A nonstop prayer movement is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Britain-based 24-7 Prayer has seen its international prayer rooms spawn a creative arts movement, social justice initiatives and modern-day monasteries known as “boiler rooms.” Watch the video below to learn about a boiler room in Ibiza, Spain.

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Kelly Clark (Snow Boarding)

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Chad Hedrick (Speed Skating)

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Jarome Iginla (Ice Hockey)

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Brock Kreitzburg (Bobsled):

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In the aftermath of what the Red Cross, United Nations and other agencies now consider the greatest tragedy in the history of our Western Hemisphere—the massive 7.0 earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti—the reaction by leaders and the common man were predictable.

The immediate response to this incomparable human tragedy by governments, world relief agencies and religious organizations is the only bright spot in this dark episode of human drama. An event like this “natural” disaster could happen anywhere at anytime and reduces us all to simply being human. Tragedies like this graphically remind us of the fragility of our existence on this unstable planet we call Earth.

In light of this vulnerable nature of our humanity, the greatest needs in Haiti are identification with being human, deep sympathy, empathy, compassion and our personal and corporate prayers. This perspective has resulted in an outpouring of material emergency relief from the world community. In fact, the United States government has launched the largest relief effort in American history.
 
The last thing the wonderful Haitian people–who are our neighbors–need right now is any negative or depressive commentary or criticism. The physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual trauma gripping the heart and soul of this small island nation of 8 million Haitians is incalculable and demand a huge dose of compassion and support–not spiritual denunciation and the attempt to assess blame and cause beyond the act of nature.  

A few hours ago I sat in my office here in the Nassau, Bahamas, busily working on the formation of an emergency relief plan project for our church and the International Third World Leaders Association global network to respond to this Haitian tragedy while I was watching and listening to the unfolding new reports on the television networks. It was then that I was stunned by words being uttered by a significant and influential leader in the Christian Community–my friend and colleague Dr. Pat Robertson, founder and longtime president of the Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University.

News: Pat Robertson Under Fire for Haiti Remarks

I dropped my pen, my jaw fell open and my spirit sank in deep disappointing shock as Dr. Robertson attempted to analyze and explain the massive devastating earthquake event hours after its impact.
 
Robertson’s conclusion was that this horrific natural tragedy is a result of Haiti and the people of Haiti making a “deal with the Devil” and as a result was under a divine spiritual curse.

First I am not sure what he was thinking or his intent or how
 to react to this other than with deep disappointment and surprise over the insensitive, untimely and ungodly implications of this character-damaging statement by my brother. It is rare that I would find it necessary to respond publicly to the actions of a member of the church community, but due to the fact that the statements were made in a global media context, and could convey a misrepresentation of the perspective and conviction of many other constituencies of the global church community, it is necessary to clarify our position.
 
I wish to therefore emphatically state that I am deeply saddened, disappointed and do not agree with the statements made by Rev. Pat Robertson and I hope he would urgently extend an apology to the nation of Haiti and the Haitian people and the Haitian Church community and the church worldwide.

First it is important to remember that as humans we are all created in the image of God and the biblical tenant is that the Creator loves mankind so much He gave Himself for their salvation. Thus the value of human life is measured by what He paid to redeem it. It is His expressed desire that none perish but “all” come to full salvation.

Secondly it is difficult for anyone to judge accurately and fully the cause and source of such massive human disaster such as this earthquake in Haiti or the 9/11 tragedies. Perhaps the question should or could be asked, “Was America under a curse when the terrorist extremist bombed the Twin Towers in New York?” I would not imagine me making such a statement to the people of the United States. It is important that we always error on the side of compassion, love and caring for the human image of God no matter what.

Thirdly, I and my church family network personally relate to scores of spiritually sound, spirit-filled, dedicated, faithful, church leaders and churches who were and are still working diligently for the kingdom of God in Haiti for years. There are churches there that have thousands of members and facilities who relate directly with us of whom we have been proud. I wonder how do these loyal Christian leaders receive, interpret or even attempt to comprehend the words uttered by the Rev. Robertson.

Many of these leaders I know personally have done what many church leaders in America have done, and that is they have addressed the spiritual issue of spiritual covenants and have held private and public events and solemn assemblies to denounce, what they know better than me or Rev. Robertson, any spiritual concerns regarding their nation.  I am embarrassed to even speak with my Haitian pastors regarding these statements as it reflects badly on such a respected Christian leader in America.

Fourth, we have within our borders and our church fellowship thousands of Haitian believers who are stunned by these heartless untimely words spoken by Rev. Robertson and it has fallen to me to clarify our position on this matter and reassure them that these words do not represent in any way the views of the majority of the Christian community. Our local Haitian church under our covering is looking to me for comfort not condemnation.

It is my hope that my friend and brother Dr. Pat Robertson will withdraw his statements and make a public apology to the suffering Haitian people especially the Haitian Christian community around the world who need our support at this devastating time and not our condemnation.

Let us all remember that the attitude of the Lord regarding all humanity including who we call “the wicked.” Perhaps this may temper our “reactionary,” ignorant, immature and un-God-like response situations we do not understand nor can explain. Here are words spoken by the Creator regarding all mankind:

Ezek 18:22-23 “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?  -18:32- For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. NIV”

I am now going back to my Haitian Relief Project and if you are willing to assist in bringing hope, help and healing to the image of God in Haiti, please feel free to call me at 242-461-6423 or visit our Web site at or .

Dr. Myles E. Munroe
Chairman/President-BFMI
Chairman- ITWLA
The Diplomat Center
Carmichael Highway
P.O. Box N9583
Nassau Bahamas

In my years of service
as a pastor, many people have come to me with questions concerning knowing the
will of God for their lives. You may have questions about this as
well.

You may ask, “Well, pastor, how do I really know whether this is my
will or God’s will?” What I always tell people is that the will of God is
following the desires of your heart.

You may respond to that by saying:
“Well, pastor, how do I know whether it is my desire or God’s desire? How can I
tell the difference between the desires I have and those that God gives me?” My
answer to that is, “If your heart is pure and you really desire to do the will
of God, you don’t have to worry about your desires being wrong.”

Titus
1:15 says, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled
and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled”
(KJV).

The only time you have to be concerned about your desires being wrong is
when you are in rebellion, disobedience, lust, or some other type of sin. Then
you have to be careful that you don’t confuse your desires with God’s desires.
People in a sinful spiritual state will twist or pervert God’s desires. But as
long as you are pure, sincere and open before God, you can trust your desires
because your heart is open to receive the desires of God rather than your
own.

One of the primary ways God will lead you is by the desires of your
heart. For example. If you are supposed to have a teaching ministry, God will
give you the desire to teach. You will have a burning desire to teach. Jeremiah
had a prophetic ministry. He was called to give the word of the Lord, and when
he tried to suppress it, the desire to prophesy became like fire shut up in his
bones.

You need to judge your own heart. If it is found to be pure and
you are sincere, then follow the desires of your heart because God will lead you
by dropping things into your spirit (that is, your heart). I believe it is the
same for getting a rhema word from God.

As long as your heart is right
and your motives are pure, you don’t need to fear deception. God will always
answer those who are pure in heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). God will give you revelation, and He will show you
things to come.

Ask God to keep you pure of heart and able to discern a
false prophet. You will often know them by their fruits (see Matt. 7:16,20; Luke
6:44). Do not let the existence of counterfeit prophecy deter you from receiving
the real thing. That would be like deciding not to pay for purchases with dollar
bills because you have heard that people manufacture counterfeit
ones.

There have been many times when I went to a meeting confused about
the specifics concerning the will of God for my life. I just did not know how to
accomplish what I felt He was telling me to do. I needed to hear God speak to my
situation. But because the sermon was “general” in nature, an all-purpose good
message, I would leave in the same state in which I came, and I would not have
an opportunity to receive prophetic ministry, which is what I needed
most.

It wasn’t until I started seeking a rhema word from God that I got
the direction I needed for my life. You will also get the direction you need for
your life if you open up your heart to the word of the Lord through personal
prophecy and go to local assemblies where the believers flow accurately in the
prophetic gift. Thank God for the gift of prophecy.

Adapted from God Still
Speaks by John Eckhardt, copyright 2009, published by Charisma House.
Building from a biblical foundation, Eckhardt incorporates his own experiences
and those from people in his church to help you understand how to hear and
receive the prophetic word of the Lord for you, your family, church and
community. To order a copy click on this link:

Meditating on the Bible is one way to find God’s peace and contentment. Here are helpful verses taken from the New King James Version.

“When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” –Deuteronomy 24:19

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” –Joshua 1:9

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. –Psalm 56:3

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth!  – Psalm 46:10
 
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. –Proverbs 3:5-6
 
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. –Proverbs 15:13
 
Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven. –Proverbs 23: 4-5

Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God. –Proverbs 30:7-9

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,  and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. –Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
 
Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. –Ecclesiastes 5:18-19
 
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. –Matthew 6:19-20
 
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. –Matthew 6:21
 
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. –Matthew 11:28-29
 
And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” –Luke 12:15

Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” –Luke 3:12-14
 
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. –John 14:27

I had to laugh when I
read this USA Today newspaper headline: “Psychologists now know what
makes people happy.” I didn’t know happiness was a secret to be discovered
by my noble profession! Curious, I kept reading. What were these exciting
new findings?

If you are a student of the Bible, you won’t be surprised.
Research only validates God’s way of doing things.

1. The happiest people are those who spend the least time alone and pursue
   intimacy and personal growth. When I read this, I immediately thought of Jesus.
   He was proactive when it came to community. He poured His life into a faithful
   band of followers and developed an intimate circle of 12 men. And through those
   men, He established the church. The early church was all about community,
   intimacy and personal growth.

2. Happy people don’t judge themselves by what others do or have. That is, they
   don’t compare themselves with others. The Bible is clear that we are not to
   measure ourselves by the yardstick of others, only by the Word of God. As we
   obey God’s Word and choose to please Him, blessing and contentment
   follow.

3. Materialism is toxic for happiness. The parable of the rich young
   ruler in Matthew bears this out. Despite this man’s riches, he wanted something
   more—eternal life. Jesus stressed the importance of keeping the commandments but
   told him something more was required. He must sell his possessions and follow
   Him. Sadly, the young man chose material possessions over Christ and walked away
   feeling “sorrowful.”

4. Optimism is important, even in dark times. Because of Christ, hope abounds.
   Jeremiah 32:17 proclaims, “‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and
   the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard
   for You'” (NKJV). In the last chapter of Job, after Job suffers much and has
   been tested, he cries out, “‘I know that You can do everything, and that no
   purpose of Yours can be withheld from You'” (Job 42:2). Over and over, we are
   given biblical examples of people who refused to be downtrodden because of
   circumstances or events. Their hope was in the Lord. The end result is rest and
   peace.

5. Actions matter. It’s not just what you believe or your outlook on life that
   contributes to happiness. People who give to others and aren’t
   self-absorbed are more satisfied with life. No surprise here. God gave
   His only begotten Son, the ultimate sacrificial gift. Giving is a biblical
   principle whether it involves finances, service, food, shelter, time or talent.
   The result of giving is blessing.

6. Happy people know their strengths and use them. We are stewards of God’s
   gifts and are to use them for His glory. When you move in those gifts and do
   what God has equipped you to do, you are happy. Psychologists call this moving
   in the “flow.” People of faith “flow” in the Spirit.

7. People who feel gratitude are happy. We are eternally grateful for Jesus and
   His sacrifice and for all God has done in our lives. Out of that genuine
   gratitude flows happiness.

8. The strongest link to happiness is a willingness to forgive others.
   The benefits of forgiveness are well documented psychologically. And for the
   believer, forgiveness is not an option; it is a command from Jesus. We forgive
   others because He forgave us.

The search for happiness will fall
short if it doesn’t lead to the One in whom contentment can be found. Authentic
happiness is unrelated to events, money, power, fame or anything else our
culture associates it with. Happiness is a choice, as the Scriptures declare:
“Happy are the people who are in such a state. Happy are the people whose God is
the Lord” (Ps. 144:15).

This new year, make it a goal to choose happiness
by following the guidelines above. Look to God for your satisfaction and learn
to trust in His sovereignty and omniscience. Obey Him and believe that He works
all things for your good. Remember, His joy is available to you, and it is that
which gives you strength.

Could you give your child to die for the sins of the world?

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We struck a cord with readers in Charisma‘s January 2010 issue when we published The Dark Side of Tattoos.

Some Christians disagree with our author and say it’s OK to have tattoos.

What do you think? Should Christians get tattoos? Share your opinion below.

Did you resolve to lose weight last year, the year before that and the year before that? Did you quit before the flowers bloomed in the spring? We’ve listed 5 tips to help you achieve your weight-loss goal once and for all.
Build exercise into your schedule. Schedule your workout time as if it were an important doctor’s appointment. Block out a specific time and make exercise part of your weekly routine. Make sure you choose calisthenics that you’ll enjoy. The best exercise is the one you’ll do.

Drink more water. Water is the single most important nutrient for our bodies. It is involved in every function of our bodies. You can live five to seven weeks without food, but the average adult can last no more than five days without water. How much water should you drink? Take your weight in pounds and divide it by two. The result is how many ounces of water you should drink daily.

Avoid skipping meals. It may seem like a good way to shed a few pounds, but it is actually harmful to your body. Your metabolism slows down to preserve the carbohydrates and fats still in your body to survive. It’s important to eat three meals a day to give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly.

Restore your body with sleep. Every night when you go to sleep, your body shuts down and repairs itself. Your immune system recharges. Your major organs are restored. Old cells are being replaced with new ones. Your mind relaxes and orders its thoughts, creating a healthy mental state. A good night’s sleep is free. A bad night’s sleep is costly, because it takes a toll on your health.

Conquer food cravings. Unhealthy food cravings do require an extra measure of self-control if we are going to conquer them, but be encouraged. Think of healthier alternatives. For instance, instead of a bowl of ice cream, try a scoop of frozen yogurt; instead of potato chips and French onion dip, try baked chips and fresh salsa. While these alternatives might not be ideal, they are a step in the right direction and can help bridge the gap between where you’ve been and where you want to be with your diet.