This morning I was praying for a friend of mine who is in another country on a two week missions trip, that he wasn’t looking forward to going on. I prayed that the Lord would show him clearly, His desire for my friend, each day…SO THAT, my friend would be filled with the blessings that come from doing God’s will…versus his own will. Said another way, my prayer is that my friend would focus on his situation the way that God wants him to focus on it..

When you see the difficulties in the USA, what’s your focus? How do you look at it? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we shouldn’t actively pursue those things that God lays on your heart to do, but is your starting point God? Or is it you and your desire?

The Apostle Paul’s words should challenge our starting point. Paul tells us that:

• What you’re experiencing is God’s will for you, and by the way give thanks regarding it (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Paul also wants us to…
• Recognize that our light affliction (when compared to the eternal weight of glory) is for but a moment (2 Corinthians 4:17). He then helps us see something else, that…
• We can rejoice in our sufferings because they (our sufferings) produce perseverance (Romans 5:3)

Also James challenges us:

• That we are to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials (James 1:2)
• And James promises something to those who love God, when he promises a crown of life to the one who perseveres in these trials (James 1:12)
• And then in James 5:11, he references Job and his endurance

But did you notice? What did James  NOT promise? He did not promise a life of ease! Let’s look at Job 2:10, talking to his wife about her focus Job says, “You are talking like a foolish woman.” What did he mean by that? Job went on, “Should we accept only good from God and not bad, or not trouble?” Friends, are we acting like Job’s foolish wife?”

Where’s your starting point? Is your Christianity first? If it is, you can agree with Peter:

• In 1 Peter 1:6, he told us to rejoice, GREATLY, even though we are distressed by various trials!

Why could Peter say that? What was Peter’s focus? His focus was the hope of our salvation, that which is our FUTURE inheritance (Vs 5). Friends, THAT should be our focus too, NOT ALL OF THIS STUFF here on earth!

Peter takes us back to Job, when at the end of that same verse, he says that you are “put to grief,” or “compelled to grief.” In other words, this grief was brought to you and upon you, for a reason! Application to us in the USA? God brought this grief, and there is a purpose for it. If you allow Him, He has  designed good to come from your grief, your trials (cf. Romans 8:28).

Consider again Job, what did God say about him? Three times in Job 1 & 2, God calls him the most blameless man on the planet, but in the last 5 chapters of Job, what do we see? We see that God needed to work in the area of self righteousness in Job’s life. For whatever reason, Job was not able to see the sin in his life, WITHOUT going thru some very difficult things in his life. What am I saying? That what God did in Job’s life, was good for Job. Now, hear me, I personally can’t reconcile that in my brain, but I trust that God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts, that God is sovereign and that He is in control, His word is trustworthy, and therefore He is trustworthy. So my choice is to trust Him, BECAUSE He is who He is. What God is doing in the life of our nation, is good for us. The question is, will we submit to God, like Job, or NOT even seek God for fear of what He’ll ask us to give up?

Let me ask it this way, where’s your focus? Is it on what you want to see God do in our nation? Or is it on what God might be doing in you, using the situation in our nation to get your attention?

Isaiah 22:8-13, talking about when the Israelites depended upon their political direction, their weapons, is easily applicable to the USA. Here Isaiah shows that the people who saw the “political-things” that needed to get fixed, did them! And probably did them with excellence! But the second half of verse 11 tells us, they did not depend on the Creator, and they did not “consider” the One who planned it.” Planned what? Planned the problems! In verse 13 we’re told, basically, “Instead, y’all went out and celebrated!” But verse 12 tells us what God wanted. He wanted brokenness. What do you think will happen all over the USA on November 6th? All over the nation, one group will celebrate, the other will worry and God is pleading with us, “I want dependence upon Me, I want brokenness,” and I would add, that comes from personal repentance, NOT politics!

You see, God wants brokenness in our lives and it will not happen if our focus is on our problems “out-yonder.” God is disciplining us, out of love, like a good father disciplines his child, because He sees the problems IN US, in you and me!. Do you know how much God loves you? He loves you so much that He is willing to allow things to get worse (in the USA), until you and I come to Him with brokenness. Until we are willing to do that, we are battling against the clear directive, the clear purpose, of God. We are, as is said in Acts 26:14 (regarding Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus) “kicking against the goads.”

Do you still wonder if all that is happening in the USA is from God? Go back to Job 1 & 2, it reads as if God prodded satan, prompted satan, pushed satan. Look at what satan said to God, in Job 1:10-11, (applying it to the USA). “Have You not made a hedge about the USA, and all that they have? You have blessed the work of their hands, and their possessions have increased in their land. But put forth Your hand God, touch all that they have, and the Christians in the USA will curse You to Your face!”

I believe we have had many examples of, God putting forth His hand, His hand of judgment. 9/11 is only one example. And so what happened after 9/11? We went back to our sinful ways just a few weeks and months later. Look again at Job, this time Job 2:4-5, satan says, (applying it to the USA). “Sure, they worshiped you for awhile, but skin for skin God, You take away those things that are most important to those Americans, including their health, and they will curse you to Your face.”

Tuesday I was driving to Metter GA, and on my way down there I was listening to Ray Boltz’ song, “Watch the Lamb.” When he sang about the men in the crowd yelling “Crucify Him!” I wept because it occurred to me, that when I sin, I too, like the men in the crowd am yelling, “Crucify Him…AGAIN!” I’m embarrassed to tell you that there are a couple of “pet” sins that I am just tired of holding on to. Pray for me, would you, that Tuesday was a new day for me in this area? What about you? Are there areas in your life that God has spoken, and you are ignoring?

There is another passage that brilliantly expounds upon our focus.

Romans 8:6 tells us that if we focus on the things of the flesh, we end up with death (destruction) but if we focus on the things of the Spirit we end up with NOT JUST life, but BOTH life and peace. You will not have peace in your life, focusing on all of this garbage around you! Again, I’m not saying we shouldn’t actively pursue those things that God lays on your heart to do. But is your starting point God? Or is it you and your desire to relieve your anxiety?

Remember Philippians 4:6-7? You want your anxiety gone? You want peace? Come to the Lord with prayers, petitions and thanksgivings! Thank Him for what? Thank Him for these problems! Thank Him that these problems have moved YOU, unto righteousness. And then you know what happens? He brings you a peace that completely transcends every single bit of your understanding! He brings you peace in the midst of your trials.

I don’t believe that God is interested in fixing anything in Washington DC, until He fixes you and I.

This is my prayer for you. Do you recognize the verse that it comes from?

If you are a child of the King, I pray that you humble yourself, by getting on your face before God! And pray to the God of Job, of Paul, of James, of Peter. Start seeking His face, not  just His hand. Quit praying that he takes away your temporary problems and start asking for the forgiveness of your sins. He will hear your prayer, forgive you of your sins, immediately (cf. 1 John 1:9) I might add, and He will heal where you walk, and where the person next to you walks, and where the person next to him walks, and eventually He will heal our land.

Do you want one more challenge? Take a blank piece of paper and at the top write, “God’s Will For My Life.” Leave it blank! Then at the bottom, sign it. ONLY THEN, should you starting seeking God’s face and let Him fill in the blank page.

Mark S Mirza

• PS. — The title of this post came from a pastor friend, Greg S., who was describing a loving, generous, sincere Christian friend of his. Greg said, “I love him, but he is an American first and a Christian second.”

I want to use a teaching tool that R. A. Torrey utilized, that of asking questions…

• Why do we pray in the form of A.C.T.S.?
• Did Christ expect us to follow His “model-prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13) every time we prayed?
• What did Paul mean when he said we should pray with all kinds of prayers (Ephesians 6:18)?
• Have you ever looked at the way David prayed, when he was in the midst of difficulties (cf Psalm 3-7, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 22, 25, 27, 28, 31, 35), just to name a few?
• How did David start all of these prayers?
• Why didn’t he begin with adoration?
• When you are in distress, do many of your prayers start off like David’s too?
• Did you notice that many of his OTHER Psalms do, in fact, start off with praise (cf Psalm 8, 18, 19, 23, 29, 30, 32, 34), just to name a few?
• How did he end all of his prayers that STARTED in great distress?
• Why did David praise God at the end of all of these prayers?
• When you pray, in the midst of troubles, do your prayers end like David’s?
• Do your prayers end with hope?
• Do you get off your knees with the problems gone?
• Do you get off your knees with the problems still there, but the anxiety gone? Why or why not?
• Look again, in every one of these prayers, how did David end them?
• Look again at your prayers, do you end them the same way as David? Why or why not?
• Do you think it is possible to get off your knees with the problems STILL in your face, but the anxiety gone?
• Looking at Psalm 5:1-2, how has David been praying?
• Have you ever prayed with groaning (or meditating), and with crying out to the Lord?
• Assuming David has been praying, groaning, meditating and/or crying out to the Lord all night, how is he praying in verse 3?
• If your version says, “eagerly watch,” “looking up” or “keeping watch” or a derivative of any of those, how would you say David was praying, if “wait in expectation” was the way your version ended?
• When you pray, and are in the midst of distress, what is your expectation?
• What do you think 1 John 5:14-15 says your expectation should be?
• What is David doing in Psalm 5:4?
• When you are praying because of great distress in your life, do you remember God’s character?
• How do you think, remembering God’s character, would help you in your praying?
• Look at James 1:6, do you doubt (or waiver) when you pray, in the midst of distress?
• What does James 1:7 say about doubting when you pray?
• Going back to Psalm 5:4, what do you think will keep you from doubting?
• In Psalm 5:8, what is the “twist” that David takes in his prayer?
• How does Psalm 5:8 agree with and support 1 Thessalonians 5:18?
• How does Psalm 5:8 agree with and support Philippians 4:6-7?
• When was the last time you thanked God for your distress?
• In verse 8 was David looking to God for relief from the distress he was in?
• What was he looking for from God?
• The last time you were in distress, calling out to God, did you seek direction from the Lord, BECAUSE OF the distress you were in?
• Do you see how you can thank God, FOR the distress, and still not LIKE the distress?
• Jumping to Psalm 5:11-12, can you figure out what David is doing?
• His problems aren’t gone, why is he rejoicing?
• Maybe a bigger question is, why aren’t you rejoicing when you get to the end of your prayers?
• What do you think would happen if you stayed on your knees until God told you to get up?
• Have you ever stayed on your knees AFTER you said, “Amen?”
• Can you think of a reason this might be good to do?
• Can you think of other ways you can hear from God?
• Have you ever prayed with God’s word open, and next to you?
• If verses 11 and 12 show us what David knew of God’s character, what does that say of your knowledge of God’s character, regarding how you end your prayers?
• When was the last time you prayed with God’s word open, next to you, and you in it, reading it…yes, while you were praying?

This was fun to write, let me know if it was helpful, okay?

In His Name, with great thanksgivings,

Mark S Mirza

Here is my new book

A friend of mine would begin this day with, “Happy Friday Brother Mark!” And it is, a happy Friday…but will it be for everyone? This photo is what the day is beginning like here in Atlanta…it’s a beautiful happy Friday. But what if you’ve just been laid off? I started to write this story from the perspective of the person who isn’t hurting financially, and then revised it to those who are, and then I realized that the same principles of scripture apply to both!

You see, yesterday a friend of mine texted me that his wife was laid off. This post is an email to him, I’ll call them John and Jane.

John, thanks for texting me about Jane. I appreciated your words that you, “…have total faith God will provide. We want Him to lead us as He wills…” I know you and Jane, so I know that is what’s in your brain. My concern for you is what’s in your heart? In other words, what are you living? And what will you two live tomorrow? Here’s why I ask this John, there are principles in the Word that tell us how to “live-out” what we say we believe, and that is where the rubber meets the road. So let me just, gently, lay out three principles that you can help Jane with, okay?

The First is WORRY — Psalm 103:19 says, “His throne is above the heavens and He is sovereign over all.” Dr. Stanley has told us at our men’s prayer meetings that when he learned the meaning of this verse, he stopped worrying. He says, that once in awhile something will tweak his brain, but he doesn’t worry. When I speak I like to give an example of a scene in heaven that does NOT occur. God is standing on a cloud looking down onto earth at us, and then He looks closer…and closer…and closer. Then He calls over Michael and Gabriel and He asks, “How did that happen?” John, the principle is that because that scene in heaven NEVER occurs, her getting laid off isn’t an accident, it didn’t catch God by surprise. John, your wife doesn’t need to worry.

The Second is ANXIETY — Did you know that scripture tells us that we do not need to be anxious? In fact, the same passage that tells us this tells us how to receive peace…it gives us a “formula” for receiving peace! Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to “not be anxious about anything,” and of course, to “come to the Lord with prayers and petitions” BUT it adds another attitude that we are to come to the Lord with, when we are leaning towards being anxious. It not only says come to Him with “prayers and petitions,” but with thanksgivings also. That’s right! We are to come to the Lord, being thankful about our situation! In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to the thankful for everything. Why? Because this is God’s will in Christ Jesus for you! Now hear me…God is saying that (see above) because Psalm 103:19 is still true, because that scene in heaven does NOT occur, this is NOT an accident to God…the evil one DIDN’T slip one past the God of the universe. What’s the principle? It’s similar to the first. Remember the definition of faith? “Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 in the NIV/1984)? The second principle is to give thanks. You really can give thanks to God for this situation, not because you like it, but because you know (by faith, even though you do not see the future) that He really is in control…you KNOW it!

The Third is the UNKNOWN — When satan “loses” the battle of making Jane anxious, because she will not worry, but will in fact, give thanks to God, he (satan) will come back to her with something like, “that’s all well and good, and Mark may be right that you do not have to worry, but let’s just think about the future, okay? How are you going to pay the mortgage next month, or when your severance runs out? How are you going to buy groceries? You probably want to start thinking about which bills you won’t be able to pay.” Sound familiar? That’s what the evil one does. When he fails in one area he moves into a different area. Let me “up-the-ante” here John. Today is the first day after Jane has been laid off, please, Please, PLEASE, do not let her focus on, “Oh My God! I need to get my resume out in as many places as possible…today!” This is what we tend to do and it is wrong! It is wrong because it is us, our brains, trying to figure out God’s will for our lives, BEFORE we’ve even sought Him. So then the question comes up, “But how will I know if He’s talking to me?” Great question and there are a number of answers in scripture. Let me just focus on one of them…1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace…” (NASB). Here’s the principle…Until you have PERFECT peace, you do not move forward! Here’s why, in Proverbs 21:1 we read that God directs the hearts of kings. If He can direct the hearts of kings, He can direct my heart in spite of any anxiety that may be trying to force itself upon me. Really, this is the essence of trusting God…as opposed to yourself. There is another argument, which usually my, and I say this lovingly, my “control-freak” friends postulate, namely, “I have to get a job so I’ll throw my resume out and let God open the doors He wants.” John, this is just “worry” and “anxiety” in a different form. Let me say this properly. This is NOT trusting God, rather, it is us saying, “I don’t trust God enough so I’m going to help Him.” Here’s why I make this point. Too many times God opens doors, NOT for us to go through but TO TEST US. To see if we will go through a door because WE WANT TO rather than the door He wants us too. Remember the principle, “No peace, no move!”

Interesting isn’t it, all three of the principles above lead us to peace…or focus on peace. Is that an accident? I don’t think so, you see, the third peace of the armor, “your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (NIV/1984) tells us that Jane can go through this time in her life with peace. Because she has accepted the Gospel of Christ, she can go through this time in peace…believe it or not! And that, my friend, is your role…helping her, by lovingly showing her these principles, to go through this time in peace. As you and her do this, it will actually be an exciting time! Where you two see God move, showing Himself faithful to you. That’s what He wants to do. That’s what He always wants to do, but we mess it up by worrying, getting anxious, focusing on the unknown, and God is sitting there saying, “Trust me…” (Psalm 143:8)

I love you my friend. I hope this is helpful.

For those of you that are interested, we have the following tools:

Prayers from Psalm 119 and prayers from the Book of James

GBC Prayer Initiative and our weekly prayers

Daily Radio Spots

And of course my new book

In His Name, with great thanksgivings,

Mark S Mirza

A friend of mine would begin this day with, “Happy Friday Brother Mark!” And it is, a happy Friday…but will it be for everyone? This photo is what the day is beginning like here in Atlanta…it’s a beautiful happy Friday. But what if you’ve just been laid off? I started to write this story from the perspective of the person who isn’t hurting financially, and then revised it to those who are, and then I realized that the same principles of scripture apply to both!

You see, yesterday a friend of mine texted me that his wife was laid off. This post is an email to him, I’ll call them John and Jane.

John, thanks for texting me about Jane. I appreciated your words that you, “…have total faith God will provide. We want Him to lead us as He wills…” I know you and Jane, so I know that is what’s in your brain. My concern for you is what’s in your heart? In other words, what are you living? And what will you two live tomorrow? Here’s why I ask this John, there are principles in the Word that tell us how to “live-out” what we say we believe, and that is where the rubber meets the road. So let me just, gently, lay out three principles that you can help Jane with, okay?

The First is WORRY — Psalm 103:19 says, “His throne is above the heavens and He is sovereign over all.” Dr. Stanley has told us at our men’s prayer meetings that when he learned the meaning of this verse, he stopped worrying. He says, that once in awhile something will tweak his brain, but he doesn’t worry. When I speak I like to give an example of a scene in heaven that does NOT occur. God is standing on a cloud looking down onto earth at us, and then He looks closer…and closer…and closer. Then He calls over Michael and Gabriel and He asks, “How did that happen?” John, the principle is that because that scene in heaven NEVER occurs, her getting laid off isn’t an accident, it didn’t catch God by surprise. John, your wife doesn’t need to worry.

The Second is ANXIETY — Did you know that scripture tells us that we do not need to be anxious? In fact, the same passage that tells us this tells us how to receive peace…it gives us a “formula” for receiving peace! Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to “not be anxious about anything,” and of course, to “come to the Lord with prayers and petitions” BUT it adds another attitude that we are to come to the Lord with, when we are leaning towards being anxious. It not only says come to Him with “prayers and petitions,” but with thanksgivings also. That’s right! We are to come to the Lord, being thankful about our situation! In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to the thankful for everything. Why? Because this is God’s will in Christ Jesus for you! Now hear me…God is saying that (see above) because Psalm 103:19 is still true, because that scene in heaven does NOT occur, this is NOT an accident to God…the evil one DIDN’T slip one past the God of the universe. What’s the principle? It’s similar to the first. Remember the definition of faith? “Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 in the NIV/1984)? The second principle is to give thanks. You really can give thanks to God for this situation, not because you like it, but because you know (by faith, even though you do not see the future) that He really is in control…you KNOW it!

The Third is the UNKNOWN — When satan “loses” the battle of making Jane anxious, because she will not worry, but will in fact, give thanks to God, he (satan) will come back to her with something like, “that’s all well and good, and Mark may be right that you do not have to worry, but let’s just think about the future, okay? How are you going to pay the mortgage next month, or when your severance runs out? How are you going to buy groceries? You probably want to start thinking about which bills you won’t be able to pay.” Sound familiar? That’s what the evil one does. When he fails in one area he moves into a different area. Let me “up-the-ante” here John. Today is the first day after Jane has been laid off, please, Please, PLEASE, do not let her focus on, “Oh My God! I need to get my resume out in as many places as possible…today!” This is what we tend to do and it is wrong! It is wrong because it is us, our brains, trying to figure out God’s will for our lives, BEFORE we’ve even sought Him. So then the question comes up, “But how will I know if He’s talking to me?” Great question and there are a number of answers in scripture. Let me just focus on one of them…1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace…” (NASB). Here’s the principle…Until you have PERFECT peace, you do not move forward! Here’s why, in Proverbs 21:1 we read that God directs the hearts of kings. If He can direct the hearts of kings, He can direct my heart in spite of any anxiety that may be trying to force itself upon me. Really, this is the essence of trusting God…as opposed to yourself. There is another argument, which usually my, and I say this lovingly, my “control-freak” friends postulate, namely, “I have to get a job so I’ll throw my resume out and let God open the doors He wants.” John, this is just “worry” and “anxiety” in a different form. Let me say this properly. This is NOT trusting God, rather, it is us saying, “I don’t trust God enough so I’m going to help Him.” Here’s why I make this point. Too many times God opens doors, NOT for us to go through but TO TEST US. To see if we will go through a door because WE WANT TO rather than the door He wants us too. Remember the principle, “No peace, no move!”

Interesting isn’t it, all three of the principles above lead us to peace…or focus on peace. Is that an accident? I don’t think so, you see, the third peace of the armor, “your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (NIV/1984) tells us that Jane can go through this time in her life with peace. Because she has accepted the Gospel of Christ, she can go through this time in peace…believe it or not! And that, my friend, is your role…helping her, by lovingly showing her these principles, to go through this time in peace. As you and her do this, it will actually be an exciting time! Where you two see God move, showing Himself faithful to you. That’s what He wants to do. That’s what He always wants to do, but we mess it up by worrying, getting anxious, focusing on the unknown, and God is sitting there saying, “Trust me…” (Psalm 143:8)

I love you my friend. I hope this is helpful.

For those of you that are interested, we have the following tools:

Prayers from Psalm 119 and prayers from the Book of James

GBC Prayer Initiative and our weekly prayers

Daily Radio Spots

And of course my new book

In His Name, with great thanksgivings,

Mark S Mirza

I received the following email yesterday, and believe that this is a good email to re-start communicating again. With our new website up and running and some new tools available. This is probably as good a time as any to start encouraging again.

With all that said, here is yesterday’s email:

    Hey Mark, My name is…You came and spoke at our church and I enjoyed it very much. What i am writing to you about is a question that you covered but i must not have written down the scripture. I was talking to a guy i work with and he asked me “Why do we have to pray when God already knows what we want and need” I know that God wants to hear from us but i did not have the scriptures to back it up. If you could help me out with this question it would be greatly appreciated. Also, Just wanted to thank you for your weekly prayer sheet that you send me each week, I am so glad I signed up for it.     Because of Him

Below is my response:

Great question my friend!

I often begin talking about this subject this way, in keeping with your friend’s thoughts, “Why should we pray? It doesn’t make any sense! We are asking God, the One who spoke the words and the worlds lept into existence, about something something that He already knows how He’s going to answer, even though we have NO CLUE, what we’re even asking for yet! It doesn’t make any sense!”

And yet, the end of James 4:2 tells us that “we do not have because we do not ask.” Amazing! That’s all I can say, “Amazing!” What’s so amazing about it? That God is telling us, and this is the answer to your friend, that He, the creator of the universe, wants us to participate in what He does. It’s just that simple.

I believe that it is because of His love for us, which draws Him to WANT a relationship with us. Is that not amazing?

I hope that this email is an encouragement to you. Don’t forget the following tools:

Prayers from Psalm 119 and the Book of James

GBC Prayer Initiative and our weekly prayers

Daily Radio Spots

And of course my new book

In His Name, with great thanksgivings,

Mark S Mirza