Guerrillas of Grace, by Ted Loder puts into words what many have longed to say in prayer.  This book helps your imagination take flight as you commune with Him.

Guerrillas of Grace
Prayers for the Battle

By Ted Loder

     “Why would anyone call a book of prayers, Guerrillas of Grace?  The two images, ‘guerrillas’ and ‘grace’ seem to be an unlikely, if not contradictory, conjunction.  And yet. . .are they really?” (Guerrillas of Grace, page 13).  Author Ted Loder believes power and beauty can go hand in hand, especially when it comes to entering God’s throne room in prayer.

The word “guerrilla” conjures up visions of a band of irregular soldiers engaged in harassing the enemy by surprise raids.  Certainly when we go before God we shake the gates of hell in the power of Jesus’ name.  The word “grace” conjures visions of goodness and mercy.

The author would like us to see how the divine warfare of battle in prayer is a beautiful thing to the Lord.  Like a sweet-smelling offering to His nostrils. . .even in the midst of battle.

Loder assists the prayer warrior with masterfully crafted prayers in the areas of

• Quietness and Listening
• Thanks and Praise
• Unburdening and Confession
• Comfort and Reassurance
• Restoration and Renewal
• Commitment and Change
• Seasons and Holidays

Here is a sample of one of the prayers you will find in the Quietness and Listening section:

I Need to Breathe Deeply

Eternal Friend,

grant me an ease

to breathe deeply of this moment,

this light,

this miracle of now.

Beneath the din and fury

of great movements

and harsh news

and urgent crises,

make me attentive still

to good news,

to small occasions,

and the grace of what is possible

for me to be,

to do,

to give,

to receive,

that I may miss neither my neighbor’s gift

nor my enemy’s need.

“As we serve people in practical ways, their attitudes toward God are affected before they even realize it.”

Conspiracy of Kindness:
A Unique Approach to Sharing the Love of Jesus

By Steve Sjogren

Author Steve Sjogren defines servant evangelism as “the demonstration of kindness of God by offering to do some humble act of service with no strings attached.”

When we perform acts of kindness there is an automatic reaction from the receiver of that act. This, Sjogren says, is the Holy Spirit working within the pre-Christian. The mere offer of this act of kindness holds great power. Throughout this book the author shares unique and creative ways of sharing the love of God through humble acts of kindness.

One story of servant evangelism is of one of his church teams that went out on a Saturday morning to the area mall in Cincinnati. This team of “evangelists” went from store to store asking if they could clean store restrooms. . . for free. A female shopper was standing nearby and overheard this offer, “What kind of Christians are you who clean toilets to show God’s love? This sort of Christianity sparks my interest!”

This form of evangelism was modeled by Jesus as he lived out His earthly ministry. Jesus’ thought, acted and reacted as a humble servant of God. Christ shared that servant evangelism shines a spot light on God’s kingdom. Sjogren challenges the reader to expand the boundaries of who receives God’s love as described in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”   Often this verse is thought of as Christians loving and serving other Christians. Certainly that is the case and is an important aspect of a life in Christ. Possibly this love should not be limited to the body of Christ, but all those we come in contact with. Is it a tall order? Certainly! But praise be to God He gives us the power to love the store clerk, bus driver, gas station attendant and anyone else who crosses our path.

Creative, out-of-the-box ideas are shared on how to demonstrate the kindness of God by offering to do some humble act of service with no strings attached. Take the challenge!

Steve Sjogren has been the pastor of the Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1987. Through humble servant evangelism God has bless this church with growth from 37 members to over 6,000.

You can visit Steve’s website here.

The Prayer of Examen is an ancient practice of recollecting the presence of the Lord in your day.  Where did you resonate/resist His Presence in your day?  Use this easily-to-download directive resource for encouraging this discipline in your life. Download Booklet here.

Items needed for this prayer walk:

• Print the attached instructional pages for each station. (Found Here)
• rocks
• cross (floor or table-top size)
• bags (for rocks)

This link is available to you to download individual articles or purchase full copies of the semi-annual journal. This is a great resource for study into the theology and ministry of The Salvation Army.

Dear Ambassadors,
How do I share my God given talent of writing poetry and devotionals from my three books published. I take my role as a Disciple of Jesus seriously daily as a caregiver at home, and at work. I believe God wants to extend my ministry through the internet.

Thank You and God’s blessings,

Patricia
Dear Patricia,

Thank you for your kind note. While internet communication of the Good News is not my expertise, there is one idea that is becoming more widespread these days that might be a means of sharing the words that God has given you to others. Each day when I open my computer and go to Google Reader, the first article that pops us is Chuck Swindoll’s daily devotional, “Insight for Living”. In it are excerpts from his many books and there is always a blessing to be found that keeps me reading his post. He also lists his books on that site for purchase!

If you were to put excerpts of your books on line in a daily format with an RSS feed, word of your inspirational writing would get around, and you could offer your books for sale as well.

May God prosper your writing for all eternity!

http://insightforliving.typepad.com/dailydevo/  

Lt. Colonel W. Howard Burr

Items needed for this prayer walk:

• Print the attached instructional pages for each station. (Found Here)
• balloons (not blown up)
• eggs (real or “faux” eggs from a craft store)
• a pair of glasses (preferably an old pair)
• combs
• rocks
• bottle of hot sauce/crackers (preferably individually wrapped)
• radio (possibly also headphones for the radio)

Place items at a station with corresponding instructional sheet.  You may also want to provide a Bible at each station.

Instructional Sheets can also be found here.

The Full Video can be downloaded here. (Requires Quicktime)

Below are the individual sections that make up the full movie.

Intro: Download

Government: Download

Church: Download

Military: Download

Family: Download

Education: Download

Media: Download

Business: Download

“Our main doctrine, which include all the rest, are three-that of Repentance, of Faith, and of Holiness. The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself”
(Letters [ed. Telford], II. 268)                                         

(Ref. S. Paul Schilling. Methodism and Society in Theological Perspective. 46)

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“Of the various arguments which Wesley develops against predestination, five of the most important may be summarized here. (1) The doctrine makes vain the preaching of the gospel—which God himself has commanded—since the aim of preaching is to save souls, but the elect will be saved without preaching, and the nonelect cannot be saved with it.  (2) Predestination tends to overthrow and make unnecessary the whole Christian revelation, since men who are saved or damned according to eternal, unchangeable decrees cannot be affected by the gospel.  But a gospel which is not necessary is not true, and thus the whole Christian cause is sacrificed.  (3) The doctrine destroys zeal for good works, since it tends to lessen our love for the majority of men—“the evil and the unthankful”—and our concern for their spiritual and material needs.  (4) It is based on an interpretation of a limited number of Biblical texts which contradict other passages and “the whole scope and tenor of Scripture.”  (5) It blasphemes and dishonors God, undermining his truth, justice, and love.  The God implied by this doctrine is more false, unjust, and cruel than the devil: contrary to what he has said in the Scriptures, he is not willing that all men should be saved; he condemns multitudes for the sin which the withholding of his grace makes inevitable; and he dooms to perdition many of his creatures who earnestly desire salvation.  Hence Wesley “abhors” the doctrine.”

(Ref. Sermon “Free Grace”; S. Paul Schilling. Methodism and Society in Theological Perspective. 49-50)

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Wesley’s Teaching on the Progress of “Backsliding”

“The idea of backsliding is central to Wesley’s attack on the idea of ‘once saved always saved.’ Wesley ends the sermon (‘The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God’) with a description of how God continues to act upon the soul only as the soul continually re-acts upon God.”

(Ref. Albert C. Outler and Richard P. Heitzenrater. John Wesley’s Sermons: An Anthology. 183)

“You see the unquestionable process from grace to sin: Thus it goes on, from step to step.

1. The divine seed of loving, conquering faith, remains in him that is born of God.  ‘He keepeth himself’, by the grace of God, and ‘cannot commit sin’.
2. A temptation arises; whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not.
3. The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer.
4. He gives way, in some degree, to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him.
5. The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened; and his love of God grows cold.
6. The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, ‘This is the way; walk thou in it’.
7. He turns away from the painful voice of God, and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter.
8. Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, till faith and love vanish away.
9. He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.”

(Ref. Sermon “The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God”)