Thoughts for Life: #77 Seeking and Knocking

C. Peter Wagner shares with us that "The second part of the Jacobs Formula, 'seek and knock,' also works well.

Jerry Johnson has been the executive pastor of my church, Lake Avenue Congregational Church, for two decades.

He became motivated to recruit prayer partners in 1986 when he first visited Korea and spent some time with God on one of the prayer mountains there.

Since then he has increased his own prayer time to one hour, and he began asking God for I-2 intercessors.

He then made a list and wrote to 40 people challenging them to promise to pray for him at least one day a week, and to indicate which day or days they would be praying.

Of the 40 people on Jerry's list, 31 responded and several committed more than 1 day or every day to pray for him.

Jerry later reported to me that the number has gone up to 53 prayer partners. He knows that on some days at least six or seven are praying for him.

He has noticed, and the church members have noticed, the increase in power in his ministry since he first recruited prayer partners.

Doris and I have seen both parts of the Jacobs Formula work. We began by recruiting our initial I-2 prayer partners team.

In 1988, Cathy Schaller had been our
I-1 intercessor for five years, so in
order to learn more about how
personal intercession works, Doris
and I took Cathy and her family to
San Diego for a weekend to have
some R&R and also to research the
prayer dynamic in Skyline Wesleyan
Church under the leadership of John Maxwell.

By the time we came home, we were convinced that we needed to take some action."

#77 Seeking and Knocking, in the

series taken from C. Peter Wagner’s

book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to

intercede for pastors, Christian leaders

and others on the spiritual frontlines.

(pgs. 148 -149) by Regal Books

PRAYER SHIELD ChristianBooks - Scroll down to Wagner's book - offered for $9.69

(Google images added)

Pray for your pastor: “Pray that your pastor will be a “Great Commission man” —committed to personal evangelism and the equipping of the saints to seek the lost. Pray that he will have a heart to develop a thriving missions program in the church.” Rom. 10:15; Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 19:10

Let’s pray:

Father, help us ask You for the solutions of our needs, no matter how small they seem.

My desire is to know Your grace in every situation, and to learn to depend upon You to hear me when I do pray.

Today, I come to You seeking and knocking for Your wisdom and grace to handle even the smallest concern.

Increase my awareness of Your constant presence, so I will be quick to ask and seek for Your help.

I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

Today’s quote: Our Daily Bread – “Nothing speaks more clearly of God’s love than the cross of Jesus.”

Some thoughts today: To the extent you follow the leadership's instructions, you will become a leader. God will not put you in leadership without your learning submission.

- Take the lowly place, and you will be exalted in due time.

- When you go through a hard time, God is causing you to be victorious, for He has always been with you.

24th- Thursday’s post: #78 Forming a Team C. Peter Wagner

26th- Saturday's post: I Refuse to be Discouraged! BJ George

27th- Sunday's post: Are You Hanging On For Dear Life? Michael Brooks

27th- evening: Playing Favorites Martin Wiles

A popular post: He Hears Every Prayer Cindy Sproles -"shares with us her experience at a youth meeting: “It’s your turn to pray. Just want you to have a heads up.' Our youth leader patted me on the shoulder."