Hello, and welcome
again to Issues and Answers.
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I'm Shelley Quinn and I will be
hosting this for you today and
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we are going to be talking about
the value of prayer journaling.
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Let me share a scripture from
Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 2
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and here's what he said.
"The Lord answered me and said,
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'write the vision and make
it plain so that everyone who
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passes may read it as he hastens
by, for the vision is yet for an
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appointed time and it hastens to
the end. '" (To the fulfillment
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of it.) "'It will not deceive
or disappoint though it tarry.
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Wait earnestly for it because
it will surely come. It will
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not be behindhand on its appoin-
ted day. '" You know, one thing
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that I have learned about God:
He is never early, but he is
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never late. We can count on
God's promises and we can count
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on God doing everything
for our eternal benefit.
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It is my joy to welcome back
again, the Pages from Central
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California, Janet and
Jerry. Now Jerry, you are the
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conference president for Central
California. Janet, you are the
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Prayer Ministries coordinator
and we are surely enjoying
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everything that you are sharing
with us today, and you are also
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the Women's Ministries Director.
You're a busy woman, aren't you?
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Yes you are.
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Most everybody is though.
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That is true, that is
true. Now we were sitting around
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talking about what we might want
to talk about today and usually
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we pretty much know what we want
to talk about. We just decided
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we're going to let the Lord
lead. We did think though that
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he was impressing upon us
to talk about journaling. What
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do you mean when you
talk about prayer journaling?
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I take like a spiral bound
notebook or actually I have gone
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to using my computer and
printing out the sheets and
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putting them in a three-ring
notebook. I write out what's
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a burden on my heart. Actually
I put it in big titles at the
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at the beginning of it, I mean
at the top. Like if it is my son
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Zach, whatever it is I want to
pray about for him or whatever
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and then below that I will write
about it. Then later I will
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come back and put the answer
on the side, or I may put it on
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another sheet, or come back and
highlight it in yellow that it's
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been answered. But as far
as journaling, I've just been
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amazed at the difference
it's made. As you were just
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sharing that scripture, I'm
kicking myself because I've got
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several scriptures to read that
show that we need to journal,
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to write down, and I didn't
bring them with me and I don't
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know right off where they were.
But I just found God telling me
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to write down the requests.
I'm just finding that the more
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that I write things down, the
more I see God at work and not
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only just things I'd written
down but blessings, surprises
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that I wasn't even praying
about, just a wish and it
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happens. I am convinced the
more we spend time with God,
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he just wants sooo much to show
us how much he loves us and to
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bless our lives. But I love this
scripture in 2 Chronicles 16:9.
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It says, "For the eyes of the
Lord run to and fro throughout
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the whole earth to show himself
strong on behalf of those whose
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heart is loyal to him. " That's
in the New King James. I like
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the way it is worded there, "To
show himself strong on behalf of
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those whose hearts are loyal
to Him. " It's like I say, God's
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tripping over himself trying to
see how He can bless your life
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more. People I know that
started spending an hour a day
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with God, God gives them some
kind of ministry. I've seen it
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over and over again. People
start writing books, others
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start composing music and others
start a speaking ministry,
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others have started a homeless
ministry or a children's
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ministry. Just different ways
God gives them to do ministry.
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She is always mad at me because
we end up putting to work some
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of her prayer partners and then
they are too busy working and
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they can't come to the
prayer meetings any more.
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Yeah, he steels my
prayer partners all the time.
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You know, it's amazing that you
said that because when the Lord
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prepared me for ministry, I
believe, is when he taught me to
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spend at least an hour. I was
seeking God saying, How can I
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keep from ever backsliding
again and the Lord impressed the
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thought upon my mind, He said,
I promise if you will spend the
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first hour of every day in
prayer with me, you will never
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backslide again and that
day, that first day, He really
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impressed me to journal
my prayers. You know, that is
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really what Psalms is, he said,
the prayer journal of David.
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Later some of it was set
to music. But I typed out...
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Now mine's a little bit
different. What I do is just
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like typing a letter... every
thing I would speak to the Lord
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is more in a letter from. You
know, My Heavenly Father, and I
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start of with prayer and thanks-
giving and repentance and
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even the affirmations and
intercessions and supplication.
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But that is when God called
me to full time ministry. I
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I believe it is when He equipped
me to full time ministry, but
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you know what, I think the
answer is there why, I think
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when you journal, first of all
you get so focused because it
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blocks out all of these little
things that are always filtering
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through our minds, you know,
and all the interruptions and
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distractions are blocked out.
But also, you get to that point
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that you can be still before the
Lord and listen for a response.
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I have journaled that way you
are talking about, too. I have
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done both and go back and forth
sometimes. The primary reason
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I do it the way I do it is
I want to be able to find it
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again. You know, it's organized
and I can find what I have
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talked to him about and see how
he's worked. But even to take
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a passage... I know people who
do this... I don't know if you
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know Marty Schneider. She takes
the Gospels and rewrites them.
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She keeps a journal rewriting
them in her own words and
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it's just changed her life
doing that. But the thing with
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journaling... my older son, he
had a girl, he was planning to
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marry her. We were really con-
cerned. We felt like it would
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not be a good, stable marriage
and we were praying, we got our
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prayer partners
praying, every- body praying.
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This is the other son
now. This is the older son.
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We just weren't real good at
training our kids how to pick a
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wife, I guess. One thing I've
got to bring out too before I
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forget is Joel 2:25. I don't
know if there are parents in the
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audience who've been like me
who've made so many mistakes.
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I've made so many mistakes and
I see that in my kids at times,
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you know, my role modeling, and
I cringe, breaks my heart, but
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I claim constantly to God, I
bring it before him that promise
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in Joel 2:25. It says I
will heal, I will restore the
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years the locust have eaten. I
say, Lord you have promised it.
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Heal in my child my mistakes.
Restore, Lord, in their lives.
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You can even claim that, let's
say if you have had abuse or
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whatever in the past, claim
Joel 2:25. God will heal and
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restore the years the
locust have eaten in your life.
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And you know, I used to always
say he's a God of restoration
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and he is. But he is a god
of recreation. He will not only
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restore but for a lot of times
we pray for a marriage to be
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restored. Then one day as I was
praying for the restoration of a
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marriage, God really spoke to
me and He said I will recreate
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it. I thought woahhh. So I
was praying for this couple's
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marriage to be recreated
and God changed. He brought both
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of them to the foot of the cross
and their marriage was built on
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the rock. He wants
us to confess what we
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have done wrong and forget it
in his grace and move forward to
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something positive. Parents
shouldn't wallow around in guilt
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over what they didn't do right.
Like my folks, instead they got
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everybody they could praying
for me. I would just encourage
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parents who feel they have blown
it to get busy now and do the
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positive thing they can in terms
of entering into a prayer war
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for their kids.
Okay. You just brought up
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something. Let me interject
this really quickly. There is a
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scripture from Proverbs that
says train up a child in the way
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they should go and when they are
old they will not depart from
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it. There are so many parents
who feel guilty because they say
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I did not train up my
child in the way they should go.
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Joel 2:25. Because I did not.
I thought I was doing things
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right and realized I
wasn't or realized my own evil
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behaviors have affected my
kids in bad ways. You know, I
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thought I was being good. But
I claim Joel 2:25. God will heal
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and restore those years
that I messed up with my kids.
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Now I got to tell you about
journaling, okay? Is that all
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right? So with my son, God did
it, broke him up with that girl
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and so he's in college and it
just looks like God's not going
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to bring the right girl and I
started journaling. Actually I
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started journaling when he was
still dating the other one, God
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this is the kind of girl I
want for my son. You tell me to
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write my desires of my heart
so I'm going to write them and
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give them to you. I started
very specifically writing what I
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wanted to see in a wife for him.
One that would really love him
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and respect him and give him the
care he needs, because he has
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a really tender, and one that
would love the Lord, that would
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not be a pew-sitter, but would
have a passion to reach people
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for Jesus. One that would cook
healthfully, because I want my
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son and my grandkids to eat
healthfully. One that wouldn't
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raise the kids in front of a
TV or feed them a lot of sugar
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One that wouldn't be a mall
shopper but would want to go
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backpacking. That was a selfish
request, because I like to hike
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and backpack and so I even put
that down, just all these things
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that I wanted. Every once in a
while I'd write them again. God
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has given him... and I could
tell the whole story how God
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led to her, but there isn't
time, but God has given him a
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wife just like that. It's just
incredible. The beautiful part
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is that God does this all the
time. He loves to surprise us.
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I never prayed or wrote in
my journal praying, God will you
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give him a wife that will love
me, that will be my friend. But
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God has given my son a wife
that loves me and we're close
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friends. We love to pray
to- gather. It's an incredible
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gift of what he has done.
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Yes it is and it reminds of the
very first wedding that I ever
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did was for a young woman
who had just gotten her master's
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degree. She had just really
returned to the Lord and she was
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on fire for God and she just
quit dating because she said,
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there is no one out there. She
was becoming isolated and her
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mother was worried about her.
Her mother went in and said,
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Honey, what do you want in a
husband? She said, do you know.
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She said, well, yes mother,
I want a man who will love God
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more than he loves me, because
then I know he will be able to
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love me more. And I want this
and I want that. And she said
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write it down. And she said
well okay. So she wrote it all
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down. And she said, now pray
about this. Tell God this is
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what you want. And do you
know, she met her husband on a
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Christian internet dating
service. I mean, he's just
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check, check, check, check,
everything. You know, James
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said we don't have because we
don't ask. The Lord, I believe,
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really already had this person
out there for her, but He was
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helping her to key in and under-
stand, this is really what I
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want. And when God sent him
he was the answer to prayer.
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What you just said is such a
key statement and I think it is
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true with my journaling for
the wife. It was not my idea. I
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believe God prompted me to
do that. If you feel this burden
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to pray about something, you can
know right there God's about to
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work. Because he's laying it
on your heart. He wants you to
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pray for it. God could take care
of and make these things happen
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on His own, but he chooses
to limit Himself to work through
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our prayers because we will be
blessed by it. I love the way it
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is worded in the King
James: Job 42:10-It says Job's
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captivity was turned around
when he prayed for his friends.
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Since God has converted me,
my life has been consumed with
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praying for others, praying for
church needs. I spend way more
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time praying about that than
I ever do personal needs or even
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my family. And yet God has
turned my captivity around as I
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prayed for my friends like
it says in Job 42:10. Sins and
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things in my life have just
melted away as I focused more on
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others. You know
that is so Christ like.
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I mean that is the way that God
wants us to pray, that the way
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Jesus prayed.
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But you know, another thing
is this spending time with God
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every day, an hour. My big
passion in life was to go hike
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the high mountains, hike the
biggest mountains there were.
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I just wanted to do that, never
had an opportunity. I wanted
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to backpack and you know
do a lot of trips and things.
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The more I focused on that, the
more I tried to do it, when I'd
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get to do it I was so depressed,
I was miserable. I didn't know
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what was wrong with me. I would
work all week long. I would
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save my weekend that I would
have off, I was working as a
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nurse, to go in the out-of-
doors either snow shoeing
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camping or cross country
skiing camping, or backpacking,
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something and I was depressed.
I was so miserable and it was my
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big joy. I would just think
about it all the time, what
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better equipment can I buy
and how can I save up for this.
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And yet, when God turned my life
around and converted me and my
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focus became God what do you
want, what do you want me doing?
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God has ended up taking me all
over the world just sharing my
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testimony. But as I have
totally focused on doing what He
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wants me to, praying with
that person he wants me to
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whatever, God has fulfilled
the desires of my heart. He has
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taken me to the biggest
mountains. I have climbed
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22- 14-ers in Colorado now and,
you know, different things. He
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he gives you the
desires of your heart.
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Janet, that reminds me of Psalm
37:4 that says delight yourself
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in the Lord and he will give
you the desires of your heart.
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As you changed your delight,
and you came to the Lord, then
00:14:36.20\00:14:41.00
He was lining up his desires
with your desires and he gave
00:14:41.04\00:14:45.81
you the desires of your
heart. That's wonderful.
00:14:45.85\00:14:48.79
My son, my younger boy, has
found that true, too. He was
00:14:48.83\00:14:51.28
really seeking after the things
he thought would bring him
00:14:51.31\00:14:54.48
happiness, from surfing to
mountain biking. Even though
00:14:54.51\00:14:57.61
he was in college, he'd started
his own business and was doing
00:14:57.65\00:15:00.33
pretty well at it, because
he wanted to be rich. He thought
00:15:00.36\00:15:03.01
that was his goal in
life. Always things. Then God
00:15:03.04\00:15:06.11
converted him and really moved
on him and I will never forget
00:15:06.15\00:15:09.44
when he called home. He was out
doing ministry with young people
00:15:09.47\00:15:12.44
and he says, Mom, this is life,
this is life. I said, what do
00:15:12.47\00:15:15.76
you mean, Zach. He said, this
is life, ministering to others.
00:15:15.79\00:15:19.04
He said, this is the
best thing I could be doing.
00:15:19.08\00:15:21.76
I enjoy it so much.
00:15:21.80\00:15:23.26
That's
wonderful. Praise the Lord.
00:15:23.30\00:15:25.68
God is so precious. The more we
get intimate with Him, the more
00:15:25.89\00:15:29.07
he showers on us. And that
is what it's all about. I wish I
00:15:29.11\00:15:32.80
was doing it all the time, you
know. My experience is it's up
00:15:32.84\00:15:36.51
and down and sometimes it's
going well, other times he has
00:15:36.55\00:15:39.26
to keep drawing me back and
waking me up again, you know.
00:15:39.29\00:15:42.39
So I just want it to be
consistent in my life is what
00:15:42.43\00:15:45.49
But Jerry, sometimes we can go
consistently for 10 years at a
00:15:45.52\00:15:48.41
time and we might just go
through a dry spell. And maybe
00:15:48.45\00:15:51.31
it's a pruning that we're going
through, I don't know. Because
00:15:51.34\00:15:54.27
it seems to be... I don't care
who it is, and I have talked to
00:15:54.31\00:15:58.19
some of the top evangelists
who experience this same type of
00:15:58.23\00:16:01.83
thing. We all go through a
spiritual dryness occasionally.
00:16:01.87\00:16:05.86
But it just awakens something
in us that we recognize our need
00:16:05.90\00:16:09.85
for the Lord even more.
You know, I'm just thinking how
00:16:09.89\00:16:12.99
precious it is that what
we have been talking about...
00:16:13.03\00:16:16.06
you know, you've done a number
of programs with us but we had
00:16:16.10\00:16:20.72
talked about... there is a
common thread that has been
00:16:20.75\00:16:24.38
running through here, and that
is nothing satisfies but God,
00:16:24.41\00:16:29.37
nothing satisfies but God. This
is what you've found in both of
00:16:29.41\00:16:33.58
your lives. This is what your
boys are finding. This is true
00:16:33.62\00:16:37.42
for everyone. You know you
can have all the success in the
00:16:37.46\00:16:40.67
world you want, you could
have a wonderful job and maybe a
00:16:40.70\00:16:44.04
wonderful family and you can
be depressed and have no peace
00:16:44.08\00:16:47.95
in your life. It's because
there's a void in you that only
00:16:47.99\00:16:51.82
God can fill. Isn't it true.
00:16:51.86\00:16:53.52
The book Hanna talks about
forever ruined for the ordinary.
00:16:53.56\00:16:57.40
That's a pretty way of putting
it. So Janet, let me ask you
00:16:57.44\00:17:02.59
now, when like with Zach:
you're praying for this wife
00:17:02.62\00:17:07.74
It was Zach right? It
was our older boy, Tyson.
00:17:07.77\00:17:11.14
Oh, Tyson. Okay you're praying
(but I've been doing it for Zach
00:17:11.17\00:17:14.84
now.) Good, I bet Zach is glad.
But for Tyson, you're praying
00:17:14.88\00:17:17.75
for this and you have entered
that in your prayer journal.
00:17:17.78\00:17:21.73
Now, when the Lord brought her
to him, you go back into your
00:17:21.77\00:17:25.40
prayer journal and then you
put the notes there that God
00:17:25.44\00:17:28.76
answered my prayer on this
such day and, boy, I mean he
00:17:28.79\00:17:31.60
answered it to a "T". Is
that what you are doing with
00:17:31.64\00:17:34.42
your journal? It must
be so faith-building to
00:17:35.17\00:17:41.07
look back at that. Now Jerry
didn't you tell me once that
00:17:41.11\00:17:46.54
you were called to speak
some- where for an hour and you
00:17:46.57\00:17:49.14
you were trying to figure out
what you wanted to talk about.
00:17:49.16\00:17:51.95
Yeah, Yeah, and Janet said
why don't you go look at your
00:17:51.98\00:17:53.90
journal. I looked at it and
I didn't think I had enough to
00:17:53.93\00:17:56.58
talk about for an hour, just
sharing what God had done, but
00:17:56.61\00:17:58.95
when I looked at my journal and
looked at the way markers, the
00:17:58.98\00:18:01.75
things we'd written down just
in the last year, there was too
00:18:01.78\00:18:04.45
much. I didn't want to share the
time with her. That's how it is.
00:18:04.48\00:18:07.59
You know, as I listen
to what you are saying...
00:18:07.62\00:18:09.57
Hey, wait. Let me make
sure people understood that when
00:18:09.60\00:18:11.32
you said you didn't want
to share the time, you had one
00:18:11.35\00:18:12.94
hour to speak and you weren't
ready to let her speak during
00:18:12.97\00:18:16.59
that hour because
you had so much to share.
00:18:16.62\00:18:17.86
Originally, I thought it was too
much time for both of us, then
00:18:17.89\00:18:20.39
I thought I don't want to
share some of the time with her
00:18:20.42\00:18:22.41
because there were so many
things He's done and I wanted
00:18:22.44\00:18:24.79
to tell those answers to prayer.
00:18:24.82\00:18:25.79
That journal, when you are
dis- couraged, when God's not
00:18:25.80\00:18:29.42
answering the prayer the way you
want; your so overwhelmed with
00:18:29.45\00:18:31.91
whatever trial or problem it is
and you wonder, is God alive, or
00:18:31.94\00:18:35.57
why doesn't he wake up. You
know, Psalms is full of that.
00:18:35.60\00:18:39.09
David, or whoever is writing
them is crying out, will you
00:18:39.12\00:18:41.57
wake up God. But in Psalms
77 it tells you to do that.
00:18:41.60\00:18:45.32
David's crying out to the Lord
with his problem in Psalm 77.
00:18:45.35\00:18:48.24
Down in 10-12 he gives
the answer of what to do when
00:18:48.80\00:18:52.80
when life is just terrible
and you feel like you're being
00:18:52.86\00:18:55.86
rejected. It says in verse 10,
Then I thought, to this I will
00:18:55.94\00:18:58.33
appeal; the years of the right
hand of the Most High. verse
00:18:58.37\00:19:04.03
eleven I will remember the deeds
of the Lord; I will remember
00:19:04.07\00:19:06.06
your miracles of long ago, I
will meditate on all your works
00:19:06.10\00:19:08.83
and consider all your mighty
deeds. The thing is, when life
00:19:08.86\00:19:12.06
is overwhelming or there is
that big trial or problem is to
00:19:12.09\00:19:15.73
go back and remember what
God has done in your life in the
00:19:15.77\00:19:18.99
past. Thank Him, praise
Him for how you saw him work in
00:19:19.03\00:19:22.99
July of 2002 or December,
when- ever it was. That may seem
00:19:23.03\00:19:27.08
boring or redundant but it's
not. It releases His faith, His
00:19:27.11\00:19:30.42
joy and His power in my life
to believe he will answer again.
00:19:30.55\00:19:32.95
He is moving his
mighty right arm.
00:19:32.98\00:19:36.08
You talk about faith-building;
I think this is one thing that
00:19:36.17\00:19:40.18
has strengthened my prayer life
and my walk with God the most is
00:19:40.21\00:19:42.83
seeking to be more specific in
all of my prayers, whether it's
00:19:42.86\00:19:45.45
confession, or whether
it's petition or whatever...
00:19:45.48\00:19:47.94
I remember a story about a
little boy whose dad got him a
00:19:47.97\00:19:50.85
a 0.22 and went away on a
trip and when he came back there
00:19:50.88\00:19:54.01
were several bulls eyes on the
side of the barn and only one
00:19:54.05\00:19:56.44
bullet hole through the
very center of each of the bulls
00:19:56.48\00:19:58.80
eyes. The dad said son I didn't
know you were such a good shot
00:19:58.83\00:20:00.88
with a gun. He said, man you
just hit right in the center of
00:20:00.92\00:20:03.21
each of the bulls eye. And the
son said, well it wasn't hard,
00:20:03.25\00:20:05.42
Dad, he said, I shot first
and then I drew the bulls eyes
00:20:05.45\00:20:07.83
and my prayers used to be like
that; you know, praying very
00:20:07.86\00:20:10.67
generally; like, bless the
world, bless this or that and
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.61
in big chunks, forgive me for
00:20:13.65\00:20:16.48
my sins and I never knew
for sure if it was God or it was
00:20:16.52\00:20:19.90
coincidence. So the more
specific God leads me to pray
00:20:19.93\00:20:23.25
and the more I ask him how
do pray and I write those things
00:20:23.28\00:20:26.44
down, then when it's answered
so specifically, I have no doubt
00:20:26.47\00:20:29.14
that it was God who did it and
I can tell you story after story
00:20:29.17\00:20:33.59
of such timing providences and
such specific answers that then
00:20:33.63\00:20:38.01
I know God is there. It
strengthens my faith in him and
00:20:38.05\00:20:40.67
it strengthens my faith that
He will answer prayer. So to me
00:20:40.70\00:20:43.17
that's real significant. With
confession, it's a real burden I
00:20:43.21\00:20:45.51
have that I think in this
day and age we've kind of gotten
00:20:45.61\00:20:48.52
away from confessing specifi-
cally because we don't like what
00:20:48.55\00:20:51.68
the prophets say about some
of our sins. So I really believe
00:20:51.72\00:20:54.85
that without getting all nega-
tive here that that is something
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.84
I need more time with is really
asking God, What is it that
00:20:57.88\00:21:00.24
keeps me away from you, because
that is really what sin is,
00:21:00.27\00:21:02.60
anything that keeps me from
Jesus. I believe that our sins
00:21:02.64\00:21:05.49
wound him afresh and if I come
to love him in this intimate
00:21:05.52\00:21:08.35
relationship enough that I don't
want to lose His presence then
00:21:08.38\00:21:12.27
He can help me stop sinning and
stop doing the things that kill
00:21:12.30\00:21:14.62
me in the end.
00:21:14.65\00:21:15.62
You know, this is one thing as I
journal my prayers and it's just
00:21:15.63\00:21:18.98
like writing a love letter
to the Lord; everything I would
00:21:19.01\00:21:21.38
just pray verbally I write
and when He takes me through
00:21:21.40\00:21:26.07
repentance and confession of sin
... Something interesting, we
00:21:26.10\00:21:29.65
had a prayer day here and
we frequently do at 3ABN and we
00:21:29.68\00:21:36.04
began with general; we open
up and all the managers come
00:21:36.07\00:21:40.88
together and we've prayed all
day long, we've prayed for nine
00:21:40.91\00:21:44.62
hours. What we did was we set
aside a time, 20 minutes, that
00:21:44.65\00:21:49.81
that let's sit back here for the
next 20 minutes and individually
00:21:49.82\00:21:53.63
we'll pray silently to ourselves
confessing our own sins. Well
00:21:53.66\00:21:59.95
I had brought my laptop, so
I could journal my prayer. So
00:21:59.98\00:22:03.97
I'm sitting there and I'm just
going and going and going and
00:22:04.00\00:22:06.56
everybody else is up and sitting
at the table and I'm still
00:22:06.59\00:22:09.33
sitting on the floor and
I'm typing. Then I realized, Oh,
00:22:09.36\00:22:12.00
everybody else is waiting on
me. Now one thing I've noted is
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.59
that when I'm just verbally,
and I pray verbally too
00:22:15.69\00:22:19.59
as well, but when I am verbally
confessing my sins it sure is
00:22:19.64\00:22:24.38
easy just to be over in a couple
of minutes, but when I'm really
00:22:24.41\00:22:28.01
seeking the Lord and I'm writing
this down and I'm seeking, it's
00:22:28.04\00:22:31.19
amazing how much deeper that con
fession and repentance can be.
00:22:31.22\00:22:34.45
It goes to motives and the
whole thing. Maybe if I can just
00:22:34.48\00:22:36.67
share a couple other things
too that I've discovered keep me
00:22:36.70\00:22:39.27
away from God. You know, we're
talking about how to get closer
00:22:39.30\00:22:42.56
to Him and how to have
that thriving experience. For me
00:22:42.59\00:22:45.33
it's like Daniel; I think he's
a type of the last-day people
00:22:45.35\00:22:48.61
of God just before the
last crises and the image on the
00:22:48.64\00:22:51.55
plane and all of that. When
he first was taken away at 16 or
00:22:51.58\00:22:55.08
17 years old and made a eunuch
in Babylon, it could have been
00:22:55.11\00:22:58.72
pretty discouraging, but
he wanted to know God with all
00:22:58.75\00:23:00.74
that he was and so he made
a decision: He wouldn't defile
00:23:00.77\00:23:03.85
himself in terms of the king's
table and all the delicacies and
00:23:03.88\00:23:08.32
I think in my own life I have to
try to look at everything from
00:23:08.35\00:23:11.29
temperance in work, exercise,
to even getting to bed at decent
00:23:11.32\00:23:14.38
times so in the morning when
I get up, it won't be that I ate
00:23:14.46\00:23:17.06
junk food late at night and so
my mind can't connect with God.
00:23:17.09\00:23:19.79
So those decisions are important
and then, of course, why did
00:23:19.86\00:23:23.53
Daniel go to the lions' den?
It was because of a set time and
00:23:23.56\00:23:27.40
place, three times a day with
God. So if I don't prioritize
00:23:27.43\00:23:30.46
that, it's really difficult to
grow like I should in my life.
00:23:30.49\00:23:33.86
And God draws me, but he
won't force me. A last thing is
00:23:33.89\00:23:37.34
David. You know, in Psalm 101:
2 and 3 David said, I will walk
00:23:37.37\00:23:44.42
within my house with a perfect
heart. I will set no wicked
00:23:44.45\00:23:46.84
thing before mine eyes. I
hate the work of them that turn
00:23:46.87\00:23:49.91
aside. One blessing Janet gave
me when we got married was she
00:23:49.95\00:23:52.79
made me promise that we wouldn't
have a TV in our home and we
00:23:52.83\00:23:54.95
don't go around telling every-
body that they ought to do that,
00:23:54.98\00:23:57.08
but for me it has been a great
blessing because I think I have
00:23:57.12\00:24:00.98
almost an addiction to the stuff
that pours into me. I used to
00:24:01.02\00:24:03.85
as a young pastor I talked about
being spiritual and all day long
00:24:03.88\00:24:06.38
I'd minister, then I'd go
home and watch an hour or two of
00:24:06.41\00:24:08.43
junk on TV before I went to bed.
The Bible says that by beholding
00:24:08.46\00:24:12.62
we become changed and if I
spend hours dwelling on sin and
00:24:12.65\00:24:16.50
murders and sex and all
these things during the week, it
00:24:16.54\00:24:20.35
lessens my taste for spending
time with Jesus. Again, I'm not
00:24:20.38\00:24:23.89
telling everybody what they
ought to do, but I think reality
00:24:23.92\00:24:27.59
is in this day and age one
of Satan's best attacks at us is
00:24:27.62\00:24:31.49
to get us so tied into the...
whether it's internet or movies
00:24:31.52\00:24:35.33
or TV or whatever so that we're
not having a hunger for Jesus
00:24:35.36\00:24:39.04
and for his word anymore. So
I would just challenge anybody
00:24:39.07\00:24:42.30
watching to make some decisions
by God's power. He's able to
00:24:42.34\00:24:45.53
work in us to will and to
do. He's able to do exceeding
00:24:45.57\00:24:48.72
abundantly above anything we
pray, but not to just say, Oh
00:24:48.75\00:24:51.81
I'd like to know Jesus, but then
go ahead with the habits that
00:24:51.85\00:24:54.90
drive us away from Him. You
know those things that don't
00:24:54.94\00:24:56.09
work together.
00:24:56.12\00:24:57.09
You know, we just have a couple
of minutes left. Would you,
00:24:57.10\00:25:00.38
which one of you would like
to pray. I would like for you to
00:25:00.41\00:25:03.80
take about a minute and a half
and pray for our audience that
00:25:03.83\00:25:07.18
they will come into
a closer relationship.
00:25:07.22\00:25:11.15
Thank you so much, Lord, for
this precious time we have had
00:25:11.19\00:25:14.55
with Shelley and with all those
that have tuned in from home.
00:25:14.59\00:25:18.28
Lord, we are just so thankful
that as we prayed and asked
00:25:18.31\00:25:21.62
that you would bring those
to watch these programs that you
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.52
did that. We are just praying
for their lives right now and
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.23
for their families and
their loved ones. God we are so
00:25:27.26\00:25:29.87
thankful that you have a plan
for each of us to be with you
00:25:29.91\00:25:32.94
forever, that you'd draw us into
an intimate relationship, that
00:25:32.97\00:25:35.83
you want to be with us. Lord,
it is so amazing to us that you
00:25:35.86\00:25:38.97
put up with us as
we stubble along but
00:25:39.00\00:25:42.46
thank for that love,
for that faithfulness
00:25:42.49\00:25:43.46
to us and I'm just
praying that you would touch
00:25:43.47\00:25:45.86
their homes, their children,
their loved ones and draw them
00:25:45.89\00:25:48.78
to you, dear Lord. Save us
all eternally together, we pray
00:25:48.81\00:25:51.62
and thank you that you will work
in us both to will and to do of
00:25:51.66\00:25:54.85
your good pleasure, that you are
able to do exceeding abundantly
00:25:54.89\00:25:58.08
above anything we could ask or
pray or think or dream or hope,
00:25:58.11\00:26:01.65
according to your power
that works in us. So we just are
00:26:01.68\00:26:05.15
trusting in you today and lift-
ing them up to you and thanking
00:26:05.18\00:26:07.88
you for meeting every
one of their needs in Jesus.
00:26:07.92\00:26:09.55
Father I thank you too that you
are such a wonderful God, that
00:26:09.59\00:26:14.44
you're a God who pursues us even
when we try to run away from
00:26:14.48\00:26:18.16
you. Thank you for your love and
I pray Lord for everyone in the
00:26:18.19\00:26:21.84
audience that they will know
your love, how much you care
00:26:21.87\00:26:25.89
about them. Father,
just minister to their souls.
00:26:25.93\00:26:28.53
Whatever their problem or their
trial is in their life, help
00:26:28.57\00:26:31.83
them to surrender it to you, to
choose to praise you, to thank
00:26:31.87\00:26:34.97
you for it that you will turn it
around for good in their lives.
00:26:35.01\00:26:39.08
Lord, show them just how much
you love them and I pray, too,
00:26:39.11\00:26:43.02
Father for their children.
Many may have kids that are not
00:26:43.05\00:26:46.41
walking with you. Lord, we pray
for those kids wherever they
00:26:46.44\00:26:49.98
are that you will put a hunger
and desire in their heart to
00:26:50.01\00:26:53.18
know you, to realize you're com-
ing soon and it's time to get
00:26:53.21\00:26:56.34
ready to go home. But Lord
make them miserable in their
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.18
living away from you. Help them
to see the greatest joy is in
00:27:00.21\00:27:04.18
serving you and loving you
and being with you. Bless our
00:27:04.22\00:27:08.15
audience, Father. I pray
you will give them a hunger and
00:27:08.26\00:27:11.40
desire to read your word as
never before and to experience
00:27:11.43\00:27:14.63
you speaking to
them. Thank you Father.
00:27:14.66\00:27:16.25
Lord, just thank you so much
for bringing Janet and Jerry
00:27:16.29\00:27:20.73
here today and thank you for
everyone who is tuned in. Lord
00:27:20.76\00:27:24.32
may your perfect will, your
perfect plan be worked in their
00:27:24.36\00:27:27.82
lives. In Jesus name, Amen.
I want to thank you all so much
00:27:28.26\00:27:32.09
for coming. It's been a joy.
00:27:32.12\00:27:33.90
And our joy, thank you.
00:27:33.93\00:27:34.90
Well, thank you so much. For
Those of you at home, you know,
00:27:34.91\00:27:38.22
journaling is not for everyone.
Some people, if they thought
00:27:38.25\00:27:41.13
they had to journal, they would
never pray again. But please
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.41
give it a try because you will
be amazed at how it can improve
00:27:44.45\00:27:47.63
your intimacy with the Lord.
Now may the grace of our Lord
00:27:47.67\00:27:50.63
Jesus, the love of the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy
00:27:50.67\00:27:53.60
Spirit be with you always.
00:27:53.63\00:27:56.63