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153,000 Deaths (Daily) and Counting . . . Humanly speaking, some of life's experiences are so far beyond our understanding that we simply want to avoid the subject. One eyewitness in Haiti reported, "I don't think a word has been invented to describe how horrific this really is." Even words fail. That's how I feel regarding any attempt to provide biblical perspective or explanation regarding the human suffering associated with mid-January's earthquakes. Yet without doubt, God's Word is not silent about His ways. And we learn most about His perspective in the midst of real-life experiences, especially ...

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Many of you, like me, have experienced a return to your first love for Jesus through personal revival. That's why I have something on my heart for you, because I know that you truly care about one of the things that breaks Jesus' heart right now—the horrendous pain, suffering, and loss caused by the earthquake in Haiti. Perhaps you are already familiar with Christ-exalting organizations that are ready to provide compassionate aid in Jesus' name; if so, by all means, support them. However, I did want you to know about one organization in Haiti that has a long ...

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Is this it?  Is this really all there is? This is not about football. It's about starting out the new year with resolute purpose. Man can bear great physical or spiritual hardship, but what he cannot bear is the sense of meaninglessness. Our greatest foe is what we most often seek—unencumbered lives and unbroken leisure, lives free from any care or concern. Our ultimate enemy is not pain, or disease, or physical hardship, evil as these may be, but triviality. If a man begins each day as just another unit of time in which he wonders what to ...

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Recently, Sue and I prayed together at the gravesite of LAM's founder. We took time to thank the Lord for the spiritual heritage of Del Jr., and then we prayed for the Lord to multiply the vision and mission of the ministry he birthed under God's leadership. Not to be overly mystical, but the sun was shining brightly on the words inscribed on the gravestone. It was as if a spotlight from heaven did not want us to miss a single word of his legacy:

He knew God
He loved God
He walked with God
He believed God ...

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Recently, I have been diving deeply into the early chapters of Acts. I feel I have been plunged into the journey, not by some external force or by mere internal discipline, but by a sense of desperation I feel in my heart ... desperation both for the nation in which we live and for the church that holds the key to God’s deliverance.

Authentic moves of God originate in hearts that are desperate for God and His glory. That was true of the early disciples as they gathered in a secluded room. Surely they contemplated the dramatic absence of Jesus ...

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I was in Boone, NC, when I began drafting this update, having spoken five times in a church where we have never done a Summit, but the integrative ministries of LAM have had a significant impact. In just one day (Sunday), I heard stories from the impact of LAM through:

  • Revive Our Hearts broadcasts – a man who listens every morning at 5:30
  • Seeking Him – an entire church that went through the study
  • THIRST conference – two youth were called to vocational ministry as a result of attending
  • Heart-Cry for Revival Conference – a pastor whose burden for revival was deepened
  • Revive ...

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I am standing outside Independence Hall, where the famous Liberty Bell resides. Of course, the bell has been cracked for years. And because of the damage it has sustained, it can no longer give a distinct sound. It cannot celebrate victories, warn of danger, or call people to action.

Similarly, the bells of freedom in America have been greatly damaged. In recent decades, many of the liberties we have enjoyed in this grand nation have been systematically eroded away. When we sing, "From every mountainside let freedom ring," it doesn't sound the same as it once did. A few ...

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May 30th marked the end of our fiscal year. Number 38.

We are about to engage in our annual audit. Upon completion, a public accounting firm will let us know how successful they feel our year has been--not just in terms of an income statement and balance sheet but also in integrity of process, systems, people, and governance policies. I expect their report to be more favorable than in any previous year of LAM. Thanks, accounting team. And thank You, Jesus!

But does that mean we have been successful? How do you measure the success of a ministry? a family ...

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(an in-house communiqué to the Life Action Staff)

Dear Staff,

Last week I had the privilege of hearing former President George W. Bush give his first major domestic speech since he left office. I have heard him speak on previous occasions, but for some reason his comments Thursday evening impacted me deeply.

During Q & A, someone asked, "What did you enjoy most about being president?" He jokingly quipped, "Eight years of never having to stop at a traffic light!"

On the more serious side, he mentioned Air Force One and Marine One, but then also added Camp David. I can ...

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I have been debating whether or not to comment on the controversial visit of President Obama to Notre Dame last Sunday. But I concluded it was no coincidence that I walked out of a restaurant as Air Force One was making its final approach; and then, with no knowledge of the routing from the airport to the campus, I saw the presidential motorcade. My comment on the decision won't take much space. It is simple and forthright: For a major Catholic University to bestow an honorary Doctorate of Law degree on a pro-choice president is tantamount to a major ...

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What will President Obama do this Thursday? What would Abraham Lincoln do? This Thursday is the annual National Day of Prayer.
 
The new administration will issue a NDOP proclamation, which every president has done since 1952 in accordance with a bill President Harry Truman signed into law.
 
But, for the first time in many years, our current president has decided not to host a prayer event at the White House or to personally participate in any National Day of Prayer scheduled activities. He is not the only president who has refused to engage with the solidly Christian (mostly evangelical) events ...

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For many years I have been challenging believers in churches across America to follow the example of Gypsy Smith.  Whenever the noted evangelist wanted to see God do His great work, he was known to draw a circle around himself with a piece of white chalk and pray, "Lord, send a revival, and let it begin inside this circle."  Rodney "Gypsy" Smith was born in a tent, raised in a Gypsy camp, and never attended a day of school; yet he influenced millions of people for God through his powerful preaching. Not exactly a recipe for success . . . unless we take ...

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Dear Ministry Friends, For me, staying focused on the right things can be a battle. I struggle with distractions. I list my priorities. I start my day. I stay busy. I get sidetracked. I end my day. I forgot I had a list. Staying focused can be tough when life is pulling us in many different directions. Yet I do better staying focused in my daily work than in my daily perspective. In the midst of all that is happening in our nation, especially economically, don’t you find it tough to keep God’s perspective?

As I shared in ...

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Times have changed. I used to watch road signs when traveling. Now I use GPS. But I forgot mine this weekend, which took me back to the past. In more ways the one.

Saturday evening, en route to my motel here in suburbia Minneapolis, I noticed a road sign: “Mankato, straight ahead.” The last time I saw a sign for Mankato was 36 years ago.

Many of you know the story. Sue and I spent the second night of our honeymoon in Duluth, on the shores of Lake Superior. We were hoping to enjoy the water but discovered ice formations ...

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Are you wanting President Obama to be a success? This seems to be the question everyone is asking.

My answer is simple and emphatic: It depends. "A victory without honor is a great loss." Earlier this year, a high school girls' basketball team blew out their opponent with a victory of 100-0. The following day, the school was seeking a forfeit and apologizing for the margin of victory. The head of the school wisely issued his explanation: "A victory without honor is a great loss." In the final quarter, the winning team pressed the opposing team and shot 3's ...

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The definition . . . it caught my attention and rang in my heart more profoundly than all of Salvation Army's worldwide inventory of red buckets, clanging coins, and ringing bells ever could. It gripped me. It deeply moved me. It was as if I could not escape. I felt compelled to make a decision. And I knew that no matter how many times previously I had been confronted with the same decision . . . this time it was different. It was beyond the rational and beyond the emotional. Piercing much deeper, to the very core of my being, I sensed the overwhelming conviction ...

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Front and Center

It hit me the other day, while shopping, how difficult it was to ignore the bucket. Virtually impossible. They are stationed at the most conspicuous place possible, painted bright red and accompanied by the universal sound of importance . . . a ringing bell. Is it possible for anyone to enter a local business at Christmas time and miss Salvation Army's invitation to participate in their mission? Has anything changed over the decades? Have any accessories been added to the bucket or its surroundings? It is refreshingly the same. The kettle is still red.

Perhaps General William Booth and ...

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Talk about organizational growth. In 1867, General William Booth only had 10 workers. Seven years later he had 1,000 volunteers and 24 full-time evangelists. And today, there are more than 1.5 million bell ringers in the U.S. alone.

The General started out largely self-educated, penniless, and practically friendless. He had one fixed idea. The whole of his effort and talent would be directed to one purpose--saving the world. Like his predecessor Wesley, he took the whole world as his parish. He began with nothing--no money, no powerful friends, only his golden voice, his passion, and a vision ...

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Dear Ministry Friends, A substantial part of my weekend was spent observing (and contemplating) my 96-year-old father in the process of passing from this life to the next. It has been a heart-wrenching experience. We all know that death is not a pretty thing. The frailness. The wasting away. Confusion. Gasping for another breath. One moment clinging to this life and then the next moment grasping for heaven. In my father's case, it will likely be any day now. Sadly, it looks like he is just curling up to die. The one thing that struck me was how much ...

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I just returned from a “working vacation” (an oxymoron) in northern Michigan. We had a great time enjoying the remarkable beauty of seemingly endless beaches.Michigan has 3,288 miles of shoreline, more than the entire Eastern Seaboard. So there was plenty of room to enjoy God’s creation and to reflect on God’s greatnesOne of the more remarkable sites to behold is the famed Mackinac Bridge. This magnificent structure was the architectural phenomenon of its day, and it still ranks as one of longest suspension bridges in the world. Five miles in length, it connects the upper and ...

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As many of you know, Life Action has only one mission and one message: REVIVAL. But we have multiple ministries, targeting critical touch-points of our culture. Currently, there are six primary outreaches. A flagship outreach is our road teams. They are now off the road, having just returned from their 37th year of itinerant ministry. This past year we focused on 59 different communities, conducting over 4,000 different events (sessions), including prayer gatherings, meetings with youth, children’s clubs, luncheons for women, church-wide sessions, area-wide services, local church staff meetings, and a host of additional informal events ... all with ...

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I had the privilege of inviting hundreds of pastors to go to their knees in prayer last week, as I opened the annual SBC pastors’ conference with a time of seeking God for revival. I have come to deeply appreciate Dr. Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist in Albany, GA. He served as president of this year’s conference, and he chose the theme “Prepare for Rain.” He spent months praying and asking God to send revival to the hearts of these shepherds. And he did it with deep understanding of genuine revival and an equally deep passion for ...

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While speaking to a group of pastors recently, it dawned on me that even among Christian leaders, confusion abounds concerning revival. I am regularly asked to provide an assessment of a particular event that is taking place that is being labeled revival. This happened last week regarding a well publicized, extended gathering transpiring in central Florida. In most cases I have found it prudent to provide a list of biblical indicators regarding authentic revival and allow those who are concerned to judge for themselves. After three decades of trying to answer inquiries, I have also learned the most efficient way ...

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Today, I want to interact on the final segment of prayer for my family. If you have been reading this blog, you will recall the previous five prayer points are as follows: F = Faithful and fruitful A = Active in sharing Christ and anointed as they do M = Morally pure and mates that are godly I = Insulated from the world, flesh, and devil, and 
                 integrity of heart L = Listeners, learners, leaders, and lovers When I come to the letter “Y” during my intercession for my children, I focus on two specific areas that are critical to spiritual success. They are:

  • Yield ...

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For the past several nights, I have awakened in the middle of the night and caught myself praying for my family using the acronym we've been focusing on these past weeks. In fact, I usually drift off to sleep but then wake up again still expressing the same thoughts to the Lord. I only wish I were that prayerful during my busy days! The fifth area of prayer for my children centers on the letter L. I ask the Lord for four specific things regarding my children. Here they are: 1. Listener
2. Learner
3. Leader
4. Lover Good ...

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By now, if you have been reading my blogs regarding how I pray for my family each day, you've noticed it represents a philosophy of parenting as much as a simple prayer list. In fact, it's a philosophy of living! That's why, when I finish praying these requests for my children and grandchildren, I often pray them for Sue and me. Thus far, we have prayed for our family to: F = Be faithful and fruitful A = Be active in sharing their faith, and anointed as they do M = Be morally pure and have mates that are godly ...

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Praying for my family daily has been enhanced greatly by praying through the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y. Last night I was in Roanoke, VA, and went to bed exhausted after a full day of ministry. Around 4 AM I awakened; I was only half conscious, but I found myself praying for my family using this simple acronym. It has become something I do subconsciously at times. If you read my previous two blogs, you will recall the following prayer points: F = Faithful and Fruitful A = Active in sharing their faith, and Anointed as they do This next ...

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Praying for my children the way I have been outlining in this series of blogs often convicts me to ask the simple question, “Am I expecting more of them than is true of me?” In no area is that more real than the #3 and #4 daily requests for my kids.

Last week we looked at the “F” in F.A.M.I.L.Y. I commented on how I pray that they would be both faithful and fruitful in their walk with the Lord.

When I come to the letter “A,” I ask the Lord to do two more ...

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I was at lunch recently with a Florida pastor who ministers to a large number of families. When I shared with him the method by which I have been praying for my family for the past decade or more, he immediately wanted a copy of my prayer plan. It's nothing new. It's nothing that dramatic. But God has blessed Sue and me with three children, all of whom are in vocational ministry and driven to impact the world for Christ as an overflow of their faithfulness to the Lord.
In addition to praying these themes for my children ...

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“Resolution # 1: I will live for God. Resolution #2: If no one else does, I still will.” -- Jonathan Edwards                 How did Jonathan Edwards become one of the most influential Christian leaders in our nation’s history? Was it his famous seventy resolutions that steered him to success? If so, what was it that made him unwavering in those commitments? How can I become as resolute about my goals as Jonathan Edwards was about his desire to live for God, even if no one else ever did?                 On my 40th birthday, I got away for an extended time to seek ...

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