IGNITE November 2023
Greetings Precious Prayer Igniters!
One of the Greatest Gospel Gatherers and personal influencers in my life is our dear friend and mighty warrior in Jesus, Ed Thomas. And, to my delight, we have journeyed together with much “Shoe Leather Faith” for close to 30 years!
We often like to recall a moment when I’d spotted Ed across the huge central atrium in the middle of a very crowded Denver International Airport. On sight, I’d suddenly given a very loud Woodland Kingfisher shrill-trill call of Joy in Jesus: ❤️🔥😂CHKK-CHIRRRRRRR!!!❤️🔥😂
And, at that moment, the whole airport became STILL! (Psalm 46:10)
Ed Thomas is directly responsible for launching Igniting Prayer Action as a global prayer-influencing ministry!
In 2009, he introduced me to Walt Wilson, Founder of Global Media Outreach, where I joyfully served as their first Chief Prayer Officer for 11 years. Then in 2015, Ed sent me to Minneapolis to attend the GACX Forum. My first heart priority was to meet, pray with, and build a friendship with Bekele Shanko, founder of the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication (GACX). And within the alliance, I had the joy of serving as their first Prayer Advocate until 2020.
“Shoe Leather Faith” is the title of Ed’s wonderful online Bible Study based on his 2nd book— Shoe Leather For Our Life Journey (Thomas, 2022). As our Igniting Prayer Action partners, many of you will receive Ed’s book as a Christmas gift. And if you’re not yet a partner, for a LOVE GIFT of any amount to IPA, we would love to send you a copy of Ed’s book! The process is simple. When you donate your gift, simply write “SHOE LEATHER” in the comment section and you’ll receive the book. 😊
How You Can Go and Grow as a Gospel Gatherer with Shoe Leather Faith
Gathering lost sheep with the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL is a very rewarding and exciting adventure. I want to challenge each of you this month to simply apply the similar steps I’ve shared below. In doing so, you, too, can become a participant with God as He saves people before your eyes.
You might be thinking: “Me, share the gospel?! You’ve got to be kidding!” 😎
I’ve heard that roughly 7.5% of active believers regularly share their faith in Christ with unbelievers or those with a different faith; in other words, only about 8 in 100 people are direct evangelists. So, how can this be possible? Well, there are several reasons, but the common factor seems to be FEAR. In fact, 22% of Christians reported fear as their main reason.
However, I’ve provided the following simple steps to help you PRAY NOW, GO, and GROW into becoming a Gospel Gatherer!
Step 1— PRAY
Romans 12:2 says, ‘we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.’ So, let’s PRAY NOW: “Holy Spirit, I commit to trusting You to renew my mind and to believe that with You in me, our wonderful teacher, I, too, can share the gospel with others 🙌❤️🔥😊🙏
Step 2— GO
Our pastor and son, Chris Millar, at The Well, often says: “God has created you on purpose and with purpose.” And Jesus’ parting command before He ascended into heaven was to us all. He said, “GO and make disciples of all nations.” So, let’s stop right now to BE STILL for two minutes and receive this truth afresh into our hearts today.
God desires to use your personality, wrapped in His Holy Spirit of love and joy, to transform lives and bring them into a “marriage” relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am gradually engaging more deeply with the faculty, staff, and students at the San Marcos Academy, where I’m fondly becoming known as “Poppa Prayer Bear.” A few weeks ago, I was there visiting Dr. Brian Guenther, and while waiting outside his office, one of the staff greeted me and introduced me to a young lady she was interviewing. I smiled and welcomed her, and then asked that incredible life-transformational question: ‘So if there’s one thing I can pray now for you personally, what would it be?’
Step 3— GROW
She responded pretty immediately with, “I want to get closer to Jesus!” Then, I answered, “Oh, that’s a powerful prayer request.” And while listening to the Holy Spirit in my heart, I was led to ask if she had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She responded, “Well, I’m not sure.”
Sweet Saints, her response was a clear invitation to share the truth of the gospel message. So, as I stayed open to the Holy Spirit’s leadership, I raised my left hand and showed her my wedding ring. Then I told her that just as I absolutely know that I’m married to the most beautiful girl in the world and that my wedding band is a symbol that says I’m married, so can we be confident that we’re married and in a personal relationship with Jesus!🙌🎶
When we seek Him in the prayer of faith and ask Him to come into our hearts, it’s like we’re saying “I Do” to Him. And when He’s standing and knocking at the door of our hearts, we need only invite Him into our lives. Revelation 3:20
Then I asked her, “Would you like to invite Jesus Christ into your life today so that you know that you have a personal relationship with Him?” Thankfully, she said— “YES!” And right there, at the Academy, four of us prayed in agreement, leading her in the prayer of salvation!
We Have Tools to Help You Get Started!
Click here for a set of simple questions I asked my Brother-in-love, Bernie, pictured above with my Darling Bride, Nancy.
In His presence is the fullness of joy! We encourage you to ask God to put people in your path that need prayer. You can also pray that, now and again, He’ll cause us to encounter people who will need the free gift of salvation!
Sweet Saints, ANYONE (and that means you) can trust The Holy Spirit to ask these life-transformational questions! If you’re not yet a partner with IPA, for a gift of any amount, we would also love to send you a copy of Ed’s book.
Just be sure to write “SHOE LEATHER” in the comment section when you share your gift in support of Igniting Prayer Action. Thank You!
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The Lord Bless & Keep You!
- Colin
