Steve and Pam’s Bio

Like you, we are glory seekers. We have wonderfully, “Tasted and seen, the Lord is good!” The greatest prize is in the pursuit of the fame, splendor and radiant beauty of our Sovereign! We came to Yeshua in the days of the Jesus... Read More...

Riverfront Property in Audio

I am so grateful and pleased to share freely the whole audio book of Riverfront Property: Connecting At The River Of Life! I’m confident you will receive a delicious drink! As you find your thirst quenched please recall those you know who would also love a drink, and pass the cup! Read More...

A Miracle Story

Thursday July 30, 1987, started out as just another hot summer day in Ellensburg, Washington, a town of about fifteen thousand souls in a picturesque valley a hundred miles east of Seattle... Read More...

“GREATLY ANNOYED” AND “PITIFUL PRAYERS”

LISTEN TO THIS BLOG HERE!

 

GREATLY ANNOYED

 

Paul and Silas in Philippi Drive the Devil Out of A Woman Possessed by a Spirit of Divination,             Pieter de With (c. 1650)

Wanda Alger in a message on false prophets said, “It’s time to be annoyed.” It is worth listening to! See it at WandaAlger.me  She writes about Paul’s irritation with the slave girl who had a spirit of divination in Acts 16:18.

It’s time to be GREATLY ANNOYED.  There are plenty of annoying issues today. I will not give them time or attention here, AND I ask each of those who receive this email to arise and take your stand.
The body of Christ is attempting to rise but we are distracted and often too busy to penetrate the darkness.
Paul too was doing the work of the gospel as he knew he must and this demonized girl was following him calling out, ” These men are servants of the Most High God.” Now consider what that might look like if she was following you? What would your reaction be?

Last evening at a prayer meeting someone got stuck on the issues (probably watched the news before coming) it was instantly heavy, dark and hopeless UNTIL someone called him out. Declaring Christ has a better answer and we must be believers and do what He said.

I confess I was upset (annoyed) and wondered about the lack of true spiritual awareness. We must stop letting the darkness take over.
Another person came prepared to worship and pray with purpose, and specifically. Nobody took up her lead.   We can not let that happen. Even if it is a leader, an elder, a big wig etc. Jesus Christ was unintimidated by the powers of this world. May we so represent Christ that we are unafraid.
Jesus certainly has said to stand our ground, be unafraid and speak what He gives us. Now please do what He says, Be who He tells you to be and let the chips fall where they may!
50 years ago this month I graduated from High School. ( I know I don’t look a day over 45!)  I was remembering a few things that annoyed me way back then.
Three boys in our high school were really kicking up the dirt around school and town. They were loud and rebellious and disliked that I was a “Jesus Freak”. They had a few slang handles that were grating to hear and their disrespect for any authority was obvious every day at school. For many years I prayed for their souls. God gave me many opportunities to share the gospel through those High School years, some were truly miraculous and God breathed. Just a few years later all 3 of those boys were saved and followed Jesus Christ.
Did I enjoy the shaming, being the brunt of their jokes, etc? No, I did not! And after I left that community I received calls from several classmates regarding their conversion. You see they all knew who was the Light in that school. I’m glad to say He uses imperfect people and His Love is stronger than the grave, His power working in even the little ones.

They were annoyed that I was upending their dark behavior with the love of God and the gospel of salvation. There was no question which annoying person had the greatest effect!

Get Annoyed.
Love, Pam

 

 

“STOP PRAYING PITIFUL PRAYERS!

Joshua Commanding the Sun and the Moon to Stand Still, by Raphael

 

In 1980 I had a class in Clinical Pastoral Care. That’s where I discovered Pitiful Prayer. The class met at a local hospital. After class time we did rounds seeing patients and played at being chaplains.

In retrospect I’m not sure my professor and most classmates were believers. The psychological thoughts of the day guided the process more than Biblical truth. Some of the things we learned were genuinely useful. Other things subtly diluted the power of Christ’s message. It was there I learned how to pray pitiful prayers. They go like this:

“Lord, be with Sarah during this difficult time.”

“Grant you comfort as Angie goes through this treatment.”

“May your grace be with Peter as he faces this surgery.”

 

The unspoken attitude was, “God, if you are around and listening…we know Your not around much… We know you don’t typically answer prayers… but if you’re there and listening give this person just “a touch” of moral support, perhaps some useful psychological insight to make this situation the tiniest bit more bearable.”

Prayers for “healing” were euphemistically given, hoping in the doctor’s skills rather than a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God.

Prayers were to give a sense that the chaplain cared about them, and some artful words of incantation might give a dash of comfort. Pitiful prayers know nothing about healing, overcoming, prevailing, hope, future and transcendent good!

Have you learned to pray pitiful prayers? They are very useful.

Pitiful prayers make people think you are spiritual and sincere.

They fill in time if you are bored and you can’t think of anything to do.

Pitiful prayers may make some feel that another person cares about them.

There is a fractional possibility the person may receive hope that God might be hiding behind the farthest star, and a wisp of his distant presence might be felt.

 

When you’ve seen the dead rise you can never be satisfied with pitiful prayers!

I’ve come to be annoyed with pitiful prayer. I repent of the many I have prayed. I know stretches before our great God will result in great answers, even great signs and wonders!

Moses stretched out his rod over the Red Sea and it parted.

Elijah called down fire on his enemies.

Joshua commanded the sun and moon to hang tight until he had destroyed his enemies. It is said, “There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.“ Joshua 10:14.

Of course, those guys were part of a lesser covenant so more is possible for us. Solomon requested that God answer prayers prayed toward the temple.

When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.1 Kings 8:35-36

Because of the projections of food shortages and famines I’m praying that God will forgive our national sins and change the weather patterns. There are areas where there is too much water. Other areas are in drought. See the US DROUBT MONITOR

We were passing through Yakima, Washington and stopped at a fruit stand. Disappointment. The cherries were 18 days late because of rain and cold. They expected a 40% harvest. They were concerned for the Walla Walla onions because the moisture and cold could make the harvest rot in the ground. Other farmers in our country have opposite problems. I’m not going to let that stand. By the grace of God, I’m going to help the farmers, and our nation, by shipping moisture where it is needed, and leveling out the temperatures.

Over the years I’ve seen striking answers to prayer for weather. I’m seeing answers today.  I’ve been looking at 10 day and one day forecasts and praying the movement of moisture and temperatures. I have prayed up our temperatures and prayed for moisture to move on where it is needed.

Over the past week I’ve see predictions of weather for our area “go wrong” as five days of rain predictions have become three. I’ve seen actual temperatures come in warmer than project. When they decrease I pray with greater determination for stabilization because I am concerned for the food welfare of our neighbors and those in other nations, and I know God is forgiving and mighty to save!

Our eternal, powerful, wise Creator and Savior is not a pitiful God, so we will not pray pitiful prayers! I’m serious about praying for our nation’s weather. I may pray many times per day on this project. Perhaps you’d like to join me. There are many other issues of concern in our nation and around the world. Pray big!

Pray Big or Go Home!

We’d like to know what King-Sized prayer projects you are tackling. Let us know.

Steven C Johnson

Landing Strip Enterprises

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