - see previous post

Breakthrough Crippling Fear & Negative Emotional Habits - previous post

Breakthrough to Compassion/Missions-Consciousness - previous post

The final two areas of breakthrough noted in the CLC guide are as follows:

Breakthrough to Clear Insight for Decision Making

We get so caught up in the day to day rush of our lives that we often fail to hear from God. Stress acts like static in the receiver; clouding our ability to hear from God. While Saul was in route to Damascus, a bright light knocked him right off his "high horse" and spoke to him. He was humbled enough that he needed someone to lead him by the hand to a place alone. It was in that place, during a time of fasting and prayer that God was able to turn his life completely around from a persecutor of Christians to the greatest of all the apostles (Acts 9).

The thing we sometimes forget is that while Saul was putting Christians in bonds to be imprisoned and, in some cases, killed; he thought he was working for Christ. It is so easy for us to get it wrong. I'm not saying that we go out killing people in the name of G od, but it is easy to make the wrong choices all by ourselves. Periodically we need to push away from the table AND the stresses of life to listen to the voice of God. but subjecting our will to God's, He makes His will know to us!

Breakthrough to Physical Healing or Better Health
While we may hate to admit it, not everything we eat is healthy. Periodic times of fasting are actually healthy. According to scripture and medical science, it acts like a preventative and prescriptive medicine (Exodus 15:26). While for some people, those on medication and with blood sugar problems, it may be impossible to go completely without food and/or water for a period of time; it is not impossible to fast. Daniel 1:2-20; 10:2-3 describes a partial fast which only includes eating healthy foods. This type of fast is recommended when fasting for longer periods of time. To be completely honest, it was more difficult for me than going without food altogether. The bottom line is that fasting promotes health in all of us. God would not ask something of us that was not ultimately good for us.

Day Four - What a GREAT Dream Looks Like~

He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had." Genesis 37:6

In 1989, a movie called Field of Dreams was released. Kevin Costner played Ray Kincells, a 37 year-old man who had never done a crazy thing in his life until he heard a voice one day that said, "build it and he will come." You see, Ray had a stormy relationship with his dad. He rebeled against his dad, an baseball lover, by refusing even to play catch with him. His father died before he could make things right. When Ray plowed his cornfield over and made a baseball field, everyone said he was crazy for following his dream. Though the magic of the movie he could be reunited with his father as a young man. The theology is certainly not correct and the plot is nowhere near reality, but that is what makes the movies...well, the movies.

One thing is for certain, people will come to a place where their dreams can be fulfilled. God's field of dreams is not in Iowa., but rather in the hearts of His people. How do we know what a dream looks like? This list below give us a good description of what a God-given dream looks like:

A God-given dream will stir your passions
A God-given dream will be humanly impossible to accomplish
A God-given dream will make an impression on you for a lifetime
A God-given dream will cause you to have strong faith
The enemy of your soul will attack a God-given dream

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Push Away From the Table - cont.

Yesterday, I was sharing about fasting and resulting breakthrough when we deny ourselves and seek God's face. Again, this is taken from Christian Life Center 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting Devotional Guide.

Breakthrough to solve complex problems - see yesterday

Breakthrough to revival - see yesterday

Breakthrough Crippling Fear & Negative Emotional Habits
A habit is a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition. We have all acquired a rather good habit of brushing our teeth. At least I hope we all have. Brushing our teeth keeps them in good enough shape to help them last our entire lifetime and it also helps with making friends. The point is...habits are things we do frequently enough that the behavior becomes almost second nature to us. A habit can be good or bad, beneficial or destructive.

Some habits are not as good fur us a brushing our teeth. In fact, they can hinder our relationship with God and others. For example, if I repeatedly allow myself to get worked up or irritated over small things, I will soon become an irritated and angry person over more than just external circumstances or situations. But rather, irritation & anger set up camp internally as a result of my choices over time. A person can eventually come to realize the problem is not with everyone else but with him/herself. However, it is often so late in the process that counseling and sermons do little to help.

After one of the most spectacular victories in all of Bible history, Elijah found himself paranoid, depressed and filled with self-pity. An angel appeared to give him supernatural food, though this did nothing to rectify the negative emotions controlling him. However, after his fast at Horeb, he walked in fresh purpose and perspective. Denying his natural desire for food helped him to h ave victory over his very human but destructive emotions. 1 Kings 19

Breakthrough to Compassion/Missions-Consciousness
Abundance of food has insulated us from the realities of a world in need. When my husband and I were missionaries to the Philippines, one of our students in the Bible school asked me one day "Ma'am, are you rich?" I replied that according to American standards I was not rich. Rueben thought about it for a moment and replied, "Ma'am, poor means having nothing to eat."

"Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast our; when you see the naked, that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?" Isa 58:5-7 NKJV

One thing the American church often forgets is that fasting is not just doing without food. It is focusing on the needs of others rather than on our own. The widow of Zarephath was willing to give up her food to feed Elijah. Are you willing to divert some of your budget to meet the needs of others. Ask yourself: Should I give some money to help someone less fortunate? Who should I give it to? How much should I give?

Good food for thought~

Day Two - Chasing the Dream
"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be." Philippians 3:12

Prayer Focus: Thank God for determination and passion to chase our dreams. Thank God for where He has brought you to today. Thank God for gifts, talents, goals and dreams He has placed inside of you. Ask Him to help you and help our church to see clearly how far He wants to bring us and then continue to have the courage to chase after it!