Shot by Catherine Lainé of AIDG (flickr)

If you haven’t been in a cave, then you know of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti six days ago, and the ensuing humanitarian crisis that’s developing now.  Over 200,000 are now estimated dead with many of the living in desperate need of food, water and medical care.  Christian and non-Christian alike are working hard to help mitigate and relieve some of the incredible suffering that’s now taking place.

For believers, we are called to be faithful stewards of God’s resources.  That means that we should be saving up funds to spend on others, and not just ourselves.  Jesus tells the story in Luke 16 of an unrighteous, worldly steward who knew enough to spend his master’s money in a way that would benefit his future.  And Jesus argues that if an unbeliever knows enough to do this, how much more should Christians be investing God’s money into things of eternal consequence!

With that in mind, I wanted to make you aware of a variety of solid, trustworthy and less-heard-of relief organizations that are now hard at work in Haiti:

• Churches Helping Churches – an effort launched by James MacDonald and Mark Driscoll to specifically help solid Haitian churches that have been flattened or otherwise destroyed by the earthquake.  Hospitals, schools and other major buildings get all the attention, but biblically solid churches need to exist in Haiti for them to truly thrive.
• Childrens’ Hunger Fund – this organization is primarily focused on bringing food and the hope of the gospel to kids.  Francis Chan (pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley) sits on the board and they have been operating in Haiti since before the earthquake.
• Missionary Flights International – they provide air support to missionaries working in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Since the earthquake, they have been shutting supplies there as often as the airport will let them land.  Here’s a report on MFI from our own Eric Verkouteren…

As the Lord would providentially have it, I’m sitting in the parking lot of Missionary Flights International in Fort Pierce Florida, awe struck of the mercy god supplies. As an established organization, MFI organizes and partnerships with missionaries in Haiti to be a support chain in the supply of personel and goods. In response to the recent earthquake, this operation has expanded it’s daily flights and services beyond what it can withhold. As I walk around the hanger I see over 200 volunteers packing and sorting supplies. In talking with the Vice President Larry Cambell, he acknowledges the donations of some 100,000 lbs of supplies just today! MFI normally operates three restored DC-3 aircraft, but the demand has quickly exceeded the capacity of the organization.

Supplies being loaded at MFI (by Eric V)

In talking with Mr. Campbell he explained, ” The need is beyond our limit. With the generous support of Hendrix Motorsports we have two corporate jets shuttling workers and personnel. But we are still overwhelmed. We have 100,000 lbs of supplies sitting on the hanger floor with no way to get it down to Haiti. We need a C-130 or other aircraft to acomplish the task.”
Surely the need will continue for the next few months. Acording to Mr. Campbell, the US military has taken over the airport in Haiti, the flights are leaving several times a day. As I write I’m watching the supplies be loaded, personnel making their last phone calls, and more supplies arriving by the pallet. I’m stirred and I hope you are too to seek the lords hand, and to reach out how He may lead. More than just a temperal need, there is a spiritual need beyond what we can imagine.
Let’s rally in Christ…
In Him,
Eric

I became convinced that I needed some sort of lists if I was really going to persevere in bringing the same requests before God long term.  A small stack of 3×5 cards has many advantages over a big sheet of requests.  I find it less overwhelming to look at just one category at a time.  A stack of 3×5 cards with a clip also travels well in a pocket.

Some people asked on Sunday night for some sample categories.  Mine are:

• Spiritual Formation – These are areas in my own life where I want God to change my heart.  I pray over specific verses that describe what I’m after
• Areas of Surrender -On this card I put all the areas of my life that tend to cause me anxiety.  When I pray over this card I am surrendering these areas over to God’s care.  I will sometimes do this flat on my back, arms stretched out with palms up as a physical display of my surrender.  TMI? 
• Weekly Goals – These are specific things I want the Spirit-empowered discipline to accomplish every week, including: reading, praying through the cards, time with each kid, exercise, etc.
• My Wife and Kids – each has a separate card with specific requests for each
• My Parents, Brothers, In-Laws, Nieces and Nephews – listed with specific requests
• Extended Family – listed with specific request
• A Few Close Friends – each have their own card
• Kaleo People - if you ask me to pray for you, you’re on it
• People I’m Currently Discipling/Counseling – each has their own card
• Our Church Elders/Pastors – listed with specific needs next to their names
• Pastors/Writers – listed on one card – some I know personally, others are big names I don’t know personally – if they have had an impact on me they are on here
• Kaleo Leadership - listed on one card with specific needs next to their names
• Kaleo – specific things we would like to see God do  with us
• Work – for patients, clients, office staff and colleagues
• Kingdom – persecuted church, revival, the poor, human trafficking, church planting, stewardship of the environment, unreached peoples, end to abortion
• President Obama - for him personally, his family, for wisdom and protection
• Salvation – a list of people that don’t know Jesus but I’m praying God will save
• Missions – a list of specific missionaries and missions agencies that God has put on my heart
• Our Neighbors – listed on one card with specific needs next to their names

Here are Paul Miller’s general guidelines for using his prayer cards (pp. 225-226, A Praying Life):

1. The card functions as a snapshot of the person’s life, so use short phrases to describe what you want.
2. When praying, I usually don’t linger over a card for more than a few seconds.  I just pick one or two key areas and pray for them.
3. I put the Word to work by writing a Scripture verse on the card that expresses my desire for that particular person or situation.
4. The card doesn’t change much.  Maybe once a year I will add another line.  These are just the ongoing areas of a person’s life that I am praying for.
5. I usually don’t write down answers.   They are obvious to me since I see the card almost every  day.
6. I will sometimes date a prayer request with the month and year.

Erick

Using cards has really helped me a lot.  The goal is to become the kind of people that keep bringing the same requests before God like Jesus taught us to.   And I majorly stink at this naturally.

It has also been awesome to see how many things God has already done in response to prayer – something I would not have noticed without these cards.

Hope this helps you to pray more each day

Filmed at the Worship God ’09 Conference.

Erick

If you’d like to personally support what the Hurleys are doing in Uganda, visit SOS Ministries and make a donation.

Answer:

Peter

Biblical theologians have grappled with this  interesting question over the centuries.  But all are left with the same dilemma… Scripture seems to indicate that, in fact, there will be a renewed physical temple and a system for worship practiced in the millennial kingdom!

Scripture indicates that the millennium will be a time of special ministry by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 32:15)  to not only the  church-age saints, but also Israel.  In fact, Scripture indicates worship will be at the center of millennial life! (Joel 2)  A large portion of the activities during the millennium are direct fulfillments of God’s promises to Israel, and those promises often center upon the complete and unfettered worship of  the  God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

So it stands to reason that God’s covenant relationship with Israel would include specific promises being fulfilled during this time. For example, Ezekiel 40-48  declares that a magnificent temple will be constructed and a system of  priestly and memorial sacrifices will be set up during this time.   It seems clear that the sacrifices are not for the removal of sin, as they were in the OT system, but rather now serve as a unique means of  memorial worship to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for His “once for all” atoning sacrifice for His people!

While a complete answer to the question of the temple and sacrificial system remains somewhat confusing, the main point is clear:

In keeping with God’s promises to Israel, there will be an ordered system of worship once again in a renewed temple in Jerusalem.

In the  final verse of the 48th chapter of Ezekiel, a glorious purpose for the  renewing of Jerusalem and  construction of the magnificent millennial temple is given;

‘The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city form that day shall be,  ’The Lord is there’ “(Ezek 48:35)

For a fuller discussion on this and other related topics regarding the millennium, I recommend the following article:

‘The Glorious Restoration of Israel in the Millennium”  by Dr.John Walvoord
this article can be accessed at bible.org