30 More Days Results

Thank you to all of you who stood with us in prayer during this past month.  We know that prayer is the source of our strength and that if anything supernatural and spiritual is to be accomplished it will only be through prayer and petition.  We pray that God would be moved by your prayers and ours for the people, places and things that were prayed for over the past month.  However, we covet your continuing prayers for us and for these requests.  

Jesus told His disciples to pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out labors.  If we are sick James told us to pray.  When Paul and Silas were wrongfully imprisoned they praised and prayed.  Paul prayed for open doors and words to preach the gospel.  The apostles and the church came together for a prayer meeting to ask for boldness to preach and miracles to proclaim Jesus.  Isaiah and Jeremiah prayed for the restoration of a nation.  Elijah prayed for people to know that God is the true God.  Elisha prayed for eyes to be open and shut.  Jesus told us to pray for our daily bread .... the list could go on.

One missionary put it this way... is the language hard, fast and pray.  Are the people unresponsive, fast and pray.  Are you sick or tired, fast and pray.  Are there lack of resources, fast and pray.  Are you hungry, fast and pray.  Fast and pray.

Not to us, not to us oh Lord but to You alone be the glory...

30 More Days Participation

Like last year we wanted to share with you the results of our month in prayer.

This year we saw similar participation to last year.  We had an average of about 6 visits per day.  That means that we had as few as 4 visits one day and as many as 15 visits on any one given day.  Like last year we also offered to send out a daily email with the contents of the blog.  We started out with 5 and expanded to 7 who followed the blog by email during the month.  Therefore we had a daily participation on average of 11-13 people though the blog and email.  There were also some that have participated through printed versions that were unable to through electronic means.  The following then are the totals for the 30 More Days.

Visits

Total 247

Average per day 6

This week 43

Last year the totals were

Total 345

Average per day 7

This week 51

Blog

These blogs will remain online and will be available for encouragement and as reminders of prayer in God's word.  Many of these requests are also ongoing and can continue to be prayed for over the weeks and months to come.   We hope that this time in the Word and prayer have been encouraging and profitable.

God bless and Under the Mercy

The Howards

30 More Days... Day 30

Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly.
Jonah 2:2 And he said:
“I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
‘Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
Jonah 2:3 For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
Jonah 2:4 Then I said, “I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
Jonah 2:8 “Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”
Jonah 2:10  So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

So now. Let’s follow Jonah overboard! Jonah is in a mess of trouble. He has run away from God. He has caused a lot of trouble for others. He has found himself overboard in a storm that turned sailors green. He has landed inside a great fish.

A lot has been said about Jonah’s experience inside the fish. It has been suggested that there were worse things involved in his “accommodations” than just discomfort. Aside from likely being dark, cramped and smelly there were likely a host of other unpleasantries. Jonah would have been trapped in a, likely, tight space. With every move of the fish it is likely that he also experienced a new discomfort. The dark and the smell would have been the kind that, especially after a couple of days (more likely a couple of minutes or hours), would have been felt and oppressive. Some have suggested that perhaps the stomach juices of the fish would have burned and splashed as the fish moved and swam. This would have left sores, wounds and marks that scarred the prophet for the rest of his life. All of this, a tiny picture of the suffering and horror of hell.

It is a frightful picture and yet that is only the part in the fish. As we read his prayer we realize that his experience prior to getting swallowed was no picnic either. First he fought the waves and the storm. He was tossed around by it until he sunk beneath them. As he sunk into the deeps, the waters closed around him and the pressure increased. He experienced being tangled in the seaweeds as they wrapped around his head. He felt their rough stringy surface around him. He felt his life begin to leave him and only then did the horror of the fish come into view, gapping maw ready to swallow him.

Jonah makes the statement “ I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction...” Actually, it is, perhaps, a bit of an understatement. It is amazing that it took Jonah so long. He seems so unconcerned. He is apathetic. He is apathetic to others and he is even apathetic to himself. How much God has to put him through to wake him up! How much he has to go through just to cry out even for himself. The sailors cried out at the storm alone. They made vows to God quickly. Jonah waits. He suffers. He is unmoved. Only then does he call out. Only later does his heart change at all that he prays and promises to pay the vows that he has made. Only then does he look for salvation.

It is extremely ironic that in all of this Jonah becomes the “sign of the prophet Jonah” to Jesus’ unbelieving (wicked and adulterous) generation. It is ironic that what we see here in this part of Jonah’s life is a picture of Christ’s burial and resurrection. It is ironic that what the prophet suffers for himself out of disobedience is a picture of what Christ would suffer out of extreme obedience to the Father and not for himself but for us. The very thing that Christ tells the pharisees and religious leaders is the sign for them to believe is the very one that showed the hardness of the prophet’s own heart. The ones that listened to the sign of Jonah, the Ninevites, would be witnesses against those that refused Christ because they believed Jonah’s preaching while the Pharisees rejected Jesus.

Even in the prophet’s stubbornness and apathy we see amazing grace. There is grace for the prophet. There is grace for Nineveh. There is grace for a future generation if they will just believe. Though prophet is slow to pray, though he is loathe to preach, though he is apathetic to grace for himself and the need of grace by others, still he becomes a picture of ultimate grace. God ready to sacrifice His Own for the world of “strangers”. God ready to extend salvation to a sinful people.

How often are we like Jonah. How often our compassion sleeps and our prayers for others slow to pass our lips. Yet Jonah for all his lack of compassion and grace was an great picture of God’s compassion, grace and salvation. He was a picture of God’s great salvation. His prayer reverberates with what Christ would endure for us, for an unbelieving world. The pain of suffering. The rejection of the Father turning away - being out of His sight. The journey into “Sheol”. The pain of death. Only, then, to rise again a testimony of God’s call to faith and repentance, a witness of God’s grace, mercy and compassion.

Jonah prayed for himself. Jesus prayed for us. Jonah cried out in affliction brought on by his own disobedience. Jesus cried out for us, Father forgive them. Jonah saw the salvation of God and his preaching became the opportunity for the salvation of others. Jesus, rose and became our salvation.

Often as believers we can get focused on our lives. We pray about our needs. We react to our afflictions. That is good. Jonah was also right to call out to God. If at no other time at least he cried out in affliction to the God who saves. But, we contrast him with the sailors and we see unbelievers with greater concern, care and compassion than the prophet. We look at him and see thankfulness for the great grace given him, but apathy and a lack of willingness to see that grace passed on to others. We see him as a sign of the Messiah and yet an anti-type in him as well. He is apathetic about other and angry about the death of a plant. We see him forgiven much and yet not loving much. As we look at Jonah it is good for us to ask how much like Jonah can we be, are we? Are we apathetic or concerned, are we stubborn or gracious? What drives us to prayer?

Prayer Request
* Please take time today to pray for the world. Pray for Maribor. Pray for Slovenia. Pray for your city, town or village. Pray for America and the coming elections. Pray for your pastors and your church. Pray for someone that you know who doesn’t know Jesus. Pray how you can be a witness and testimony to them and the place where God has placed you.

30 More Days ... Day 29

Jonah 1:10  Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Jonah 1:11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.
Jonah 1:12  And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”
Jonah 1:13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.
Jonah 1:14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.”
Jonah 1:15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.
Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.

Jonah and the big fishy. A disobedient prophet, a ship, a storm, a fish, a revival and the only preacher that I can think of that wasn’t thrilled that his preaching brought revival. We pretty much know the story well. Jonah receives word from God that he is to go to Nineveh. He is to go and cry out against it for all the wickedness of its people. He doesn’t like this assignment. He decides to go the opposite direction. As he runs from God he takes to the sea. This is a big mistake as God sends a storm. It is a big enough storm to “freak out” even the sailors. Jonah goes/throws overboard. He becomes fish food. He has a “lovely” underwater hotel (terrible view) for a few nights. He goes to Nineveh, preaches, the people repent and everyone is “happy” except, of course, Jonah who sulks and pouts about his dead weed lean-to.

That can be, of course, our attitude as we read it. This is the story. We know it so well. Can you believe this guy? Of course, there is a lot in there. This is God’s word after all. It is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It’s dangerous to play with knives. However, they can be most useful as well.

Often as we read this story we focus on Jonah. After all that is who the story is about. Ok. Jonah runs. Now he is in the ship asleep. Now the captain finds him in the deepest part of the ship. Jonah, your lucky today... the lot falls to you (oops). Jonah what do we do with you now. Jonah, “throw me into the sea!” And, in our rush to follow Jonah overboard we miss something. At least, I missed it a long time. I just never thought about it. I was focused on Jonah. However, the author leaves the floundering Jonah just a second to give us an insight into sailors. The sailors dilemma. The sailors struggle. The sailors compassion. The sailors fear. The sailors prayer.

What’s that? Prayer! From pagan sailors?

As we read these few lines we still can get a pretty good picture of these sailors. They are in the middle of a storm. They are afraid for their lives. They realize that the cause of the storm is supernatural. They have determined that Jonah is the cause and Jonah is good enough to confirm this. When they ask him what to do so that the sea will be calm he tells them. And as we look at them I think most of us would be quick to say, “ok, off you go”. These men, on the other hand, try in the middle of all this to row back to land. They get to the oars and put their backs and efforts into trying to save Jonah. It is only when the sea and the tempest become even worse that they give up on that.

Then, before they are willing to throw Jonah into the sea, they still pray. They pray to God, who they don’t know. They pray asking for grace at what they are about to do. It is an act that they know and feel is wrong to the depths of their souls.

Jonah was a terrible witness of God’s greatness to these men. He was running. He was the cause of their suffering and danger. Any loss they incurred was his fault. It affected their livelihood and their ability to provide for their families. Basically, he was unconcerned what effect his actions would have on them. Yet, we see them showing concern for Jonah. We see them praying for forgiveness for “his innocent blood”. We see a compassion and a concern for Jonah’s life that he has shown to neither the people of Nineveh nor these sailors. He is caught up in himself.

The prayer of the sailors is simple. Please don’t take us down with him. Don’t let his sin affect us. They realize something that Jonah, at least, hasn’t shown any concern about. The fact that our actions affect others. Our sins have consequences that go beyond ourselves. So, they pray for mercy not to get caught in his wake.

Then they also ask not to be charged with killing Jonah. They have an understanding that we sometimes have lost. The importance of a life. Many times our attitude toward life is “kill it if it isn’t convenient”. If it gets in my ways and in the way of my plans then it is okay to terminate. They know that this is not the case and so they pray that they not be held accountable for Jonah’s life.

Finally, they pray acknowledging God’s will. God, it is undeniable that this is what you wanted to be done. We have tried everything else we know and it hasn’t helped. So they were in the end submitting to God’s will. This was something that Jonah had not yet done. Here they were submitting to God’s will and Jonah is still in defiance.

Jonah goes overboard. The sea becomes calm. It is a supernatural storm and has a supernatural ending. The sea goes calm! God suspends His judgment. He answers the prayer of the sailors. God has heard and answered them. He is ready and willing to save. He has shown Himself glorious to these men. And we see an amazing reaction. They fear the Lord. They are convinced of His power and justice. They are amazed by His righteousness. They offer a sacrifice to God. They make promises to Him. They bind themselves to Him.

It is amazing that the prayer of the unbeliever can be so powerful and effective. It is amazing that it can be so Godly and true and that their reaction can be so sincere when they see God’s actions and answers. They didn’t just pray and forget. It has moved them into a new relationship with God. God has used the situation to show His greatness and grace to His beloved creations and brought them to Himself. Jonah could have learned a thing or two from these men about prayer and about promises. He could have learned a thing or two about knowing and fearing God and care and concern for others. We can too.

Prayer Request
* Please pray that God would continue to work in Maribor to prepare hearts and minds for the gospel. Pray that the hard rocky ground would be made ready and prepared. Pray for God to remove the strongholds that keep people apathetic to and skeptical to God and a true relationship with Him Pray that God would build His church here.

30 More Days... Day 28

Jer. 32:16  “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying:
Jer. 32:17 “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
Jer. 32:18 You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
Jer. 32:24  “Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it!
Jer. 32:25 And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ”
Jer. 32:26  Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
Jer. 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

When I was in high school there was a comedian named Arsenio Hall who did one of those late night TV shows. About the only thing interesting on the show was a segment that was called “Things That Make You Say ‘Hmm’”. In fact, I don’t remember anything more about it, nor can I say that I really watched it. I guess it is just evidence of the kinds of foolish, useless stuff we get loaded with if we aren’t careful. Anyway. This segment was based on things that people said or did or signs or other things that when you looked at them they didn’t see quite right. They were strange. They were funny. They were anything but logical. Therefore, they made you say “hmm”.

This is one of those “hmm” situations. Jeremiah has been prophesying “gloom and doom” for a while now. Specifically, he has been saying that God is going to hand the city of Jerusalem over to the king of Babylon and that it will fall to the siege. Of course, this is hugely unpopular prophesying ... especially to the King of Judah, and he has Jeremiah locked away for it. While Jeremiah is in prison, God tells him that his cousin will come and offer to sell him a field and that he should buy it. This is exactly what happens and Jeremiah surmises that this is all from the Lord so he buys the field.

After having bought the field and sealed away the deeds of ownership, after having obeyed what God had led him to do Jeremiah prays for understanding.

Jeremiah was saying “Hmm”. He does it in a very respectful way, but there is still no doubt that he is saying “Hmm”. God there is nothing too hard for you. You have brought your people out of Egypt. You brought them into the land as you promised. They have disobeyed and refused to follow You. Now you will turn them over to the king of Babylon. The city is turned over to the king of Babylon. So, what is with buying the field? It doesn’t seem like a very good investment in a time of national crisis and poverty when everything is scarce and expensive, and money could be needed for other uses.

An amazing thing has happened here. Jeremiah has obeyed God when it makes no sense at all. God has given Jeremiah insider information. Jeremiah has the “inside track”. The city will fall. The real estate market is about to burst...collapse. Foreign interests are about to take over and claims to land and heredity is likely not to be recognized for very long. But God has also given Jeremiah a tip. Buy! So Jeremiah does it.

How often I want everything to make sense! How often I want to be able to see the logical outcome of a course or action! How often I hold back or can hold back because things don’t add up. Jeremiah was in just this position. He obeyed before he knew why. He acted before God revealed everything to him.

God doesn’t always reveal the whole picture to us right away. He takes us step by step looking for us to be obedient to Him. This puts Jeremiah in stark contrast with most people of his day. They wanted to see. They challenged God’s prophesies and warnings. Here Jeremiah simply obeys because God said so. He doesn’t have to know everything. Just have the assurance that it is from the Lord.

His prayer reflects his faith and at the same time his lack of understand. God there is nothing to hard for you, but this city is given over to Babylon. Both are true but I can’t make them fit together.

God answers Jeremiah. You have said it exactly Jeremiah! There is nothing to hard for me. You are right and that is all the answer. Yes I will give the city away. The real estate market will crash. Foreign interests will take over. However, that is not the end of the story. I will also bring Israel back to this land. I will establish them in it and give it to them. Jeremiah, because of his faith had secured for his heredity an inheritance in the land. It was a testimony, not only of God’s intention for the restoration of the people of Israel, but also of God’s blessing to those that in faith obeyed Him with a sincere heart.

Prayer Request
* Pray for the coming month. There will be many things happening. The University semester will start and with it new opportunities for our Student Bible Study, and prayerfully, opportunities for new outreach. Olya is planning on starting a mommy’s english group. Christian’s B-day will bring opportunities to see friends and invite people. We will probably have a couple of game nights. We will host Amy Hill and she will visit and help us during her “round the world ministry trip”. There will also be a host of other things as well. Pray for the activities and for us to make good use of those opportunities.

30 More Days... Day 28

Jer. 32:16  “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying:
Jer. 32:17 “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
Jer. 32:18 You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
Jer. 32:24  “Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it!
Jer. 32:25 And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ”
Jer. 32:26  Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
Jer. 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

When I was in high school there was a comedian named Arsenio Hall who did one of those late night TV shows. About the only thing interesting on the show was a segment that was called “Things That Make You Say ‘Hmm’”. In fact, I don’t remember anything more about it, nor can I say that I really watched it. I guess it is just evidence of the kinds of foolish, useless stuff we get loaded with if we aren’t careful. Anyway. This segment was based on things that people said or did or signs or other things that when you looked at them they didn’t see quite right. They were strange. They were funny. They were anything but logical. Therefore, they made you say “hmm”.

This is one of those “hmm” situations. Jeremiah has been prophesying “gloom and doom” for a while now. Specifically, he has been saying that God is going to hand the city of Jerusalem over to the king of Babylon and that it will fall to the siege. Of course, this is hugely unpopular prophesying ... especially to the King of Judah, and he has Jeremiah locked away for it. While Jeremiah is in prison, God tells him that his cousin will come and offer to sell him a field and that he should buy it. This is exactly what happens and Jeremiah surmises that this is all from the Lord so he buys the field.

After having bought the field and sealed away the deeds of ownership, after having obeyed what God had led him to do Jeremiah prays for understanding.

Jeremiah was saying “Hmm”. He does it in a very respectful way, but there is still no doubt that he is saying “Hmm”. God there is nothing too hard for you. You have brought your people out of Egypt. You brought them into the land as you promised. They have disobeyed and refused to follow You. Now you will turn them over to the king of Babylon. The city is turned over to the king of Babylon. So, what is with buying the field? It doesn’t seem like a very good investment in a time of national crisis and poverty when everything is scarce and expensive, and money could be needed for other uses.

An amazing thing has happened here. Jeremiah has obeyed God when it makes no sense at all. God has given Jeremiah insider information. Jeremiah has the “inside track”. The city will fall. The real estate market is about to burst...collapse. Foreign interests are about to take over and claims to land and heredity is likely not to be recognized for very long. But God has also given Jeremiah a tip. Buy! So Jeremiah does it.

How often I want everything to make sense! How often I want to be able to see the logical outcome of a course or action! How often I hold back or can hold back because things don’t add up. Jeremiah was in just this position. He obeyed before he knew why. He acted before God revealed everything to him.

God doesn’t always reveal the whole picture to us right away. He takes us step by step looking for us to be obedient to Him. This puts Jeremiah in stark contrast with most people of his day. They wanted to see. They challenged God’s prophesies and warnings. Here Jeremiah simply obeys because God said so. He doesn’t have to know everything. Just have the assurance that it is from the Lord.

His prayer reflects his faith and at the same time his lack of understand. God there is nothing to hard for you, but this city is given over to Babylon. Both are true but I can’t make them fit together.

God answers Jeremiah. You have said it exactly Jeremiah! There is nothing to hard for me. You are right and that is all the answer. Yes I will give the city away. The real estate market will crash. Foreign interests will take over. However, that is not the end of the story. I will also bring Israel back to this land. I will establish them in it and give it to them. Jeremiah, because of his faith had secured for his heredity an inheritance in the land. It was a testimony, not only of God’s intention for the restoration of the people of Israel, but also of God’s blessing to those that in faith obeyed Him with a sincere heart.

Prayer Request
* Pray for the coming month. There will be many things happening. The University semester will start and with it new opportunities for our Student Bible Study, and prayerfully, opportunities for new outreach. Olya is planning on starting a mommy’s english group. Christian’s B-day will bring opportunities to see friends and invite people. We will probably have a couple of game nights. We will host Amy Hill and she will visit and help us during her “round the world ministry trip”. There will also be a host of other things as well. Pray for the activities and for us to make good use of those opportunities.