Your Journey Blog

New Book: Spiritual Conversations: Creating & Sustaining Them without Being a Jerk!

This book is much more than the latest in a long line of inspirational Christian books. Spiritual Conversations is a book about evangelism. You hold in your hand a practical tool. Plenty of good books will impress you and inspire you. God can use the book to empower you. Your greatest days engaging the harvest and raising leaders for the harvest are in the future.

 

Dr. Ed Stetzer

President of Life Way Research

 

The title says it all: Spiritual Conversations: Creating and Sustaining Them without Being a Jerk. Far too many well-meaning believers stumble over the basic principles of engagement with unbelievers. The relational, process-oriented approach Rohrmayer takes opens up practical skills we can use, as well as exploring the deeper principles at work in our approach to these conversations. If you want a book on the loaded topic of evangelism that is both helpful and real, read Spiritual Conversations. Rohrmayer knows of what he writes.

Dr. Bob Logan

Founder of CoachNet

 

The great Apostle asked, "How are they going to hear without someone preaching?" The reality is that the eternal gospel goes forth to people from people. And, by experience, most people "hear" the gospel through a spiritual conversation not a sermon. This book empowers normal people to share the gospel through intentional conversations.

 

Darrin Patrick

Lead Pastor of the Journey Church, St. Louis, Mo

Vice President of the Acts 29 Network

 

Retail Price: 10.00 per book

Quality Discount Prices

For International Orders go to ChurchSmart Resources

Spiritual Warfare: An Unforgiving Spirit

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

4.  An Unforgiving Spirit

"Forgiveness and restoration are two difference acts.  Forgiveness can lead to restoration but restoration is not hinged to forgiveness." – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: II Corinthians 2:7-11 - Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Problem: “Satan can use lack of forgiveness and, failure to receive one who repents, to control a church situation." J.Robert Clinton

Antidote:  “Accept those back who God has forgiven and who have shown genuine repentance.”  J.Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• What is the difference between forgiveness and restoration?
• How can an unforgiving spirit harm the life a follower of Jesus? (Ephesians 4:25-32)
• How can an unforgiving spirit harm the mission of the local church?
• How can a forgiving spirit help the life of a follower of Jesus?
• How can a forgiving spirit aid the advancement of the mission of local church?

Prayer: Father in Heaven, protect my soul and your church from an unforgiving spirit; teach us to forgive as you have forgiven us with compassion and completeness. Through the power of the Holy Spirit enable us to put away unwholesome talk concerning the offender.  Teach us to use language that will build up the church, promote peace and exemplify the gospel.  Teach how to remove the roots of bitterness, explosive rage, unchecked anger, abusive and malicious words.  Teach us how to put on kindness and compassion towards those who have offended us so the world will see your forgiveness in action and believe that You sent Your Son into the world as a ransom for sin.  I offer this prayer in the name of my God and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Next: Deceptive Leaders with Slick Teaching

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Dependency: Prayer - Part 3

10 Steps to a Practical, Joyful, Prayer Life - Part 2   (Read Part 1)

Dick Eastman has been an author who has deeply touch my prayer life over the years … here are the second 5 insights he gives to help us develop a more consistent and joyful prayer life.

6. Feed every day on spiritual food. Jesus said, "People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God" (Mt. 4:4, NLT). Jeremiah wrote, "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (Jer. 15:16). Read the Word daily so you can pray it back to God.

7. Fellowship with the Lord in love. The prophet Hosea proclaimed, "Come, let us return to the LORD. . . let us press on to acknowledge him" (Hos. 6:1-3). "Acknowledge" (or "know," as it is sometimes translated) is from the Old Testament Hebrew word yada. One important definition of yada is "direct, intimate contact." Intimacy with the Lord is the key to joyful prayer.

8. Forgive every wrong done to you. Jesus said, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him" (Mk. 11:25). Elsewhere He admonished, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Mt. 6:14). The Lord knew that holding a grudge would make it all but impossible to pray effectively. Indeed, bitter believers rarely pray.

9. Forsake all things that hinder spiritual growth. When Andrew Murray suggested that "we pray as we live, it's the life that prays," he hit upon a vital key to joyful prayer. Those who would pray well must heed Paul's directive, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" (Col. 3:5).

10. Finish what you start. Rees Howells, a remarkable intercessor from an earlier generation, often said, "You will never be a true intercessor until you are first willing to be a part of the answer to your own prayers." When God selected the house of Cornelius to first release the gospel to the Gentiles, it was because Cornelius was someone who "gave generously . . . and prayed to God regularly" (Acts 10:1-4). Cornelius not only prayed, but he put feet to his prayers.

Source: Pray Magazine

Check out more prayer resources on Inspirational Prayer Quotes

Spiritual Warfare: Unmet Sexual Needs in a Marriage Relationship

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

3.  Unmet Sexual Needs in a Marriage Relationship

"A successful marriage is built on spiritual, emotional and sexual intimacy.  To neglect any one of these could make your marriage vulnerable.” – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: I Corinthians 7:3-5 – “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

Problem: “Satan can gain inroads into the life of a married person when sexual needs are not being met.”   J.Robert Clinton

Antidote:  “Keep lines of communication open in a marriage relationship, concerning sexual needs.”   J.Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• On a scale of 1 (extremely frustrated) to 10 (extremely satisfied) how would you rate your sexual relationship with your spouse?
• Could you share that number openly with your spouse?
• How could the enemy manipulate the frustration you are experiencing?
• What area of your sexual life would he specifically attack you with temptation?
• Is there someone in your life that you can share these frustrations?

Prayer: Holy Father, You are the creator of the marriage union. May Your desire for oneness be fulfilled in our emotional, spiritual and physical relationship.  Merciful Father, help me to be open and receptive in my conversations with my spouse. Protect me from being rigid and defensive.  Righteous Father, grant me the courage to speak truth in love to my spouse concerning our relationship at every level: emotionally, spiritually and sexually.  Loving Father, let the higher values of love drive my life and not the base values of gratification control me. I come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Next: An Unforgiving Spirit

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Dependency: Prayer - Part 2

10 Steps to a Practical, Joyful, Prayer Life

Dick Eastman has been an author who has deeply touched my prayer life over the years.  Below are the first 5 insights he gives to help us develop a more consistent and joyful prayer life.

Jesus said, "Go directly to the Father...using my name...and you will have abundant joy" (Jn. 16:23-24, NLT). The psalmist adds, "In God's presence is the fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11, KJV). These 10 directives may help you make prayer not only practical, but a joy as well.

1. Find the best possible time and place for prayer. In Mt. 6:6, Jesus said, "When you pray" (suggesting a time devoted to it), "go into your room" (suggesting a place devoted for it). First, set a specific time that is best suited for you to pray. Watchman Nee wrote, "Those who have no set time for prayer, do not pray." Then, find a good place for prayer-like a spare room, a closet, or even a comfortable chair. Going to the same place each day helps form a habit.

2. Forget all previous failures in prayer. A lady once confided to me that a terrible problem was hindering her prayer life. "I often fall asleep during prayer," she said. I replied, "Welcome to the club. I do, too!" Stunned that a teacher of prayer would have that problem, she inquired, "What do you do when you fall asleep during prayer?" Chuckling, I replied, "I rest in the Lord, what do you do?" As she laughed, I added, "What I do is start praying again when I wake up. The key is-don't give up!"

3. Fight all prayer hindrances fiercely. Paul wrote, "Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy" (Eph. 6:13, NLT). Of course, the greatest hindrance to prayer is not praying at all. James said, "You do not have, because you do not ask God" (Jas. 4:2). Then there's the hindrance of selfish praying. James continues: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives" (Jas. 4:3).

4. Focus on the Lord rather than on answers to prayer. God told Jeremiah, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you...You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:12-13). The essence of prayer is in the repetition of the word "Me" (God) in this passage. Effective prayer isn't gauged by how many answers we receive, but by how much of God we touch.

5. Follow a meaningful plan of action. When the psalmist said he would "direct" his prayer unto the Lord in the morning (Ps. 5:3, KJV), he used the Hebrew word arak, meaning to "set in order" or "arrange." He had a plan of action, or strategy, for his praying.

Source: Pray Magazine

Next week we will consider Dick Eastman's remaining five ways to practice joyful prayer.

Check out more prayer resources on Inspirational Prayer Quotes