How To Pray For Your Brothers and Sisters In Christ

The following story from the life of "Praying Hyde" provides instruction in how to pray for others in the church. How might our fellowships be impacted if this approach was adopted? Read the following excerpt and compare it to your prayer life:

Mr. Hyde had a wonderful experience to
which he owed, I believe, his power with God, and
therefore with man. He used to speak of it as one
of the most direct and solemn lessons God ever
taught him. He was up in the hills resting for a
short time. He had been burdened about the spiritual
conditions of a certain pastor, and he resolved to
spend time in definite intercession for him. Entering
into his "inner chamber" he began pouring out
his heart to his Heavenly Father concerning that
brother somewhat as follows: --
"O God! Thou knowest that my brother now is"
-- ("cold" he was going to say) when suddenly a
hand seemed to be laid on his lips, and a voice said
to him in stern reproach, "He that toucheth him,
toucheth the apple of mine eye." A great horror came
over him. He had been guilty before God of "accusing
the brethren". [Rom 2:15] He felt rebuked and
humbled before God. It was he himself who first
needed putting right. He confessed this sin. (He
claimed the precious blood of Christ that cleanseth
from all sin!) [1 John 1:7] "Whatsoever things are
lovely ... if there be any virtue, if there be any praise,
think on 'these things.'" [Phil 4:8]

Then he cried out, "Father, show me what
things are lovely and of good report in my brother's
life." Like a flash he remembered how that brother
had given up all for Christ, enduring much
suffering from relations whom he had given up!
He was reminded of his years of hard work, of
the tact with which he managed his difficult
congregation, of the many quarrels he had healed,
of what a model husband he was. One thing after
another rose up before him and so all his prayer
season was spent in praise for his brother instead
of in prayer. He could not recall a single petition,
nothing but thanksgiving! God was opening his
servant's eyes to the highest of ministries, that
of praise.

Mark the result also on that brother's life:
When Mr. Hyde went down to the plains, he found
that just then the brother had received a great
spiritual uplift. While he was praising, God was
blessing. A wonderful Divine Law, the law of a
Father's love. While we bless God for any child
of His, He delights to bless that one!

This was the secret of John Hyde`s power with
God. He saw the good in God's little ones, and so was
able to appreciate God's work of grace in that heart.
Hence he supplied the heavenly atmosphere
of praise in which God's love was free to work in
all its fullness.

A Must Read For Black Evangelicals

I have made some very strong statements about those that support Obama for President. However, I admit that as a white person I cannot begin to understand what it must mean to the black community to have someone like Obama run for the highest office in the land. The other day while at Barnes and Noble, I saw a young black child about 8 years old with his mother looking at books. He saw one with Obama on the cover and he said, "Mom, look it is Mr. Obama!" He said it with such pride that it caused me to stop and look at this election with a bit more compassion. Prior to Obama, most black children were restricted to sports figures or musicians as role models; however,now with Mr. Obama there is a well educated family man as a role model. As a white man over 50, I cannot imagine what Mr. Obama running for President means to that young child. That being said, it is with a heart of compassion that I ask black evangelical Christians to please read the following article by Huntley Brown. Mr. Brown is a black musician who is also a Christian. I don't know much about him except what he writes in the article below. If you know a black Christian that is supporting Obama, please have them read this post.


Dear Friends, A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating...

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness. I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader.

I can't vote black because I am black; I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few, wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.

NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason Planned Parenthood gives him a 100 % rating. There is a reason the homosexual community supports him. There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion. There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

Let's take a look at the practice he wanted to continue

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedures:

A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps. (Remember this is a live baby) B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal. C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head. D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole. E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

God help him. There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

Think about this: You can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 'Go and make disciples of all nations.' This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a ...

1. Commitment to the White Community 2. Commitment to the White Family 3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic 4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community. 5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions 6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System 7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if itʼs a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.
>Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: 'Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him.

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does all this mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king. First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 'Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.'

Then God says

1 Samuel 1:18 ' When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.' 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.' 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, 'Listen to them and give them a king.'

Here is what we know for sure.

God is not schizophrenic

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.

Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say; Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four Supreme Court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings, Huntley Brown

The Necessity of Unity

Yesterday I had the privilege of teaching an academic seminar on the Biblical Foundations of American Law. As the class began to respond to some of the issues, it became readily apparent that there was genuine disagreement among the participants about a number of issues. The disagreement was expressed in a kind and loving manner. I saw a great truth during the class. We can honestly disagree with each other without creating a division. That is a key issue; now more than ever the church needs to be united on the central truth of discipleship. Jesus said in Mark 8:34 "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

If we as the church will follow this simple command, we will be a powerful testimony to a lost world. There are many reasons today for the church to "take the bait" and live in strife. We need to follow Jesus' words and follow Him. William Burkitt wrote of following Christ as follows:
"Let him follow me, says Christ: that is, obey my commands, and imitate my example. He must set my life and doctrine continually before him, and be daily correcting and reforming his life by that rule and pattern."

The Church must answer this call for discipleship. Forget economics, promises and rhetoric; seek to follow Jesus in this political election. Vote values; vote holiness and vote righteousness. Pray that God would bring about His desired end and bring the church to a place of unity in Him. The church needs to unite; the world needs the church to unite and we need to unite. It can occur if we will become true disciples of Jesus Christ as opposed to "church members."

Some Good Advice

In The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, it is written:

"HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord. (John 8:12) By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.

The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.

What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.

This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world."

Sheldon wrote in his fictional work In His Steps, that before we acted we should ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" Now more than ever, we the church, should ask ourselves that question. No aspect of our life should be exempt from that inquiry. As we face uncertainty in our elections, economy and terrorism, let us focus on our individual walk with Jesus Christ and all the other trivial happenings of life will adjust accordingly.

Are You Holy?

J.C. Ryle wrote the following in his work entitled Holiness:

"Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
The text which heads this page opens up a subject of deep importance. That subject is practical holiness. It suggests a question which demands the attention of all professing Christians: are we holy? Shall we see the Lord?
That question can never be out of season. The wise man tells us, "There is . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh, . . . a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:4, 7); but there is no time, no, not a day, in which a man ought not to be holy. Are we?
That question concerns all ranks and conditions of men. Some are rich and some are poor, some learned and some unlearned, some masters and some servants; but there is no rank or condition in life in which a man ought not to be holy. Are we?
I ask to be heard today about this question. How stands the account between our souls and God? In this hurrying, bustling world, let us stand still for a few minutes and consider the matter of holiness. I believe I might have chosen a subject more popular and pleasant. I am sure I might have found one more easy to handle. But I feel deeply I could not have chosen one more seasonable and more profitable to our souls. It is a solemn thing to hear the Word of God saying, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).

Friend, I ask the same question today: are you holy? If you are not, I ask you by what hope you intend to see the Lord in eternity as Savior? If you claim to be holy, I ask you by what merit you are holy? Any answer than by the blood of Jesus Christ is a false answer that dooms you to an eternity away from His loving Presence. With the elections just days away, are you going to be holy with your vote? Have you sought the mind of God concerning your choice? Or, are you voting your personal pocketbook? Only the holiness of God should be your guide. Be holy because He is holy and has commanded our holiness. This is for our entire life and not just a segment. Holiness is not piecemeal; it is all or nothing. May you find truth through the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ today!

God Still Does Miracles!

The next time you doubt God's ability and desire to bring you through something, remember this true story reported by Breaking Christian News. God has not quit the miracle business, especially to those with child like faith.

Pawhuska, Oklahoma)—Sometime between midnight and 1:30 in the morning on October 3, Tracy (Ali) Tuller, 23-month-old daughter of Shanna and Robert Tuller, crawled out of her bed and slipped out her parents' home outside of town.

"That night was my birthday, and my husband and I put the children to bed and stayed up late in the living room. When I went to check on the kids at 1:30 that morning before we went to bed, Ali wasn't in bed," said Shanna. "We have five children, and three of them were at home that night. We woke up the two boys, and frantically searched the house. She just wasn't anywhere."

Within minutes of calling 911, scores of people were combing the area for Ali. According to a report in the Pawhuska Journal Capital the search lasted until nearly 4 a.m., when a rescue worker named Gibbie Gibson found the little girl standing in the middle of a pond about a mile from her home.

"He walked out to get her, and the water was well up past his waist," said Shanna. "When he got to her, though, the water wasn't even up to her waist, and she wasn't standing on anything. It had to have been God holding her up. Gibbie was in shock when he saw it, and really had no explanation other than a miracle."

Not only that, but throughout the night searchers also reportedly came across two cougars, a pack of coyotes, and even killed a copper head snake. According to the report, everybody—except Ali—was muddy, scratched up, and wet from the big storm that rolled through the area.

"She went out without her shoes on, walked all that distance, and even had to cross two barbed wire fences to get to where they found her," said Shanna, who was convinced "there had to be at least 60 or 70 people out searching for her that night, and after it was all over, they were all in worse shape than Ali. My daughter wasn't even scared; she was just out for a walk."

"There is not a doubt in my mind that God was with her, watching over her that night," continued Shanna. "God must have a special purpose for Ali. Our only guess as to why Ali was in the pond is that God must have put her there to keep her away from the cougars. I hope this story touches people, because it has certainly touched our lives. There is a God out there, and He is watching over all of us. God was definitely with Ali that night."

Obama's Abortion Record

If America elects Obama to the highest office in our land, I believe that you will see a series of judgments on our land. This man has a plan to promote and expand abortion rights. He is very dangerous. He will stop at nothing to insure the right of the murder of the unborn. Pray for his soul as he is headed to hell along with his followers. His statements at the debate were designed to cover his true agenda. WorldNetDaily reports the following regarding Obama's statements at the Wednesday night debate on his vote to deny medical care for babies that survive an abortion attempt:

Sen. Barack Obama lied in last night's debate about his opposition to an Illinois bill aimed at protecting an infant who survives an abortion, charges the nurse who instigated the legislation.

Jill Stanek, a WND columnist, launched her work as a pro-life activist after witnessing the death of an infant who survived an abortion but was left untreated.

In a column today, she asserts that last night, in the third and final debate with GOP rival Sen. John McCain, Obama "obfuscated his radical record of abandoning abortion survivors to die in hospital soiled utility rooms."

The subject was raised by McCain.

"Sen. Obama, as a member of the Illinois State Senate, voted in the Judiciary Committee against a law that would provide immediate medical attention to a child born of a failed abortion. He voted against that," the GOP senator said.

Obama responded, arguing the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which he opposed, "said you have to provide lifesaving treatment and that would have helped to undermine Roe v. Wade."

"LIE," writes Stanek. "BAIPA simply stated all born alive babies became legally protected persons immediately upon birth, no matter what gestational age and no matter if unwanted abortion survivors."

Continues Stanek, "Obama further obfuscated his radical record of abandoning abortion survivors to die in hospital soiled utility rooms by adding 'there was already a law on the books in Illinois that required providing lifesaving treatment. ...'

"LIE," Stanek writes. "Illinois abortion law to this day only protects abortion survivors their abortionist deems fit to live. The potential for subjective assessments in these cases is clear to all but Obama. In fact, Obama opposed closing this loophole by voting against legislation to mandate a second doctor be present at deliveries of all live abortion survivors to independently assess their viability."

She notes Obama not only opposed the state's proposed protection for infants, "he took a leadership role to kill it. His website still contains an ABC News quote from the Illinois Planned Parenthood CEO at the time stating 'Obama approached her' to strategize to defeat BAIPA as well as the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. Barack Obama actually sought out PP to help him defeat a bill protecting abortion survivors."

"Finally, for four years Obama lied about his record opposing BAIPA. In 2003 he voted against an identical version that passed 98-0 in the U.S. Senate and for which the pro-abortion group NARAL even expressed neutrality," Stanek writes.

"He then purported several times, as recently as August 16, 2008, that the bills were not identical and he would have supported the Illinois version had it been the same as the federal version. This was yet another LIE, which Obama's campaign finally had to recant after his actual vote tally from the Illinois General Assembly archive was posted online," she writes.

"I'm beyond disgusted that Obama continues to repeat the same lies without MSM (mainstream media) investigating and denouncing him. We'll see what tomorrow brings," Stanek says.

Obama, during an appearance with McCain at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California earlier in the campaign, refused to answer specific questions about his views on abortion.

Asked by Warren at what point a baby "gets human rights," the Democrat did not answer.

"Well, I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade," he said.

Obama has sought to cast his abortion voting record as moderate, but as WND has reported, it sometimes has gone beyond what even the National Abortion Rights Action League has desired.

WND earlier reported on transcripts of Obama's statements during his tenure in the Illinois state legislature revealing his support for what amounts to infanticide.

Arguing against the Illinois Born Alive Infant Protection Act in 2002, after even Planned Parenthood had dropped its opposition, Obama expressed concern that the bill might burden abortionists, reported blogger Erick Erickson on RedState.com.

Erikson, noting Obama was the only lawmaker to speak out against the protective measure, summarized the senator's concern this way: "Let's trust the guy who just botched the abortion to determine whether or not he actually did botch the abortion."

According to the transcript, Obama said:

As I understand it, this puts the burden on the attending physician who has determined, since they were performing this procedure, that, in fact, this is a nonviable fetus; that if that fetus, or child – however way you want to describe it – is now outside the mother's womb and the doctor continues to think that it's nonviable but there's, let's say, movement or some indication that, in fact, they're not just coming out limp and dead, that, in fact, they would then have to call a second physician to monitor and check off and make sure that this is not a live child that could be saved.
WND also reported an ad by the Obama campaign that attacked an abortion survivor.

Obama's commercial took shots at the GOP campaign, calling McCain's ads "the sleaziest ever, truly vile." But when the screen showed clips of abortion survivor Gianna Jessen and the ad she made asking Obama to reverse his stance on born alive infant protection legislation, the Obama ad calls Jessen's appeal "a despicable lie."

The attack on Jessen has angered pro-life advocates.

"It is despicable, repulsive and beneath contempt that Barack Obama would attack Gianna Jessen," said Stanek in a statement on Jessen's website. "She is a courageous abortion survivor and living miracle who would not be with us today if Obama's policies had been in place when she was born."

Jessen herself released a statement saying, "Mr. Obama is clearly blinded by political ambition given his attack on me this week. All I asked of him was to do the right thing: support medical care and protection for babies who survive abortion – as I did."