Do Greater Things - A Book Review

Have just finished the book Do Greater Things by Robby Dawkins  which I received from it's publisher Creation House. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in building up your confidence and faith in praying effectively for the sick and hurting. It reminds me very much of the books I read early in my faith walk over 45 years ago by Charles and Francis Hunter. They made praying for the sick seem so obvious and natural that everyone should be involved in doing it and expecting that God would indeed answer.

This is less a book about the theology of healing prayer and more about examples from the ministry of Mr. Dawkins that demonstrate the practical applications of how praying for the needs of others can be accomplished. Here are a few things that are talked about which resonate with me. And this is how I interpret them.

The first is that God has given us the authority to pray for the needs of others in Jesus name. That means that because we are a representative of Christ we can speak directly to the condition ourselves. Our prayer then does not say something like - Oh God, please heal this person's leg - but instead goes more like - I command that leg to receive divine healing now (in the name of Jesus). The same stance would be used in dealing with evil spirits. We must use the authority we have been given based on what Jesus has already done for us.

The second is that we should be interested first in the person and second in the condition they have. And if we are interested in the person then we engage them in finding out what hurts where. After they identify their level of pain we pray and then check to see if there has been any improvement and to what level. Then we keep at it until complete healing or until it's obvious there is no more that can be done at that time.

And the third thing that stood out to me is that although everyone does not have the gift of healing every Christian does have the authority of Christ in them to pray for others with some success. Many times we do not ask others if we can pray for them because of the fear of being in some way rejected by that person.

This book brings out two things here. One is that almost all people appreciate it when someone asks if they can pray for them. If nothing happens they really don't get upset or think less of God. Two is that although it is our responsibility to pray it is God's responsibility to effect the authority He has given us. Our faith is in who God is, trusting that He loves both us and the person we are praying for.

Again, this is an easy read which is both faith building and action inducing.

Can You Hear The Trumpet Sounding?

I've been working for some time on a post explaining how a Christian can support Donald Trump for and as President. However it's going to stay in my files at least for now. The problem is that to do the subject proper it ended up being quite long and even after editing down I still find other points I want to add.

So instead of getting that you now have a chance to read a poem I wrote about our Prez. It doesn't go into abortion, judges or Israel (my hot button topics). It doesn't discuss foreign or domestic policy. It does though come from the angle about a guy who was not an insider and not a politician but ran because he had a vision of what America could be. It is this person that connects with the average Joe in the streets.

Can You Hear The Trumpet Sounding? 

There once was a builder brought up in Queens
promoted himself as the greatest of things
gold plated fixtures and gambling halls
sold his silk ties at golf courses and malls

Looked for the beauty in women and hair
married again and still had an affair
made deals with TV and never seemed tired
love to tell celebs, hey buddy you're fired

But even his money and fast private jets
wasn't enough for the insider sets
who hated his brashness and thought him quite crude
looking down their thin noses at his attitude

Yet this guy grew up with a love for our land
and saw how the dealers would work underhand
enriching themselves while still talking so polite
with sweet platitudes hiding knifes in the night

They had no respect for religion or creed
talked of the poor man though blinded by greed
the swamp creatures lusted for insider power
and hated a system where man built a tower

For all of his faults but with all of his flair
he offered the people a deal that was fair
I'll wall up the borders, take care of the vets
make better deals with no ifs ands or yets

I'll build up our forces, make friends with the Jews
we'll put in good judges with conservative views
clean coal will get dug and fracked oil will flow
our best days are coming just thought you should know

I'll lower your taxes to bring better jobs
stop losing to others and dry up the sobs
we'll clean up corruption and jail dirty birds
your leaders have dropped you like little bird turds

The prelates and pundents all laughed till they hurt
they howled and yowled while fist throwing dirt
he's racist and sexist, has no chance in hell
we don't know a person who'll buy what he'd sell

Election night came and the party turned glum
it seemed that the nation had chosen someone
who'd shake up the system that everyone loathed
except for the people who weren't as well clothed

It must be the Russians who tampered with votes
collusion with Putin sang thousand of throats
they hammered and bammered for more than a year
with negative news for their fellows to hear

But we in the heartland are not dumb as bricks
we're on to race baiting and media tricks
we cherish our churches and rights to our guns
and thank those who serve us both daughters and sons

And flawed as he is we see courage and truth
with promises kept and a man not aloof
whose smarter than them though they haven't a clue
just thought you should hear what we know to be true

Two Handed Wisdom

I came across a Billy Graham quote this week that went something like - God has given us two hands; one to receive and one to give.  That was the inspiration for the following bits of wisdom.


If you have been forgiven
be quick to forgive

If you have been given mercy
show mercy as well

If you have been blessed
freely share your blessings

If you have been filled with the Spirit
pour it out to others

If you have been encouraged
offer encouragement

If you have been shown wisdom
impart your wisdom

If you have been lifted up in prayer
do the same for others