Read David Skiker's Post

David Sliker recently blogged on his ponderings after reading this book. You need to read this blog and let it stir you on! Click Here

Embarassing/Funny Moment In The Prayer Room

Zack Hensley recently posted this very candid blog: Hello friends welcome to the displaced Random Rantings Friday err Sunday… this is actually my favorite post every week, but that’s just me… ok let the randomness begin!
I just picked my nose in the prayer room, and was caught by to girls sitting behind me… awkward!

So what is the most hilarious, funny, akward, or just plain embarassing thing that has ever happened to you in the prayer room?

By the way, Zach's blog is worth add to your RSS reader.

Dethroning Mammon In Your Life

Guest Article -Wolfgang Simson

The God of financial miracles

You always thought 2 x 2 is 4? 160 hours of work per monthAdded up to a salary of 54,550? A balance is a list of assets and capital? And in summer you can’t afford a holiday because of low tide on your account?

Wrong. Because few have learned to make their calculations with God. For many, God belongs into the past, into an old book, and you hear about him inside a church building. But what, you may ask, has God to do with my work, my finances? Everything, if you allow it. For many, God is just an idea, until they experience him for the very first time in their life. For a sick person, health is what matters. And for And for many who ask “what’s in it for me?” it’s in the financial area that make us listen up.

Hardly anywhere does God get under our skin as deep as in the area of money. That’s real real. Now we have all heard the Creflo-Dollarstyle religious slogans until they come out of our ears. And we may remember some Bible verses: seek first the Kingdom of God and his -style justice, then God will care for you. It’s more blessed to give than to take. Give, and it will be given to you. But how does this work, how does it happen
in real life? Let me introduce you folks to you that have experienced the God of financial
miracles. Here are two examples:

VISIONS IN MY HEAD AS I LAY UPON MY BED

“God gives to his beloved in their sleep” Have you smiled about this nice little verse
before? It was 1995 when a man from Pondicherry in southern India woke up one
day with a stunning dream. Very clearly he had seen a chemical formula in his dream.
As he wrote it down it turned out to be a formula for a glue. And more than that: he
realized that one of the components actually is availabe as a by-product at another factory – for free. He set out to test that glue, planned its production – and in no time, “Jabez Polymer” was born, a company that quickly gained a place amongst India’s leading
glue manufacturers. People whispered that the owner had imported costly high-tech- Know How from America and thus made it so fast to the top. The company was able to make so much profit it could support many missionary projects in India. An inspiration had become an innovation. But: as in many God-inspired business ideas, this one was
short-lived, too. They do convey an important lesson, but are not geared to create everlasting financial independence.

WHEN GOD APPEARS AT THE SUPERMARKET CHECK OUT LANE

Annika Winzeler lives in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and has not been a Christian for long. She tells of the following event during her first days as a Christian: "Eighteen months ago, when God showed me that he really exists, I was going through a difficult time. I had just moved out from home, and was having trouble making ends meet. I often didn't know whether I would be able to eat. "One day, I stood in the supermarket, hungry and wondering what I could afford for lunch. I emptied my purse into my hand to count my money - it wasn't much, 1 Franc 30 (about 0.85 US-Dollars). I counted it again and again. That
wouldn't buy me much for lunch. I wandered down the aisles, looking at what I would have liked for lunch - a bread roll, yoghurt, an apple and something to drink, in total 2 Francs 10 (about 1.50 Dollar). But maybe Jesus could help me, as he had helped others! I had read something about fish and bread, so I asked Jesus for help: 'You fed so many people with only a little bread and a few fish. Couldn't you help me?' "Nothing happened - no angel appeared to help me shop, and no voice from heaven telling me how I could fill my stomach. I was very disappointed. Could it be that I was mistaken, that Jesus didn't exist, wasn't alive? Was everything just my imagination? Then my life wouldn't
change as I had thought it would. So I decided to buy my lunch with the 1 Franc 30 I had. I counted the money again, to be sure - but it was suddenly no longer 1 Franc 30, but
exactly the amount I needed to buy what I wanted for lunch! The money had multiplied in my hand!

Back then, I thought of this as completely normal. Has not Jesus promised to do this for me, to take care of me in my everyday needs?"

Recommended reading: Autobiography of George Muller

Share your testimony of God’s miraculous provision. Keep it under 500 words if possible and we will post them on the blog. Please for real share it now. Email Me

The Contempt Shown To Parents of Large Families

A funny thing happened to me the other day when my wife and I had, thank God, another baby (a boy). Many of my friends didn't seem all that happy for me. Sure, they went through the motions of smiles and congratulations. But it was evident that many thought me insane. Why would a young man and his wife ruin their lives with eight children? Who could afford the Jewish day-school bills? Didn't we want to live life a little, and not just be burdened with kids?

It got downright surreal when a European film company, pressed me, while my wife was in labor, to finish shooting a segment that had an urgent deadline (I obviously told them they were insane). And the next day, I was mildly criticized by a Jewish organization which was supposed to be hosting me for a lecture for having to cancel on them because the lecture clashed with the baby's bris.

I don't mind that the world doesn't really love babies, just that it pretends to. It's time we got honest about our priorities. Most people get a new car every two or three years, but one or two babies through the life of their marriage is plenty. You can get drunk on an airplane, laugh hysterically with your mates, and still not really anger people. But if you dare bring a crying baby on board you will be given malicious looks as if the little thing is a package that ticks. If you walk your dog along the street, people will stop you to tell you how cute he is. If you walk down the street with a baby, you might find a woman or two who coos, but for the most part, you'll be utterly ignored.

Indeed, the contempt shown to parents of many children is the last acceptable prejudice in our society. As a father of a large family, I find myself apologizing wherever I go, as if I committed a crime. The frequent and loaded stares from scornful onlookers imply that the famine in Africa was caused by my selfish insistence on overpopulating the earth. Long ago my wife and I discovered that few hotels were prepared to accommodate so many children, even if we took three of four rooms, which is why we bought an RV for travel. How strange to live in a world where loving children casts one in infamy.

Having a family with many children implies a backwardness and primitivism that is deemed unbecoming in the developed countries of the West. Large families, it is thought, exist only among religious weirdoes or the teeming hovels of the Third World. Rich countries, by contrast, prefer to increase their standard of living rather than the number of the living. Looking at Western birth rates for the year 2001, the United States averaged only 14.2 births for every thousand Americans, and the birthrate among white Americans is so low that the United States will soon lose its white majority. Indeed, one can go for days in a wealthy city like Manhattan without encountering a single pregnant woman.

Riches and children have become inversely proportional such that the more of the former, the less of the latter. Hence, the high birth rates of extremely poor African nations like Uganda – at 47.52 births per 1,000 – or Niger with 50.68 births per 1,000, are deemed to be prime causes and indicators of their penury. The abundant fertility and unconstrained sexuality of these countries confirms the unspoken Western mindset of these country's inhabitants as being just one step above savages. Contraception has become a synonym for civilization.

A Christian mother of six once wrote to me, "I find it troubling to worry about getting pregnant again ... because I don't want to face the criticism of friends and family. Why do people not see children as a blessing?" A fair question which deserves a fair response. Why is it that even many snagogues today are not children friendly? Why are people impressed that Jay Leno owns 20 motorcycles, but disgusted that some religious families choose to have 10 children?

Let's not finesse the response. We all know why. A world that has lost its innocence has trouble appreciating beings who are innocent. A world that has become selfish has soured to the idea of leading a life of selflessness. A world that has become grossly materialistic is turned off to the idea of more dependents who consume resources. And a world that mistakenly believes that freedom means a lack of responsibility is opposed to the idea of needy creatures who "tie you down." They can go fly a kite. By just looking at my children, I become more innocent. By loving them, I become more noble. By spending my money on them rather than myself, I find transcendence. And by being a father and liberating all of the love in my heart, my spirit soars free. I work hard to support a large family and I give up no pleasures in doing so because my children are my foremost pleasure.

I am often asked by women dating men how to tell whether they are marriage material. I tell them, "See if he enjoys children." A man who loves children is playful. He will spend his life joking with his wife because he loves to see her laugh, and will flirt with her because he loves to see her smile. There was a time when husbands and wives worked hard to ensure they could afford the blessings of a large family. Today, the higher your earning bracket the fewer children you have, but then we always knew that many turn money from a blessing into a curse.

Before he died, the Lubavitcher Rebbe launched a campaign asking parents to have one more child than they originally planned. It is a campaign that a dwindling Jewish community should revive as it continues to disappear.http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49074

Why Molly Mosack should be blogging”.

Dave Sliker recently posted on "Here’s who you think should be blogging…" The comments are great and thought provoking. So I was provoked to thought...scary idea for some of you. Molly Mosack was the first name that came to mind. Why? Molly was a Comm Leader for some of my good friends and long before I ever moved to IHOP one of her "girls" Hilary Warren-Lacy sent me a CD with Molly teaching. She shared her now famous artwork of living "eyes". Impacted my entire family. Finally, Molly taught a few sessions in Matt Candler's course "Apostolic Prayers and Hymns of Revelation," this sealed the deal no doubt the Lord's doing a great work.

Lots of people at IHOP-KC don't view themselves as preachers or teachers. Probably because our human tendency is to look at all of the really good teachers and preachers and think..."I could never do that"...but the truth is God is raising up messengers. People whose hearts are burning with a word and I have found many times those with the greatest message have to be encouraged to step out and share the gift. They would rather not be known on earth and are content to be known in heaven. Molly you are an "Apostolic Messenger", you have a message you can not keep it in but must share what is deposited on the inside. You are not an echo but have a revealed word of the Lord we need to hear more from your heart. BTW, she is funny too!

Pray about it Molly we need you! I got an UNCTION we will be hearing more from Molly Mosack.

This Isn't Politics It Is Freedom of Speach!

Congressional Legislation Targeting Free Speech Rights of Churches & Non-Profit Organizations

January 15, 2007
(Washington, DC) – The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which specializes in constitutional law, said today it is launching a nationwide campaign to oppose legislation on Capitol Hill that would drastically affect the operation of churches and non-profit organizations by restricting free speech by classifying them as “grassroots lobbying firms” subject to governmental regulation.
“This is a very troubling development that could drastically affect the mission and operation of churches and non-profit organizations,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, which is opposing legislation in the House and Senate. “This legislation – being pushed by House and Senate leadership – would place severe restrictions on the free speech of pastors and others who communicate about the moral and political issues of the day. By classifying these organizations as ‘grassroots lobbying firms,’ the churches and non-profit organizations would be under a tremendous burden by being forced to register and report to the federal government. This legislation violates the First Amendment protections afforded to these organizations. This is bad legislation that could become bad law. We are mobilizing on several fronts to challenge this dangerous legislation.”
There are two measures under consideration in Congress – H.R. 4682 and S.1 – the two grassroots lobbying bills now being considered in the House and Senate.
The ACLJ is launching a nationwide petition campaign – via email, radio, television, and through its website – to urge House and Senate leadership to reject this legislation. At the same time, Sekulow says the ACLJ supports a newly introduced amendment in the Senate bill (Amendment 20 to S.1) that would eliminate provisions of the Senate bill dealing with grassroots lobbying firms and ensure that churches and many other public interest organizations and individuals would not be subject to lobbying regulations.
Sekulow says he has assembled a legal and legislative team focusing on the problematic legislation. The ACLJ has produced a legal analysis (posted here) that details the dangers of this legislation.
“This is a critically important issue that simply cannot be ignored,” said Sekulow. “We are confident that Americans will stand with us in large numbers in making it clear to the House and Senate leadership that this legislation is unacceptable.”
In addition to battling the legislation in Congress, Sekulow said the ACLJ is preparing to take legal action challenging these measures should they become law.
Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice specializes in constitutional law and focuses on religious liberty litigation.

Born-again crowd a scary bunch of "Friends" How They View Us!

By Barry Garron
Wed Jan 24, 3:26 AM ET



LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Alexandra Pelosi, speaking about her documentary on red state evangelicals, said it's possible for everyone to get along if we can get past the hot-button issues of abortion and gay marriage. She may be overly optimistic.

The daughter of House speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) traveled the Bible Belt to bring back footage of fundamentalist worshipers, as well as Christian miniature golf courses, wrestling federations, car clubs and theme parks. Her guide for much of the journey was Ted Haggard, president of the 30 million-member National Association of evangelicals until he resigned in November after evidence of his gay relationships and drug use came to light. The film was completed a week or so before that happened, and Pelosi chose not to revisit the interviews to make points on evangelical hypocrisy, though she might have.

Still, the parts of the film that were most troubling were not about abortion or gay marriage or even the incredibly pathetic attacks on evolution. Rather, it was the willingness of evangelicals, young and old, to accept as figurative and literal gospel anything and everything fed to them by authority figures. They appear as automatons, unable or unwilling to question the pronouncements of their leaders.

Also difficult to watch were those who, despite having elected a born-again president and established giant radio and TV networks and a political power base second to none, still feel they are a persecuted minority. If Pelosi's intent is to show that evangelical faith suffocates reason, the point is well-made.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

This is not a political blog, others are "called to do that." However, I can't ignore things when people speak so hostilely of believers. Are you ready for RIDICULE FOR YOUR BELIEFS? Art Katz says most Christians want the approval of the non-believing world...I hope it ain't so!

For Those Who Pray

An Update on Paul Cain

By Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner and Jack DeereJanuary 22, 2007

In light of Paul Cain's recent announcement of restoration to ministry, we have been repeatedly asked for input. First, we rejoice in God's mercy that provides anyone with total forgiveness for any sin that is repented of. However, forgiveness of our sin is not the same as being restored to public ministry. We care much about Paul's life before God and his future ministry. We believe that his future ministry could far surpass his former ministry, if he allows the full restoration process to take place. Paul originally agreed to submit to Larry Alberts and his team in his restoration process. These men are well known and respected by many of Paul's friends in ministry. We strongly urged him not to leave Larry's care and oversight. However, he left Larry's oversight just over a year ago and moved to California to relate to a group of men that we do not know much about. Neither do we know the process that they say that Paul went through. Therefore, we cannot say with confidence that this is a genuine restoration that is according to the principles of God's Word. It will be harmful to Paul and others if he is released prematurely and then relapses into his past failures. As shepherds in the Body of Christ, we would bear great responsibility if another person was hurt by Paul's sin. We ask you to join with us as we continue to ask for the fullness of God's grace in his life and for his future restoration to public ministry.

Chris':Note I am not posting any comments for this blog entry. This is the official release and I am simply sharing it with those who would pray for Paul. Nor am I going to give any personal editorial. Every word we utter we shall give account for.

Persistent Prayer Needed

Please pray for Caleb Sammuel Bennett. Rory and Noel Bennett are expecting his birth and recently recieved this news:We had an ultrasound that shows our baby has some enlarged points in his brain which could mean Down syndrome or a drain shunt put in at birth. Please pray for us… Our friends Dan & Lori and Brad & Erica have both seen God do miracles with a pregnancy that had the possibility of a difficult outcome. Please pray for them.

Ps 139:13-18
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. NKJV

Artwork by Debra Drake-Huff

The First In A Series...Watch Out 24 Lovers This Is Addictive!

You Supply The Caption

I Am Speechless! Without Words!

What Do You Give The Televanglist Who Has Everything?

If the evangelist is Kenneeth Copeland and it's his 70th birthday, you give him one of those oversized cardboard checks -- with a seven-digit dollar figure.

Happy Caldwell, pastor of Little Rock's Agape Church, said fellow evangelists chipped in $2.1 million and presented Copeland with the gift on Thursday night in Texas. Caldwell told the story during this morning's service, moments before collecting an offering. An audible gasp went up when Caldwell revealed the size of the present. Caldwell didn't say how much Agape Church had kicked in.

Kenneth Copeland and his wife Gloria were apparently delighted with the outpouring. "They were speechless," Caldwell said. "That's about a million dollars apiece."
Copeland's son spearheaded the fundraising gift. Caldwell said Copeland deserves the money because he's been generous with the millions he receives in tax-deductible contributions. "When you're a heroic giver, eventually you're going to be a heroic receiver."

So does Copeland, who is already fabulously wealthy, need additional cash? "Need doesn't have anything to do with it. He doesn't need it," Caldwell told the crowd. "It has to do with sowing seed."

Copeland and Caldwell both teach that Christians who "sow seeds" by giving money to Christian ministries are rewarded by God exponentially. Caldwell assured worshippers that if they give tithes, offerings, pledges and vows to his church, they'll be making a wise economic investment.
Afterwards, people held their envelopes heavenward as Caldwell prayed over their gifts.

Why Some Prayers Go Unanswered!

Dave or David...who is this guy?

This man wasn't the first to jump on the blogging band wagon; but he ain't no slacker he is a Sliker and He jumped on board before IHOP bloggers jumped from 500 to 5,000. David as he prefers to be known has inspired many to jump into the blogging pool. So you will see that my blogs & people list has grown. David is a little verbose but like my friend John H. says you can pack a lot of meaning into one big word. Sliker thinks that means you can pack a lot of words into one sentence. He is trying to get into the record books for writting the longest blog entries, yet his readership is growing faster than the mold in my shower. So visit his site

Sliker is great at interacting with commentors. So leave comments. Just remember his name is David like the guy in the Bible that God really liked. It is not Dave like the guy who started a hamburger joint and named it after his Daughter.

Who knows maybe the expression and understanding of blogging will change in one generation too!

Only The Best!

Matthew 6:30-34 (New Living Translation)

30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Are these words true for you? Has God given you everything you need? Is He a good Father to you? This past week we personally saw His miraculous provision. Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread...I never knew that could include coffee. Some of you might not know this but I am a coffee snob. Now I'd never tell you if you served me a lousy cup of Java, but personally in our house bad coffee is simply not worth it. As Prayer Missionaries we have chosen to live below our means so we can devout ourselves to lives of Prayer. Sometimes that means buying a generic or going without something that is a luxury. Coffee was one of the first things to go; I just couldn't bring myself to accept "Folgers" in my cup. Being born and raised in Seattle some folks think gourmet coffee is a recent phenomena; it ain't so Starbucks been around since 1972 and before Seattle's Best Coffee won THE BEST it was Stewart Brothers Coffee. So rather than complete or lower my standard I chose to give it up. No matter how much I try to rationalize coffee as a necessity it is not! But my Heavenly Father knows. This year for my Birthday I received an incredible Espresso Maker it cost almost as much as my first car (don't ask). Mom wanted to surprise and bless me and she did. Yet even the finest machine can not turn bad coffee into good! Last week while praying in the prayer room one early morning, I opened my eyes to find two cans of Illy Coffee in front of me. Now this was God's abundant over and above provision. Now, I know who gave it to me...but they were simply a "conduit" that God used. He was the source. They had a choice(Thanks guys you Rock!) but He was the source. He cares about the small stuff too!

Later that week I was in the prayer room (am I seeing a pattern?) and sitting at one of the few tables. I left my stuff at the table briefly to meet with my prayer room team (cool peeps). Sometime while I was gone an envelope makes its way into my journal. My name on the outside in red...inside $150 bucks. It paid a bill that was sitting on the counter.

So I share these stories to give glory to God! But also to encourage others who are trusting God for provision. In the weeks ahead I would like to share stories of God's provision. Will you share your stories with our readers? Maybe your a Prayer Missionary, Pastor, Teacher, Overseas Missionary, Business Person, Chief Financial Officer for your household, starving student, simply a trusting Christ-Follower...tell us your story of His wild extravagant provision. You can email me chrisferguson@ihop.org

This is Y we pray!

Generation Y's goal? Wealth and fame

Eighty-one percent of 18- to 25-year-olds surveyed in a Pew Research Center poll released today said getting rich is their generation's most important or second-most-important life goal; 51% said the same about being famous.

Robert Thompson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University, says one reason money appears so important is that modern American life "has a lot to do with acquisition."

"The way to distinguish ourselves is by our stuff," he says. "In some cultures, you're born into a caste. You know who you are, and it doesn't change. Here, you have to carve out your identity, and one of the most obvious ways to do that is to climb the ladder. It's not about birth and class, but it is about financial status." READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

This is why we pray...this is what we want to impact. This statistic is probably no different for many raised with faith. What if our highest goal was to behold and bless the Lord? What if American Christ-Followers distinguished ourselves by how we live. By how we treated one another in the family of faith and those outside of our faith. What if we were known for extreme generosity? Insane generosity! What if we lived as those who had the answer! What if we viewed our primary mission as worshippers and our secondary mission as rescuers? The expression and understanding of Christianity will change in a generation because it must change a generation. Let it be this generation, Lord!

A new study by The Barna Group reports that, overall, people attending house churches were significantly more likely to be "completely satisfied" with their experience…(Read it all here)

What about you? Have you ever done "house church"? What was that experience like?

Who Am I?

MY Books should be in your library. I wrote a bunch of them. I like burgers and fries too! Who Am I?

WhY Did Ya Change The Lights?

Chrarity Bates recently commented on David Sliker's Blog about the changing look of the prayer room. She is a great friend of our family and I was blown away by her comments regarding the new lighting in the Prayer Room. Her words are in red. You might want to visit her blog.

Even though you already have the input of half of IHOP about the big changes in the prayer room, I feel compelled to share as well. During the Onething conference, I was able to meet the ‘Seeker-Sensitive Willow Creek Lighting Guy’ who has caused such a ruckus. During our conversation I asked him, “What is your vision for the lights in the PR?” Honestly, his response surprised me. Without missing a beat he said, “Revelation 4.” He then explained to me that the scene around the throne shows us that human beings were meant to be visually fascinated by beauty and that the changes in the Prayer Room are not only meant to ‘make things look nice,’ but they are meant to be an escort into the very presence of God. At IHOP we spend a lot of time talking about the Hymns of Revelation, but honestly, there is a lot more going on there than just songs. I am excited about the changes in the prayer room. I know that right now it is ‘little, rough, and ugly’ but in time, with a good dose of wisdom and revelation, something stunning could emerge.

Sermon On The Mount - Onething!

I was in a hallway outside of the main auditorium having a conversation with my friend Eric. A woman came very close to my “personal space,” and stared at my name badge. I acknowledged her but she stared off into space and walked away. Eric and I both commented on how strange her behavior was and went back to talking. Moments later she returned and asked if I on was staff at IHOP. She pulled me aside and in hushed tones told how a family of Muslims had wandered into the arena by mistake. Some Arabic speaking Christians offered them seats in the main auditorium.

Kirk Bennett was taking the offering. At one point during the offering he mentioned the growth of Islam in America. Although it was not a derogatory or hateful statement it made these visitors feel uncomfortable and they immediately left.

Her name was Judy; she had sat next to this family and was devastated. In fact she was close to anger over the issue. If not dealt with promptly offense and bitterness would easily set in. She was hoping that I would take her complaint directly to the speaker…because “this was another example of Christians being insensitive to non-believers.” I was suggesting that we pray for them and that she could email IHOP, when I looked up and there 15 feet in front of us was Kirk. She was reluctant to approach him, but I didn’t let her miss this chance.

We walked up together and I introduced her to Kirk, she proceeded to tell him what happened. He responded with empathy and compassion, reminding her that God was capable of using our mistakes and that the main thing was for these Muslims to encounter Jesus. Immediately we prayed for these four people. Judy’s whole demeanor changed, I reminded her that this was not a coincidence but a divinely orchestrated moment. What my friend Joe Ford calls a “coinciGod.” There were 12,000 people at this conference.

She went back to her seat in the main auditorium free and full of joy. I had just witnessed the mercy of God in action. God gave her a chance to let go of “offense,” and she responded with a YES. She was allowed direct access to the person whom she believed had caused offense. Kirk responded with the Sermon on the Mount attitudes. Three of us agreed in prayer for four Islamic strangers to encounter the living Jesus Christ who is more than a prophet but is actually God.

Jesus said if we had offense against our brother we should go immediately and set it right. Is there any offense in my heart?

Ps 103:1-8

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

NKJV

Calling All Lurkers

A lurker is a person who reads discussions on a blog or other interactive system like chat room or forum , but rarely participates by contributing their comments. Tell me a bit about yourself- who you are, where you’re from, what you do, what you like the most and what you would like to see on this site. This can encourage me to also post more frequently. This will also let you get to know some of the other lurkers and will even give you a few hits to your site if you have one.

Stephen B. Called Today!

Josh shares this story and its great! Click here

You Know You've Hit the Bigtime When...

...none other than this guy comes calling.We in the IT office at IHOP received a voicemail today (well, two actually) that went something like this."Hi. I'm looking for Mike Bickle, but the phone system dumped me to this extension. My name is Stephen Baldwin. I have been an actor for over fifteen years and now I have a ministry. If you need to find out about me you can go to stephenbaldwin.com ... that's Stephen with a P-H. Ummm, I am trying to reach Mike Bickle ... and Corey Russell if I can. I connect different Christian ministries together. My number is XXX-XXX-XXXX. That's XXX-XXX-XXXX. And that's my personal cell number here in New York."Then he called back a second time and left almost the same message. In case we didn't get it the first time.We laughed because we thought it was a prank. But it was real apparently.You heard it here first.

Do You Hear What I Hear? Do You See What I See?

Apocalypse warning heads top 10 religion stories

Terry Mattingly, Scripps Howard News ServiceWednesday, December 27, 2006
STORY TOOLS

Imagine the following event in your mind's eye.
President George W. Bush is addressing the United Nations amid global tensions about nuclear weapons. He closes with evangelical language that expresses his yearning for the triumphant second coming of Jesus Christ and prays that this apocalyptic event will unify the world - sooner rather than later.
Do you think the speech would cause a media storm? Do you think journalists would dissect his mysterious words, along with his theology? Would this be considered one of the year's most controversial religion-news events? Bush, of course, never delivered an address of this kind.

However, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did say the following as he ended his dramatic United Nations speech on Sept. 20, 2006
"I emphatically declare that today's world, more than ever before, longs for just and righteous people with love for all humanity; and above all longs for the perfect righteous human being and the real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet," he said, referring to a Shiite doctrine about a coming apocalypse.
"O, Almighty God, all men and women are your creatures and you have ordained their guidance and salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirsts for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by you, and make us among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause."

READ It All HERE

Use Your Cell In Church

Dial-a-prayer goes contemporary RELIGION: Cell phone ministry puts callers in touch with live prayer serviceBY CAROLYN THOMPSONcthompson@nwitimes.com219.933.3229

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Monday, December 25, 2006 2:14 AM CST

MUNSTER In most congregations, parishioners might be encouraged to turn their cellular telephones off during service.At Family Christian Center, the word is turn them on and call someone who needs a prayer.

That's the basic concept behind the four-month-old ministry in which church members call people who need a special touch of healing over their personal cell phones at a special time of the service.The Rev. Steve Munsey, pastor at Family Christian Center, originated the idea. He calls it a "God idea.""The effect is overwhelming, " Munsey said. "We have testimonies of miracles, encouragement."Those who have been on the receiving end of those calls agree.Bernadine Lanos is the caretaker for her 98-year-old mother, Ida Mae Williams.Lanos' cousin, Sheila Carter, is a member of Family Christian Center. She calls Lanos at her Ohio home each Sunday during prayer."It's more personable than watching church on television on Sundays, which is what we do," Lanos said. "It is an honor to take care of my mom, but it can be stressful, too, and that is why the prayer ministry is very helpful."I feel so good when she calls on the phone and you can actually hear the minister say that he is reaching out to you by cell phone and you can hear him blessing people and know that he's praying for you, for everybody."Pastor David Jordan Allen, media relations director, said the cell phone prayer services are held at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and on Sundays during worship services."It's a one-on-one, a very much one-on-one," Allen said "People struggling with cancer, rebellious kids, addictions, or those who can't make it to church service, will respond to prayer through the cell phone."The church is also taking the ministry to the Internet and television."It's amazing to take this technology within the church," he said. "Usually they say to turn it off at the door, but we are asking them to turn them on and dial someone you know who needs prayer."It's not an idea about making money, but it brings so much gratification to help humanity, that's the reward."

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Call Someone Today and Pray for them. Send them a Text Message letting them know of your prayers.

The 50 Most Influential Chrisitans in America

Thank God that heaven's list of the Most Influential Christians won't have names we recognize. Not bashing or praising anyone on the list nor am I asking you to. The Sermon On The Mount, makes it very clear who gets honor, promotion, recognition in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whom would you add to the list of influentials in America or more importantly in Your Life...who has influenced you in your faith the most? Share with us your top 3.

The Church Report is pleased once again to announce this year’s list of The 50 Most Influential Christians in America. The list is the result of over 200,000 nominations from readers of the magazine and our online readers. After carefully tabulating each nomination, what follows is a list of people deserving of our recognition and thanks. As with all types of lists, there are those not on this list, not because they were not deserving, but simply because we could not publish a list of the 100 most influential Christians in America. The staff of The Church Report did not choose this list, as we do some of our other lists throughout the year; rather, we feel that the nominations from Christians across America are more representative.

This year’s most influential Christian in America, as chosen by the readers, is Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Pastor Osteen – who early in his church life never thought about being a pastor and preferred being in the background – pastors one of the largest churches in America, is a best-selling author and travels across the country speaking to packed arenas of people eager to hear his message.

Believe it or not: The TV evangelist sent me money

by Frank Lockwood

I gave my first donation to a TV evangelist when I was nine years old. The preacher was Rex Humbard of Akron. My tax-deductible contribution totalled 27 cents. I received urgent fund raising appeals for the next three years.

Since then, I've seen requests for money from Jimmy Swaggart and Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts and Franklin Graham. But this week, for the first time ever, a TV preacher SENT MONEY TO ME.

Pastor Bob Tilton of Tulsa, Oklahoma mailed me a crisp new $1 bill from the federal reserve bank in Minneapolis along with an upbeat, computer-generated letter.

"I TELL YOU, FRANK, THIS IS YOUR TIME!...Frank, hold this "seed dollar" in your hand as you continue to read the words: "IN GOD WE TRUST." I sent you this dollar bill as a seed to help you Prime the Pump for the wellspring of blessings that will flow like a river out of you."

To get those blessings flowing like an Oklahoma oil well, Pastor Bob said I need to take that dollar and mail it back to Tulsa -- along with my best gift of $29, $49, $199 or $499.

"Frank, when I receive your answer back, I am going to send you some anointing oil to help you believe God for a continuous miracle. When you receive this anointing oil, anoint your wallet and all your bills as our Point of Contact...for your CONTINUOUS MIRACLE."

Pastor Bob used to air on television stations across America. But after Prime Time Live aired damning allegations of ministerial misconduct, he faded from the screen. He's back however (with his third wife and four french poodles) preaching his get-rich-quick spiritual schemes on BET. I caught his show on a recent trip to Arkansas and called the toll-free number. Now, he says, I too can reap financial blessings.

Many TV evangelists seek donations. But Tilton goes after those who are poor and struggling. His letter asks "How much do you need to pay all your debts? Write your answer here: $ _______"

Then it asks, "What is your biggest debt?_______________"

For those scraping by, he writes: "If it's just impossible for you to give $29 along with this dollar bill, then give the closest thing you have to that and send it..."

It's a spiritual pyramid scheme. But when Pastor Bob sowed money in my life, I'm afraid it fell among thorns.

Pastor Bob urged me to leave this new seed faith dollar in my Bible overnight and then mail it back to him. But I sowed it in a Herald-Leader soda machine instead (after inspecting it carefully to make sure it wasn't counterfeit.) Just as Esau threw away his inheritance for a bowl of pottage, I traded my shot at "unlimited blessings, unlimited miracles, unlimited prosperity" for a cold, 65-cent can of Diet Coke. With the remaining 35 cents, I made a down-payment on a Mounds bar.

Pastor Bob, if you're reading my blog, please SEND MORE MONEY. Don't be stingy -- mail me "YOUR BEST GIFT" -- and a copy of your free book Learn How to Pay Your Bills -- Supernaturally!

(Yes, he's really written a book by that title. And yes, he's offering it for free on his website.)

Pastor Bob's website:

Wikipedia's entry on Pastor Bob:

Lessons For Rev. Bob

Bank Issues Credit Card To Cat

Bank issues credit card to cat
Thu Jan 4, 3:21 AM ET

An Australian bank has apologised for issuing a credit card to a cat after its owner decided to test the bank's identity security system.
The Bank of Queensland issued a credit card to Messiah the cat when his owner Katherine Campbell applied for a secondary card on her account under its name.
"I just couldn't believe it. People need to be aware of this and banks need to have better security," Campbell told local media on Thursday.
The bank said the cat's card had been cancelled. "We apologise as this should not have happened," it said in a statement.

"I can hear it now, "I didn't make that purchase, my cat bought it!"

You Provide The "Tagline"

OneThing Interviews With Mike Pilavachi and Allen Hood

News Years Count Down

Shane & Shane Live at Onething

Allen Hood at Onething 2006

Watch and Pray...Today

It is the monthly GBF fast and you can watch the prayer room live today. Play it at work, home, where ever you go. You can join with us in KansasCity. People all over the world are tuning in. Look the prayer room stage got a face lift and some new lights. Click Here and click on Global Bridegroom Fast . IHOP Dictionary GBF = A fast that all believers around the world are asked to join in and pray for the great harvest and the second comming of Jesus.

Leaving the Church of Consumerism

It began, as grand ideas often do, over a dinner — risotto, artisan cheese and wine. What would it be like, 10 environmentally conscious friends wondered as they discussed the state of the planet, to go a year without buying anything new?
Twelve months later, the results from their experiment in anti-consumption for 2006 are in: Staying 100 percent true to the goal proved both harder and easier than those who signed on expected.
And while broken vacuum cleaners and malfunctioning cell phones posed challenges, some of the group's original members say the self-imposed shopping sabbatical was so liberating that they've resolved to do it for another year.
"It started in a lighthearted way, but it is very serious," said John Perry, 42, a father of two who works for a Silicon Valley technology company. "It is about being aware of the excesses of consumer culture and the fact we are drawing down our resources and making people miserable around the world."
The pledge they half-jokingly named The Compact, after the Mayflower pilgrims, spread to other cities through the Internet and an appearance on the "Today" show. Read More

Who Am I

The Face of Evil
The message of God's becoming human attacks the heart of an era when contempt for humanity or idolization of humanity is the height of all wisdom, among bad people as well as good. The weaknesses of human nature appear more clearly in a storm than in the quiet flow of calmer times. Among the overwhelming majority of people, anxiety, greed, lack of independence, and brutality show themselves to be the mainspring of behavior in the face of unsuspected chance and threats. At such a time the tyrannical despiser of humanity* easily makes use of the meanness of the human heart by nourishing it and giving it other names. Anxiety is called responsibility; greed is called industriousness; lack of independence becomes solidarity; brutality becomes masterfulness. By this ingratiating treatment of human weaknesses, what is base and mean is generated and increased ever anew. The basest contempty for humanity carries on its sinister business under the most holy assertions of love for humanity. The meaner the baseness becomes, the more willing and pliant a tool it is in the hand of the tyrant. The small number of upright people will be smeared with mud. Their courage is called revolt, their discipline Pharisaism, their independencne arbitrariness, and their masterfulness arrogance.

Which Name Do You Use? Which is His Favorite?

God's Many Names

One day my four-year-old son asked me about God's name. I explained God had many names including Father, Lord, and Jehovah. After listening to my long explanation, my son asked, "Can I just call him Steve?"—Vicki Crooks, Klamath Falls, Oregon. Christian Reader, "Kids of the Kingdom."

What American's Think...

Another terrorist attack, a warmer planet, death and destruction from a natural disaster. These are among Americans' grim predictions for the United States in 2007.
Only a minority of people think the U.S. will go to war with Iran or North Korea over those countries' nuclear ambitions. An overwhelming majority of those surveyed think Congress will raise the federal minimum wage. One-third see hope for a cure to cancer.

Among other predictions for the U.S. in 2007:

_35 percent predict the military draft will be reinstated.
_35 percent predict a cure for cancer will be found.
_25 percent anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ.
_19 percent think scientists are likely to find evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Only 25 percent of Americans anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ. How are we as believers supposed to think about this? After all its been 2000 years. Well, let me share a little picture to help you. When ever I travel away from my family for a day or even longer my kids have one...no two questions for me.

1. When will you be home? 2. Will you bring me back anything? When I get home they are so excited to see me. They have been filled with expectations and anticipation of my return.

This is exactly how we too should live. I am hoping His return will be soon. I am asking Him, come back quickly. Make all things new. What if it isn't this year? My heart will simply long more intensely. That's good!