The Priority of Prayer

A major part of our ministry is prayer.  We pray for over 2800 people every evening.  We also have a joint prayer time each morning for our immediate family and many extended family.  Father gave us this mantle and it has not been a burden to carry but a joy!  These past few months a lot of our prayer focus has been on Colorado and other areas of this country experiencing fires.  In Colorado they have had numerous fires burning many thousands of acres of land, forests, and homes.  Smoke has been in the air constantly in different areas of Colorado for most of this year.  As we prayed over family and friends in the path of these fires, Father showed us His protective hand over those we were praying for.

What an awesome responsibility some might say but we look at it as a privilege to lay our loved ones at Father’s throne and to trust Him with them.  The scriptures we also pray daily are Proverbs 3:5-6, the Prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10) and The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).  As we pray we rest in Father’s total and complete care of those whose names we speak into His presence.  I wrote about prayer last year in March and I could not get away from Father’s instructions to speak about prayer again now.  Why?  Didn’t I say it all last year!  Not at all!  So much has happened in this past year to focus our attention on the need for prayer, those on our prayer list and the power of prayer.  We have seen lives changed by prayer.  We have seen healing of physical bodies, healing of marriages and hearts, healing of emotions and the spirit and we have seen families restored. We see the effects of constant, consistent, faithful, unyielding, confident prayer.  We add new names to our prayer list almost daily and Father knows that no one is exempt from our prayers.  When He gives people to us, they are on the list and we pray for them until HE tells us to remove them or they go home to be with HIM!  Of course that is the ultimate healing and restoration!

One day He will come for us and we will be with Him forever but for today, for now, He has a plan and a purpose for our prayer ministry.  I cannot tell you the excitement when we get that call or email and we hear how our prayers have been answered. Our hearts are lifted, our spirits soar, our lives are enriched beyond words just to pray and trust Father with the dear ones He has given us.  How is your prayer life?  I am reading an amazing book sent to us by a dear friend that tells about praying for strangers.  When our friend told us she was sending the book, she said, this is YOU! As I read though the book and listen to the stories of the author’s encounters for prayer, I am in awe that our Father works in such miraculous amazing ways to draw people to those willing to pray.  We have experienced it ourselves but reading about the author’s encounters has refreshed me again to all that has happened over the past 13 years of CKM. 

May you be encouraged to make prayer a priority in your life!  The Word of God is full of scriptures about prayer.  Pray believing and expecting and you will see the Glory of God manifested through your prayer life and the answers to your prayers.  Our God hears and He answers!  We have confidence and assurance! We pray and leave the results in Father’s hands!

Prayer is our responsibility to God.  It is addressing God in word or thought involving these:  praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition and intercession.  Father wants to fellowship with us.

Prayer is the means by which believers communicate with God and receive guidance for their lives.  Effective prayer depends on faith and a right relationship with God.”  Faith is essential to prayer. “Asking for oneself and for others (intercessions) is an important aspect of prayer.”

Intercession – seeking the presence and hearing of God on behalf of others.

Meaning of Prayer and Intercession: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications and prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Prayer of believers for believers: “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19

Prayer for Healing: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:14-16

Prayer for the Lost (Salvation): “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1

Intimacy with Christ

What an amazing year this has been! I say that every year, at least it seems so, but this year bounded in with so much potential and yet great struggle. Why is that so? The world is in chaos, well, some don’t think so but we know that the world is in chaos, just look at the news. There are many interruptions in health, weather, finances, and even religion. Who is speaking to us today? We are hearing lots of voices and many are trying to sway us from our designated path of faith. They have some good arguments but they also promote lots of lies. The truth is not in them. The Lord told us that we would have many false teachers in the last days. Well, all that the Word has spoken about the last days is happening right now. On Friday mornings I am in a ladies Bible study and we are reading through the book of Isaiah. Oh my goodness how revealing this has been! Isaiah spoke as if he lived in this century, at this hour. He was speaking of Israel and all that the people of God were experiencing but you can see this country all through the message. I want to share some scriptures from that study and also encourage all of us to draw close to the Lord. That is where our strength, courage and great faith will abound because the days ahead will be challenging. We must develop an intimate relationship with Jesus. A deep abiding personal relationship where we hear Him and He hears us and we communicate on a deeper level than we have ever done. It is so needed for us to walk in victory through the last days. I am reminded of the need I had when I met Charley and we began talking about spending our lives together. I wanted to know him, his likes, his dislikes, his desires for the future, his goals, his hurts and his challenges. As we progressed in our relationship we began to see what made each other tick and how to interact with each other. After we married then we began to know each other in an intimate deep abiding and personal way. That has grown over 44 years of marriage, valleys and mountain tops and it continues to grow. How do you learn all of this? By communication! He talks and I listen. I talk and he listens. We share our deepest thoughts and ideas. That is how we have an intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus. We talk and He listens. He talks and we listen. We read His Word, His messages to us, from Genesis to Revelation, His message to us is powerful, cutting into our heart and taking out all the impurities and leaving us with refined silver and gold. That is how I see it and that is how it is with me. I want to have that purification process happen within my life. The scriptures I wanted to share are to encourage and bless you. Please go and read them for yourself. Time spent in God’s Word is never wasted time but so important for building the foundation that you will stand on for eternity. Praise God!!!

Isaiah 5:20-21 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

And this passage that means so much to us!

Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Isaiah 33:5-6 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Isaiah 35:1-4 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you”.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas

Hello dear friends! It is Thanksgiving week and the Christmas season! Oh how I truly love this time of year and not necessarily because of the Christmas tinsel and songs but because the whole world is focusing on Jesus whether they know Him as Savior or not, He becomes the reason for the season for many. The banter is always interesting about nativity scenes and Christmas carols in the stores. We had a sales clerk tell us Happy Holidays last week and we immediately said Merry Christmas. She wished us a Merry Christmas too!! We go with the joy of the season and the joy of the Lord wherever we go but this time of year we want people to know who we serve and love. Over the past month many of our friends on Facebook have been posting daily what they are thankful for and quite a few have put scriptures online. I wanted to share some of the scriptures I put on my page with all of you. May you be blessed and encouraged that we have so much to thank our Lord for and Jesus IS REALLY the reason for the season.

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.

Psalm 95:1-2 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Psalm 121:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

Each day as I have voiced my thankfulness, I have been thankful for my precious husband, my children, all the many prayer warriors, my dear friends, Father’s beautiful world, the air we breathe and the voice we have to praise and adore our Lord, my wonderful sisters in the Lord, and for Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone and a Very Merry Christmas too!!

Freedom in Christ

We have just experienced another July 4^th, Independence Day, with all the picnics, family gatherings and fireworks. For most folks it is a very exciting holiday because they enjoy the festivities but do they really understand the reason for the celebration. Most people probably have an idea what it is about but I just read a really good book that gives the history of our country keying on the role prayer has played in the founding of our nation. Our country separated from England and on July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted. I read the prayers given by our country’s leaders and the truly heartfelt patriotism that was shown. We have experienced this over the years as we have celebrated over 60 years of Independence Days. This year though I have another thought. That thought is about Freedom. Our son spent 20 years in the Marine Corps fighting for the freedoms we enjoy daily as we go about our life. There is another part of freedom that most folks don’t really think about. That is our Freedom in Christ. Some people think being a Christian and loving Jesus is restrictive. I disagree wholeheartedly! I love the fact that because of His great love for us we have the freedom to be who God wants us to be, live where He wants us to live and love who He wants us to love. That is the ultimate freedom because our Father through His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit want only good and perfect gifts for His children. I am a child of God! When I received Jesus as my Savior and Lord, I gained all the promises that are in His Word, The Bible! What are the freedoms that we enjoy? Let’s see: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Psalm 37:40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes in Me shall never thirst.

Acts 16:31So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.

Deuteronomy 33:12 The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Psalm 146:7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Psalm 37:3-5 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Seek the truth today.

Charley & Karen

Life and Living

Life and Living - John 5:24-30

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Harper's Bible Dictionary defines life as:

In the Old Testament - the gift of God is life. God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life.

Gen. 2:7 And man became a living being.

Psalm 36:9 For with you is the fountain of life. In Your light we see light.

In the New Testament - Life has spiritual meaning

Matthew 6:25 Life is more than food

Matthew 16:26 Life has more value than the whole world.

Jesus regarded each human life as precious. In John's gospel - Life is a major word used for real or spiritual life lived in fellowship with God now and hereafter. Jesus is Life!

The American College Dictionary defines life as:

Life - growth, reproduction, adapt to environment

Synonym: vivacity, spirit, sprightliness

Living - alive, active, strong as in a living faith

Burning or glowing as a coal

Flowing freely as water - living water

Synonym: quick, vigorous

How are men saved to experience eternal life?

By hearing the Word of God - Making a commitment and obedience to the Word.

By believing God - John 3:16, Romans 5:8

What is the result of salvation? Eternal Life - Life with Jesus forever and ever.

Do we have to wait? No

What is eternal life? John 3:36, John 5:25-26, John 20:31

We pass from death to life

We pass from condemnation to justification

We pass from unrighteousness to righteousness

Contrast 2 ways of life - Psalm 1

Jesus is our Life Source - God has life with Himself and He has given the same energy of life to His Son

Jesus has the Power to give everlasting life to those who hear Him and believe.

Colossians 2:13 You who were dead, He has made alive

1 Corinthians 15:45 A life giving spirit

More Scriptures about Life

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Choose life that both you and your descendants may live

Job 33:4 The breath of the Almighty gives me life

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is the strength of my life

John 1:4 In Him was Life, and the life was the light of men

John 10:10 I have come that they may have life – abundant, plentiful

John 11:25 Though he may die, he shall live

John 14:6 Jesus said, I am the Way, the truth, the life

John 12:49-50 I know that His command is everlasting life

John 8:12 Jesus said, I am the light of the world, light of life

John 8:31-32 If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

John 8:51 Keep His Word and never see death

John 10:28-29 Eternal life is given by Jesus, we shall never perish

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life, no Son of God no life

Who is a Christian? A person who is exercising and practicing the salvation God has provided. Father gives us the desire and strength to do what pleases Him.

Do you have life? Are you living in that life? Are you walking in that life?

Prayer Needed in Our World Today

Many people are spending much of their waking hours glued to the TV watching the videos of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. While it is important to know what is happening in our world, many, some of our dear friends, are being anxious and fearful just from watching so much of the news. Right now around our country and abroad prayer meetings are being held to bring the Japanese people before the Lord and ask for His help in the issues facing this country today. The stories of miracles are coming forth quickly. Much devastation has occurred and many are dead but many are also alive and helping the others with life and death issues. How precious the love that is being shown around Japan but also how precious the love being shown through supplies and prayers from all over the world. Any time something like this happens it affects everyone. What happens in Japan also affects our country through the economy and also through families. Many people live in the US who have family living in Japan.

What can we do? We are only one person and we can feel very insignificant in the aftermath of such a catastrophic happening. Be of good cheer dear ones. You have a very important role to play. We cannot stress enough the power of prayer. Pray without ceasing! Take each person in Japan, in the spirit, and lay them at Father’s throne and allow Father to do His work in their life. Only He knows their immediate need. Only He knows His perfect plans for them. Take each of the leaders of Japan and lay them at Father’s throne. Only He knows the stress and pressure brought to bear on these people who lead this huge country in such chaos. What do we know about prayer?

Prayer is the means by which believers (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord) communicate with God and receive guidance for their lives. Effective prayer depends on faith and a right relationship with God.” Faith is essential to prayer. “Asking for oneself and for others (intercessions) is an important aspect of prayer.” Prayer is our responsibility to God. It is addressing God in word or thought involving these: praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition and intercession. Father wants to fellowship with us through prayer. Our God hears our prayers when we are in right relationship with Him and He answers. We pray daily with confidence for over 2000 people and now over the nation of Japan and all of the people. That is the way we can touch each one with God’s love, His provision and His care. Many Christian organizations are offering to send help into the worst areas of destruction. As the Lord leads join with these organizations either through supplies or finances to help the Japanese people.

1Timothy 2:1-4 says “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Ephesians 3:14-21 “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Let us join together as Christ Ones to pray for the nation of Japan, the leaders of Japan, the people of Japan and for the mercy, power and love of God to be manifested.

Karen

Abiding In Jesus

These past few months it seems that all I read about is staying in God’s presence, power and walking in total submission to Him. One of my favorite scriptures is John 15. In this scripture we read about how to abide in Christ and for Him to abide in us.

Jesus says:

V4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

What does abide mean? It means to be sure, to remain in place, to stand, to endure, to dwell, to sojourn, to be firm, and to stay. Are you getting the picture? How secure and stable is abiding? Well, the way I look at this definition and the Word of God, it is mighty secure and stable. Oh how I want to dwell in God’s presence no matter what is happening around me. It is not dependant on feelings or attitudes. It is not dependent on the circumstances of life. It is a matter of belief, trust and total surrender to the truth of the gospel, who Jesus is and who He is in my life.

It is a choice that we make. If I live daily in His Presence and under Father’s protection nothing can harm me, nothing can touch me, and He is my refuge, my hiding place. Yes, life happens. Tragedies happen but imagine yourself being held in Father’s cupped hands. I have seen myself there so many times and I have literally felt His hands holding me safe and secure even in the midst of the storms of life. I love that sense of His abiding presence. He has said He will never leave me nor forsake me. I also feel His arms around me, holding me tenderly and comforting me. He is telling me, focus on Me, trust Me, rest in Me. We know of several people right now who are resting in Jesus in the midst of a very big storm and nothing can harm them.

V5 I am the vine, you are the branches, He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Without Him I can do nothing. Oh how true that is! I want to bear His fruit but I cannot do that without abiding in Him. I can go through the motions and get something done but what quality of fruit am I producing. I want good quality fruit to be produced.

Here are 4 Keys to Effective Christian Living

1. Abiding - to live, to stay, to continue in a permanent state, to dwell, to endure.

2. Fruit Bearing - producing something in abundance, ministry, helping others.

3. Obey - to carry out or fulfill the command or order.

4. Love - Spiritual love - 1 Cor. 13 Unselfish, unconditional

Because you set your love upon God, He will deliver you. He will exalt you or lift you up because you have known the name of the Lord. You pray and He will hear and answer. He will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you and honor you. With long life, we will see His salvation and His glory.

Karen