I’m fortunate to pastor one of those churches where you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen in a church service. You don’t know what God is going to do, nor for the fact of the matter – what people are going to do. Some people may be uncomfortable with that format, but I’ve discovered that you can’t put God in a box. God doesn’t always move in predictable methods – nor do people.

In a church service recently a little girl, who sometimes is a little rambunctious, slipped out the door and went down the steps to the mailbox. Down the aisle of the sanctuary she came toward the pulpit – her face beaming – she raised her arm with a fist full of mail and announced, “Preacher, you’ve got mail!”

Bart was desperate. He was flunking fourth grade. His reputation, his career, his life would be ruined. When he flunked his book report on Treasure Island because he only knew what was on the cover was the last straw. Bart’s teachers, parents, and school psychiatrist decided that Bart should repeat the fourth grade.

Bart pleaded. “Look at my eyes,” he said, “See the sincerity? See the conviction? See the fear? I swear I’ll so better!”

Bart came up with a plan. He made a deal with Martin the Brain. He’d teach Martin how to be cool if Martin would help his pass his history exam. If he passed, Bart would be allowed to graduate.

Victories don’t come without a battle. What battles are you fighting this New Year? Perhaps it’s the “battle of the bulge”. You’ve vowed to lose weight and live healthier – but it’s a battle. Some continue to battle life controlling or negative habits or sin in their lives. Many people battle increasing debt or mounting stress at work or at home. If you have battles to fight this New Year I have good news for you. You have an ally. There is one who has never lost a battle and he desires to stand with you if you will look to him. He is the Lord God – the Lord mighty in battle.

What do Meriwether and William, Stan and Oliver, Ben and Jerry, John and Charles, Priscilla and Aquila, Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck have in common? They all learned that by partnering together, they could accomplish much more than they ever could by themselves.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us how to pray with world-changing power, and also gave us great truths about God. (Read Matthew 6:5-18). Consider the first words in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father.” Why did Jesus not say, “My Father”? Most Americans have the mindset of me and my. We are more individualistically oriented. Jesus told us to pray “OUR” Father. As we understand and incorporate the power of “our” in prayer, we will experience amazing things. Consider these four power points of “OUR” in prayer.

Two brothers running across America, as well as a young couple sitting on the steps of a subway station near the collapsed World Trade Center, all must face the question: “Where are you headed?”

A famous rock singer sang, “The world is a bad place, a very bad place to live. Oh, but I don’t want to die.”

Today we watch shattered children, the victims of war, groaning on the six o’clock news while we calmly eat our dinner. We hear people threaten one another and plot the bombing and massacre of innocent families. We suddenly realize that we Americans are also vulnerable along with the rest of the world. The enemy, the devil (John 10:10) is trying to rip apart our world of peace and freedom, leaving only a memory.

The tongue can produce terrible evil or tremendous good. The tongue can lash and libel or the tongue can liberate and express love. Recently two talk show hosts were fired because of their constant abusive tongue. Terrorists are fomenting mayhem and death through their rhetoric of hate. The Word of God tells us, “But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire and the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a world of wickedness corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself” (James 3:1-12 NLT).

There is a secret place and a secret power unknown and untapped by most people today. Jesus lived and taught by this secret power. He revealed this secret and assures us, “But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6 NKJV).

A recent survey revealed that over 90% of Americans say that they pray on a regular basis or at least occasionally.

Miki, our golden retriever, is always read and willing. If you ask if she wants to go for a walk, go for a ride, play fetch or even take a bath, she is eager and ready to go. Ask Miki if she wants to go to the bank and she is in heaven. She knows the teller has a doggy treat just for her. Some people are like Miki, always ready, upbeat and positive. They view God as generous, kind, positive and always desirous to bless people. Unfortunately, some view God as stingy, negative and a reluctant spoil sport.

Gene was the embodiment of the movie “A River Runs Through It”. He was an expert in the art of fly casting. He even tied his own flies. I longed to learn the art of fly casting from him. But, alas, we moved from North Dakota and I never did learn to fly cast.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “casting”? It has many interesting and varied uses.

The Word of God instructs us in the art of casting in many scriptures. Jesus even taught His disciples how to cast their nets for a great catch of fish. (Luke 5:5; John 21:6) How much time, work, and energy we would save if we would follow the Lord’s direction and in faith and obedience cast our net where He tells us.

The 101st Airborne Division has become renowned for its bravery, rapid deployment, and prowess against the enemy. I have friends who have served with distinction in that historic unit.

King David was a great and valiant military leader. Even more so, David was a passionate spiritual leader who went hard after God. He knew what it was to fall into sin, but he also knew that God is “rich in mercy”. I love the sweet sound of this scripture, “But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” (Ephesians 2:4 KFV). David learned not only how to fight the enemies of Israel but also the enemy of the soul – Satan.

Americans seem to be obsessed with power. We have power walks, power drinks, power neckties, powerful SUV’s, computers with mind-boggling RAM power, power lunches, and a host of other empowerments.

The most underestimated and underused empowerment is prayer. Statistics verify that prayer works. Even medical science has substantiated the benefits of prayer. Why do so many people feel a lack of power in prayer even though the majority of Americans claim that they pray? Let’s look at six principles in Mark 11 and Matthew 21 that can give you power in prayer and change your life.

One of our most treasured possessions was given to us almost thirty years ago as a wedding gift. It’s a wooden plague with hand carved praying hands on it. Those praying hands not only remind of the carpenter of Nazareth’s praying hands but also the following story of “The Praying Hands” from an unknown author.

In 1490 two young friends, Albrecht Durer and Franz Knigstein, were struggling young artists. Since both were poor, they worked to support themselves while they studied art. Work took so much of their time and advancement was slow in coming. Finally, they reached an agreement that they would draw lots; one would work to support them while the other would study art. Albrecht won and began to study while Franz worked at hard labor to support them. They agreed that when Albrect was successful he would support Franz while he studied art.

Springtime is seed time. There can be no harvest without planting. Two things must precede planting. First – you must envision what type of harvest you want. Do you want pumpkins, apples, corn, or tomatoes? We envision the harvest and plant accordingly. Jesus told us to envision the ripened harvest fields of souls. (Matthew 9:37-38) Second – before seeds are planted, the soil must be broken up and prepared to receive the seed. Prayer prepares the soil of the heart to receive the seed of the life giving Word of God.

The harvest is now ripe in jails and prisons. Not all can go, but all believers can pray. As you pray, here are some things to pray for. One way to pray for harvest and harvesters is to go through the alphabet and use it to pray A – Z. I’ll give some examples of what to pray for using each letter, but add your own.

What would you do if you were thrown in a den of ferocious, hungry lion? Would you run, scream, faint, or pray up a storm? In all probability you very likely would perish. But Daniel, counselor to kings, spent a night in a lion’s den and lived to tell about it. Why did he survive? Daniel didn’t wait until he was thrown in a lion’s den to pray – he lived a life of prayer.

Daniel’s enemies coveted his job and sought to destroy him. (Daniel 6) The only thing they could find against Daniel was that in their view he prayed too much. So they plotted to have the king throw Daniel into the lion’s den.

Perhaps you are not as technologically challenged as I am and wouldn’t need “The Dummies Guide to Computers”. But I need all the help I can get in the realm of personal computers. Likewise, many people feel inadequate in approaching God in prayer. Jesus gave his disciples a “Dummies Guide to Prayer” called “The Lord’s Prayer”. (Matthew 6:5-15) I hope you will be inspired and enabled to pray effectively to the God who loves you. The best way to learn how to pray effectively is to simply DO IT! I would listen to people’s advice on using my computer and read all about it, but I was overloaded.

As stated in last week’s article, I am technologically and electronically challenged. Maybe I should have lived in the days of the Pony Express and the circuit riding preachers. Although it would be a sacrifice to do without my indoor shower, I still struggle with computers and the information age in which I live. “A Dummies Guide to PC’s” has helped me, somewhat. As great as the advancements that have been made in technology and the sciences, most people have yet learned to experience the power of prayer. But even the disciples of Jesus felt inadequate to pray as Jesus did to his Heavenly Father.

A Dummies Guide to PC’s and other such genre was probably written with me in mind. I must admit that I am technologically and electronically challenged. It took me years to get enough courage even to turn the computer on. I’ve learned to log on and send my e-mail but I still enjoy and prefer the “old-fashioned” methods of communication. I guess I needed A Dummies Guide to PC’s.

Perhaps you are not as technologically challenged as I am and wouldn’t need “The Dummies Guide to Computers”. But I need all the help I can get in the realm of personal computers. Likewise, many people feel inadequate in approaching God in prayer. Jesus gave his disciples a “Dummies Guide to Prayer” called “The Lord’s Prayer”. (Matthew 6:5-15) I hope you will be inspired and enabled to pray effectively to the God who loves you.

The best way to learn how to pray effectively is to simply DO IT! I would listen to people’s advice on using my computer and read all about it, but I was overloaded. I didn’t get anywhere until I got by myself and just did it. I learned from others but the

As stated in last week’s article, I am technologically and electronically challenged. Maybe I should have lived in the days of the Pony Express and the circuit riding preachers. Although it would be a sacrifice to do without my indoor shower, I still struggle with computers and the information age in which I live. “A Dummies Guide to PC’s” has helped me, somewhat.

As great as the advancements that have been made in technology and the sciences, most people have yet learned to experience the power of prayer. But even the disciples of Jesus felt inadequate to pray as Jesus did to his Heavenly Father.

A Dummies Guide to PC’s and other such genre was probably written with me in mind. I must admit that I am technologically and electronically challenged. It took me years to get enough courage even to turn the computer on. I’ve learned to log on and send my e-mail but I still enjoy and prefer the “old-fashioned” methods of communication. I guess I needed A Dummies Guide to PC’s.

There is a powerful way of communicating with the God of the universe that few people have tapped into. It is called Prayer. Many people believe in prayer, but don’t know how to pray or feel inadequate to pray effectively. The disciples of Jesus spent three and a half years with him.