An Obamanation: Fr. Frank responds

Our President-Elect cannot tell the difference between serving the public and killing the public

A Grave Mistake and an Abiding Hope

Fr. Frank's press release regarding the election of Obama

Sign up for tonight's post-election conference call!

Pray for Your City/State Jeremiah 29:1-13

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ABOUT 7X7 - National Day of Prayer May 1, 2008

Are you willing to commit to pray for our country seven days a week? Are you able to set aside time in your car, during your coffee break, or before bedtime? We want to challenge you make this prayer commitment.

7x7 involves praying for seven centers of power seven days a week: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family. By remembering these specific prayer points, we can cover all Americans with God's power.

Together, we will see positive change!


REMEMNBER Also the Global Day of Prayer - May 17 - 26



GDoP - PRAYER GUIDE

Bin Laden Video Urges Americans to Convert to Islam

Bin Laden Video Urges Americans to Convert to Islam

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10)

- AP

Osama bin Laden appeared for the first time in three years in a videotape Friday released ahead of the 6th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they want the war in Iraq to end, according to a transcript obtained by FOX News. Bin Laden made no overt threats and did not directly call for attacks, according to the transcript. Instead, he addresses Americans, lecturing them on the failures of their leaders to stop the war in Iraq despite growing public opposition in the U.S.

· This tape is actually a very dangerous signal to all Americans, for before a Moslem attacks, he must invite his intended target to embrace the teachings of Islam. Continue to stand your watch against any and all incursions in the days immediately ahead. Cry out for mercy for our nation -- a mercy which we do not deserve, but which is the nature of our heavenly Father to bestow, even so. Stay alert and be prepared in all ways: spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally.

· "Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared." (Proverbs 3:25,26)


OUR PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

CCNews ~ "God and Father, You have heard to call of him who would call us to desert You the One True and Living God. Grant to us as a nation a spirit of repentance, where we recognize afresh and anew our historical founding and spiritual significance in modern history. The outward appearance is we have abandon our God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant to us, Oh God, a spirit of true humility to come upon us. Help us to want to pray to You the living God, the God of all Creation, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. May we have a growing desire to pray and talk with You as a friend to a Friend. Help us to seek Your Face as looking for one in a crowd in the circumstances of our life. Oh God help us to turn from all our harmful thoughts, words and ways that we treat others and turn on ourselves. Help us to be truly sorry for our wicked ways. We need for You to hear our heart, forgive our sin, and to heal all the land of our broken life. We come to You by way of the Cross of Jesus Christ, His shed blood for our sins and all mankind, and with the hope and promise of new life through Christ's resurrection. Amen." ~ Editor, CCNews

EAST MEETS WEST…UNITED IN PRAYER
Informal Worship and State Prayer Gathering
(Men & Women)
Friday, July 27, 2007

CAPITOL BUILDING/PIERRE, SD
3-5 P.M.
(Meet at 2:45 p.m. at Visitor Information Center beside Capitol Lake.
Enter from Broadway Avenue & Park)

OAHE CHAPEL
Oahe Dam on Highway 1804
7-10 P.M.
(Come for however long you can.)

Please join me in praying for South Dakota to receive its destiny as a state.

With the SD Aglow West River Area Leadership Team holding its retreat (contact Sharon at 605-484-1343) in Pierre, our state capital, it only seems right to incorporate a time of prayer for the state.

The Lord has revealed that the Oahe Chapel is the righteous beginning place of Christianity in South Dakota. It was the place where native pastors were trained by white missionaries to minister to their own people up and down the river, so it seems a very significant place to pray in addition to prayer walking the Capitol Building.

Below are a few Words spoken over South Dakota when Dutch Sheets and Chuck Pierce were in Pierre on
June 28-29, 2004:

• A declaration that God is going to so transform this region that it is going to truly be a place that repre-sents friendship with God, and South Dakota will become “conspicuous because of the presence of the Lord.”
• Reference was made to a Word spoken in 2000 that the Lord would look at how each state responded in
two areas: worship (if the state would worship, they would begin to overthrow powers…) and abortion, which is a worship issue. Abortion is the sacrifice of a child to a ruling spirit named Molech.
• There is a strength resident here to take on a national stronghold: “If we don’t get breakthrough in South Dakota, we don’t get the nation. There is a strongman here, and there is a stronghold here; but it is supposed to be a key place for the nation. And if we don’t get this dealt with, we don’t get revival in America.
• Declaration was made that the Spirit of God is coming to visit the Native People of South Dakota. They will be seen as a blessed people and there will be a move of God’s Spirit that will be key to what He wants to do in this state.
• Freedom was spoken to each of the nine reservations in South Dakota, that they would be open to the Word, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Praise and Worship by New Life of Pierre, led by Melanie Stampe. Feel free to bring instruments of worship.

Please contact me if the Lord is showing you things for this event, prophetic acts, declarations, decrees, etc.

RSVP OR FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jan Waltman, S. Dak. State Prayer Coordinator
38405 129th Street ● Aberdeen, SD 57401 ● 605-225-2617 ● janfrank@abe.midco.net

LODGING

Kings Inn Rate $59.95 (1-4 people) Make reservations by July 20
110 E. Sioux Ave. 605-224-5951 or 8000-232-1112
Pierre, SD 57507

OAHE CHAPEL DIRECTIONS

Coming into Pierre from the NE (U.S. 14/83)
At the intersection w/SD Hwy 1804 (Criminal Justice Center on left), veer right onto 1804. Continue for ap-proximately 4 miles on 1804. Turn left at intersection w/road going across the dam. Oahe Chapel is on your right.

Coming into Pierre from the SE (S.D. 34)
Counting the stoplight at the U.S. Hwys 14/83 truck by-pass intersection, continue west on Wells Ave. (eventually curves to become Sioux Ave. or Hwys. 14/83/34). Go about 2½ miles to 7th stoplight at the intersection with Pierre St. and Sioux Ave. (Post Office on NW corner; Walgreens on NE corner).
Turn right onto Pierre St.
Go under the railroad bridge and turn right and then turn left onto Euclid Ave. (U.S .Hwys 14/83).
Go north on Euclid about 1½-2 miles.
Continue past 8th St. to the intersection w/S.D. Hwy1804 (Criminal Justice Center on right).
Turn left onto 1804 and continue for approximately 4 miles on 1804.
Turn left at intersection w/road going across the dam. Oahe Chapel is on your right.

Coming into Pierre from the South (US Hwy. 83) or W (US Hwy. 14/SD Hwy. 34)
After crossing the Missouri River bridge, continue east on Sioux Ave. (Hwys.14/83/34) about 8 blocks to 3rd stoplight at intersection with Pierre St. (Post Office on NW corner, Walgreens on NE corner)
Turn left onto Pierre St.
Go under the railroad bridge & turn right and then turn left onto Euclid Ave. (U.S. Hwys. 14/83).
Go N on Euclid about 1½-2 miles.
Continue past 8th St. to the intersection w/S.D. Hwy 1804 (Criminal Justice Center on right).
Turn left onto 1804 and continue for approximately 4 miles on 1804.
Turn left at intersection w/ road going across the dam. Oahe Chapel is on your right.

That's It for Me !

Whew !

Now you're up to speed on what's been happening in my sphere of influence here in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

But I know there is a lot more going on than just this.

I'll be posting new content as it comes across my path.

I know of a few events that should be posted here (Now I just have to figure out where I put all those little pieces of paper!)

Stop by and visit us at www.kingdomreign.net when you get the chance !

Don't Forget to Use Ephesians 6 !

Did you ever notice that mosquitoes love to hang out around the river?

I took some time off from work on Friday for an impromptu meeting at a near by park.

Now I'm usually the one that's preaching the sermon about "don't forget to use bug spray!" but I had other things on my mind at the time and I forgot. . .

I have CLUSTERS of mosquito bites around both ankles, all over my arms, and some of those long-nosed nasties even managed to bite through my t-shirt !

As I was spreading calamine lotion everywhere verses from Ephesians Chapter 6 began popping into my mind. (You know, scriptures that talk about putting on the whole armor of God?). I had to chuckle because I had just shared that scripture in staff devotions on Tuesday. . .

I had asked everyone to roll their desk chairs into a little space we have just dedicated as a prayer room. Rolling our chairs into that room was a prophetic act of sorts. We were there to tell God that we meant business.

We've had so many of our key people profoundly affected by the flooding, several marriages are struggling, health issues seem to be popping up everywhere and more than a few people are having problems at work. We've decided that enough is enough. We're tired of being on the DEFENSIVE. . . we want to start being OFFENSIVE. (And believe me, nothing is more offensive to the enemy of our souls than the smell of a red-hot prayer.)

When I was in New York a few years back, I had the opportunity to listen to a journalist from Israel who was giving us some insight into what it's like living in Jerusalem right now. Parents take each child to school in separate trips in case there is a bombing or a sniper on the way to school. At least this way they won't loose their entire family.

They know what it means to be citizens of a country engaged in a war. They are constantly watching for signs of trouble and taking special precautions to make sure that everyone they care about is kept safe.

The problem is that many times we as Christians don't seem to realize that we've been adopted into a kingdom that is engaged in a war! We slap at the mosquitoes when we feel them biting us, but often times we don't take the time to do a little preventive maintenance. After all, it's just a little mosquito bite.

You're right, it is just a little mosquito bite. But an inflamed mosquito bite will irritate the daylights out of you for days on end; and it only takes one little bite for you to contract The West Nile Virus, an illness that can haunt you for the rest of your life.

Let me encourage you to study the principles found in Ephesians 6, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal !

Declaring You're In-Dependence

Today is July 4th; and as our nation celebrates its INDEPENDENCE, I sense God asking me to once again declare my dependence on Him.

The world often sees dependence as a sign of weakness and immaturity; and yet for the Christian, dependence on God should be seen as a sign of maturity and strength.

Adam and Eve declared their independence when they chose to eat the fruit from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

You're able to declare you're "in-dependence" on God and in a right relationship with Him when you accept Christ's death on the cross as the payment for all of "the forbidden fruit" you've eaten over the years.

If you've not yet surrendered your life to Jesus, I invite you to do it now. He's the only one who is able to pay the price of that expensive fruit called disobedience. He wants you to be in right relationship with His Father and experience the power of The Holy Spirit in your life.

Won't you take a moment to declare "you're in-dependence"?

THE RIVER

I had a friend pull me off to the side yesterday. . .

He had read my blog and was hoping that I didn't have him in mind when I was writing the section about picking up your gear and walking around the rapids.

I explained to him that THE NAME OF THE RIVER IS OBEDIENCE.

This morning as I was thinking back on our conversation; I began to realize that when you're attempting to navigate your way down the River of Obedience you will occasionally be faced with a fork in the river.

You may begin sensing that God is asking you to make some significant changes in your life.

Transition is hard. (watch carefully now. . . I'm transitioning from a river parable to a gardening parable!).

It's not much fun when God starts to till the hard soil in your life.

He flings fertilizer everywhere (remember those trials and testings?) and starts pruning your dead branches so that you can bear even more fruit. You're faced with the prospects of giving up bad habits, prized possessions and your independence.

(OH NO! HERE COMES ANOTHER TRANSITION!)

When you're in the delivery room and the labor pains are intense, the last thing you need is a room full of people telling you what to do.

A small circle of qualified people should be there to help you; but there comes a point in time where you don't even listen to the nurse or your spouse. The only voice you're listening to is the voice of your doctor (yep, I mean God).

There are times when WHAT HE'S ASKING YOU TO DO and WHAT HE'S DOING TO YOU are EXTREMELY PAINFUL ! And yet you have to trust him and follow His directions carefully if you want to cradle that little blessing in your arms.

It all boils down to that one word. . .OBEDIENCE.

THE REFOCUSING

Once you've shot through the rapids and spent some time in a quiet stretch of water you're faced with several options:

1) You can climb out of the boat, turn your back on the whole thing and walk away because you've decided you don't want to have anything more to do with white water rafting.

2) You can look at the rapids that lie ahead of you, pack up your gear and decide to carry your raft around the rapids because you don't think you have the skills and equipment necessary to carry you through the next set of challenges.

3) You can set up camp right where you are and decide you're never going back, you're never going forward. You will dig in your heels and stay right where you are. (The problem with this choice is that chances are, your supplies will eventually run out and you'll die if you refuse to move.)

4) You can grab an energy bar, take a big swig of water, strap down your gear, put on your life vest and go for it; knowing that you've got someone else in the boat with you who knows the river and promises that :

He will never leave you, nor forsake you. . .

He knows the plans He has for you, plans for a future and a hope. . .

He will not test you beyond what you are able to bear. . .

THE CHOICE IS UP TO YOU. . . WHERE'S YOUR FOCUS?

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

THE RECOVERY

It's now been a month since the flood; and life has started to return to some semblance of normalcy for me.

I feel like I've just run the rapids on a raging river. . . I'm praying that God will give us a patch of calm water to learn from what we've just been through and implement some of the ideas He's given us to help improve our response next time.

Over the course of 2 weeks we prepared and distributed over 5,000 meals. (The story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes has taken on a whole new meaning for me. . . those disciples were HOPPIN' trying to get that much food distributed - and dealing with the leftovers is definitely a challenge !!!)

One of the most important lessons I learned? Even in the midst of a disaster response your PERSONAL prayer time is VITAL !!!

We prayed with every response crew before they went out. I was praying constantly asking Daddy to supply us with the needed materials and man (or wo-man) power. But I was so pre-occupied and distracted, I found sitting at His feet and allowing Him to feed me almost impossible. I was so busy doing I lost sight of the importance of being.

It's taken me almost two weeks to find my center back, and feel like I'm able to hear His voice once again. It's like trying to exist for two weeks in the wilderness with hardly any food or water. I hope I never make that same mistake again!

I'm hoping to be able to use this blog to record some of the awesome things God did and is still doing here in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

If you're aware of any "God Things" that took place in your sphere of influence, please share them with me either in person or through the comments section here on KingdomReign.net

Click on the blue "Comments" link on the line below this one to read a few "God Things" going on so far.

THE FASTING (ISAIAH 58)

This morning I was re-reading the journal entry I wrote on The National Day of Prayer this year.

In the after math of the flooding here in Aberdeen, South Dakota, it takes on a new meaning.

The Lord, the Lord Almighty called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!” Isaiah 22:12 and 13.

How can I explain what’s going on in my heart right now? There is such a heaviness and yet it’s not depression. Perhaps a more accurate word would be impression.

I sense such a seriousness.

This window of time between today’s NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER (May 3rd) and THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER (May 27th) is very significant.

Since the prayer walk on April 15th, the Holy Spirit has been emphasizing repentance, humility and fasting (see Isaiah 58) to MANY of our key intercessors here. Yesterday an intercessor shared with me a very thought provoking statement.

The essence of her statement was this: When God is sizing up a city; He’s not as interested in what the ungodly are doing as He is interested in what His people are doing (or not doing). He judges a city by what He sees going on among His people there.

What a sobering thought.

If God is calling His people into a season of prayer, fasting, repentance and humility what will He see when He looks at our city?

Repentance or revelry?
Humility or joy?
Fasting or eating and drinking?

Oh Daddy, help us. . .

WHAT IS GOD SEEING NOW AS HE LOOKS AT HIS PEOPLE IN ABERDEEN?

Friends of flood victims refusing a meal for themselves so that "someone else who really needs one can have it".

Weeping and wailing as His people embrace victims who have lost so much.

Sheltering of the homeless.

A record shattering food drive by the local letter carriers (20,000 pounds!).

AND SO MUCH MORE. . .

THE FLOOD

Pardon any typos and poor grammar, but this is gonna have to be quick.

Working. . .
Over 250 sack lunches twice a day plus an on-site hot meal. Drive by feedings from the canteen and a 14 passenger van in the areas hardest hit. Case work load breaking all time records. 200 flood kits distributed so far. A semi load of relief supplies landing this morning that will need to be unloaded, sorted and distributed.

Listening to stories. . .
Two different boat rescues. . .
One family pulled out of their home by an unknown someone. Dropped off on high ground and left to fend for themselves in the height of the storm.

Another rescue made more significant because it was their pastor at the helm who then took them to a hotel room and put them up for two nights on his personal credit card.

Watching. . .
(I'm not the only one watching - the congregations are watching their pastors, the city is watching the entire Christian community, and God is watching all of His people. Does their walk match their talk?)

Many pastors on 5 am to 11pm days fixing broken sump pumps, hauling out wet debris, getting tetanus shots because of the raw sewage they're wading in all day. One pastor on our Emergency Disaster Services canteen, delivering food and comfort in his own neighborhood - his basement walls are caving in and he has just learned he'll have to replace his entire basement. A Seventh Day Adventist pastor and a female Lutheran pastor praying with victims in the hallway of The Salvation Army Community Center. Would they have ever met under normal circumstances?

I firmly believe the best way to build a strong team is by walking through fire together.

The most interesting thing to me is the timing of all of this. Our emergency disaster coordinator had just met with the evangelical pastors a week ago to offer training on preparing your congregation for a disaster. I think God's gotten our attention.

GOD MAKES ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSES.

You Asked For It !

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;
Isaiah 44:3 (NKJ)

Our area has been in the midst of a drought - in the PHYSICAL sense AND in the SPIRITUAL sense.

We've been asking God to replenish the subsoil moisture here.

We've also been asking him to flood the dry, thirsty ground in our souls.

THIS WEEKEND (SATURDAY MAY 5, 2007) GOD OPENED THE FLOOD GATES IN THE PHYSICAL REALM. . . over eight inches of rain in the course of a few short hours! As we struggle to cope with this abundance of water, I find myself standing in awe at God's ability to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. I also find myself whispering this quiet prayer: "OH DADDY, FLOOD OUR HEARTS THE WAY YOU'VE FLOODED OUR LAND!".

Steven Curtis Chapman has written a song called "Dive". It's based on Rom. 11:33-36; and Eph. 3:16-19

I just can't seem to get this song out of my head!

The long awaited rains have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground
and carved their way to where the wild and rushing river can be found.
And like the rains I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah.
My heart is racing and my knee are weak as I walk to the edge.
I know there is no turning back once my feet have left the ledge.
And in the rush I hear a voice that’s telling me it’s time to take the leap of faith
So here I go!

I’m diving in, I’m going deep in over my head, I want to be;
caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head, I wanna go.
The river’s deep, the river’s wide, the river’s water is alive.
So sink or swim, I’m diving in!

There is a supernatural power In this mighty river’s flow .
It can bring the dead to life and it can fill an empty soul.
And give a heart the only thing worth living and worth dying for, yeah.
But we will never know the awesome power of the grace of God.
until we let ourselves get swept away into this holy flood.
So if you’ll take my hand we’ll close our eyes and count to three
and take the leap of faith.

COME ON LET'S GO !

Let's Seek The Lord Together !

As I was browsing through the National Day of Prayer's website I ran into this quote from Dr. Henry Blackaby and Claude King.

It was shared with the intercessors who met in the basement of the Brown County Court House at noon yesterday.

"Today we're facing a period of moral and spiritual decline that is perhaps more rapid and widespread than ever in our history. Almost everywhere we go, we hear churches and people cry out for revival. They are saying that what they are experiencing is so bad, so dry, and so empty that they want a fresh touch from God. They want to experience God in the ways God's people experienced His might power and presence in the Scriptures and in history. Some are experiencing a fresh breeze of God's Spirit. Small mercy drops are falling in some localities. But many are saying, "We don't know what to do." Their heart cry is: "Is there a word from the Lord? What does God say we need to do?"

God's Word has an answer for us. God has revealed Himself and His ways as He has worked with His people down through the ages. He has spoken clearly about His expectations and standards. He has revealed principles and described examples. He stands ready to pour out times of refreshing on the dry and thirsty ground of our lives. But He's waiting on a people who are willing to pay the price of surrender and obedience to His will and His ways. He's waiting on a people who will return with their whole heart to a love relationship with their Creator and Saviour. WILL YOU BE SUCH A PERSON? WILL YOU JOIN WITH OTHERS WHO ARE WILLING TO BE SUCH A PERSON?"

As we were visiting after our noon prayer time, two ladies shared with me that their small group had just finished up the 4 week study on prayer and transformation that this quote was promoting. They highly recommended this study to me, and so I now recommend it highly to you. It's called "Fresh Encounter" and if you click on the title, you will be connected to The National Day of Prayer's website where you can order a copy for yourself or your small group.

Here's another little taste from the book to whet your appetite:

In Malachi 3:16 we read that "those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard." We've prepared this devotional guide to facilitate that kind of conversation and prayer. We want God's people to study His Word about revival and spiritual awakening. We want to help you talk about His will and His ways. We want to assist you in seeing His standards and choosing the return to Him. We want to encourage you to pray together with others to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Heb. 10:24)

We want God to move in our cities , in our nation and in our world; but often God requires that we provide part of the equation. Do we know what our part of the equation is? Are we willing to supply it?

LET'S SEEK THE LORD TOGETHER!

National Day of Prayer

The Lord, the Lord Almighty called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! "Let us eat and drink," you say, "for tomorrow we die!" Isaiah 22:12 and 13

How can I explain what's going on in my heart right now? There is such a heaviness and yet it's not DEpression. Perhaps a more accurate word would be IMpression.

I sense such a seriousness.

This window of time between today's NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER and THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER (May 27th) is very significant.

Since the prayer walk on April 15th, the Holy Spirit has been emphasizing repentance, humility and fasting (see Isaiah 58) to MANY of our key intercessors here. Yesterday an intercessor shared with me a very thought provoking statement.

The essence of her statement was this: When God is sizing up a city; He's not as interested in what the ungodly are doing as He is interested in what His people are doing (or not doing). He judges a city by what He sees going on among His people there.

What a sobering thought.

If God is calling His people into a season of prayer, fasting, repentance and humility what will He see when He looks at our city?

Repentance or revelry?
Humility or joy?
Fasting or eating and drinking?

Oh Daddy, help us. . .

God's Word Says. . .

God shared some thought-provoking scriptures with several of the downtown intercessors on the day of the prayer walk. He has also been sharing other scriptures with intercessors in the city as they have been called to cover other events in prayer. . .

THIS FIRST SET OF SCRIPTURES TAKE ON A SPECIAL MEANING WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT A REVIVAL SWEPT THROUGH ABERDEEN AND BROWN COUNTY IN THE EARLY 1900'S. IT WAS CALLED "The Honeywell Revival" AND A GROUP OF CHRISTIANS FROM MANY DENOMINATIONS THROUGH OUT BROWN COUNTY PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN IT. THIS GROUP OF INTERCESSORS CALLED THEMSELVES "The Brown County Holiness Association".

(Please note that the verses emphasized in bold print are the verses that "jumped off the page" when I read them.)

Zechariah 1: 2-6 (NLT)
I, the Lord, was very angry with your ancestors.

Therefore say to the people, This is what the Lord Almighty says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.'

Do not be like your ancestors who would not listen when the earlier prophets said to them, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: Turn from your evil ways and stop all your evil practices.'

Your ancestors and their prophets are now long dead. But all the things I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said they would. As a result, they repented and said, 'We have received what we deserved from the Lord Almighty. He has done what he said he would do.'"

Isaiah 63: 15-19 (NLT)
Lord, look down from heaven and see us from your holy, glorious home. Where is the passion and the might you used to show on our behalf? Where are your mercy and compassion now?

Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.

Lord, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you? Return and help us, for we are your servants, and your special possession.

How briefly your holy people possessed the holy place, and now our enemies have destroyed it.

Lord, why do you treat us as though we never belonged to you? Why do you act a though we had never been known as your people?

Isaiah 64: 1-9 (NLT)
Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence!

As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, your coming would make the nations tremble. Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!

When you came down long ago, you did awesome things beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways.

But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.

Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.

And yet, Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand. Oh, don't be so angry with us Lord. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray and see that we are all your people.

ANOTHER INTERCESSOR WAS LEAD TO THIS SCRIPTURE AFTER PRAYING THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AREA: (This scripture takes on greater significance when you realize that in the past, Aberdeen had a regional reputation for having the most bars with nude dancers.)

Habakkuk 2: 15 - 16 (NIV)
Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies.

You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord's right hand is coming around to you. and disgrace will cover your glory.

THIS NEXT SERIES OF SCRIPTURES CAME AS TWO INTERCESSORS WERE PRAYING NEARBY FOR A GROUP OF VISITING HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS who were meeting in the area we had prayer walked just over a week before:

1 Corinthians 10: 12-14 (NLT)

If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.

But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.

Ephesians 2:1-9 (NLT)
Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms - all because we are one with Christ Jesus. And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.

God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. HE HAS CREATED US ANEW IN CHRIST JESUS, SO THAT WE CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED FOR US LONG AGO.

Preparation

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN PRAYING FOR OUR CITY!

I've not been able to make personal contact with many of you because our window of opportunity was tight on this particular prayer initiative. (I made first contact with the gentlemen in Aberdeen, Scotland on March 29th - just 16 days ago!).

I've been using the KingdomReign.net website to keep everyone updated on the most recent developments. Feel free to scan the last few entries if you're interested in background information.

I'd like to share a couple of things with those of you who will be taking to the streets in prayer tomorrow (Sunday April 15, 2007):

In January of 2002, a group of Christians here in Aberdeen were meeting to discuss plans for Jesus Day. The question we were prayerfully asking was “What’s next, Lord?”

We began to sense that:
THE LORD WAS ASKING US TO GIVE HIM THE HEART OF THE CITY.

One of the scriptures that was shared was:
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
Above all else, guard your heart
for it affects everything you do
(for from it flow the springs of life).

We began to realize that we as a city had not guarded our heart. We had allowed things in that were now affecting everything we did. We needed the Divine Physician to give us a heart transplant.

We were also reminded of the promises found in Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires,
and I will put a new spirit in you.
I will take out your stony heart of sin
and give you a new, obedient heart (a heart of flesh).

A song has been steadily running through my mind for the past few weeks. It's called "Search Me, Know Me" by Mildred Rainey and Kathryn Scott. It's based on Psalm 139 and I have used it often when asking God to examine the condition of MY OWN HEART. (Click on the title of the song to link to a website where you can listen for yourself.)

Here are the lyrics to the song:

Search me, know me, try me and see
every worthless affection hidden in me.
All I'm asking for,
is that You'd cleanse me Lord.

Create in me a heart that's clean.
Conquer the power of secret shame.
Come wash away the guilty stain of all my sin.
Clothe me in robes of righteousness.
Cover my nakedness with grace.
All of my life before you now I humbly bring.

I encourage each of you to carve out some quiet time today and listen to this song and/or ponder Psalm 139. Please also prayerfully consider if God would want you to add fasting to your prayers on Sunday morning.

You are all warmly invited to prayerwalk your homes, businesses, churches and neighborhoods tomorrow and ask God renew the heart of our city.

FOR THE DOWNTOWN INTERCESSORS:
I will be providing you with a detailed map of this 16 block area and a list of suggested sites to cover in prayer. We'll meet at 1pm in front of the Red Rooster Coffee House.

FOR EACH AND EVERY INTERCESSOR WHO HITS THE STREETS ON SUNDAY:
Aberdeen, SCOTLAND will be wrapping up their day of prayerwalking with a praise and prayer gathering at 8pm their time.

A time of worship and sharing will take place in Aberdeen, SOUTH DAKOTA from 2 pm to 3 pm at The Salvation Army chapel (across from Lincoln School in Aberdeen). If my calculations are correct, that would mean that both Aberdeens will be worshiping their Heavenly Daddy in stereo!

Please stop in, even if just for a few minutes and join in our time of sharing and celebration. We'd love to hear about your experiences!

GOD'S RICHEST BLESSINGS ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!

Prayerwalking 101

I've been prayerwalking for a number of years now. I sometimes forget that this may be a new concept to some of us.

Prayerwalking is:
PRAYING ON SITE WITH INSIGHT
PRAYING ON SCENE WITHOUT MAKING A SCENE

I'd like to share a quote with you from Seek God for the City 2007:
"We're not pushing God to get Him started. He's already doing good things. And He has promised to do even better things. Instead of holding off the worst, these prayers are designed to help you ask God to bring on the best.

God is the one who is orchestrating the united prayer of which you are a part. He's the one inspiring you to pray as never before. Why is He doing this? It could be that God is about to do some of the most amazing things that He has ever done. He wants us to pray for them all before they take place. That way He can explicitly receive thanks for doing them."

Prayer prompts like Seek God for the City 2007 are a wonderful tool to get you started and help you focus - but the Holy Spirit is your ultimate "prayer prompter".

(If you'd like to read about a personal experience I've had with this sort of prayer; type the words: The Way My Daddy Reads It in the blue search box in the upper right corner of this page. When you hit the search button, that journal entry will be loaded immediately below this one.)

Prayerwalking doesn't have to be an event. It can (and quite possibly should) become a lifestyle. Then as we work, as we shop as we care for our neighbors and our homes we can claim the promises found in this scripture:

I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
-Joshua 1:3

Latest Developments

Thirty intercessors from various congregations through out Aberdeen have been using a prayer guide entitled: Seek God for the City 2007. This NATIONAL prayer initiative takes place ANNUALLY from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday and intercessors from our city have been participating in it since the mid 1990's.We will be using the daily readings and prayerwalking suggestions from this booklet as we cover our city in prayer this Sunday April 15, 2007.

A NOTE TO ALL INTERCESSORS:
Please be prayerfully considering which location God wants you to cover. There are some assignments that I am supposed to offer to specific individuals / congregations this week. Whether their schedules will allow them to participate, I do not yet know.

We will be finalizing all prayer walking assignments this Friday evening, April 13th, 7 pm at The Salvation Army Chapel - 1003 6th Ave SW - just south of Lincoln Elementary School. A group of intercessors have been meeting at the chapel on the second Friday of each month since 2005. They have invited us to join them for worship and prayer and then opened up the balance of their meeting time to us so that we can finalize arrangements for Sunday's prayerwalking.

If you are unable to attend this meeting and would like to participate, please email me at kingdomreign.net@gmail.com and I can arrange a prayer assignment for you.

-THE HEART OF THE CITY -

This portion of Sunday's prayer walk was not taken from Seek God for the City 2007 - it is the continuation of something that God had shared with a group of us in 2002. We were meeting to discuss plans for Jesus Day 2002. The question we were prayerfully asking was "What's next, Lord?"

We began to sense that the Lord was asking us to give Him the heart of the city. One of the scriptures that was shared was:

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
Above all else, guard your heart for it affects everything you do (for from it flow the springs of life).

We began to realize that we as a city had not guarded our heart. We had allowed things in that were now affecting everything we did. We needed the Divine Physician to give us a heart transplant.

We were reminded of the promises found in Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart (a heart of flesh).

One group of intercessors will be focusing their prayers on the original 16 block plat of Aberdeen, SD on Sunday April 15th at 1 pm.

The center or geographical "heart" of this particular parcel of land is found at the intersection of South Second Avenue and South Main Streets (the manhole cover in front of the Red Rooster Coffee House). All downtown intercessors will gather at this intersection for a short united prayer. We will then break into small groups of two or three and then be assigned to specific streets/locations.

Ideally, I would like to have a MINIMUM of 16 intercessors to complete this portion of our city-wide prayer walk. It would be very significant if most of these intercessors could be Christians who own / manage businesses or properties within this 16 block area. To view an early map, click on the link below:

1888 Map of Aberdeen, DAKOTA

Aberdeen, SCOTLAND will be having a united time of praise and worship at 8 pm their time (this would be 2:00 pm our time if I'm calculating daylight savings time correctly).

The Salvation Army Chapel in Aberdeen, SD will be open from 2:00 - 3:00 pm. All intercessors are invited to stop by as they finish up their prayer assignments. There will be praise and worship along with ample opportunities for sharing prayer experiences and any spiritual insights gained.

PLEASE COVER "CONNECTING SCOTLAND" AND BOTH ABERDEEN PRAYER WALKS IN A HEAVY BLANKET OF PRAYER (see the entry entitled Aberdeen Prayer Walks - BACKGROUND to find out what God is wanting to do in Scotland!)

Take time to read Ephesians Chapter 6 ASAP. It puts this whole prayer initiative into the proper perspective.

If you need to contact me for any reason, my email address is: kingdomreign.net@gmail.com

God's richest blessings on each of you!

Aberdeen Prayerwalks - Background. . .

On March 4, 2007, I was doing an internet search using two words:
Aberdeen and prayer.

I was looking for prayer events in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

What I got instead, was a link to a website that listed prayer events in Aberdeen, SCOTLAND.

Now for those of you who may be unaware of this fact; Aberdeen, South Dakota was named after the home town of Alexander Mitchell - Aberdeen, SCOTLAND!

As I was scanning through the list of Christian events going on each month in Aberdeen, Scotland, one entry in particular jumped out at me. It involved a prayer walk on April 15, 2007 that was going to be held as part of a NATIONAL prayer event headed up by Pastor Bert McCaig and Connecting Scotland. (click on the blue letters if you want to link to their website - Pastor Bert is a child of the King if ever there was one!)

As I read about Aberdeen, Scotland's plans to prayer walk their city center, I was reminded of the prayer event that was already underway in our own city.

Thirty intercessors from various congregations through out Aberdeen, South Dakota have been offering up daily prayers that invite God's kingdom to come and His will to be done - in our city as it is in heaven.

The Seek God for the City 2007 prayer guide focuses on a particular group or portion of the population of our community each day. By the end of forty days, we've probably prayed for everyone in our city three or four times. Each day also offers suggestions for prayer walking opportunities to go along with the prayers for that day. For more information on this annual event that runs from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday, click on this link to their website: WayMakers.org.

This little booklet has been so helpful to us here in South Dakota - I asked Pastor Bert and his staff at Connecting Scotland if they could put me in touch with the people who are coordinating the prayer walk in Aberdeen, Scotland so that I could make them aware of this wonderful resource as they plan their prayer walk.

Pastor Bert's staff graciously shared contact information, and as a result they are not only "Connecting Scotland"; they are connecting parts of The Body of Christ on opposite sides of the globe! They also emailed me a copy of the notice that is being distributed in churches and media outlets through out Aberdeen, Scotland. If you'd like to take a look at it, click on this link: Aberdeen Scotland Prayer Walk Notice

I've been sensing that God wants us to join Aberdeen, SCOTLAND on April 15th in a prayer walk here in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

I'm in the process of getting detailed time frames from the gentlemen in Scotland, factoring in the time change, contacting key intercessors, planning a short meeting on the evening of Friday April 13th where we can worship, pray and select our prayer walking assignments. We will also hold a Sunday afternoon event where we can gather to worship and share our prayer walk experiences with each other.

Please continue to check for DAILY updates here at KingdomReign.net between now and April 15,2007. If you need to contact me, my email address is kingdomherald@hotmail.com

WHO BUT GOD COULD ORCHESTRATE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
(Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous!)

What's Up In Aberdeen?

There have been some interesting developments here in Aberdeen, SD over the past few months.

I'll be posting a few of them here on South Dakota Christians in hopes that others will be inspired to give the rest of us a sneak peek at what God's up to on your patch of the prairie.

Dec.'06: City Reaching notes - Portland, OR

April 19-21,2007, National City-Impact Roundtable, El Paso, TX

NOTES FROM NORTHWEST CITY REACHING ROUNDTABLE

December 4 and 5, 2006

Portland, OR

Tom White


TRANSFORMATION:

1. EACH COMMUNITY MUST ASK THE LORD SPECIFICALLY FOR A WORD OF CONSENSUS REGARDING STRATEGIES FOR CITY REACHING.

2. HOW DO WE SPELL TRANFORMATION? A city is being transformed if these things are taking place:

o An increase in Holy living

o Spontaneous conversions and growth in churches

o Decrease of crime

o An increase of social justice

o Unity in the Body of Christ and Healing of breaches

o Sustainable

o Increased generosity

o Engaged brothers and sisters serving the Lord together

o Passion

o Redeeming of the arts

3. In Transformation change must be evident, but must extend to the fabric of society’s institutions. It must be measurable and sustainable change in society. There must be growing numbers of converted, functioning mature disciples affecting the social, economic, and political fabric of society.

4. The Marks of an Effective Urban Ministry:
* Power Systems Confrontation with offered potential for change
* The poor and the exploited are being cared for
* There is ministry to the middle class as well as the poor
* There is spiritual transformation among the poor and the powerful and all groups are being changed.

5. The goal of the Church is not to make a new heaven and a new earth, but rather to create “salty spots” for the earth that will stimulate thirst for God.

6. Compelling Reasons for building the City-Wide Body of Christ:

o It’s Biblical. The Bible describes it as unity amidst diversity. (Many parts—One Body)

o There is an inherent value of a collegial relationship-knowing and caring for one another.

o The witness of our oneness has apostolic power. (John 17:23)

o United prayer brings an outpouring of the Holy Spirit with signs and wonders. (Acts 4:23-35)

o United prayer for city and government leaders enables us to live godly, quiet and peaceful lives and to reach leaders with the Gospel message.

o The Church is better able to coordinate and strengthen serving ministries (good stewardship) to enable them to help the Church.

o We are able to share corporate responsibility to win and disciple converts.

o It minimizes the impact of training and equipping the saints for the local church-we share this responsibility.

o There is a release of the synergy of combined gifts and callings empowered by the Holy Spirit in each locale.

7. Obstacles to Transformation of communities in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon:

o An independent pioneer spirit. Our forefathers were reacting and rebelling against East coast establishment

o A humanistic mindset.

o Idolatry (nature worship). There is a mixture in this region of worship of the creation and a history of animism and pantheism.

8. We overcome these obstacles by “turning on the light” through our obedience, walking in love and living for the Kingdom and not for ourselves.

9. We need to take a global approach to our cities. We need to ask, “How do we serve in such a way as to impact our city?” “What is the one thing Jesus will give us to move us forward i.e. a “fire starter”? For Vancouver, Washington a fire starter has been Thriving Families of Clark County, a community marriage and family relationship ministry.

10. Community transformation plans will involve:

o Corporate unified prayer

o Asset Building-finding those churches, businesses, individuals and serving ministries who are invested in the plan and will work with one another.

o Mapping. Mapping tells us what gifts and resources God has given each church, group, or serving ministry to bring to the table. It also shows us our common ground.

o A unified event may be the beginning, but must be followed up with small groups. Relationships make the difference.

11. Concrete Steps to City Transformation:

o A seminar or event annually with a number of churches sponsoring.

o Establishment of a resource hub

o Mapping of the churches-find the common ground

o Mapping of the city-find the societal needs, redemptive gifts, and actions of the enemy

o Establish the role of the Church as meeting the needs in society and become a resource for governments who seek faith-based ministries to do those things governments cannot do. The Church must be the delivery system for the wisdom of God (Ephesians 3:10) to change our communities. Ask: How does God want us to serve our community?

George Otis Jr. Session #1

* Revival is the only answer for our world. There is a prophetic urgency now—the world has been changed forever by the spirit of death coming from Islamic fundamentalism.
* We cannot continue business as usual. There must be radical changes in the way we are doing things as the Church.
* God can intervene in the darkest of circumstances. We must remain expectant and intentional as we prepare the way of the Lord.

* HISTORY OF TRANSFORMATION: Outside the western hemisphere, transformations are happening fast in cities, small towns, and villages. “Because transformation was not taking place worldwide, I asked the Lord in the 1990’s, “Why does spiritual darkness linger where it does?” For seven years I tried to find explanations. By 1997 I began to see an escalation of the moving of God’s Spirit in some places indicating we were approaching end times when God promised He would pour our His Spirit. In June 1999 the first Transformation video was released as an encouragement to intercessors. Within six months over 1000 cities has corresponded with me to ask for help in transformation. I told them, ‘Go ask the Lord what He wants you to do.’ There were increasing reports of transformation in cities after 2000. I began to see patterns leading to transformation and also began to realize there is a quantum leap difference between church growth and city transformation. Church growth is possible without God. City transformation involves “heavy-lifting” we must have a divine partner.”

* DEFINITION OF TRANSFORMATION: The definition of transformation is hard to pin down because we can’t even imagine what God has planned in transformation. If it is a plan based only on an inventory of our assets it can’t be a God thing.


* GOD’S PATTERNS IN TRANSFORMATION: God’s patterns in transformation do not change. Things unique to each community change, but principles can be applied everywhere.

1. Pattern #1: Time with God. Transformation takes place in communities that are following God, not leading Him. In order to follow God there must be time alone with God to hear Him. God is left out of the equation when we are so busy we don’t have time with Him. This problem is systemic in our society. We have no waiting time for God.
2. Pattern #2: Hunger for God. We don’t have an ignorance problem, we have an appetite problem. We all have our life hungers list: food, sleep, security, control, reputation. On this list where is our hunger for the presence of God? When our hunger for God moves to the top of the list, transformation will occur.
3. Pattern #3: Unity in the Body of Christ. In 2004, the International Fellowship of Transformation Partners asked the question. “What gives us an identity together?’ They decided to just watch God at work instead of trying to figure out the answer. They saw these things as helps to building unity:
o A common definition of what transformation looks like in my community
o A set of commonly held principles
o A set of core values to govern the movement
o Prayer
o Accountability
o Trust

4. Pattern #4: Humility and Hiddenness of the Catalysts. Humility is directly related to the degree of divine outpouring. Empire building and personal agendas must be laid aside for the goal of seeing God transform the city. The story of Gideon is an example of God using the smallest, most broken, most contrite, most hidden, and most humble to bring about a great breakthrough. In transformation God often chooses no names that have nothing to lead the greatest breakthroughs.

5. Pattern #5: Holiness: When we get rid of all the sin in the camp, God will come. Our hearts must be right, purified of sin and our own agendas. We must be abandoned to God with expectation of His coming in transforming revival. We need to make sure our hearts are right so that our desire is to see the Kingdom of God manifest on the earth.


George Otis, Jr- Session #2:

* In city transformation there must also be ecological transformation- redemption for more than just people. Unhealthy things cannot stay when Jesus is there.
* In transformation, there is a return to “normal”. Believers get back in touch with their faith and begin to live “normal” Christianity. God has not called us to accept normalcy, but to move on to extraordinary Christianity.
* In true transformation, it takes thirty days to achieve normalcy. Often our experience is that it takes 30 years because people are content with the status quo. We need to know the difference between the habit of losing and rebuilding.
* We need a supernatural invasive intervention for transformation to take place. We need to help people prepare for that kind of intervention. The example of Joseph shows us how we need to prepare the people so they come to us when things get rough. The Church needs to take over the social welfare system. God wants to move us to another level. This is preparation. We need to keep pressing in. We also need to change our mindset to win.
* The core of success in city transformation is a formula of abandonment with expectation. This is contagious and the end result is God comes. To test transformation walk though the business district and see if you sense the presence of the Lord. Call a holiday and call all the pastors to come together to cry out to God for the city. Transformation comes to desperate people with expectation of the greatness of God (Psalms 145).
* The greatest problem in City Transformation is a Church whose God is its Belly. “This is illustrated by many who walk into the sanctuary with a cappuccino.” That church is fixated on itself. The church needs to break these self-centered patterns, not encourage them. We need to hold out for the supernatural—we need it and our communities need it.
* In order to counter radical Islam we have to bring the supernatural to the table. In Acts 2 all the church leaders were there together waiting for the supernatural to come. They were filled with the supernatural Holy Spirit and became the “proof” of Christ to a dying world. We also must be filled with something “otherness”. If Jesus is lifted up He will draw all men, but it must be the Church that lifts Him up.
* There is a remnant remaining in the U.S. and a stirring is happening which needs to roll out in fullness. The American Church needs to have a re- identification of community –Immanuel—the Lord is With Us.


Lisa Otis: Interceding for a City Movement:

* City-wide prayer must have a redirection to pray in desperation for the American Church to become a Church that will act like Jesus and love like Jesus across ethnic, cultural, and denominational lines.
* Sin and convenience are the two big issues in the Church and they prevent us gathering together to pray. Jesus would say to us, “If I could just get you to pray, you cannot imagine what I can do”.
* Jesus is our model as the Great Intercessor. He is interceding for us right now and He has been interceding from the beginning. He is called the Word, the voice of intercession. He said, “I only say what I hear the Father say and I only do what I see the Father doing”. This is the place in intercession where everything happens.
* You cannot be sinful presumptuous intercessors and do the things the Father does. Jesus came to be a sinless obedient intercessor (Hebrews 1:3, John 12:4, John 17:8, Isaiah 11:4, Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:13.
* Speaking the Word of God releases the power of God as a weapon of warfare against the devil. (Ephesians 6:17). We spend a lot of time in prayer saying things the Father hasn’t said. If we don’t hear from the Father what He wants to say, we shouldn’t say anything. God has many ideas we would never think of and we need to hear from Him and pray His Word.
* Isaiah 55:8 God’s thoughts are higher than ours. We should approach praying for our cities acknowledging we are at the beginning. We cannot presume to know how God will move in our city unless He tells us. Jesus said all His ways were the Father’s ways. He was completely obedient. He tells us to follow Him as the Great Intercessor and be completely obedient to what God says.
* The Kingdom of God exists wherever God is because He is King. If you are just, justice increases in your city. As intercessors we must deny ourselves disobedience, presumption, convenience, and comfort if we are going to follow Jesus’ example in intercession.
* Intercession is God’s brilliant strategy for us to rule with Him in power. He asks us, “Will you join me in the place of intercession?”


Lisa Otis: The Best Practices of City Intercession:

* The key to a breakthrough in our cities is the Church. The Church needs to be moving in all the fullness of Christ or the world suffers. When the Church is right, the world will know and be changed.
* The process begins with the individual. We must be transformed or we can’t pray effectively for the Church to be changed.
* The Church must learn to pray on the offensive and practice how to love each other. Jesus gave us two commands: Love God, Love each other. Our objective as the Church must be to first become lovers of Jesus and then lovers of each other. We will be unable to love those who come in because of transformation in our cities, if we don’t love each other.
* We face difficulties in growing:
1. Humility: we must learn to be honest about where the Church is and about the harvest we are inviting into the Church. If we are honest we will admit we are not ready, but the good news is we will be. The city’s destiny is tied to the Church coming into her destiny. We need to ask the Lord to show us how to love Him and each other and how to come to a place of humility rather than judgment. (2Chronicles 7:14) Our true state is we have nothing and we are nothing except in Christ. We want to become humble like Jesus. Nothing happens until the Church is humble. The humble Church brings lif.
2. Praying the problems. We often pray about the problems more than we pray about the destiny the Church or our city.
3. The Loveless Church: (Revelation 2) If we have become like this church we need to repent. Our love for God leads us to repentance of everything else.

* Guidelines for City Intercession:
1. Love God and Each Other
2. Come in Humility
3. Speak the Word in prayer
4. Do the actions of intercession: Ask the Lord to give you something to do. When He does it will be costly, and inconvenient, but will be an act of love which is an act of intercession sown into your city.
5. Learn about prayer form non-western nations. They have a different way of life. They always find the time to pray.
6. Become offensive in prayer as people of faith.
7. Become separated from lifestyles of division and hatred.


George Otis Jr. Session #3:

* According to George Barna, at least 20,000 Evangelicals won’t attend an organized church, but are meeting in homes. “This is a dangerous trend as these groups can become isolationist and cult-like.” This trend shows the organized Church that we must become more than creeds, dogmas, and programs. We must also have the presence of God and intimacy with Him as part of the package.
* The American Church must have abandonment with expectation. For the past 15 years there has been incremental fruit—good but not enough. The question is, “How do we get to fullness-full success?”
* A problem has been that we have lowered the bar of our expectations. We hail small steps as great breakthroughs.
* Abandonment is the big issues. Before we can get to abandonment we must get to commitment. Many in the American Church are hiding from commitment. Abandonment is described in Jesus’ Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. The treasure is in a field and is discovered by a man who sells everything and buys the field. We know God wants us to be faithful and persevere, but we get nervous about the kind of behavior described in this parable. The Kingdom of God is the Pearl of Great Price and the treasure. This is a picture of abandonment for the sake of the Kingdom. God desires a higher degree of intimacy with His people. (Hosea 6:6) The Church needs to come to the place where everything familiar is gone and only God is left. Moses went into thick darkness where God was—that was the true sanctuary hidden from all life’s essentials.

* We pray, “God come” and He asks, “Why? Do you need a handyman or a lover?” God wants us to want Him as a lover. He is interested in our communities but not as a handyman, but because we cannot exist another day without His presence.

* In the Old Testament, God’s presence was often seen as a mist or smoke which shielded from non-essentials. What we need is relationship-God with us and this is what people want today.


* Hard questions for the Church:

1. Is God here?

2. Do we want to see our community fully transformed?

3. Do we believe God can do this?

4. Are we prepared to do what is required to go there?

5. Will we abandon our compartments and boundaries we have placed on God and let Him be God? God has the right to tread upon any part of your Real Estate.

6. Will we lay down our watches and calendars and our comfort-oriented way of life? This will bring about a collision with our culture. No appointment or time period is more important that a full welcoming presence of God. A lot of our “have tos” involve our kids and their schedules. We have given in to the ways of the world remaining in control of our time, doing what we want first rather than letting God run our lives.

o Commitment or abandonment is different because it will be inconvenient. Anything keeping us from God must go. We are to seek first His Kingdom and He will provide everything else.

o We often come to the point of abandonment and aren’t willing. We have to break stride and prioritize your responsibilities –first to God and His Kingdom

7. Will we pray? It only takes a dozen or fewer intercessors to start the process of transformation. Prayer in faith, humility, unity, and compassion with worship draws the presence of God. We need to pray “God stimulate in me an increased appetite for those things that attract your presence—abandonment with expectation. Fast until God answers. Go on a digital fast-no digital equipment, cell phones, and email.


o The Three Stages of Revival:

1. Invitation: A hungry group of believers summons the presence of God. There is repentance, reconciliation, humbling, prayer and fasting with expectation.

2. Visitation: The Holy Spirit comes in a remarkable way to change people. There is widespread church growth and truth becomes “sticky”. This is not about us but about God. The value system shifts and healing power is released.

3. Transformation: The new values born in the visitation phase are rubbed into the skin of society. The marketplace and the political arena changed. Education is reformed. Society is transformed. There becomes a line of reformation in which the Church must steward what God has done. He says, “I have fixed it, you keep it.” Christianity is restored to normalcy in the Church and the Community.

The Church needs to move forward to ask God to restore us as Salt and Light. We need to pray for the miraculous presence of God. We need the supernatural. God can fix something out of nothing.

(notes taken by Kathy Pipal, prayer coordinator of Treasure Valley, Idaho, intercessors.)

Chicago Takes Stand Against "The Nativity Story"!!

Chicago Bans Nativity Movie From Christmas Festival
November 30, 2006 – The city of Chicago has banned advertisements for “The Nativity Story” from a local Christmas festival for fear it might offend non-Christians.

Traditional Values Coalition Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon was outraged when he learned of this latest attack on Christmas: “Just when I think political correctness can’t possibly become more ridiculous, along comes Chicago’s leaders to show me there’s no limit to how insane this kind of thinking has become. Will they insist during Ramadan that there be no public discussions of Muhammad? Will they insist that Jewish Menorah’s be removed from public displays to avoid offending Muslims? Are Santa Claus and his tiny reindeer next on the list of banned characters from Christmas? This anti-religious lunacy must stop.”

In a related anti-Christmas story, a Crate and Barrel executive says the company will definitely not have its employees say “Merry Christmas” to customers. According to the company, it has atheist, Jewish, and Muslim customers. Crate and Barrel spokeswoman Betty Kahn: "We would definitely not say Merry Christmas," she said. "It's all about holiday shopping, getting together with friends and family."

“TVC supporters may want to contact Crate and Barrel and tell them why they will not be shopping at their store this Christmas season,” said Rev. Sheldon.