Daily Devotional for Tuesday November 23, 2004

A Bold Vision for Today

(Proverbs 29:18)

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Without a doubt the greatest joy of my 14 years of ministry has been the last 63 months of sharing the hope and love of Jesus Christ with you each day through this Devotional. Even though over 2 million read these words every day, I feel as if we have become a family over this time. Most days I share the truth of God's Word with you, and pray for the day to day issues you face in this life. Today however, I want to share some personal thoughts with you and ask that YOU pray for me.

From day one, Liveprayer has been a walk of faith, a test of my personal faith greater than anyone could ever imagine. I pray before God calls me home that I get a chance to write a book about these first five years to encourage others to completely trust God and know that He will never fail you. The calling God has given me is a bit different than most. God has called me to take HIS message of hope and love through Christ to this lost and hurting world through the secular media, rather than the Christian vehicles most ministries use.

God has created this incredible oasis of hope (Liveprayer.com) on the Internet, which has largely been used for commerce and many ungodly purposes, because THIS is where many hurting and lost people can be found! Likewise, a large percentage of those who watch secular TV, read secular magazines and newspapers, hear secular radio programs are lost, hurting, and looking for answers in their life. God has given us the PERFECT vehicle in Liveprayer to go into the world with the simple message, "If you are hurting, looking for answers, we are here for you."

I want you to commit to pray for all that we will attempt to do in 2005 through Liveprayer. ALSO, PRAY THAT GOD CAN USE YOU TO HELP MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN!!!

The big picture for 2005 is by the end of next year to have over 8 million subscribers to the Daily Devotional. That will be accomplished by getting the simple message of being available to those who are hurting, looking for answers, in a well-crafted ad campaign in large newspapers like the USA Today and big city papers...through the top magazines like Time, Newsweek, and People...through spots on nationally syndicated radio programs like Rush Limbaugh...through ads in the weekly tabloids like the National Enquirer...in airline magazines...by simply letting people know that if they are hurting, if they are looking for answers, there is a place they can come to.

Also, the Liveprayer television program has been a HUGE success. For 20 months it has been on the UPN affiliate in Tampa, Florida, the 15 television market in the nation, and is the top rated program in its time slot each night. 95% of the audience is non-Christian, not in church. Our goal is to be on nationwide by the end of 2005. This program will only be on secular stations like FOX, UPN, or WB affiliates, is LIVE from 1-2 a.m. Monday through Friday, and takes calls from viewers for counsel and prayer. This program will continue to have regular sponsors so that I will never have to ask the viewers to give to support the program.

This has NEVER been done before on secular TV, but God told me it was time! In addition to praying for people's needs, I comment daily on issues from a Biblical perspective, a perspective you won't hear on secular television. Things are NOT going to get better in our world until Jesus returns, and this can be a powerful voice that will reach people in the world the church will never reach!

You see my friend, the LIES satan tells are out there and available to the masses 24/7 from every direction possible. Most people will never watch Christian TV, read a Christian book or magazine, listen to Christian radio. But they all read the popular newspapers and magazines of the day. They all watch the garbage the secular television world produces. That is why it is critical to TAKE THE MESSAGE OF HOPE AND LOVE THROUGH JESUS DIRECTLY TO THEM!