4th Thursday July 2003 Devotional

Special Bill Bright Related Prayer Challenge –

In the wake of the news of the passing of Campus Crusade for Christ founder, Bill Bright, consider the following portion of an interview with Bill Bright as Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren asked him about the early days of the mission’s work…

Warren: If you could go back to your first year of ministry, is there anything you'd do different? Are there some successful mistakes that you'd say, "I learned not to do that again!"

Bright: I think the most important thing I've learned -- in a positive way -- is to encourage people to pray. Before we began our ministry at UCLA, we organized a 24-hour prayer chain, dividing the 24 hours into 96 15-minute periods. As a result, in almost every meeting we had at UCLA -- faculty, sorority, fraternity and dormitory -- people indicated their desire to follow Christ.

Warren: That's the power of prayer.

Bright: I think more recently, in 1994, God taught me the power of fasting and prayer. I think it's the spiritual atomic bomb of all the disciplines.

And now here is an excerpted prayer plug from a letter Dr Bright wrote just two days before he went to be with the Lord on July 19th 2003.

Dr Bright writes… “As long as you have breath, God's Word commands you to praise Him, and He also has something for you to do.

There are many possibilities. Perhaps you can be a prayer intercessor. There is not a more important job in the body of Christ than that of an intercessor.

You can be a prayer intercessor while confined to a bed or a wheelchair. You pray literally anywhere. If you do not have the strength to pray aloud, you can whisper. If you cannot whisper, you can move your lips. If you cannot move your lips, then pray silently, in your mind. God knows and reads your heart.

Your humble prayers can actually help change your world!

Are you still breathing? Then be encouraged, and get busy!” - Bill Bright

These are very inspiring words especially when you stop and consider the ministry of the man who said this. For a recap of Bill Bright’s wonderful life there are special links at www.ccci.org.

Even more profound than these humbling and inspiring quotes of prayer being like a “spiritual atomic bomb” are the very words of Jesus when he told us to ask for workers for the harvest in Luke 10:2.

When you stop and consider this Man’s ministry it should make us move are hearts in prayer all the more.  Jesus knew what He was asking us to be part of.  It was to partner with His Father in His Father's top priority mission.

If you are like me a little inspiration can help, but if you are really like me you may need some structure, some spiritual discipline habits to help prod and promote prayer in your life, especially praying for the world. No matter how many good intentions I have about praying for the world I often come out a weakling wrestler. What we need is a world wrestling federation of intercessors who persevere in prayer!

We all need encouragement, direction and structure to help our prayer lives. A secular writer, George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Ideas not coupled with actions never become bigger than the brain cells they occupy.”

I would say that, “Prayers ideas, prayer intentions and prayer inspirations not followed up with in prayer never multiply, never bless God and His people and never give the power of the effective spiritual atomic bombs they could. They remain a smoldered spark, wet, wilted and ineffective. It’s time to get ‘Bright’ and keep the prayer burning.”

Okay, so if you can relate to both the inspiration and the procrastination you need what weaklings like me need… encouragement, direction, structure and the likes.

This July of 2003 in central Iowa we are starting a monthly prayer meeting that meets ten times a year on the 4th Thursday of the month. www.4thThursday.com We will meet to pray for the world. As this email goes out to over 60 countries initially the challenge also goes out. Imagine churches coming together in unity for the purpose of prayer! Gee, I think there are even bible verses about this! (Hebrews 10:24)

4th Thursday prayer meetings are simple, but radical…

No sermons, but devotion! No entertainment, but intercession! No high flatulent guests, except God! No hour-long testimonies, but intercession! No boring missionary slide shows; just no-nonsense prayer for the nations in a come and go when you can atmosphere. Otherwise known as encouragement, direction and structure that can help us all cultivate a godly habit.

I encourage you to add another dimension of world mission’s prayer life and get involved in a 4th Thursday prayer meeting in your neck of the globe. Learn about recruiting a leader, recruiter and organizer at www.4thThursday.com where cities and locations around the world will be posted. Please pray for new meetings starting in the United States in IA, NE, OH, IN, VA & CO.

For years my friend and mission’s mentor George Verwer, who founded the work of OM, has promoted a free pamphlet entitled “Whatever Happened To The Prayer Meeting.” 4th Thursday is also a response to that poignant question.  To read that article go to GeorgeVerwer.com or Surge Up at the www.4thThursday.com site where the link is also found.

Remember Dr Bright’s last public written words… “Your humble prayers can actually help change your world!” If you believe this then turn your inspiration into intercession. Consider yourself officially challenged!  Surge Up and plug into praying for world missions.

"Are you still breathing? Then be encouraged, and get busy!" - Bill Bright

Take the first baby steps of this challenge...

#1. Sign up for more information at www.4thThursday.com

#2. Pass this email along to people you want to encourage to pray.

May God Bless your new prayer life!

Surge Up!

- Dave Davidson

Dave is the founder of SurgeUp.com and co-author along with his brother Dan Davidson, George Verwer and Bill Drake of “What Would Jesus Pray For The World” due out in stores in the U.K. in September 2003.  Ready to go prayers by Dr. Bright are also included in the collection of the 100 most significant prayers for the world… www.WhatWouldJesusPray.com

P.S. #3. Agree in prayer with a prayer Dr. Bill Bright prayed last year with pastor Rick Warren…

Bright: Father, Holy, Holy Father, we bow, in reverence and awe before Your majesty. You're the omnipotent creator of all things. You sent Your only begotten Son, the creator under Your leadership to be our Savior, our Lord, our Master, our King. We ask in His name, the name to whom You've given all authority in heaven and on earth, to prepare millions of young men and young women to serve You on the front lines of spiritual warfare, to be men and women who seek first Your Kingdom, who love You with all their heart, soul and mind, who trust Your Word and obey Your commandments and are faithful to You, Father.

I pray in the holy, holy name of Jesus for a continued spiritual harvest that will bring billions into Your Kingdom and liberate them out of the darkness and gloom of Satan's kingdom and bring them into the glorious Kingdom of light of Your Holy Son. In His name, we worship and praise You. In Jesus' name, we give You praise together. Amen.

Will you commit every fourth Thursday of the month to getting together with local Christians to pray for the world?
 
 The plan is simple, yet radical.  Get churches together, get Christians together and get praying hearts together once a month ten times a year to pray for the world.
 
 Set aside your appetite for entertainment one night a month and intercede with hunger for a lost world.  Make a world of difference and fit this worthwhile spiritual discipline into your life to glorify God, strengthen your walk with God and reach the lost. 
 
 Make it a part of your Mission Reserves time commitment schedule and your own Life Tithe to God.  Put it on your calendar and in your life.  Make a healthy habit for eternal blessings. 

Take the first baby steps of this challenge...

#1. Sign up for more information at www.4thThursday.com

#2. Pass this email along to people you want to encourage to pray.

May God Bless your new prayer life!

Surge Up!