Pray the Promises

30 December 2015

CHANGE IN THINKING

Plead the Promises of God
By Armin R.Gesswein
Founder and Director of Revival Prayer Fellowships, Inc. An elderly Methodist lay preacher named Uncle Am always had assurance his prayer would be answered. A young preacher asked for his secret. He said, "Young man learn to plead the promises of God."
 
-D.L. Moody: "Every work of God can be traced to some kneeling form."


CHANGE IN THINKING
Early in the ministry, I had an experience which completely changed my understanding of prayer. What a transformation! I was called to start churches and had just discovered "prayer meeting truth" in the Acts. So I started a prayer meeting-the first one I ever attended.
In came an elderly Methodist one night. When he prayed, I detected something new. "I have never heard praying like that," I said to myself. It was not only fervency-I had plenty of that. Heaven and earth got together at once when he prayed. There was a strange immediacy about it. The prayer and the answer were not far apart-in fact, were moving along together. He had it "in the bag!" so it seemed to me.
 The Holy Spirit was right there, in action, giving him assurance of the answer even while he was praying! When I prayed, God was "way out there," somewhere in the distance, listening. The answer, too was in the distance, in the bye and bye.

DISCOVERY!
Eager to learn his secret, I went to see him one day. His name was Ambrose Whaley, and everyone called him "Uncle Am." He was a retired blacksmith-also a Methodist lay preacher. I soon came to the point: "Uncle Am, I would love to pray with you." At once he arose, led me outside across the driveway into a red barn, up a ladder, into a haymow!
 There, in some old hay, lay two big Bibles-one open. "What is this?" I thought. I prayed first, as I recall it. Poured out my heart, needs, burdens, wishes, aspirations, ambitions to God. Then he prayed-and there was "that difference" again. There, in that hay, on our knees, at the eyeball level, I said: "Uncle Am, what is it? ...You have some kind of secret in praying...Would you mind sharing it with me?"
I was 24, he was 73 (he lived to be 93), and with an eagle-look in his eyes, he said:
"Young man, learn to plead the promises of God!"

THAT DID IT!
My praying has never been the same since. That word completely changed my understanding of prayer. It really revolutionized it! I "saw it" as soon as he said it. Saw what? 
Well-when I prayed there was fervency, ambition, etc. (The Lord does not put a "perfect squelch" on these either.) But I lacked FAITH. Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door. THERE MUST BE FAITH. Where does that come from? 
From hearing...the WORD OF GOD. Uncle Am would pray Scripture after Scripture, reminding Him of Promise after promise, pleading these like a lawyer does his case-the Holy Spirit pouring in His assurance of being heard. 

This man knew the promises "by the bushel." He did not seem to need those two Bibles in that hay! I soon learned that he was a mighty intercessor. He prayed "clear through."
 He prayed THROUGH THE BIBLE. He taught me the secret of intercessory praying. How can I ever thank God enough for leading me to such a prayer warrior!

WHAT HAPPENED?
 With this discovery, God really GAVE ME A NEW BIBLE!
 I had not yet learned how to make the Bible MY PRAYER BOOK. It gave me a new motivation for Bible study. I began to "dig in!" I would now search the Scriptures...meditate...mark its many promises...memorize, memorize, MEMORIZE! There are thousands of promises: a promise for every need, burden, problem, situation.
Young man, learn to plead the promises of God! 
These words keep ringing in my soul!

"In Him all the promises of God are yes." (2 Corinthians 1:20, Berkeley)

D.L. Moody: "Tarry at a promise, and God will meet you there."

PROMISES PREDICT THE ANSWERS
They are the molds into which we pour our prayers. They foretell what to expect. They shape our praying. They motivate, direct, and determine our supplication.

PROMISES LIKE THESE
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou know not. (Jeremiah 33:3);
 All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22); 
If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:14).

THIS MAKES CHRISTIAN PRAYING DIFFERENT!
How?
 In a very real sense we pray FROM THE ANSWER...WITH THE ANSWER IN MIND...from the answer to it. This is the way of the Lord, the way of faith. He promises-we believe. We act on His Word. 
In this way answered prayer not only satisfies us; it delights the heart of God by fulfilling His own Word. And this is a most important thing with God.

EXAMPLE
Remember the old arithmetic book at school? 
It had all the answers in the back of the book! What a book! You waited, of course-first worked out the problem and then looked up the answer! You did not! You quickly looked back for the answer; you could not wait! 
Then you worked out the problem, WITH THE ANSWER IN MIND, TO MATCH IT.

This is how we pray. We pray from God's promise which is His answer, and expect it to be fulfilled. Also, as with the arithmetic book, there are different answers for different problems. The Bible contains thousands of promises, and these hold the answers to our thousands of needs and prayers. They are so varied-all sizes and shapes. With them, our praying takes on another form, and moves into God's action. 

HOW PHENOMENAL-THE BIBLE BECOMES MY ANSWER BOOK!

HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Find the promise that fits your need. The Bible is just the right size. It is as big as LIFE: "The Book of Life." It answers to every situation. The promises are life-size:

• There is a promise for that job you need: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
  
  
• There are many promises for the guidance you are seeking: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14). 
• Another is Philippians 4:6,7. Consult the Lord, not horoscopes! He will answer your "request" with "peace"-His inner green light, His go-ahead.
  
  
• Do you lack joy? Read Philippians. For more "faith" read Hebrews.
•  Are you suffering? Look up 1 and 2 Peter.
•  Are you tempted? Dig into Matthew 4 and Luke 4.
•  Need encouragement? 2 Corinthians is loaded with help.
•  Need healing? James 5, and many other Scriptures, like 3 John 2.
•  Find also the many Scriptures that spur you on to pray for, and help the poor, the needy, the fatherless, the widows: like James 1:27, Psalm 41:1, Matthew 25:35 ff.
  
  
• Are you praying for revival and renewal? See 2 Corinthians 7:14, Habakkuk 3:2, Acts 2:17 ff. Revelation 1-3. And how about "prayer meetings?" 
• Are you clear on the Scriptures, then here is-the Bible basis for the congregational prayer meeting? THE WHOLE BOOK OF ACTS, THE "BOOK OF THE CHURCH."

ON AND ON LIKE THIS, until we learn to do "everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving" and learn to "live by every Word of God". Philippians 4:6,7; Luke 4:4). 
Someone has said that we should never pray without reading the Bible, and we should never read the Bible without praying.

It all adds up to this: we must learn to make the bible our prayer book!
We hope you enjoyed this inspiring article! Now that the author has your attention, do you find yourself wondering what promises are in the Bible for you to "plead"?
Listed below are a few examples of some of the Bible promises that God has made to you,  His children. As you read these verses, think about each verse as if it were written directly to you. 
When you pray, acknowledge to God that His word is true, and that this truth is a promise that you "claim" as His child. You will be amazed at the joy and comfort you will have when you agree with God and His word concerning you!

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

***  Once you become fluent in the Promises of the Lord God  - you can pray to find that treasures of Heaven and Eternity!  

Take Ownership of Your Health

We Help You Take Ownership of Your Health

It’s hard to go a day without hearing someone complain about the healthcare system. This is simply because the traditional healthcare system is broken.
The so called “managed care”? organizations like HMO’s don’t manage care at all- they manage your access to care. They tell you what doctors you can see or not see and what drugs you can take based on their formulary “list”?. These are financially motivated decisions not necessarily based on your health needs.

Of course your doctors mean well, but the healthcare system doesn’t give them the time to do their job effectively. Instead of being health providers, many doctors have become prescription writing machines.

And studies show that the average time doctors spend explaining a drug to patients is just 2 minutes- not nearly enough time to discuss suitability, side effects, conflicts, risks, etc. Even worse, 26% receive no counseling whatsoever about new medications!

Too many people are being forced onto the drug “merry go round.”? 

You get one drug for a condition, then you get a second drug for the side effects of the first drug, a third drug to reduce the risks of taking the first two, etc. Once you start, it never ends – unless you take ownership of your health.

This means learning more about your health and body, and making the right choices so you can live BETTER, not just longer.  This involves becoming smarter about the foods you eat and drink, getting the right amount of exercise or physical activity and supplementing your body with the right nutritional supplements.

Once you start down this path, it becomes easier to keep going.  In fact, according to research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, individuals who take nutritional supplements are more likely to engage in other health protecting behaviors.

You can depend on NatureCity® to bring you the health solutions you need to take ownership of your health.  In fact, we are our own customers – our employees and families depend on our products as much as you do.
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Women With Type 2 Diabetes May Be At Higher Risk of Heart Disease

Filed under: Lifestyle — Sarah @ 9:00 am 

 

Type 2 diabetes is rapidly growing to include more and more Americans and a recent scientific statement suggests that women with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have coronary heart disease than men who have type 2 diabetes.

The researchers who wrote the scientific statement acknowledged that they weren’t entirely sure about how the hormonal differences between men and women affect risk of coronary heart disease. However, they did find that women with type 2 diabetes had heart attacks at an earlier age than men; were more likely to die after their first heart attack; were less likely to have procedures to open clogged arteries; were less likely to be on cholesterol or blood pressure lowering drugs; were less likely to have their blood sugar under control; and developed type 2 diabetes based on sex-specific differences.

The researchers also noted that African American and Hispanic women with type 2 diabetes were disproportionately affected by coronary artery disease and stroke when compared with men with type 2 diabetes. They suggested that women with type 2 diabetes may have a greater chance of reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease through lifestyle changes like better diet and more physical activity than men but that they also need to exercise more frequently and more intensely than men.

Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver wrote the statement. It was published online ahead of print on December 7, 2015, in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

Type-2 diabetes is an increasingly common ailment, especially in the Western world. If you’re concerned about developing type-2 diabetes, previous studies suggest that increasing fiber intake, decreasing sugary drinks, and regular exercise may lower your risk.

 

Things to do in 2016...

Some Things you can do in 2016:  -

Remember that you will have some opportunities; learn to use the ones that provide positive up lifting elements which can benefit not only yourself!
Like performing kind acts toward others.

- Send a thank you note to someone who has been there for you in the past!

- Do something nice for a neighbor!

- Invite someone to lunch then pick up the tab!

- Do some yard work or help around the house for a person who is limited!

- Give an unexpected gift or gift card!

- Thank someone who made a difference in your life!   

- Visit someone who is shut in or incarcerated.
    
 ** In other words do something for someone else!  

Because if you cannot do something useful for someone then you have surly failed to understand the Commandment  "to love your Neighbor!"

Was Jesus a feminist?

Blog: Southern Etiquette or life in Dixie
by kerminator

Was Jesus a feminist?

** Jesus was a feminist, and it's past time for the Christian church to become so.

 Which is to provide the love and support of the church for the women also. **

Date:   1/3/2015 18:19:56 .. viewed over 386 times

Jesus Was a Feminist.

Yep, you read that right!

Jesus was a hardcore feminist. Time after time he stood up to the men of the time in defense of women.
His relationship with Mary Magdalene reflects how Christ wants us to treat women, specifically those shunned and outcast.

Even when she was shamed in Adultery - Jesus addressed her accusers and placed the statement

 " He who is with out sin cast the first stone!" which caused them all to leave.
 

Nor when she washed His feet with her hair, an act of complete service, which upset the disciples, that He would let a mere sinner touch Him.

He responded turning to toward the woman, He said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?"
I have entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.
-- Luke 7:44-57
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** Then from: http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/100072-jesus-feminist.html

---------------------------------------

** Hi Christian feminist or supporter.

Firstly, Jesus was amazing

He loved both men and women, and showed compassion beyond the diktats of society.
 
I am glad you see that aspect of Him, as He is truly awesome.  

*** 
A diktat is a statute, harsh penalty or settlement imposed upon a defeated party by the victor, or a dogmatic decree. The term has acquired a pejorative sense, to describe a set of rules dictated by a foreign power or an unpopular local power. The phrases "To impose its values" or "give orders" can be synonymous with giving a diktat.  Much like some recent presidents and leaders!
The term is from the German language, derived from the Latin past participle dictātum.^[1] It arose from Dictatus Papae, which attempts to resolve the struggle of the priesthood and the Empire in the Holy Roman Empire.
  --------------------------------------------------------------

However most people on many of these forums, don't have such a broad viewpoint to see feminism as just equality between men and women.

Many of them associate feminism with a lot of negative connotations, such as destroying the roles of husband and wife, specified in the Bible etc.    Which was never true...

While the early wave of feminism did look towards empowering women, the current feminism or radical feminism especially that which is originated from the West is downright ridiculous. 
Sad that the truth has been usurped by the Liberal - Socialist elements of the modern world!

We still need to do so much for the rejected women, especially in all the Islamic countries like Afghanistan and most Islamic areas etc, where women aren't even allowed to be educated and treated solely as a sexual person to produce children - no questions asked!.


  ---------------------------------------------------------

To bring them Jesus, is to find freedom in Him, which IS Empowering!!

I am glad for Christian woman, that you find that strength in Jesus.

However Jesus is beyond labels - He's a friend of all women and women are warriors of God.

But to put him as a feminist, may cause some people here to get really upset. I hope you understand this, Anyway.

Jesus was a feminist, and it's time the Christian church became more so now.

Political Incorrectness?

While we are upon this earth we should never be come indifferent nor dispirited.
When confronted {Daily} with evil ; it requires that we make a stand for what is right, Righteous and Holy!  With no reservations!

This is true of whichever form it comes upon us, be it - international {socialism} Communism, Liberal secularism, or many of the non Christian religions {especially Islam} - all of which bring domination and lose of basic human freedoms...  All of these forms of human activity are maleviolent 
{having, showing, or arising from intense often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred}
Because Evil is a total dominating source of control and self-centered actives. 

We should learn to recognize Evil for what it is under it's many facades and pretty painted pictures. Christians should fight and oppose evil wherever and whenever it comes upon them; because it alone presents  a clear and ever present danger to all humans and to the civilization we live under!


** This has been the repeating history of mankind!

Examples of malevolent - having or showing a desire to cause harm to another person.

There was no acknowledgment of the effects of cycle upon cycle of malevolent defeat, of the injury of seeing one generation rise above the cusp of poverty only to be indignantly crushed, of the impact of repeating tsunamis of violence … —Douglas A. Blackmon, Slavery By Another Name, 2008

The predominant spirit is very un-American; a kind of malevolent, drifting determinism pervades human beings who cannot, or do not want to, cope. —John Fowles, Atlantic, August 1986

How to be Restored from Sickness

Tropical Traditions

Shared publicly  -  Dec 27, 2015

Sunday Devotional: How to be Restored from Sickness

The way sickness was viewed in Biblical Old Testament times and the way sickness is viewed today in the 21st century is almost in completely opposite terms. In Old Testament times, sickness was primarily viewed as a judgment from God for sins. This view primarily stemmed from Israel’s experience in the Exodus from Egypt, when God inflicted plagues on the Egyptians.

In our modern day post-Darwin era, sickness is almost always viewed as strictly a result of natural causes, with no thought given to spiritual issues such as sin. 

Medicines and other cures are seen as the remedy for all sicknesses. If a cure does not exist in medicine, it is believed that one will be discovered in the future through scientific research.

Both of these views are extreme and imbalanced.

 Read how King David, the most righteous king that ruled Israel in Old Testament times but nevertheless suffered from sickness, dealt with his illness, and how he was healed and restored. The principles he teaches for restoration from sickness still work today!

   ============================

Healing from Jesus is More Effective than Our Current Healthcare System

What is in Your Future: Have You Prepared for it?


During the first century a small band of disciples of Jesus traveled from city to city healing people. This caused quite a controversy as the traditional health care systems in place started to lose money and power, since the healing being conducted in Jesus' name was so much more effective. Could the same thing happen today?

 A story from the acts of the first disciples of Jesus in the first century clearly illustrates where true healing comes from, and how persecution from the "health authorities" invariably arises whenever people are healed outside of the prescribed medical paradigm of the day.

 Re-Creation: The Rebirth

Our physical bodies are decaying and will eventually die, but our spirit can be renewed and re-created, bringing about true health. This is a permanent solution to our health problems, and it is a FREE offer available to all -  that cannot be purchased.

#devotional
#Jesus
#Sickness
#Health

The Absolute Truth will set you free...

02 December 2015

Why the truth?

Since I deal in the truth - why some ask?

Well; the longer I live this life - the more evidence I have seen that there is a real source of Absolute Eternal Truth {coupled with the everyday to day truthful events} which will out last every lie and falsehood that mankind has invented...

The only thing that each of us must address - is that unless you, seek, find and follow the Absolute Truth in your life; things will not end well for you!

This is not a declaration of superiority or an attempt to force any direction on anyone ... It is an avenue which can be used to vastly improve your existence for the Eternity which follows!

Do not end up being one of the many proud persons who thinking they that know it all.. Because I can truthfully say that day will never come - except that you will be exposed for every false thing you ever did or lie which you may have perpetrated!

 The Absolute Truth will set you free...

  John 8:32 
 The Truth will Set You Free
31  So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;  32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 
33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free '?"
** Verse 33 = their false pride and non belief in the Absolute Truth of God!


BTW: The Absolute is the only thing which will set you free from all the baggage and trash that we each accumulate in the earthly life!
Otherwise you will get to carry it all with you for the rest of your eternal existence alone in the Outer Darkness!
But you do not have to believe me....

Again you do not have to accept or even believe the Absolute Truth of the Gospel of Christ - but the alternative is not in your favor!   I am just a messenger!

Confusion comes of the devil!

From a recent post on the net:

 Overcoming Confusion by the Power of The Holy Spirit
Confusion comes of the devil, because there is no truth in him. He is a liar and a thief, and Lucifer will always try and confuse, confound, and mislead us. We can overcome confusion through the Word, and through the Blood of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Here are some scriptures that clearly define and contrast the works of the Father vs. the fallen angel Lucifer (not God’s opposite, but a fallen angel who was created).

Of the devil (Jesus here speaking to the Pharisees who interestingly enough were trying to cause confusion)…
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him (i.e. – only lies and confusion). When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

However, we know that Jesus came to destroy ALL the works of the devil, even confusion and the obstruction of truth…

1 John 3:8 …
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

God is a God of order. He created the universe and the very laws of science that hold everything in place. He gave us His Word, & and He gives peace.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (here, the term peace can also be translated to mean a quiet and restful mind, not troubled by confusion or doubt).

We must not allow ourselves to concentrate on the confusion or the lies, but look instead to the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus spent little time being distracted by the works of the devil…in fact He would not allow the demonic to even speak but commanded the to “hold their peace” or to not speak forth things that would add confusion.

Luke 4:35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

Therefore, when confusion comes in, we must take authority over the confusion by pleading the Blood of Jesus Christ and by standing on what God PROMISES us as believers and children. We must be proactive in our warfare against confusion as Paul states…

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations (literally - confused thoughts), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We should not fear this warfare but have knowledge that through Christ there is love, power and clarity of thought.

2 Timothy 1:7 
 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Praying in the Spirit helps to bring us out of these times of confusion because when we know not what to pray the Spirit will intercede…

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

Pray without ceasing in the Spirit especially during those times when confusion abounds because we are promised…

Isaiah 59:19 … 
When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Finally…be proactive in giving your mind a preventative remedy against the confusion returning…

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

Plead the Promises of God

30 December 2015

CHANGE IN THINKING

Plead the Promises of God
By Armin R.Gesswein
Founder and Director of Revival Prayer Fellowships, Inc.  

An elderly Methodist lay preacher named Uncle Am always had assurance his prayer would be answered. A young preacher asked for his secret. He said, "Young man learn to plead the promises of God."
-D.L. Moody: "Every work of God can be traced to some kneeling form."
 
CHANGE IN THINKING
Early in the ministry, I had an experience which completely changed my understanding of prayer. What a transformation! I was called to start churches and had just discovered "prayer meeting truth" in the Acts. So I started a prayer meeting-the first one I ever attended.
In came an elderly Methodist one night. When he prayed, I detected something new. "I have never heard praying like that," I said to myself. It was not only fervency-I had plenty of that. Heaven and earth got together at once when he prayed. There was a strange immediacy about it. The prayer and the answer were not far apart-in fact, were moving along together. He had it "in the bag!" so it seemed to me. The Holy Spirit was right there, in action, giving him assurance of the answer even while he was praying! When I prayed, God was "way out there," somewhere in the distance, listening. The answer, too was in the distance, in the bye and bye.
 
DISCOVERY!
Eager to learn his secret, I went to see him one day. His name was Ambrose Whaley, and everyone called him "Uncle Am." He was a retired blacksmith-also a Methodist lay preacher. I soon came to the point: "Uncle Am, I would love to pray with you." At once he arose, led me outside across the driveway into a red barn, up a ladder, into a haymow! There, in some old hay, lay two big Bibles-one open. "What is this?" I thought. I prayed first, as I recall it. Poured out my heart, needs, burdens, wishes, aspirations, ambitions to God. Then he prayed-and there was "that difference" again. There, in that hay, on our knees, at the eyeball level, I said: "Uncle Am, what is it? ...You have some kind of secret in praying...Would you mind sharing it with me?"
I was 24, he was 73 (he lived to be 93), and with an eagle-look in his eyes, he said:
"Young man, learn to plead the promises of God!"
 
THAT DID IT!
My praying has never been the same since. That word completely changed my understanding of prayer. It really revolutionized it! I "saw it" as soon as he said it. Saw what? Well-when I prayed there was fervency, ambition, etc. (The Lord does not put a "perfect squelch" on these either.) But I lacked FAITH. Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door. THERE MUST BE FAITH. Where does that come from? From hearing...the WORD OF GOD. Uncle Am would pray Scripture after Scripture, reminding Him of Promise after promise, pleading these like a lawyer does his case-the Holy Spirit pouring in His assurance of being heard. This man knew the promises "by the bushel." He did not seem to need those two Bibles in that hay! I soon learned that he was a mighty intercessor. He prayed "clear through." He prayed THROUGH THE BIBLE. He taught me the secret of intercessory praying. How can I ever thank God enough for leading me to such a prayer warrior!
WHAT HAPPENED? With this discovery, God really GAVE ME A NEW BIBLE! I had not yet learned how to make the Bible MY PRAYER BOOK. It gave me a new motivation for Bible study. I began to "dig in!" I would now search the Scriptures...meditate...mark its many promises...memorize, memorize, MEMORIZE! There are thousands of promises: a promise for every need, burden, problem, situation.
Young man, learn to plead the promises of God! 
These words keep ringing in my soul!
"In Him all the promises of God are yes." (2 Corinthians 1:20, Berkeley)
D.L. Moody: "Tarry at a promise, and God will meet you there."

PROMISES PREDICT THE ANSWERS
They are the molds into which we pour our prayers. They foretell what to expect. They shape our praying. They motivate, direct, and determine our supplication.

PROMISES LIKE THESE
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3); All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22); If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:14).

THIS MAKES CHRISTIAN PRAYING DIFFERENT!
How?
 In a very real sense we pray FROM THE ANSWER...WITH THE ANSWER IN MIND...from the answer to it. This is the way of the Lord, the way of faith. He promises-we believe. We act on His Word. 
In this way answered prayer not only satisfies us; it delights the heart of God by fulfilling His own Word. And this is a most important thing with God.

EXAMPLE
Remember the old arithmetic book at school? It had all the answers in the back of the book! What a book! You waited, of course-first worked out the problem and then looked up the answer! You did not! You quickly looked back for the answer; you could not wait! Then you worked out the problem, WITH THE ANSWER IN MIND, TO MATCH IT.

This is how we pray. We pray from God's promise which is His answer, and expect it to be fulfilled. Also, as with the arithmetic book, there are different answers for different problems. The Bible contains thousands of promises, and these hold the answers to our thousands of needs and prayers. They are so varied-all sizes and shapes. With them, our praying takes on another form, and moves into God's action. 

HOW PHENOMENAL-THE BIBLE BECOMES MY ANSWER BOOK!

HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Find the promise that fits your need. The Bible is just the right size. It is as big as LIFE: "The Book of Life." It answers to every situation. The promises are life-size:

• There is a promise for that job you need: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
  
  
• There are many promises for the guidance you are seeking: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14). Another is Philippians 4:6,7. Consult the Lord, not horoscopes! He will answer your "request" with "peace"-His inner green light, His go-ahead.
  
  
• Do you lack joy? Read Philippians. For more "faith" read Hebrews. Are you suffering? Look up 1 and 2 Peter. Are you tempted? 
• Dig into Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Need encouragement? 2 Corinthians is loaded with help. Need healing? James 5, and many other Scriptures, like 3 John 2. Find also the many Scriptures that spur you on to pray for, and help the poor, the needy, the fatherless, the widows: like James 1:27, Psalm 41:1, Matthew 25:35 ff.
  
  
• Are you praying for revival and renewal? See 2 Corinthians 7:14, Habakkuk 3:2, Acts 2:17 ff. Revelation 1-3. And how about "prayer meetings?" Are you clear on the Scriptures here-the Bible basis for the congregational prayer meeting? THE WHOLE BOOK OF ACTS, THE "BOOK OF THE CHURCH."

ON AND ON LIKE THIS, until we learn to do "everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving" and learn to "live by every Word of God". Philippians 4:6,7; Luke 4:4). Someone has said that we should never pray without reading the Bible, and we should never read the Bible without praying.
It all adds up to this: we must learn to make the bible our prayer book!
We hope you enjoyed this inspiring article! Now that the author has your attention, do you find yourself wondering what promises are in the Bible for you to "plead"?
Listed below are a few examples of some of the Bible promises that God has made to His children. As you read these verses, think about each verse as if it were written directly to you. When you pray, acknowledge to God that His word is true, and that this truth is a promise that you "claim" as His child. You will be amazed at the joy and comfort you will have when you agree with God and His word concerning you!

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

  ** BTW:  We learned the 23 Psalm in Public School in the 1950's 

Discipleship Level 2 - 1 17 of 48 - The Source of All Grief

LEVEL 2 LESSON 1
SELF-CENTEREDNESS:

The Source of All Grief
By Andrew Wommack

Self-centeredness is the source of so much of what we experience.

 There is a verse in Proverbs 13 that you really ought to look up, because you wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t read it in your own Bible.
Verse 10 says, “Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.”
 Many people at first would take issue with this and say, “Wait a minute. Pride can’t be the only thing that causes contention or strife.

Proverbs 17:14 says that contention is the beginning of strife, so strife has to be caused by more than just pride. It’s what so-and-so has done to me.” Others will say, “You don’t understand; this is just the type of person I am.”
No, the scripture says that only by pride comes contention. It’s not one of the leading causes; it’s the only cause. Some people again would take issue and say, “I’ve got all kinds of problems, but pride isn’t one of them. If anything, I’ve got such low self-esteem, there’s no way anybody can accuse me of pride.”

We have to redefine what pride is. It’s is not just thinking you’re better than somebody else,
but in the simplest terms, it is seeing yourself as the center of everything. Self-centeredness is really
the root of all pride.

 In Numbers 12:2, Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ sister and brother, came against him, criticizing him because of an interracial marriage, saying, “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only to Moses?
Hath he not spoken also by us?”

 The Scripture then says in parentheses in verse 3 that Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth. Instead of taking offense at what they said, he began to pray and intercede for them.
 
When it says Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth, stop and think about that.
We don’t know how many people there were on earth, but surely there were millions, and Moses was
the meekest man of all these people. What makes this a really amazing statement is that he was the
one who wrote it. Most people think if you’re truly humble or meek, you won’t even know it.

That’s a false impression of what arrogance really is. Pride isn’t just thinking you’re better than everybody else—it’s self-centeredness. It’s like having a stick with arrogance on one side and low self-esteem on the other side. Those are opposite expressions of the same thing, but they’re both on the same stick.

It’s self-centeredness. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re better than everyone else or worse than
everyone else, you’re absolutely self-centered. Everything gets filtered through that. A timid, shy
person is very proud and self-centered, thinking only about self.

The point I’m making is that self-centeredness is really the root of all pride, and if you plug
that back into Proverbs 13:10, “Only by pride comes contention,”  what this says is that it is our own
self-centeredness that makes us angry, not what people do to us. It’s our self-centeredness that causes
us to react to what people do. You will never be able to stop people from rubbing you the wrong way;
it can’t happen. Faith is not to control other people but to help you deal with yourself and deal with
the things that are inside you. So it doesn’t matter what people do to you.

As Jesus was being crucified, He was able to turn to the very people who were crucifying
Him and say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” 
He didn’t control those people but instead had control over Himself. It’s self-centeredness that makes us angry. Jesus didn’t come here for Himself, but He so loved the world that He came here for us. He thought of His mother as He hung on the cross and spoke to one of His disciples about taking care of her.
The reason Jesus was able to forgive and operate in love — in the midst of intense agony, injustice, and everything that came His way — was because He was not self-centered.

It’s your own selfishness that makes you angry, yet the Scripture says you’re supposed to be
dead to yourself. If I had a corpse in front of me, I could insult it, kick it, spit on it, or ignore it, but if
it’s truly a corpse, it wouldn’t respond. The reason you respond the way you do to the things around
you is not because of those external things but because of what’s on the inside of you.

You will never be so strong in faith that you can remove all obstacles and everything that rubs you the wrong way, but you can deal with yourself. You can come to a place where you make Jesus Lord of your life and love Him, His kingdom, and other people more than you love yourself. You’ll find that when you do that and deal with self that the strife and contention in your life will cease.

One of the great keys for applying all of these things God has done in your life is to realize
that He didn’t give you the kingdom for selfish purposes. He didn’t do these things just so you could have every need supplied. You need to learn it’s in denying yourself and losing your life that you really begin to find out what life is all about.
 It’s in loving other people and God more than yourself that you’ll begin to defuse your anger and hurt, all those things that are inside you.

I pray that God will take these few things I’ve said and use them to open your heart to realize
that it’s your own self-centeredness that causes you grief.
Instead of placing the blame somewhere else, you need to accept the responsibility, face it, humble yourself before God, and ask Him to come in and make Himself big in your life.  

That’s the way for you to walk in victory.


  ================================================

1. Read Mark 9:33-34. What were the disciples arguing
about on the road going to Capernaum?


MARK 9:33-35 –
 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye
disputed among yourselves by the way?
[34] But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be
the greatest.
[35] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any
man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.


2. Does this reflect the selfishness in all of us?

3. Read Mark 9:35. According to this scripture, if some
one wants to be first, they must become what?

 [35] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any
man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

4. Explain in detail Jesus’ teaching in Luke 22:24-27.

 Luke 22:24-27.
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
 [25] And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they
that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
[26] But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger;
and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
[27] For whether is greater, he that sits at the meat, or he that serves? Is not he
that sits at meat?  but I am among you as he that serves.

5. Read Proverbs 13:10. What is the only thing that causes contention?

PROVERBS 13:10 –
Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

LUKE 22:24-27 –
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
 [25] And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they
that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
[26] But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger;
and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
[27] For whether is greater, he that sits at meat, or he that serves? is not he
that sits at meat? but I am among you as he that serves.

6. Read Galatians 2:20. How should we live our lives?


GALATIANS 2:20 –  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

7. Read Matthew 7:12. What is the antidote for self-centeredness?

MATTHEW 7:12 –
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do
ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

**  Discipleship Questions on Lesson 1 -  Self-centeredness

1. Read Mark 9:33-34. What were the disciples arguing about on the road going to Capernaum?
They argued about who was the greatest

2. Does this reflect the selfishness in all of us?
Yes

3. Read Mark 9:35. According to this scripture, if someone wants to be first, they must
become what?
Servant of all

4. Explain in detail Jesus’ teaching in Luke 22:24-27.
“And they began to argue among themselves as to who would be the greatest in the
coming Kingdom. Jesus told them, ‘In this world the kings and great men order their
people around, and yet they are called “friends of the people.”
But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not
here! For I am your servant’” (Luke 22:24-27, New Living Translation)

5. Read Proverbs 13:10. What is the only thing that causes contention?
Pride

6. Read Galatians 2:20. How should we live our lives?
By the faith of Christ (or faith in Christ), not centered on our own strengths or weaknesses
7. Read Matthew 7:12. What is the antidote for self-centeredness?
To be God centered and concerned about others.  Treat others like we want to be treated


Copyright © 2012, Andrew Wommack
Permission is granted to duplicate or reproduce for discipleship purposes on the
condition that it is distributed free of charge.