Breakthrough Prayers

A few years ago we dedicated ourselves to moving our vision forward by prayer—learning how to pray daring, world-changing prayers that ask the Lord to do what we know we could never do.

We call them Breakthrough Prayers–persistent prayers focused by fasting.

We have learned to pray these bold, breakthrough prayers as we have rejoiced in His specific and gracious answers. May it never be said that we have not because we ask not. Only God knows the ministries we could launch, the missionaries we could send, the souls we could reach, and the blessings we could receive…if only we would ask.

Here’s the link to the sermon, study notes, and discussion notes from last Sunday:

Plan or Pray?

Our theme for 2011—Trusting Grace; Releasing Life—is all about trusting Jesus enough to release the full potential of the life He gives us, eternal life, from our lives, individually and corporately.  Our studies in Galatians will guide the process as we ask God to release His life from our community of faith in ways only explained by His grace.

But we’re not the first to ask for this great privilege to live large for God. It’s important to ask why others have asked for this only to keep stumbling forward in mediocrity. I believe that there are three things God needs to know about us—individually and corporately—before we can expect Him to release His Son’s life in such dramatic and renewing ways. God needs to know:

• We love Christ more than our money.
• We pray more than we plan.
• We love others more than ourselves.

There’s no question that the way we handle our money tells God how we’ll handle His power. His Son said it plainly, over and over again: If you really trust grace enough to release new life, you’ll demonstrate that you love Jesus more than your money!

Here’s the link to the sermon, study notes, and discussion notes from last Sunday:

Loving God More Than My Money

One of the primary reason most Christians mistrust grace is because they’ve never seen it work, not because grace fails but because the church has failed to make disciples.

This is from last Sunday’s Vision 2011 sermon @ Church of the Open Door. The same message I’ve presented on the first Sunday of the year for the 15 years I’ve been pastor of this great church:

http://churchoftheopendoor.com/index.php?nid=162824&s=rs

Ever wonder where Satan was the night Jesus was born? Here’s the chilling answer and a survey of the devil’s war against your redemption in Christ:

http://churchoftheopendoor.com/index.php?s=rs&nid=145567&grpid=24428&grpDetails=true

A lot of teaching on the armor of God is really detailed and difficult to understand. Here’s my take–simple, everyday, practical ways to put on the armor of God and prepare for the battle.

http://churchoftheopendoor.com/index.php?s=rs&nid=145567&grpid=24339&grpDetails=true

Those of you who were a part of the Thanksgiving Conference at Cannon Beach Conference Center who would like a digital copy of our study together, here’s the overview and the attachments:

Deep Breaths of Grace

Here are some questions you may not want to answer in front of your Christian friends at church:

• Do you often feel judged and evaluated by other Christians?
• Are you afraid to let other believers know about the real you because the standard just seems so high and your shortcomings are so many?
• Do you wonder if God is as petty and fussy as Christians make Him out to be? And if He is, do you wonder what it will be like to stand before Him and be scorned? Or worse, if this whole thing about the believing in Jesus to receive His life, eternal life, is really true?

Tired of trying to measure up?

(more…)

The Discipline of Smelling Smoke

As a young man I fought fire for the US Forest Service. They taught us was the discipline of smelling smoke. It may seem a fire is out, but if you still smell smoke, there’s fire somewhere and you’re living with a false security. If you walk away from that fire, it will rekindle and may burn the forest down.

In the same way, Christians need to learn to smell smoke. Not the type of smoke that would burn down a forest, set off our smoke detectors, or initiate our sprinkler system. But a spiritual smoke, smoke from the pit of hell, the putrid stench of the forces of evil.

The Smoke of Hell

Right now there are hundreds, probably thousands of the invisible beings that inhabit the spiritual world in your immediate area. They are angelic beings with awesome powers to make spiritual war, and they have been sent to the battlefield of your life with specific orders having to do with you and me by their perspective commanders.

Some of these angelic beings have been sent by God Himself to do His bidding—to protect and guard His people on this battlefield in the war for souls. Others of these angelic beings have been sent by Satan to tempt, accuse, and confuse God’s people. These fallen angels the Bible calls demons, and they are here among us this morning to promote division, to encourage doctrinal error, to discourage followers of Christ and slander the name of Christ. Now do you smell the smoke?

(more…)