January 2009

May our Lord’s wonderful love fill your heart throughout this New Year and may this be an especially fruitful time in your walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. Most of us have a sense of some very difficult days ahead and we want to prepare our hearts by drawing ever closer to our Father’s heart. We want to have our Father’s heart as we meet people who may be sick of body or soul and may be hurting, broken, or even homeless. We want to live in the atmosphere of our Lord’s love, peace, joy, kindness, compassion, gentleness, and humility.

¹I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; ²For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. ³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ⁴Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ⁶Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. ⁷Whereunto I am ordained a preacher… ⁸I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1 Timothy 2:1-8)

As we begin this new year of 2009 it may be important to look at what Paul instructs us in what is to be “first of all” as we walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. And it may also be important to understand why such things are to be “first of all.” Supplication is mentioned first and this involves humility on our part. To supplicate is to humbly entreat or to ask in humility. When we seek His face we humble ourselves and are dependent on His mercy and grace in our prayer. As we come to Him in supplication and prayer we can experience the heart of our Father “⁴Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

When we pray concerning various situations and needs which we or others may have, we can easily be drawn into intercession on behalf of others. Our call to intercession is often a call to “stand in the gap” on behalf of those whose minds have been so blinded by the god of this world that they do not even see the destruction which is at the door. (See Ezekiel 22:30) We daily experience the burden of intercession throughout the day but it is most intense when we are in downtown Portland in the city gates @the Square, Portland’s Living Room. When we are there we stand in intercession for Portland and for the Pacific Northwest. We cry for mercy and for genuine awakening in the church and throughout the region. This is possible when we begin our time with the humility of supplication because we also are in need of His mercy and awakening.

Thanksgiving is very important to living in His love, joy, and peace. We are thankful for His mercy, for the cross. We are thankful for His resurrection, ascension, and return as we look forward to the new heaven and new earth. Thanksgiving releases the great joy of our Lord’s victory and makes intercession work deep into our own hearts so that we can know our Father’s heart when He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be the intercessor for us all.

When we pray according to His will we see that we are to pray for all men and especially for those in authority. This is because of our desire “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” It is easier to bring the gospel to people when we are living peacefully in godliness and honesty. “⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ⁶Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” We want to effectively proclaim the gospel remembering our Father’s goal – ⁴Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (Jesus is The Truth and the Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Truth – John 14:6; 16:13)

We want those in authority to govern with wisdom and integrity so that we can effectively preach the good news of the Kingdom and to be able to freely meet together in peace without the threat of violence. Our intercession is that Portland, Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation may be so ruled by those in authority that the church can “know Him and make Him known” effectively each and every day and each and every way – 24/7. These words of Paul (1 Timothy 2:1-8) will be guiding us throughout the year 2009. We want to live a life of supplication, prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving “lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

We are beginning the New Year 2009 with supplication, prayer, intercession, thanksgiving in Pioneer Courthouse Square reaching out to each and every person who passes by because our Father wants “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” We are meeting many people whose lives have been shaken in these troubled times and we expect this year to be a very fruitful one as we labor in our Lord’s harvest.

There will be a special prayer and intercession time at the Square in mid-January when we pause to remember the terrible loss of life because of the legalization of abortion by the Supreme Court over thirty-five years ago. Lord willing, we plan to be there in supplication, prayer, and intercession as we desire people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Roe v. Wade Memorial Rally ~ 2-3 PM

Sunday January 18, 2009

Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown Portland

www.50millionlost.com

May 2009 be a most blessed, joyful, fruitful, and prosperous New Year for you. Thank you so much for your prayers and support for us throughout the years. You are in our hearts and in our prayers as we send you this letter as the year begins. May you walk in His wonderful love knowing His presence in all that you do ~ 24/7!