Prayer Advocate
Dr. Peter Thoms - Prayer Advocate
PRAYER ADVOCATE REPORT
A favorite benediction and one that I often use when conducting a worship service, though not thought of such is found in Romans 15:13. To me it leaves a wonderful message. Back up to Rom.:5,6 which sets the stage for this benediction to Paul's theological dissertation addressed to the church at Rome.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Paul emphasizes the emotion of "hope" because he saw the contrast between believers and non believers as those with hope and those without hope. And it is that hope that should "fill you with ... joy and peace in believing."
I see far too many of our fellow Christians who live in dread, who constantly wait for "the other shoe to drop." Who dwell on the negative. Whose lives are a continuum of complaints. They seem never to be exuberantly joyful. Yes they seem to be afraid of being happy, hopeful, harmonious people.
In verse 6 Paul writes "(so) that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul, in essence says "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full into his wonderful face and the things
of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." Emphatically Yes! Live in hope. Dwell in the presence of God and then you will "abound in hope". Your joy will become contagious and your life of peace will affect those with whom you fellowship. Yes! You will be a contagious Christian brother.
Peter S. Thoms, UMM Prayer Advocate.
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The Flint District UMM is currently planning its 2nd Annual Spiritual Growth Conference for men which will happen April 25, 2009 at the Lake Fenton High School in Genesee County. We are praying for an overflow crowd of men in excess of 660 to come and be moved to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through the messages brought to us by Rev. Brad Mitchell through Outreach Ministries.
Prior to that UMM of the District will be gathering at Bethel UMC on Ballenger Highway on February 28 for our Annual Brotherhood Breakfast (8:00)
We just completed our Annual Benefit Dinner at Hope UMC raising over $800 to benefit the work of the Salvation Army locally.
The help we need is strengthening our District by increasing the number of Registered Fellowships and increasing our EMS members. Whereas we lead all districts in both categories we need to reach more. We are hampered in that Jim Walker has to split his time and energy between the Flint District UMM and DAC UMM. That along with some health issues has put us at some disadvantage.
I believe the need we have as the DAC UMM is getting our clergy to back what we do. We do not expect them to do it for us but we need their active support. I believe this has to "trickle down" from the Bishop to our District Superintendents to the clergy. I feel that all the mailings and information that we distributed gets the "circular file" treatment and no head is given to our request for promoting ministry to and through men .
Peter S. Thoms, Flint Dist, Prayer Advocate
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Jesus said "Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest"Matt. 11:28 He also said "My peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you;"John 14:27
These are words that we ought have memorized. They are promises given not only to the disciples but also to us through them. An in these troubled times what do we need more than to remember that Jesus is concerned for us in times of trouble. We are not left to drift in the storms of life bobbing helplessly in the turbulent waters of troubled times. Jesus wants to pamper us with his peace. He wants us to feel the shelter of presence (As a mother hen gathers her chicks so would I gather you, Jerusalem.) . He wants us to come to him in prayer where there is shelter from the tornado of the times.
But he does not want us just to come when the times are trying, when our livelihood is threatened, when we have lost our job or our family or our life' savings. Jesus said "Abide in me, and I in you."And"..let my words abide in you..." (John 15). Jesus is not a castle to which we run when an invasion is imminent but rather we are reminded "He who DWELLSin the shelter of the Most High, who ABIDES in the shadow of the Almighty will say of the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I TRUST." Psalm 91:1,2.
Sometimes we wander far from the presence of the Lord and yet expect to be protected. Sometimes we feel we can have a nodding acquaintance with the Almighty and expect Him to jerk us out of the way of the oncoming freight train when we do not have the sense to get off the track. ABIDE means "living with" not a casual handshake or casual nod. ABIDE with Him and He will ABIDE IN YOU. Then nothing can separate you from the love and shelter of Christ. "neither height nor depth .... nor anything else in all creation."
ABIDE IN HIM.
Peter Thoms, DAC UMM Prayer Advocate
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From YOUR PRAYER ADVOCATE
Where do you pray?
How do you pray?
When do you pray?
Prayer is the most important facet of our living yet we treat it as unimportant unless we are in a bind and need to be rescued. Get in a jam and virtually everybody prays. But while living "the good life" we are too busy or too preoccupied with our agenda to pray. We stay up late watching TV so we get up too late to prepare for the day with prayer. Our calendar for the day is so tightly preplanned that detours are an annoyance. We take for granted the meal set before us and forget to give thanks for the sustenance we have received (and forget that brothers and sisters, children of our Father are starving).
But let me remind you that prayer changes things EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL. Prayers in times of crisis are important. It is good that we have a God who "is always more willing to here than we are to pray." It is reassuring that our Fathers storehouse is abundantly supplied with all that we need. It is comforting know that the Omnipotent can do anything He pleases. But the "showers of blessing" are not reserved for bad times.
About 8 years ago I realized that though I was blessed God had something better for me if I was willing to meet with Him at a specific place, at a preplanned time, and was willing to take the time to listen. I am not perfect in making my meeting time but each morning I prepare for the day by sitting in "my corner" of our couch for about an hour. First I spend time in praise and adoration, Second I clear my mind and listen. Then I pray for the family, my friends (UMMen especially) and the day's activities.
Try it! And share with me your story of the difference that your life makes.
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from your Conference Prayer Advocate
Power is a man thing!
We men want to be powerful. The Atlas appearance is why fitness centers are doing good business. Look at the Gold Gym advertisement and you see bulging muscles. My wife just smiles when I strike “the poseâ€. I go regularly to the fitness center to build muscles that through the years have become more like peanut butter due to neglect. I dedicate time and struggle to build what I one day hope to have – POWER.
But God says I can have power without going through all that sweat, struggle and pain of straining to build my body. James 3:16 reads “The prayer of a righteous man has great power…â€. But the power is there because there is a source from which to draw the power. Neither the prayer or the prayer have the power. It is God who transmits His power through us if we are properly connected.
The power of prayer is much like the power of the light switch. The light does not go on because the switch is changed to different position. The light goes on only if the wires are connected to the source. A bad switch or a disconnected wire or even a short in the wire will fail to deliver power to the light. So we, too, must be properly connected to our power source. Being properly connected is the key.
Being “properly connected†to God, our power source, comes by daily listening to what He has to say – not asking but listening.
Practice listening. Practice listening for twenty minutes. Really listen. Put your agenda aside. There is not a problem that God cannot fix so listen. It is not easy but with daily practice you will become amazed at what God is trying to tell you. Give Him the chance to do His work in and through you. LISTEN!
Peter S.Thoms
The Conference Prayer Advocate is a special designation of United Methodist Men appointed by the Conference President of United Methodist Men to be an advocate of prayer to all in the Annual Conference, especially United Methodist Men Fellowships.
The CPA works with The Upper Room Living Prayer Center in Nashville to:
Develop a network of District and Local Prayer Advocates
Start Covenant Prayer Groups and encourage existing Groups
Encourage volunteers to staff Prayer Remotes
Encourage supporting the cost of the Toll-free Prayer Line: 1-800-251-2468
Provide training for the Prayer Advocate network
Publicize The Upper Room Prayer Center
Publicize resources and programs of The Upper Room
Participate in Upper Room events
Communicate with the Upper Room Prayer Center staff
Phone numbers for information about Upper Room Remote Prayer Lines or Upper Room Covenant Prayer Groups: 877-899-2780, ext 7214 or ext 7215.