#58

Issue

A Service Network for Pastors and Ministers

June 2012

this issue
q THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING IN MINISTRY | RICK RENNER q CORPORATE PRAYER - WHY DO IT? | DANA SHRADER 15 q A TRUE SIGN OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY | RICK RENNER

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q PROSPERITY 101 - FINANCIAL PLANING - PART 3 | JUNE BLUME

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Shared Vision for Excellence in Ministry | Mentoring | Synergy in Problem-Solving www.impartnow.com

IMPART MAGAZINE JUNE 2012

3 Importance of Timing in Ministry

RICK RENNER In our haste, we can miss the mark, but our wavering can cause us to miss it too. God wants us to be accurate both in discovering Gods will for our lives and in discerning the right time to move into action concerning His will. Rick Renner shares from his own experiences how to fulfill the will of God by knowing when to act and when to be still.

8 Prosperity 101
JUNE BLUME In this article, entrepreneur June Blume shares how to map where you are and where you are going (financially) so you can reach your desired financial destination. She shares seven easy-to-understand steps that can steer you in the direction of success. These steps cant be accomplished overnight, but you can begin taking them today.

15 Corporate Prayer Why Do It?

DANA SHRADER So many benefits await the pastor who leads his congregation in times of corporate, united prayer. So dont delegate this task to someone else. Follow this biblical model for prayer in the local church and grow with your congregation to become the portrait image of Christ and His Church.

20 True Sign of Spiritual Maturity

RICK RENNER Truthfulness is the foundation of trust. Rick Renner states: If we are to have the kind of relationships within the Body of Christ that God desires, it must begin with leadership. That doesnt mean honesty is always the easiest course, but its always the right one. And its the clearest, brightest, and most blessed and noble path we will ever take.

Rick Renner Ministries 2012 | Designed & Produced by Zoe Life Creative Media | ZoeLifeCreative.com | design@zoelifecreative.com

JUNE Issue 2012

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The Importance of Timing in Ministry

RICK RENNER GEMS FOR MINISTERS

ost believers strongly desire to do the perfect will of God and fulfill His plan for their lives and wisely so, for finding and doing the will of God is the key to success, fulfillment, and contentment as a Christian. But equally important to discovering the will of God for your life is discerning His timing. How often has Gods will been communicated to us, but because we misunderstood or misinterpreted the timing of His will, we acted too fast. And in our haste, we missed the mark. At other times, we pondered and lingered over the will of God so long that when the divine opportunity came for us to step out and do something big for Him, we faltered and lost the opportunity altogether. God wants us to be accurate both in discovering Gods will for our individual lives and in discerning the right time to move into action concerning His will. I have learned through the years that the role of timing knowing when to act and when to be still is integrally linked with fulfilling the perfect will of God.

Gods Timing Is as Important as Gods Will in Our Ministry

In my own ministry, I have found timing to be extremely important. Youve probably heard the saying, You must strike while the iron is hot. Of course, to strike while the iron is hot means to act while circumstances and events are favorable to your position. Certainly, circumstances and events are no substitute for the leading of

the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers, but I have found it to be true that we need to act when Gods favor is on our side. But Jesus used a very strange and different kind of example to emphasize our need to take action at just the right time. Let me begin by saying that wonderful opportunities in life often come packaged with difficult challenges. Knowing exactly which opportunities to take and which ones should be allowed to pass us by has been one of my personal challenges in the former Soviet Union. One day when I was seeking the Lord about some of these wonderful opportunities in the former USSR, the Lord said to me, If youre going to survive and do what Ive called you to do, you have to learn to think like a snake.

IMPART MAGAZINE JUNE 2012

Most serpents are designed to be camouflaged. This camouflage serves as a protective covering.
At first, these words caught me off-guard, but then, a phrase from Matthew 10:16 came to my mind. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. In this verse, Jesus commanded His disciples and us, too to be wise as serpents. To be honest, this verse had always perplexed me, as I had the idea of a serpent as being evil. But as I meditated on this verse more deeply, I began to gain new insight about what Jesus was actually saying here. Jesus said serpents were wise and that we need to take a lesson from them! As I pondered the behavior of serpents, I began to understand exactly why Jesus used this example and how it applies to you and me for our families, businesses, ministries, or any opportunity God places in front of us. If youre squeamish about serpents and snakes, hang on and stay with me for the next few moments so you can get the full impact of what Jesus is telling

us. This example was not my idea Jesus is the One who chose to use a serpent to make this point! So lets consider the behavior of serpents and see how this relates to timing in ministry or in any area of your life.

There Is a Time to Stay Quiet, Lay Low, and Blend Into the Environment.
Rather than announce their presence, serpents stay quiet, lay low, and blend into the environment when they move into new territory. In fact, you can walk right past a snake and not even know youre walking past a snake! They have the ability to be nearly invisible. Most serpents are designed to be camouflaged. This camouflage serves as a protective covering. The vilest aggressor can walk right up to a serpent and not notice it because it has blended so well into the landscape. This ability to be camouflaged gives the serpent latitude to move about freely as it finds its way around new territory and takes time to evaluate its new situation. As serpents evaluate their new environments, they identify places of shelter and hiding places where they can go to protect themselves against attack. They also observe where to find the easiest food. When all these observances are assimilated, a serpent is ready to act. But this settling in time is key for the serpent. Remember Jesus said theres wisdom in a serpents behavior that we as believers need to learn! When God calls us to do something new for example, to move to a new territory or to seize a divine opportunity its His wisdom that we move slowly and carefully into that new phase of our lives. A common mistake is to act too fast. Acting hastily, before all the facts are gathered and assimilated, often leads to erroneous decisions and actions. It would be better for us to stay quiet, lay low, and blend into the environment for awhile and learn from the facts we observe. Let me give you an example of this from my own life. When Denise and I first moved to the former USSR, we took time to learn the customs and culture of the new territory. We knew it would take time to understand everything we would see and experience, so we moved slowly and very carefully. Although we immediately saw opportunity for ministry, we decided to first watch and gain as much knowledge of our new environment as possible. Acting too quickly would have certainly meant making poor and regretful decisions. In the first few months we lived in Latvia, we made little noise and were hardly noticed. This allowed us

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the ability to move about freely and without disruption. We visited churches unannounced. We wandered in and out of different parts of the city to observe and ascertain the spiritual condition of our new environment. Before I made any grand announcement that we were going to go on television, I first wanted to know something about television in that part of the world. Unfortunately, I also observed many American missionaries announcing great plans that never developed. Their ideas were great and perhaps those ideas were from God but because these missionaries acted before they understood the full picture, they ruined their testimony and lost a glorious opportunity. They were trying to take ground for the Kingdom of God that they knew nothing about. It was utter foolishness to start such fantastic projects without first understanding the challenges, risks, and dangers. Many were hurt because of acting too fast and getting in a hurry. Denise and I knew that moving slower may take more time, but in the end it would produce more stable and serious results. We made the choice to move slow and steady, to gather all the facts we could gather, put them all together, analyze the information, listen to how the Lord would speak to us through those facts, and then make an announcement about our plans. To make our announcement any sooner than we did would have been a grave mistake. Most mistakes are avoidable if well use patience and wisdom instead of acting hastily. Thats why I strongly advise you to take your time and be sure of the actions youre contemplating for your ministry or personal life. Learn the general landscape of your new environment. Locate places of spiritual shelter for you and your family. See what kind of attacks could potentially come against you. Take time to really understand the opportunities around you as well as the challenges. Take advantage of the moment to be informed of all the facts before you announce your plans.

Serpents Are Wise Enough To Know When To Seize the Moment and Strike!
Knowing when to act is as important as knowing when to lay low. When prey passes before a serpent, that serpent knows its time to strike! If it waits too long, the opportunity will pass by and put the serpent into an irretrievable position.

Similarly, when you know its time to act, youll have to put your emotions and feelings of fear aside and seize the moment! Ive seen so many young ministers pray and pray for divine opportunities to come to them. They fasted, prayed, and waited for a golden moment to come. Then, at long last, that moment came! A great door of opportunity stood directly in front of them. It was time to act, but rather than seize the moment and walk through that door, they hesitated because they wanted to pray about it just a little bit more. God brought them exactly what theyd prayed for, but when they finally got around to saying yes, it was too late. Because they paused, they lost the opportunity. Let me give you another personal example of knowing just the right time to act. Back in the early 1990s, I earnestly prayed and sought God to open a certain television opportunity to our ministry. One day I received a phone call from the top directors of the national television network in that country. They asked me to fly to their city to talk about my program Good News With Rick Renner. My associate and I took the next available flight to meet with these two powerful men in that city. My heart was filled with anticipation as I wondered, Was this the opportunity I had been praying for? Was it really happening? Was God answering my prayer? I had a sense that something great and awesome was about to transpire, and I could hardly wait to arrive at the meeting to hear their proposal. I had already done my homework. I had studied the statistics about the full reach of the TV channel that was about to be offered to us for my program. I had spoken with pastors and churches all over that country to see what they thought of that particular channel. My time of laying low and blending into the environment gave me the knowledge I needed

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when I stepped into that meeting with those two directors. I was thoroughly equipped to have this long-awaited conversation. Armed with information and supported by the prayers of our partners, the meeting began. Almost right away, they asked me, Would you like to broadcast your TV program on our national channel and penetrate every single home in the country? This is exactly what Id for so long been praying and waiting for! The opportunity of a lifetime was sitting on the table in front of me in the form of a TV contract. I held my composure, not wanting them to know how excited I was at this chance to reach every home in the entire country with my program.

Spiritual Discernment Helps Us Distinguish Natural Reasoning From Faith

I waited to hear how much this divine door of opportunity was going to cost our ministry each month. The cost was much more than wed imagined, but I knew it was worth the money because it would broadcast into every single home in the entire nation. But when I heard the price of the broadcast time, I felt myself hesitate. A wave of fear began to sweep over me that we wouldnt be able to come up with the cash each month to pay for the TV time. Yet I knew a door had just opened before me that had never been opened to anyone else before. Only God could open such an incredible door for the Gospel. In fact, there was no doubt in my heart that God was orchestrating the entire event. Calmly, I asked for a few minutes to speak to my associate alone. When the two directors stepped out of the room, I told my associate, I dont know where the money is going to come from to pay for this, but Im going to sign this contract right now before we lose this opportunity for the Gospel. My head said, Dont do it, but my spirit said, DO IT NOW! In my heart, I knew it was the moment to strike and seize this opportunity. Within a few minutes, I picked up the pen and signed my name on the dotted line! A divine opportunity had just been placed before me, and Good News with Rick Renner would now be broadcast into the homes of 52 million people each week! Within days of that contract signing, the political climate rapidly changed in that country, and I realized if I hadnt seized that television opportunity at that exact moment, I would have

lost it. Just one week later, that door would have been closed! But because we seized the opportunity at just the right time, our program was locked into a contract that the government had to honor! And our TV program and ministry became one of the most power spiritual forces in that nation! I thank God that I had the spiritual guts and gumption to act at the right moment. I had already prayed and prayed. But then it became time to seize the moment and act; it was time to strike! The Lord has taught me over the years that there are moments in life to lay low, and there are moments to strike! Surely this is what Jesus meant when He told us to be wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16). You may be asking, But how do I know whether its time to lay low or time to take action and seize the moment? The Holy Spirit will lead you in these areas if youll be sensitive to follow His leading. And believe me, if youll listen to Him and follow Him, He will guide you past every obstacle, camouflage you from every attack, and show you exactly when to take action in your family, your home, your business, your church, or the ministry God has given you. Romans 8:14 says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The word led in this verse is translated from the Greek word ago, and it means to gently lead about. Its the same word that would be used to describe a man leading his cow

We are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is the Leader!

about on a rope. Using this depiction, the farmer would wrap a rope around the cows neck and tug until the animal began following him. When the cow cooperated and followed that gentle tug, it could then be led where its owner wanted it to go. The farmer was the leader and the cow was merely the follower. The cow didnt argue with the farmer; it simply trusted and followed. This is how we are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is the Leader! However, it must also be pointed out that this word ago is also the root for the Greek word agon, which is where we get the word agony. Even in Greek, the word agon describes an intense conflict, such as a struggle in a wrestling match or a struggle of the human will. This illustrates the fact that although the Holy Spirit

wants to lead us, our human will doesnt always like the idea of being led. You see, its the nature of the flesh to want to go its own way, so when we choose to walk in the Spirit and let Him dictate our lives, His leadership over us creates a struggle of our will with our flesh. This means the Spirit will lead us, but we must extend our hearts to Him first, in faith and submissive trust, for without our cooperation, He cannot guide us anywhere. Many people are afraid to obey what the Holy Spirit puts in their hearts to do. Fearful that theyre being misled by some other force or that theyll make a mistake, they sit on the sidelines and watch other people achieve success while they remain right where theyve always been. But let me tell you that you can confidently trust the leading of the Holy Spirit! In John chapters 14-16, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth on at three occasions. It seems that Jesus thought this was a truth worth repeating! The Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth will not lead you in a wrong or false direction. He is the Spirit of Truth and One on whom you can rely! If the Holy Spirit is prompting you to take action about something now, its because He sees and knows something you may not see. So let the Holy Spirit become your eyes and ears so that you can discern and detect key moments and divine opportunities for your life, family, business, or ministry. To stay spiritually sensitive so that you can discern the Holy Spirits gentle leading in your life, youll need to spend time:

Reading the Word. Meditating on the Word. Praying in the Spirit. All of these things help keep our spirits sensitive to the leading of God in our lives. If we will do whats necessary to stay sensitive, well discern His voice as He tells us when we need to lay low and when we need to move into action. I can tell you from personal experience that timing has been a major key to the success of our ministry. Denise and I are not smart enough to figure out with our own reasoning powers the right timing for everything the Lord has asked us to do! We give God all the glory and honor for our success in ministry because the timing of the many outreaches weve stepped out to do over the years has been directed by the Holy Spirit, not by us. Denise and I have depended on the Spirits leading, and as a result, we have walked through many strategic doors at key moments. Weve learned that when He prompts us to wait, He intends for us to wait. And when He urges us to move now, He means exactly what He says! In Matthew 10:16, Jesus commanded us to be wise as serpents. I pray that what Ive shared with you has provided you with fresh insight about this verse. May this truth benefit you tremendously as you correctly discern Gods timing in every situation and season of your ministry and your life.

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Prosperity 101
Financial Planning From the Inside Out That Anyone Can Do
JUNE BLUME | HEART ALIGNMENT

(Part 3)

ost people would never pack their suitcases into their automobile and just start driving aimlessly without having a desired or intended destination. When we travel, we usually know where were going, and we may even have a route mapped out to guide us and keep us on course. Yet many show little attention to their own future as they travel through life without direction concerning their financial destination. They either havent set financial goals, or they have dreams and desires concerning the future, but they dont know how to fulfill them. Perhaps theyre waiting for some big break that will set them on a course of success. But God requires us to be faithful in our stewardship of what we have right now. He wants us to know where we are financially today and where we desire to go tomorrow. And He wants us to develop a plan for getting there. Some people refer to this as writing the vision (Habakkuk 2:2). You cant run with a vision unless you have a vision to begin with! And along with a vision, you need a clear route a path that youve committed to God on which to travel toward your desired station. In Part Two of this article, we talked about creating a Financial Statement to show you where you are right now in your finances. Then we looked at writing a household budget and having a plan for tracking spending. Having done those things, now youre ready to set out on your path to financial prosperity and freedom. The following are seven steps well look at that can help you navigate that path successfully. (Well cover the first four steps in this article and Steps Five through Seven in next months issue.) I also recommend that you also study self-help materials on wealthbuilding and wealth management by those who are proven in those fields. I especially like Dave Ramseys materials. In fact, much of what I share in this article can be found in one or more of his online courses. The important thing is to ask God to help you map out a plan toward financial freedom for you and your family. And He will! God desires that His children live free, and that includes living financially free.

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Seven Steps to Financial Freedom

1. Save $1,000 to use strictly for emergencies. 2. Pay off all debt (except your mortgage). 3. Save three to six months worth of living expenses in case you lose your job or source of income. 4. Put 15 percent of your salary into pre-tax retirement plans and a Roth IRA, if eligible. 5. Set aside college funding for your children. 6. Begin to pay off your home early. 7. Continue to invest and build wealth for yourself and others.

Step 1: Build Up an Emergency Fund of $1,000

Many people think they cant save money, so they dont even try. Perhaps theyre not starting small enough. Maybe they want to save a larger percent of their income than theyre able to save at the moment, so they just give up, and they fail to save anything at all. But our first step to financial prosperity and freedom is to save $1,000 thats designated strictly as an emergency fund. This is money

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you might need for lifes inevitables that happen to all of us at one time or another, such as to repair a car or major appliance that breaks down. An emergency fund is not for vacations; Christmas, birthday, and anniversary gifts; and clothes for the kids. All of those things can be anticipated therefore, theyre not emergency situations. Gifts and clothing expenses can be included in your budget, which can be revised as often as necessary. Youll need your emergency-fund money to be accessible, but youll also want to earn as much interest on it as possible. A good choice for this kind of savings would be a money-market account with limited check-writing privileges. I dont recommend simply keeping the extra emergencyfund money in your regular checking account, because it can be tempting to dip into that money for non-emergencies when you know the money is readily available. Some people depend on their retirement savings or investment accounts to double as their emergency fund. When they have to use it, they have the best intentions of paying this money back, but since there usually isnt the urgency to do so, most of the time, the funds withdrawn from these accounts are never replaced. Therefore, I dont recommend that you use long-term savings as your emergency fund. A separate account designated strictly as an emergency fund may seem like more trouble at first, but in the long run, youll be protecting your retirement savings for a time when youll need it most. Ive heard financial counselors advise people to pay off all their debt before attempting to save money. They argue that the interest you pay on your debt is greater than the interest youd earn on most savings accounts. That sounds logical, but please consider this: If you get sidetracked by an emergency while youre trying to reduce your debt, youll probably have to use credit to take care of the emergency, which can sidetrack you from your goal of getting out of debt. In an emergency situation, instead of paying off debt, youre taking care of the immediate need and youre probably doing it on credit. This can throw you right back into your old cycle of spending. Without an emergency fund to fall back on when emergency situations arise, you simply set yourself up for failure on this seven-step plan. Someone asked, What happens if I have an emergency while Im reducing debt? If I have to spend five-hundred dollars from my thousanddollar emergency fund, do I pay that back first, or

do I continue paying extra money toward my debt? If you experience a situation that requires you to withdraw money from your emergency fund, you should work to replace that first before continuing to pay extra toward your debt. Once youve built your emergency fund back up to $1,000, you can resume your debt-reduction plan. Otherwise, another emergency could cause you to spiral back into your old habits of borrowing money or spending beyond your means. As youre eliminating existing debt, incurring new debt would be counterproductive to your short and long-term goals. The key is to have money on hand for emergencies so that you can focus undistracted and unhindered on the next step in your financial plan.

Step 2: Reduce and Eliminate Your Debt

Once you have your $1,000 emergency fund in place (most people find that with a little effort, they can put this in place within a month or so), youre ready to go to Step Two, which is to pay off any debt you may have. One controversial issue regarding getting out of debt is over the use of credit cards. Some people justify their use of credit cards in various ways, including claiming that its a smart way to borrow money for free by taking advantage of zero-interest offers. But credit-card companies wouldnt make such offers if those offers didnt work in their favor. Those companies are in business to make money, and they are counting on the customer having a balance at the end of the trial period, at which time interest accrues, and the customer ends up paying big bucks on what was supposed to be a wise financial move. But if you dont have a credit card or you use one only as a convenience and pay your balance in full each month you dont even have to think about maneuvering past one of those zerointerest offers.

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When determining how you can cut your budget and reduce your monthly expenditures, ask yourself: Do I really need this? Can I do this less expensively? Obvious areas that could be reduced or eliminated in a budget include: Cable TV Eating out Entertainment Trips or vacations Magazine and other subscriptions Nails and other luxury services Allowances, gift-giving, etc. More serious cuts in your budget might include selling a car and buying one that you can afford outright or with smaller monthly payments. You can also look for items around your house that you can sell using the proceeds to apply toward your debt such as a boat, furniture, antiques, guns, electronics, power tools, jewelry, etc. Lastly, if your house payment is greater than 45 percent of your income, you might consider selling it and buying one that is less expensive. If you want to cut your budget and reduce your spending so you can reduce and eliminate your debt, youll have to change your lifestyle. I encourage you to make this a family project and involve the children. In asking them to be a part of the solution, youre teaching them how to prosper financially themselves one day when they become responsible for managing money. When my husband Wally and I were building our business, we worked a lot of hours. We had a tight budget at the time, and we determined that if our business was going to be successful, we were going to have to put in the hours necessary to make it happen. At that time, we couldnt afford to hire anyone to help us, so there were many weeks that we worked 60, 80, and even 100 hours. We did that over a period of two or three years. Our son was in college, and we both liked to work, so we made the decision together to put in those long hours. You may need to do that to get out of debt. Ask God each step of the way to show you what He is requiring you to do and then be obedient to that. Only you can determine what plan of action you will take to eliminate your debt, but regardless of the exact method, you do need a plan! And that plan should include a Financial Statement, a budget, and a system for tracking spending. Without some kind of plan in place, youll continue your current spending cycle, and you wont reach your financial goals.

I recommend not using credit cards or paying the balance in full each month if you do use them. But how do you stop using credit cards once youve committed to getting out of debt and staying out of debt? For most people, the quality decision to stop using credit cards is enough. They can simply put their cards in a secure place and use them only as a convenience, paying off the balance each month. If you travel frequently, credit cards can provide a convenient means of tracking your spending, but this only works if you pay your balance in full at the end of each billing cycle. However, some people find that its too big a challenge to stop using credit cards. For them, cutting up their cards and using only cash or a debit card for making purchases is a good option. One warning about debit cards, though they require that you diligently monitor purchases by recording every transaction in your checkbook so you can keep the balance current and prevent being overdrawn in your account.

Tips for Cutting Your Budget

If youre currently in debt, the only way to get out of debt is to increase the amount of money you apply toward your debt. You can achieve that goal by doing the following: (1) spending less money than youre accustomed to and using the extra money to repay the debt or (2) increasing your income. For example, if you cant cut your budget sufficiently in order to apply more money toward debt repayment, you may need to take a second job.

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Tips for Staying Motivated and Focused

One of the best ways to jumpstart your debt reduction is to list all your debts in order, from the smallest to the largest balances, including loans from relatives. One of the foremost financial experts in the United States says that interest rates are not the issue at first. He says, in effect, This is about behavior modification more than just math. I agree. Youll want to achieve some quick victories while at the same time change the old patterns that landed you in debt in the first place. After youve paid off a debt or two very quickly, you will likely be very motivated to continue executing your new plan. Once you list your debts and start paying extra on the smallest one, continue to make the minimum payment on the others so that you stay current on those. If you were paying more than what was required, use that extra money as well as the money you cut from your budget and the money you made on the sale of selected household items to apply to your smallest debt. Then each time you pay off a debt, take what you were spending each month on that debt and apply it to the next one until it, too, is paid off. By the time youve paid off the first three or four of your smallest debts, you should have a fairly substantial sum to apply to the next debt. With each debt thats repaid, your snowball effect increases with which you can wipe out your remaining debt. How long it takes you to pay off your credit-card debt will depend on the size of your debt and the size of your income. For most people who are diligent, it can usually be accomplished in 18-24 months. Its important to remain completely focused on reducing your debt until it is finally eliminated. You need to continually talk about and reinforce in your heart and mind the fact that youre going to be debt-free. Doing this will strengthen your spirit and your resolve so that after you pay off one debt, you wont go out on a spending spree!

What Im sharing with you will work if youll stay with it. So continue doing whats right, and before long, youll experience the rightness of living debt-free! You will be tested along the way and be tempted to spend money beyond the boundaries that youve set in place for yourself. But choose to trust God and stick with your plan. Make a determination to never borrow again and then stay with that determination and mindset.

Step 3: Fully Fund Your Emergency Account With Three to Six Months of Living Expenses
After youve paid off all your debt except your mortgage, youre ready to move on to Step Three fully funding your emergency account with three to six months worth of living expenses. So for a family that lives on $5,000 per month, they would need $15,000 to $30,000 in their emergency savings. This is important to have in the event you suddenly lose your source of

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income. Remember, all your debts are paid except your mortgage, so this money can keep a family afloat and cover their basic living expenses during your transition into finding other work or regular income. Just as you did with your initial $1,000 emergency fund, youll also have to make sure you dont fall into the trap of rationalizing about using your emergency money for something other than a real emergency. A true emergency might include: Paying the deductible on a large medical bill Loss of a job or a decrease in work hours Replacing your automobiles transmission Anything unforeseen that could have a major impact on your family Non-emergencies would include: Repairing your boat (unless you live on it) Starting a business Buying furniture Going on a vacation How much you set aside in this fund whether three or six months of your living expenses might depend on your line of work. For example, if youre in sales and work on commission, you may want to have six months worth of expenses. Women tend to value financial security more than men, so a wife might simply choose to have six months worth of expenses set aside while her husband might

think three months worth is just fine. If youre married, youll need to decide together and come into agreement concerning the amount youll save for emergencies.

Step 4: Pay 15 Percent of Your Gross Income Into a Retirement Plan

Now that youre debt-free except for your mortgage, and you have three to six months worth of living expenses tucked away in your emergency savings account, youre ready to take the next step and begin putting 15 percent of your gross income into a pre-tax retirement plan. At this point, you might be tempted to save more than 15 percent for retirement, but keep in mind the next three steps, which entail saving for your childrens college expenses, paying off your mortgage, and doing additional investing. Some people are also tempted to set less than 15 percent aside toward a retirement plan, because theyre counting on Social Security to help fund their retirement years. But if our volatile economy has taught us anything, its taught us not to depend on federal programs, as some of them appear to be on the verge of bankruptcy. I ask people to look at it this way. If Social Security is still solvent when the time comes for you to retire, youll have more than you planned for. But if it isnt, you wont miss a beat, and you and your

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the continual changes and fluctuation in the financial market, research is essential. There are many financial advisors available who can help you in this area. I also recommend

if your company 401k matches the first 3 percent you contribute, you should contribute 3 percent to that 401K .
that you consider taking classes or that you find information online on these topics. One course I highly recommend is Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University (learn more at daveramsey.com). As youre doing your research, pray about where to put your money that will bring you the most benefit in your retirement years. The important thing is to systematically and consistently follow your plan over time so that youll remain on target and reach your desired destination of financial freedom.

spouse wont suffer as you maintain the lifestyle youve enjoyed in the past. Many who depend solely on their Social Security benefits to sustain them today can barely afford the necessities of life, including the medications they need to stay healthy. Theyre also forced to live very frugally toward their children and grandchildren at a time when they might want to be the most generous.

Many pre-tax retirement plans offer options in terms of the types of long-term accounts you can put your money in. Many experts recommend that you use growth-stock mutual funds for long-term investing. These same funds are lousy short-term investments because they go up and down in value. So keep in mind that youll need to leave the money in this type of fund longer than five years. Another tip for investing is to always begin where you have the promise of a match. In other words, if your company 401k matches the first 3 percent you contribute, you should contribute 3 percent to that 401K. Then check into investing the remaining 12 percent in Roth IRAs. With a Roth IRA, youre allowed to invest approximately $5,000 $6,000 per person per year. The interest on this type of account grows tax-free provided there are no withdrawals before the seasoning period, or within a specified amount of time. This information about investing isnt comprehensive, so I strongly counsel you to research long-term investing for yourself. With

Which Plans Are Best for Investing?

June Blume and her husband Wally are the founders and owners of Denali Ingredients (www.denaliingredients.com) and Denali Flavors, the makers of Moose Tracks ice cream (www. moosetracks.com). June has held finance, business analysis, and sales positions in the company since 1994. Currently, she works with her husband in the overall guidance and management of the Denali companies as well as their newly formed company Brandi Renee Designs (www.brandireneedesigns. com). Highly successful in the realm of business, the Blumes are also committed givers, who demonstrate their hearts for the Kingdom of God by the way they invest in Gods work worldwide. They also engage in a full-time lifestyle of evangelizing and mentoring as they yield their unique gifts to the Lord of the harvest in the workplace, at home, and wherever life takes them.

Editors Note: In next months issue, Mrs. Blume covers the last three steps in the financial-freedom plan and offers insightful tips from her experiences that will inspire you and help ensure your own success.

Corporate Prayer Why Do It?

by Dana Shrader | Prayer Principles

Corporate prayer why do it? Why do I as the pastor need to lead my church in united prayer? Why not just have someone else lead it whos more given to prayer?
Have you ever asked yourself these or similar questions regarding churchwide prayer? You probably like to pray alone, anyway. You may not even feel like you know how to lead corporate prayer. And, God knows, you have enough to do as it is!

All these feelings and objections are understandable. However:

0 So many benefits await you if youll

take the step to initiate and lead united, corporate prayer with your church members.

0 There are so many answers and breakthroughs on the horizon if youll

simply launch out into the deep, trusting God to help you as you lead your church in prayer.

0 Theres a unity and an intimate bonding

with your congregation that youve perhaps never experienced before if youll venture into this scriptural model of prayer in the local church.

0 And, oh, the safety youll afford your

people as their shepherd, guarding them with the staff of prayer instead of entrusting them to the oversight of another.

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Dear pastor, you can lead corporate prayer! In fact, you were built to lead it. Certainly, you will delegate the oversight of various prayer groups to others, especially if you pastor a large church. But Ive observed over the years that where a pastor oversees a church-wide prayer meeting at least once per month, congregations thrive, even in situations where strife and discord existed previously. In an upcoming article, Ill share with you a simple format that can easily be implemented to begin a corporate prayer meeting if you dont already hold such prayer meetings in your church. But in this article, well look at the great benefits afforded in leading your people in corporate prayer.

Examples and Benefits of Praying With the Saints

As we look at the book of Acts, we see multiple examples of leadership praying together with the saints. Just the fact that we see example after example is proof enough that its a pastors scriptural responsibility to lead his or her church in prayer. But within the scriptural examples themselves, we see the exact blessing they promise.

wannabe to a bold leader, a fire-brand representative who didnt mince words in the preaching of the Gospel. For example, we see Peter grab Joel chapter 2 and dare to pull it into present-day fulfillment in front of a Jewish crowd. We see him interpret it with heavenly boldness and insight. Then we see 3,000 people get saved as a result of his preaching! We also see the ministers and the saints leaders and laity receiving revelation and being bonded together in unity by it and portraying a true picture of the Head of the Church and His Body. Oh, the blessings untold of corporate prayer! The corporate anointing is the strongest anointing the Body of Christ will ever know. Lets get about learning how to understand it, recognize and move with it, and utilize it! And just as a side note: After this time of united prayer, there was a tremendous wave of financial giving and further signs and wonders.

Acts 4
As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:23,24,29-31 NLT We see here that in a world of increasing persecution, leaders found it vital to pray with their own company of believers. After a time persecution, they returned to pray with the saints. It was in this time of prayer that the apostles were endued with power to preach. Everyone present, both laity and leader alike, were filled again with the power of the Most High. The building physically, literally shook because of this corporately manifested power. Then the apostles went out with signs, wonders, miracles, and bold preaching. (There was also another wave of financial giving.)

The corporate anointing is the strongest anointing the Body of Christ will ever know.
Acts 1 and 2
Jesus had told the disciples to go and tarry in that upper room until they were endued with power. We know that the disciples were up there with more than 100 people. We then see the Holy Ghost poured out and suddenly, under this corporate anointing, the disciples and the saints who were with them were almost instantly changed and thrust forth into the spiritual harvest. The saints and the disciples themselves became the signs and wonders. This was the first endowment of the Holy Ghost, but it was also a corporate prayer meeting. And in that meeting, we see Peter transformed from a timid onlooker a

I want to call your attention to a precious statement: ...They returned to their own company (v. 23). As you begin to foster united prayer in your church, you will see a company of believers form. Your company. As you trust God as to how to lead them in prayer, you will find a spiritual oasis of love, faith, and unity. Like receiving a cup of cool water in a thirsty land, you will all be refreshed and ready to serve anew.

When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people. So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. Acts 12:5-12 NKJV This is a very powerful passage of truth! Persecution of church leaders was flaring greatly. Herod had taken James and killed him. When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he took Peter and was ready to kill him too. But instant and constant prayer was made for Peter by the saints!

Acts 12
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise quickly! And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, Gird yourself and tie on your sandals; and so he did. And he said to him, Put on your garment and follow me. So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

Whos Holding the Ropes?

You see, those dear saints were accustomed to praying with and for their leader. They were

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not a renegade bunch under the leadership of a prayer lady with her own agenda, separate from the true shepherd of the fold. No, this fellowship of saints was vitally linked with their leader as they were continually with him in the divine fellowship that only united prayer can afford. To take him was like someone taking their very father. God desires the saints to learn that it is their responsibility to uphold their leaders. They are accountable to scripturally and lovingly hold their leaders up in prayer. The saints are not to pray in a manipulative way by yielding to machinations or motivations of the soul. Rather, they are to assist to make tremendous power available in prayer that the shepherd not be struck and thus disperse the sheep. Sometimes I wonder about leaders who fall. Who was holding the ropes for those men and women, and how were they holding them?

In Acts chapter 12, we see that instant, earnest, and effectual prayer was made for Peter, and deliverance was wrought for him as a result. We can also learn that great peace was made available to the man of God he was sound asleep the night before his scheduled execution! Through united prayer, visions and revelations were granted. An angel appeared. A prison door was opened. Saints received their leader again. My personal favorite is found in Acts 12:10 (NKJV), where it says, They came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord. There are massive doors to cities that await pastors and ministers as they begin to pray with their people.

Acts 13
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. Acts 13:1-4 This chapter shows a different gathering of saints ministers praying together. However, the power element of a corporate anointing is still in effect. We see that these ministers received further revelation concerning the call of God on their lives. We see enduement as hands were laid upon those to be sent out. We see the first missionary journeys happening as a result, as laborers were thrust forth. In the midst of corporate prayer, we see the world reached. Our ministry is called to help churches cultivate this glorious exercise and experience, and weve seen so many things happen in

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united, corporate prayer among local-church congregations. Here are just a few testimonies of miraculous occurrences weve personally seen over the years.

0 Ive personally seen a church that was almost

devoured by a divisive prayer-group leader in the church. But as the pastor dared to begin leading united prayer meetings in the church, the church was gloriously healed and is now a thriving, effectual work. And that work is solely hooked up with the pastor and his vision with not a hint of division!

essential. And corporate prayer will affect your own life as a pastor and minister of the Gospel. In this setting of united prayer, more of the gifts of God will be activated inside you. Answers and confirmations will come more easily. Revisions to your vision and a keen sense of times and seasons will propel you forward in your calling. Momentum will spring forth and grow. Your people will become invigorated by your vision as they begin to clearly see what you see. And you and your church congregation will become a living, portrait image of Christ and His Church.

0 A woman was blind in one eye. Her eye

opened during a corporate prayer service. Dana Shrader is a 1990 graduate of RHEMA Bible Training Center and was involved in the Prayer and Healing Centers Prayer Groups program at RHEMA for six years. Dana moved to Palermo, Italy, in 1994 to serve in a helps capacity under RHEMA Italy directors Tony and Patsy Cameneti. She then returned to Tulsa to become Prayer Coordinator for Mark Brazee Ministries. During this time, Dana managed all facets of corporate prayer as well as pioneered the Prayer Partner program, which consisted of 70 prayer groups. Dana entered full-time itinerant ministry in January 2000. Since that time, she has traveled and taught on the subject of individual and united prayer to churches and Bible schools both nationally and internationally. Dana is also the author of the books You Can Pray and The Prayer Partner Groups Manual A Guide To Raising Up Prayer Groups in the Local Church. With simple precepts, demonstration, and even humor, Dana helps people instantly take a step up in their prayer life. At the same time, doctrine safely secures the congregation under the office of the pastor. In 2005, Dana and her husband, Lonnie Shrader, were married. They both teach on the subject of prayer, emphasizing the message that biblical prayer unifies the church rather than dividing it. The Shraders base their ministry in Thousand Oaks, California.

0 Ive witnessed a church congregation begin

to pray for the finances of their church. As they called in finances for that work, the Lord caused many in that congregation to find their places in business!

0 In the late 1980s, I saw a church-

sanctioned prayer group be consistently led in corporate prayer to pray for the same group of communist nations. Over and over, they would continually pray for that region of the world. In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, and the world watched in subsequent months and years as the reign of communism ceased in several nations of the world.

0 I saw a church congregation double in size

from 500 to 1,000 members in just a short period of time after united prayer was set in place by the pastor.

0 In the church I attended years ago, I myself

knew I had a call on my life to preach. But it was the power of united prayer that caused light to shine in my heart and mind until I began to see my steps and seasons in great detail. Vision for my God-ordained future began to burn deep within me in an atmosphere of corporate prayer. That light branded me and then it sent me, springboarding me into ministry.

The benefits of corporate prayer to your church congregation are truly rich and vital. Theyre not optional, but, rather,

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Last Word
Rick Renner

A True Sign of Spiritual Maturity

eing truthful with people is one of the most important things God has taught me through the years in my spiritual walk. Truthfulness in every situation is not always the easiest route, but it is the right route. And, let me tell you, the highest level of spiritual maturity is required for you and me to walk in truthfulness. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:15 says, Speaking the truth in love. This passage in Ephesians chapter 4 teaches that spiritual maturity is measured by how truthfully and honestly we carry ourselves in our relationships. Prophesying or giving a word from the Lord may sound like a mark of spiritual maturity, but true spirituality is measured in the way we connect with and relate to other people. Being able to be direct and honest is one of the greatest character traits to attain in life and it is a trait that MUST be attained. Let me give you an example from an experience that Denise once had with a dear friend in the ministry. Denise was invited to sing at this womans meeting, and afterward Denise and this minister had lunch together. Denise wanted to do something special to bless her friend because she loved her so much, so she took her favorite earrings and intended to give them as a gift at this lunch meeting. When this minister opened her gift, she said, Denise, I really appreciate your wanting to show me your love, but I dont like these earrings. I know how much you treasure them. It would be better for you to keep them or give them to someone else who will wear them. I dont want to be dishonest and tell you I like them when I know Ill never wear them. Denise and I laughed and laughed at this womans honesty. It was so refreshing! Think for a moment about how were trained to be politely dishonest when we receive a gift we dont like. Even though we know well never use it, were trained to say, Oh, thank you so much. Its just beautiful I love it! Certainly, its appropriate to say thank you when someone thinks enough of you to give you a gift. But its very inappropriate to say its beautiful and you love it when, in fact, you dont think its beautiful and you dont love it. This is a very small example of how dishonesty is a part of the fabric of our lives.

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Being direct and to the point is difficult for most people to do and its equally difficult for most people to receive. But if we want to grow up into Christ in all things (Ephesians 4:15), we must not be afraid to tell the truth!

Silent Disagreement Can Be Misleading

Naturally speaking, human beings avoid the truth, skirt the truth, and skate all around an issue to keep from having to say what they really think and believe. But agreeing just for the sake of agreeing when you dont really agree is wrong and will come back on you every time. For example, how many wives have gone along with their husband in some deal appearing to be in agreement when, in fact, they are in total disagreement. The wife says something like, Youre the leader, Honey. Whatever you say is okay with me. Then when the deal doesnt come through as planned, and it costs the family money and hardship, she lets him know that she was never in agreement from the start! But thats not what her husband remembers. He remembers her saying that it was all right for him to make the deal.

A wife who does this sort of thing probably doesnt intend to be dishonest. Most likely, she simply wants to be in submission to her husband, mistakenly thinking that silence is the way a godly wife should respond. But being quiet about what you think doesnt make anyone submissive. It often just makes him or her quietly disagreeable! In this hypothetical scenario, had the wife been honest with her husband, it could have saved him from a poor decision and the family from the problems they faced as a result, especially if he values his wifes insights. In a case like this, her lack of honesty might be partially to blame for the problem.

A Pastor Must Require Honesty From His or Her Leadership and Then Be Open to Their Honesty
As a leader of a ministry, I expect my fellow team members to be honest with me. Even if I dont agree what they say or think, their honesty guarantees a clear and truthful relationship between us. The day someone starts telling me one thing and then turns around and tells a fellow employee something else altogether is the day distrust is created between me and that staff member because I dont know if I can really count on that person to be honest with me. This is

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builds a foundation of trust between us thats very important if were building a longterm relationship together in the ministry. Its a blessing to always know where you stand with a person, and you never have to wonder if he really means what he says.

Truthfulness Is the Foundation of Trust

The members of my pastoral staff are very honest with me. Because they are honest with me, I am incredibly confident in them. I know I can depend on their straightforward, truthful response to me. Denise and I are tremendous idea people, but we sometimes need the balance that comes from hearing other peoples perspective. Those people help us see all the detail that must go along with a vision. They know what it will take to see a vision come to fruition, and I desperately need their input in my life. Thats why God sent those people to Denise and me to help us. So we encourage honesty among our staff members. They cant help us if they dont feel comfortable being straightforward with us. Certainly our staff has many areas where we need to grow in this area, but we are sincerely attempting to walk in honesty and openness with each other at all times. I need what they have to impart to me, and they need what I have to impart to them! And isnt it true that we as the Body of Christ are naturally dependent upon each others gifts, insights, and input? I personally count these things very valuable in my life and ministry, and I know you do too. It takes great maturity to confront someone with the truth and in an attitude of love (see Ephesians 4:25). In the same way, it takes maturity to know how to receive confrontation as well. Many leaders are unable to receive the truth spoken in love to them by those who are closest to them and who have their best interests at heart. This attitude actually sets a wrong example for the flock. If we are to have the kind of relationships within the Body of Christ that God desires, it must begin with leadership. That doesnt mean honesty will always be the easiest course. In fact, its often the most difficult. But its the clearest, brightest, and most blessed and noble path youll ever take.

precisely what the Bible is talking about when it says that those chosen to be deacons cannot be doubletongued (1 Timothy 3:8). Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued. The Greek word for doubletongued is dilogos, and it means two-worded. This word depicts a man or woman who says one thing to one person but a different thing entirely to the next. In other words, the person is inconsistent or just outright dishonest in what he or she tells people. Sometimes this indicates that the person is a people-pleaser. He wants everyone to like him, so he agrees with whomever he is with at the moment. If he takes an opinion contrary to those in his immediate company, he may fear hell lose influence with them. So again and again, this person finds himself violating his own conscience because he knows his opinion changes like the wind, depending on whom hes with at the time. You might feel compassion for a person like this, but let me be very clear about it this is a serious character flaw. In fact, the Bible is very strong to tell us that this kind of person should not be used in leadership. Anytime you have church leaders telling the pastor, I agree with you and then telling other church members, The pastor is wrong; hes missing God, you have confusion and suspicion brewing. A leader who does this is not a blessing to the pastor. When I can always count on a person to tell me exactly what he thinks, this kind of truthfulness

The Daily Devotional You Can Take With You!

Want to take Sparkling Gems From the Greek with you wherever you go? Now you can! Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the iTunes store - Sparkling Gems is now available in eBook format! Now you are only a few clicks away from plunging deep into the priceless treasures of Gods eternal Word. Explore more than 1,000 Greek word studies. Get your copy today!

June

IMPART 2012

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