From 24:7 - US Student Cured of Cancer

24-7 Prayer USA - January 15, 2008

"David Jolly, a student at Missouri Western State University, writes an incredible account of their five days of 24-7 prayer in November. Through faithful prayers gone up for a student named Gerrick who had been diagnosed with cancer, God responded powerfully. David shares with us, "Gerrick Ingram is 100% cancer free, without any surgery or radiation!"

"My name is David Jolly, and I am student at Missouri Western State University. Recently, I read the book Red Moon Rising, and I must say that it blew me away. Reading that book sparked the idea to have 24-7 prayer on our own campus. Our 24-hour prayer started November 5th and lasted for five days, and we prayed at the clock tower right in the middle of campus.

"The first night couldn't have gone better. It was a cool sixty degrees and the wind echoed with the songs of angels. God presence was definitely with us that night. At first, we were worried that the whole project would fall through because all the hours had not been filled up. But, after a visit to the boiler room in Kansas City, we realized that anything is possible with God - we were going to go through with it no matter what. Throughout the week, the hours that were not filled began to fill up like magic. People started to catch on to what God was doing. About halfway through the week, we had a nighttime worship session. It was freezing cold and we were all tired, but the minute that we started to sing, God's love met us and warmed us right up. It dawned on me at that moment that God was actually moving on this campus! We became a family that night.

"The rest of the week was fantastic, and it was funny to watch students pass by the clock tower and see someone praying. After a while, they figured out what was happening, and instead of being hostile, it seemed as though they wanted us to pray for them. We ended our week of prayer with another worship session that lasted until two in the morning. Isn't it great when you get lost in worship? I know that our lives will be changed dramatically from these encounters with God, and His power and mercy definitely rocked us.

"We were deeply impacted one story in particular. A student named Gerrick Ingram was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. Gerrick is a man on fire for the Lord. Throughout the week of prayer, we spent hours praying for him, and he spent much more time praying for himself. Gerrick knows that God has a plan for his life, and he was determined not to leave this world yet. Just a week after our five days of 24-7 prayer, Gerrick told us all that 95% of his cancer was gone. But, it gets better! A week after that, he went back to the doctor for testing, and to everyone's surprise, there was no sign of cancer in his body. Gerrick Ingram is 100% cancer free, without any surgery or radiation! He was healed by the power of God! He is a walking testimony and living proof that Jesus does exist.

"24-7 prayer is powerful. Look how much God changed the lives of people in just five days on the small campus of Missouri Western. Imagine the possibilities if we all agreed in prayer as brothers and sisters in Christ, every day. Imagine it - and let's make it real! God bless you all."

Source: http://www.24-7prayer.com/cm/content/810

Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip

Gotta love this:

I am studying prayer in a course I am taking right now. I am also in a season of frustration and disappointment with myself, and both of these things (learning to pray and frustration), lead to striving in my relationship with God and in my prayer life.

I was out walking yesterday in a state of striving and frustration when these four words popped into my head “the peace of Christ.” I kind of had a Homer Simpson revelatory moment as all that that phrase means to me flooded over me, and gave me peace again.

It was a Homer Simpson moment because I have spoken on the peace of Christ, written about the peace of Christ, and meditated for months on Colossians 3 that talks about letting the peace of Christ rule my heart, and yet I had forgotten about all that God has done for me, and the peace he provides, which is like no other. To quote Homer, “Doh!!!” I know I am kind of making fun of this moment, and maybe I shouldn't, because it was actually really cleansing, and powerful in a very gentle Godly way. Thank God for God. As I walked along a busy suburban street, I believe he reminded me of the unconditional peace he provides.

For me, nothing compares to God's peace and all that He has done for me - all of us actually. I can do all kinds of spiritual gymnastics, and meditation prayer exercises, but why should I when peace, and so much more, is provided to me through simple faith in Jesus Christ? Some people may mock (I was watching the Colbert Report yesterday and he was mocking the Christian Republican Presidential Candidates for their “Christian” stance on some of the issues) but ultimately, I find incomparable solace in what God has done for me through Jesus Christ. He has given me peace for now, and for eternity. He has forgiven me for running away from his love, over, and over, and over again. He has provided me with freedom from the shit that I choose to engage in that robs me of His peace.

Colossians 3:15 starts with the word "Let" or "allow" or "dip into" the peace of Christ. Am I still going to pray? Yes. Continually, hopefully. Until prayer is like breathing, BUT, I need to approach God with peace, faith, love, and with the confidence that comes from all that he has done for me and provides. In the context of this verse, prayer is allowing - through faith and practice - HIS LOVE, HIS PEACE and HIS WORDS to rule my body, and the body of Christ.

learning to pray: Read Colossians 3:1-17 a few times, …maybe more. More in this in the days ahead.

Praying For Others

Lately I have been moved to pray for people. Maybe it’s because of Christmas approaching and I am thinking about all the people in my life, or maybe it’s for some other reason. Don’t really know, don’t really care. The question is how do I pray for my friends and family? What do I pray?

This may be a little too formulaic for some people, but I like to follow an outline that I think Graham Cooke came up with. Graham’s written a booklet called “Crafted Prayer,” if you are interested http://www.brilliantbookhouse.com - – it’s brilliant (pun intended) Here's what I like to do:

1_ Think about the person you want to pray for. What are you thankful for? Thank God for them and the things that come to mind.
2_ Be silent. Be Still. Be open.
3_ What might Jesus be praying for them? Make this your prayer.
4_ What would you like to see the Holy Spirit do in their lives? How might he be praying for them? Make this your prayer.
5_ What would you like to see the Father do for them? How might he be praying for them? Make this your prayer.

learning to pray: who would you like to pray for right now? give the steps above a try.

Faith

Richard Rohr in the video series "Crisis of Faith" concerning Jesus:

I think he is saying I am willing to bear the burden of my own reality wherever it leads me. Never quite sure that it is right and that's why it's called faith. And that's why Jesus said when the Son of Man returns, will he find any faith on earth? I think Jesus really had doubts. Religion is common, it's on every street corner. Faith is very rare.

Two Questions

See if you recognize any difference in these two questions:

Question 1: What can I do to experience God?

Question 2: Where does God encounter me?

How do you feel about these questions?

Do you like one, or the other more?

What’s the difference?

Why does it matter? Does it matter?

Let me know what you think. Hit “Comments” below.

just pray

If I was to describe a place on a trail that I regularly go for walks on where you can see horses in the field with the Fraser River and Coastal Mountains rising up behind it all, it’s going to have extra feeling and meaning to you because you have been there before. If you haven’t been there and seen this lovely pastoral scene you might just shrug your shoulders and say, “sounds nice,” or worse yet you might just get bored and walk away. The best way to appreciate something, learn something, or experience something is go and see it and experience it for yourself.

The best way to learn how to pray - is to pray. When it comes to prayer, God and experience are the best teachers. As we engage ourselves in prayer, he will take us ever deeper into our hearts, and into his heart. As we pray we'll learn more and more about ourselves and about God. He will gradually teach us to pray, and transform our hearts and minds in the process.

I was reading James Finley's "merton's palace of nowhere" right on the heals of reading St. John of the Cross' "Living Flame of Love" for a course I am taking, and it hit me that I will never really understand what these guys are writing about unless I pray. They are describing places on a map that I have never been to. The little I can understand comes from my own experience with the Lord in prayer. Quite frankly the rest makes no sense at all!

Finley says that Merton once said to him:

the Church and the world do not need people to talk about prayer, think about prayer, write about prayer, nearly as much as they need people to pray.*

learning to pray: pray

* "merton's palace of nowhere" by James Finley