Dear Prayer Tip Tuesday and Connection Prayer Devotion Readers,

As members of the Board of Directors of Harvest Prayer Ministries, we have asked permission to send HPM’s 2022 annual year-end letter.

We do so with heavy hearts after the recent passing of our Co-Founder, David Butts (November 26^th, 2022). But we also do so with a sense of God’s providence and His forever faithfulness and goodness to Kim and Harvest Prayer Ministries. As most of you know, Dave had a reoccurrence of cancer diagnosed in July which spread rapidly and without any medical solutions for a recovery. He went into hospice care at the beginning of November, and while we all know God is bigger than man’s best attempts to treat cancer we prayed for God’s best and that He would be glorified whether He healed Dave on earth or in heaven. As Dave often mentioned, either option would be a “win” for him; however, he and Kim began to prepare for a ministry future that might require her to carry on in his physical absence.

As a board we could not be more pleased with how Dave and Kim demonstrated faithfulness to their priorities of relationship with the Lord, each other, their family and ministry. Kim has always been by Dave’s side in helping to carry the ministry forward. Dave’s desire was for Kim to remain fruitful in her calling with HPM. She continues to do so with amazing vigor and is even more determined that his legacy will endure to the glory and praise of the Father.

We are filled with gratitude that God has been at work for several years now positioning our ministry in even greater and more impactful ways for the future than in the past.

For the past five years, and especially in the past few months, HPM has been in succession planning. Strategically, it includes ways in which the existing resources and especially Kim’s ministry, can be not only maintained but accelerated. With that said, the board has unanimously made Kim the new President of Harvest Prayer Ministries. We have every confidence in her leadership abilities and she has our full and complete backing.

2023 and Beyond!

Nearly three months before Dave went to worship at the feet of Jesus, with full board approval, he formed a strategic missional partnership with One Cry for Revival (onecry.com), a highly effective and reputable ten-year-old ministry believing that personal revival of God’s people will lead to a revived church which can have tremendous impact on communities and be used by God to influence the entire nation.

As you know, this fits right in with Harvest Prayer Ministries’ vision to see churches become houses of prayer for all nations in order to see revival and the fulfillment of the great commission. We are filled with joyous hope for all of the kingdom possibilities that lie ahead within this Spirit-influenced partnership.

HOW CAN YOU HELP HARVEST PRAYER MINISTRIES STEP INTO THE FUTURE WITH GREAT KINGDOM EFFECTIVENESS?

As you know Dave and Kim have been the epitome of humility in the way they do ministry. They do not share about themselves. As a result, most do not know the extent of their impact as a couple.

But as a board member for many years, I can attest that the influence they have both had among Christian leaders domestically and globally is beyond incredible. Their teaching, writing, online and influential partnership ministries have perhaps influenced millions.

Dave’s servant leadership in the prayer movement nationally and globally will be deeply missed. Kim does not intend to try to fill this void, as it is not possible; however, she intends to continue to seek God’s heart for whatever doors He opens. She will also continue her writing/teaching/training ministry, as well as continuing to produce Prayer Tip Tuesday and also our daily devotionals: Connection!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

This is the first time the Harvest Prayer Ministries’ Board of Directors has directly communicated with those who receive Prayer Tip Tuesday and Connection Prayer Devotions. So as we do, please know that we hope you are being blessed in powerful ways by the content HPM creates and freely shares each day/week.  What an honor to report that HPM functions at the highest level of integrity . . . it is lived out everywhere. The frugality and prayer that goes into program/outreach decisions and associated funding decisions creates a culture of widespread trust. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THAT!

Each year, Harvest Prayer Ministries trusts God for His provision into the New Year. This year we are trusting Him for $50,000 by the end of December. We know this is a big ask – we also know we serve a BIG GOD! We have reached the 50% mark of this goal, but in Dave’s honor and memory we would like to see the ministry he and Kim co-founded in 1993 be set up for an even more fruitful future! The funds go to maintain and advance each of the primary outreaches, including:

 Digital Prayer Ministry – Distributing core content of Dave and Kim through resources such as Connection Prayer Devotions, Prayer Tip Tuesday, blogs, articles, etc. There are so many plans to expand with new content from additional writers also.

 Content Development – Kim is a terrific writer and has plans for more PrayerU courses, several books in process (one on Intimacy that Dave began and she will finish), etc.

 Travel to National Leadership Meetings – Kim continues to serve with the National Prayer Committee.

 Financial Support for Kim’s salary, and for HPM’s administrative assistant, JoLyn Graf.

 Administrative Services – Outsourcing various functions

 PrayerU.com – Marketing and distributing this one-of-a-kind resource of Dave and Kim’s resources so that it can be widely expanded to help individuals and churches grow in prayer!

 Forming a Strategic Partnership with One Cry for Revival, currently functioning under HPM’s 501c3. It will take time and resources as we move forward together.

Will you pray and give?

Would you pray into the future of Harvest Prayer Ministries?

And as the Lord leads, would you invest in the future of our nation through Harvest Prayer Ministries through giving your most generous gift? And please pray for all of us as board members, that we would faithfully multiply the heart cry and voices of both Dave and Kim as we move to implement our 2023 plans!

We know that praying churches can transform people, cultures and nations for God’s glory! One Cry for Revival seeks to awaken people, churches, communities and nations towards spiritual transformation. If there was ever a time for the mission and message of HPM to go forward in strategic partnership it is now. The culture has never been more in need of revival and spiritual awakening.

Thank you in advance for your wonderful partnership and fellowship in the gospel! In Dave’s memory, we ask for your best gift to continue his legacy of prayer into the future.

Mobilizing the church in prayer, together!

Vince McFarland

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

PS

You can give online right now at harvestprayer.com/donate or you can send your check to Harvest Prayer Ministries, PO Box 10667, Terre Haute, IN 47801. If you prefer to give your gift by credit card over the phone you can call JoLyn Graf at our office: 812-230-3130.  PLEASE REMEMBER that each gift must be received or postmarked no later than December 31, 2022. If you give after this date, it will go on your 2023 tax returns.

I believe that one of the most powerful, transformative prayers that can be prayed in any circumstance, is the heart of the Lord’s Prayer (often called the Disciples Prayer or the Model Prayer): “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done.” As I was praying this one day over a particular situation, I sensed from The Lord that this was an invitation for an invasion. An invasion of the Kingdom of God into the kingdom of my own little world.

We all have a strong tendency to serve as kings over our own kingdoms. We make our own rules and set up our own boundaries. Of course, our little kingdoms are a wreck. The problem is bad leadership…and yes…we are each the incompetent leaders of our individual kingdoms. Sometimes the best thing that can happen is a benevolent invasion.

Years ago I was visiting in the totalitarian nation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. During a fascinating conversation with a Burmese taxi driver, he said that he wished the United States would invade his country. He said they would be much better off under our leadership. Quite apart from the morality or rightness of such an invasion, it was a very revealing statement. This taxi driver saw the suffering of his people under bad rulers, and wished for a beneficent invasion.

Perhaps we need the clarity of that Burmese taxi driver regarding our own personal kingdoms. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us we are blessed when we recognize that we are spiritually poor. With that sort of humble awareness that we are miserable rulers of our own kingdoms, perhaps we will begin to pray for a new ruler of a new kingdom. We will offer an invitation to an invasion as we pray in each and every situation of life, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.”

(c) Harvest Prayer Ministries, 2022

(Praying through Mary’s Song – Luke 1)

Has the Lord done great things for you? We seem to have just one season that causes us to pause and be mindful of thankfulness. What if we slowed down at least once a day, every day, and thanked God for blessing us? Even when things may not be going well, or we are experiencing dark times in our lives…He is always there beside us – waiting and watching. Waiting for us to seek Him in the midst of our trials or our blessings. Watching – sending His Spirit to comfort, give wisdom and guide us.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an excellent biblical example of gratefulness. She was facing an intense season of unknowing what was truly unfolding in her life following the angelic visitation. Put yourself in her place in the moments and months following, imagining what this could have been like for her. Just understanding her pregnancy by the power of the Holy Spirit, and processing the fact that she was going to give birth to the Son of God who would be the Savior of the world, was confusing enough. On top of that, she had to consider Joseph’s response and the scrutiny of those in her village. What could she potentially be facing in terms of her reputation and her upcoming marriage?

And yet, Mary chose to trust God! She believed His words to be complete truth and that He would work out all of the details to accomplish His plans and purposes through her. Mary’s response to the angel: “May it be done to me according to your word.” Is it any wonder that God chose this humble servant through whom to accomplish His redemption of the world?

Here are three prayers from Mary’s song in Luke 1 to help us focus on the goodness of our God during the Christmas season – or anytime! Consider giving thanks each day for one of these amazing truths from the Word!

1. My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (vs. 47-48).

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful that You see me in the midst of my daily life. I trust You to walk with me through the good, the dark, the difficult and the amazing! My faith grows as You pay attention to every detail in my life! May humility mark my life each day so that I don’t think more highly of myself than I should. My soul will continually glorify You and my spirit will rejoice in Jesus, my Savior, the Light of the World!

2. …for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name (vs. 49).

Prayer: Mighty One – You have done great things for me throughout my life! I am so grateful that You redeemed me through the birth, death and resurrection of Your only Son, Jesus Christ! Your name is holy! Help me to honor You each day!

3. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation (vs. 50).

Prayer: Merciful Father, how grateful I am that Your mercy extends from one generation to the next of those who live in awe of You. Cover my generation and those to come with Your grace, peace, strength, hope and power! Fill the generations with hope as we consider the miracle of Your humble servant, Mary, who received Your assignment to bear the Savior of the World with simple faith.  May Your great mercy fill our hearts and may every generation bring glory to Your Name!

Growing up in church was a wonderful privilege for me. One of the benefits was the encouragement I received to memorize scripture. I’m pretty sure that the first full chapter I ever memorized was Psalm 23. The beautiful imagery and spiritual depth of the Good Shepherd’s Psalm has been a blessing for me throughout my life.

Though I rarely use the King James Version anymore, I still revert to that when praying through Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

There are many benefits to memorizing scripture, but one of the best is the ease of access to God’s Word when praying. It is a simple matter for me to pray Psalm 23 because I have committed it to memory.

Sometimes Psalm 23 suffers from the old adage that familiarity breeds contempt. We view it as a nice, safe portion of scripture best used at funerals. May I suggest instead that this powerful Psalm prayed regularly with insight can bring transformation to your life at a deep level?

Consider what you are asking of Him. Psalm 23 from beginning to end is all about the Presence of God in a person’s life. When prayed from that perspective, it changes all of life. David, the Shepherd King, understood from personal experience what a shepherd’s presence means to sheep.

Whether it is protection, provision, rest, or direction, the sheep are dependent upon the leadership and presence of their shepherd. That is precisely what is needed in our lives today.

What has become a powerful spiritual experience for me involves personalizing Psalm 23 as I pray. It is astonishing to me how I sense the Lords presence by simply changing a pronoun. “You are my shepherd, Lord.” I am speaking to the One who is present with me now.

If you struggle with doing this, please note that David himself, the author of this Psalm, personalizes His prayer: “Thou(You) are with me”…”thy (Your) rod and staff”…”thou (You) preparest a table”….”thou (You) anointest.”

Psalm 23 is all about the Lord being present with us every day in every aspect of life. For me, it is the way I experience and live out the truth of Col.1:27, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” No longer just head knowledge or good theology, but a way of life.

Like Col.1:27 which speaks of the Lord’s presence as the hope of glory, so Psalm 23 concludes in a similar way. As we walk with Jesus through all of life, we dwell in the midst of His glory in and as the house of the Lord forever.

My challenge to you today is to memorize Psalm 23 (if you haven’t already) in whatever version you enjoy, and begin to pray these amazing words back to God. This will be a life-changing experience for you as you trust and look to the Father to answer.

(c) Harvest Prayer Ministries, 2021