Fast pray and keep looking up

Follow the one who’s carrying the water 

 I came across something that I have read many times, but this time Jesus taught me something I had never considered before. In Mark 14 verses 13-15 He challenged me to examine my service to Him and my motivation for serving. In these versus Jesus instructs His disciples to go prepare the Passover celebration. This in itself is Jesus giving His servants a lesson in humility. These are the men who considered themselves the heirs to the Kingdom that Jesus was preparing to be the leaders of. Preparing the Passover celebration was work meant for less qualified people, such as women or perhaps indentured servants. (Before you get angry and think I’m misogynistic, this was the cultural edicts in 30 A.D.)   But the time of Christ’s passion was upon them and they needed to understand, and to put into practice, the power and position of humility, especially in serving. If our service does not come from an absolute humble love for Jesus, it is probably tainted. Any service for or to Jesus that does not totally exalt Jesus and lift Him high, probably has ulterior motives. No matter how innocent our attempt, or hidden our agenda, if we do not purposely design our service to magnify Him, we are tempted to share in the glory. Unlike John the Baptist, who stated “I must decrease and He must increase”, often we have self-promoting motives. 

With this in mind Jesus tells them how they will recognize where and how their service will take place. Jesus tells them to look for a man who is carrying the water. 

Follow the people who carry the water! What a concept! Think about it. The people who carry the water are the “blue collar” servants in the Kingdom. They are the ones in the trenches. They are the ones who are busy sacrificing their time, resources and getting their hands dirty lifting the burdens that a polluted world suffers under. They do this work simply because they are driven by their love for Jesus and His desire to seek and save that which is lost. They do the dirty work with no thought of what is in it for them. They serve because they identify themselves as servants, not knowing that they are the true leaders.  

They are so busy carrying the water they don’t even realize they are leading other people into a position of serving Jesus. They are so busy with their task they neither realize the impact their obedience is having, not only in the lives of those they serve, but in the overall work of God’s Kingdom. Follow these people.  

Yet who is it that most of Christendom considers leaders? What in the mind of most Christians qualifies a person as a leader?  We tend to follow those who are really good at connecting with the masses, those who have large ministries, the person (male or female) with charisma or talents that entertain us. The true qualifications for those we should follow are clearly spelled out for us in 1st Timothy chapter 3. I urge you to study that passage and find people like that to follow. Nowhere in these verses will you find qualifications such as a minimum of a graduate’s degree from a credentialed Christian institution. God does not require leaders to be popular, successful in business, well versed in the latest technology, entertaining, wealthy or even a great communicator. The main qualifications for leaders, according to God’s word, is an impeccable record of integrity, humility and faithfulness in serving others they encounter along their path as they breathlessly pursue Jesus. Carrying the water requires heavy lifting and tireless obedience. Follow those folks, study their steps, understand their heart and let them show you how to become a disciple. I don’t know about you, but I need to examine my own steps and see if I am serving with pure motivations. Let’s pray. 

Father, I come humbly and fearfully before Your presence, covered by the blood and in the Holy name of my Redeemer, Jesus. Lord when I reflect on how Jesus sacrificed His position of glory and humbly followed Your commands, how He became obedient to Your will Father, even obedient to suffer the gruesome curse and death of the cross, and that He did this because of Your love for me….I am left in speechless awe. Thank You, I praise You, I worship You will never seem enough. What I want to do in return is to follow You Jesus with the same humble resolve and integrity that You obeyed and followed the Father with. I confess that this kind of holiness is so far removed from me that it is unattainable. I can only stay that close to You by Your faithful love for me and Your promise that You will never leave or forsake me. I trust You to put Your yoke upon me, otherwise I will stray and follow my own fleshly pursuits. Bring into my life those who carry the water, so that I may learn to carry the water as well. Teach me to serve with no motive except bringing the living water wherever You lead. Show me where to pour that living water out, who to pour it upon that they may be cleansed by its flow, and then refill my vessel with the water, strengthen me to lift the load, give me the determination and resolve I need to then follow where You lead me next, serving those I encounter along the path that they may be refreshed, renewed, reborn and that You may receive all of the glory and honor. I ask this Father in Jesus name. Amen. 

 

Get them in the ark! Prayer of readiness for the Lord’s return! 

This week’s prayer focus comes from an urgency that screams from deep within my soul. As the days draw closer to the feast of trumpets on the Jewish calendar, I am both ecstatic with anticipation and frantic with fear. Let me explain. This year the Jewish new year Rosh Shannahan, will start on October 2nd and the celebration will continue through October 4th. It is the Biblical year 5785 and the celebration is the Feast of Trumpets, commanded by God in Leviticus 25. 

There are seven yearly feasts that God commanded His chosen people, Israel, to celebrate. The first four were in the spring, or the early rain season, and the last three were in the fall or the later rain season. Each feast pointed toward the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The first four foretold of Jesus’ earthly ministries of redemption. They are in the spring, the season of early rains, which speak of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit. First is Passover, which Jesus fulfilled at the cross of Calvary. The second is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This seven-day feast begins on the day following the start of Passover. Jesus lived a sinless life, the unleavened Bread of Life, died for our sins and was buried fulfilling the promise of this feast. The third feast is the feast of First Fruits. The priests sacrificed Passover lambs on the 14th day of the month of Nisan, and the first day of Passover was the 15th. The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated on the third day, the 16th of Nisan. This “third day” celebration was the same day that Jesus resurrected from the dead. The final early rain feast was the Feast of Pentecost. This feast is the second of the three harvest feasts. It occurs exactly seven weeks after the Feast of First Fruits, so it’s also called Pentecost which means “50 days.” That arrival was the day the Holy Spirit was sent to us and the harvest began with 3,000 souls. The message spread to both Jews and Gentiles (the two leavened loaves of bread), extending the harvest to us! Jesus fulfilled these feasts at His first coming, the first rain. 

 Just as the first four feast were concluded by Jesus in His first coming the later rain will be poured out and Jesus will fulfill the last three feasts at His second coming. The very last feast in the fall is Tabernacles, also called Booths. It reflects to the time God dwelt in the desert with His people in a tent, a tabernacle, where His glory rested so His people could draw near. This also points to a future eternal reality when we, those redeemed by the blood of the Passover Lamb, will finally dwell with Jesus forever after the great white throne judgment. Emanual, God with us and we with Him. Before Tabernacles comes the Day of Atonement. This feast will be completed at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Before we dwell with Him forever, He will return to judge the living and the dead. This second coming concludes the seven-year tribulation, which begins immediately after the fulfillment of the first of the fall feasts, which is the one coming this October 2nd, the Feast of Trumpets. The feast of Trumpets was a beautiful declaration where God commanded his people to rest. During this time all regular work was prohibited, and men and women presented a food offering to God. In Leviticus 23:24 God commands his people to gather and to commemorate the decree with trumpet blasts. On the same front, the sound of a trumpet is also associated with the rapture, or the time Jesus will return for his bride (1 Corinthians 15:52). Once he returns, there will be a wedding feast of celebration. Revelation 19:9 says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb” This Feast speaks of the coming rapture of the church, which will occur just before the tribulation begins. 

No one knows the day or time Jesus will return to rapture His Bride, but we are assured we will know the season. It is clear beyond any disagreements that Jesus WILL rapture the church to fulfill the Feast of Trumpets. We don’t know if it will be this year, 5785, or next year. We DO know that it will occur during the Feast of Trumpets some year soon! We have seen the signs of the times increase as a woman in travail since 1948 and the time of birth is inevitably soon! Perhaps this year sometime between midnight October 2nd through midnight October 4! Not knowing the day or the hour, but knowing the Groom is coming for His bride!  Keep looking up! 

I said all that to say this; as the day approaches, I am overwhelmed with anticipation, but equally afraid for those who will be caught unaware because they were asleep at the Grooms approach. (See the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew chapter 25). I have been reminded by the Holy Spirit of a vision that He gave me in 2001 when I was senior pastor at Faith Tabernacle in Ft. Lauderdale. I was leaving the church after service one Sunday. I was walking home, a short walk back to our apartment, just past the church playground. Halfway home I was given a vision. I saw a dark storm rolling across the horizon and God kept repeating louder and louder each time, with great urgency the words Get them in the ark! Get them in the ark! I said” Who Lord? Who are You talking about?” He answered “Your family. Get them in the ark because I am coming soon!” Then the vision lifted. What is the ark? The rapture. Just as in the days of Noah, God is coming in a storm the pour out His judgement. Yet His wrath is not appointed for His children. Like Noah (and Lot in his day) we will be taken out of His wrath, if indeed we are His children. There are many who do not believe a storm is coming. Many say God is only love and will not judge. Many say they believe a storm is coming but they refuse to believe that God has built an ark to save His people from the wrath meant for those who hate Him and serve Satan. They don’t believe we who are washed in the blood are worthy to escape God’s wrath. Therefore, they praise God with their lips but really don’t believe in the power of His blood to save or the promise of His grace to deliver. Make sure you are saved, delivered and looking with assurance that Jesus is coming to gather His Bride. Also make sure your family members, and all those Jesus has planted around you in His harvest field are ready, waiting and occupying until He returns to take us home. Let’s pray. 

Father, I love You and I trust You that You have sealed me with Your Holy Spirit until the day You send Jesus to come gather His Bride. I am looking with great joy and anticipation at Your coming. I do not belong to this world, I am a stranger, an alien, a pilgrim and I long for that day that You come to bring me home. Yet Lord I also tremble with reverent fear at Your holiness and awesome presence. I dare not fall asleep in complacency, relax in my own good works or listen to the scoffers who scorn your promise and mock the hope You gave to rescue Your Bride from the wrath You will soon pour out on this sinful world. Help me daily to occupy until You come, being diligent to love You, keep Your commandments, preach Your word and love my neighbor as myself. Also, Lord I pray for those who will not listen and refuse the safety of the ark! Lord open their ears to hear, their eyes to see, their hearts to receive the promise of the rapture. Let them experience the hope You command us to share with each other. Encourage them to look up as their redemption draws near. Deliver them from demonic forces that have blinded their eyes and have stolen their hope. Restore to them the joy of Your salvation! Like faithful Noah help us, your church, to complete the work You have set before us, warn the lost of Your coming judgement and invite them to enter the safety and salvation of Your ark. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 

Seeking God for the true pillars of wisdom: 

Wisdom is the principal thing. This is the conclusion that Solomon comes to in Proverbs chapter 4. He advises his sons that above all things in life to strive for, wisdom is the one thing that leads you to all other blessings. Knowledge is essential, but without humility knowledge will puff you up. Understanding is a precious commodity as well, yet if it is not anchored in truth, it could open a door to all kinds of strange philosophies. Wisdom balances everything.  

Wisdom, however, does not come as quickly as knowledge and understanding. You can obtain knowledge and understanding by studying the teachings and experiences of others. Wisdom is only obtained through the application (or lack thereof) of the things you learned through your own life experiences. It is often a slow pain staking process of trial and error. With one exception. In chapter one of 1st Kings, we find King David at the end of his life. Most of Israel is of the opinion that his throne will be succeeded by Adonijah. But David knew his sons and their characters. David also sought the Lord for His will. David then concludes that Solomon should succeed him. His decision proves to be the correct one. In chapter 3, when Solomon takes the throne, he immediately is confronted by the limitations of his youth and inexperience and seeks God in humble acquisition. God instructs Solomon to request anything he desires.  Solomon concludes that above all else he needs wisdom. God then reveals to Solomon that wisdom was the greatest thing he could have requested, and because of that, God poured it out to Solomon abundantly and instantly. 

It does not come to the rest of us that easily, however, it remains to be the principal thing. Above all else we need wisdom. We need to seek God for it daily. The process requires a passionate pursuit, but the good news is that it is obtainable if we work the process! Solomon shares with us in Proverbs 19 that the process is built upon the three pillars of wisdom. If we build our pursuit of wisdom on these three pillars, we will obtain wisdom for living our daily lives and success in our pursuit of God and His will for our daily living. 

In Proverbs 19 verse 8 Solomon instructs his sons that he who gets wisdom loves his own soul. Then he begins to teach them how to daily find it by building on these three pillars. Pillar one is found in verse 23. The fear of the Lord. Solomon learned from his father David, as recorded in Psalm 111, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is where our search is initiated. It is what made Solomon seek God for wisdom in the first place. Solomon told God that he needed wisdom so he would know how to rule God’s people. Solomon understood the kingdom belonged to God and he dared not rule over God’s people as his own. All things belong to God and are for His purpose. Understand this and you will be on the correct path. The fear of the Lord is the first pillar to wisdom. 

Pillar two is in verse 18 of Proverbs 19. It is discipline. Discipline is the key to life. Without discipline you will not survive the trials of life for very long. Know this, Jesus will allow trials and tribulations to challenge and mature us. If we fear Him, we will know all things belong to Him, including the trials we face. If we endure them for His purpose, He will put His yoke upon us and lead us into the path He has chosen for our lives. The only way we will endure until the end, and thus be saved, is if we allow His yoke to discipline us. His disciplines include continuing in His word, in prayer, in fasting and in fellowship with His church. Discipline is the second pillar to wisdom. 

Pillar three is found in verse 20. Listen to advice and accept instruction. Humility is one of the fruits that will grow from a life of discipline. It is a necessary virtue for us to listen to advice and continue to be teachable. Like Solomon we must come face to face with the limitations of our inexperience and be willing to seek the advice and wisdom of others, especially the wisdom of the elders that have come before us in this walk. None of us have all the answers or the resources we need. We need each other and we need to continue to walk in love, unity and the bond of the Holy Spirit. With this in mind let’s pray. 

 Father, I come to You in the name of my Savior, Jesus. Jesus instructed me to be meek and lowly even as He is. Jesus told me that I must be perfect as He is perfect. Jesus said that if I loved Him that I would keep His commandments. Jesus invited me to take His yoke upon me. Father, I am incapable of any of these assignments. I do not have the reverent fear of You that I need. I am a wild beast without discipline, and I have a heart that is full of pride that is unteachable! But I am willing to surrender to Your call, and where I am unwilling, I am willing to be made willing. Your promise, according to Your word, is to forgive me for my sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness, as I call upon Your name. Jesus save me and make me new. I willfully enter the disciplines You have set before me.  

Pour out to me Your wisdom. Reveal to me a deeper knowledge of who You are and open my understanding to Your sovereign Lordship over all things in my life. Shake my complacency with a deepened reverent fear of Your majesty. It is the beginning of my pursuit of wisdom. Father I also ask that You change my desires and appetites that seek the demands of my flesh and try to obtain security through being my own authority. Let Your disciplines direct my appetites and desires toward You, to surrender to Your lordship and to embrace a life of service to Your kingdom. Soften my heart. Deliver me from pride and jealousy that I may love the brethren and seek the advice and wisdom that is found in fellowship with Your people. As I continue this path, I will put my trust in Your promises and in Your power to pour out to me the wisdom I need to know and do Your perfect will. I ask all this in Jesus name. Amen. 

Training your children and the public-school systems. 

 Has anyone ever trained you in how to study a proverb? Most people think when they read the proverbs that they are randoms quips of wisdom tossed together. On the surface it often appears that way but that is not the actual way they are structured. They were originally written in Hebrew and translated into the popular common language of Greek and Aramaic at the time Jesus walked the earth. Then for us today translated into our common languages. Not the truth, yet the structure, loses something in translation. In Hebrew the main idea that the rest of the proverb orbits around is often found closer to the center of the script than in the beginning. You must search it out.  Now remember when these proverbs were written it was not structured in chapter and verse. It was in line and precept. So, look for what appears in our modern language, as the most random thought. The one quip that seems to stand apart from the rest of the proverb. That is your subject! The rest of the proverb reflects or expands from that subject. In Proverb 22 the main idea that all the other quips of wisdom reflect from is verse 6. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he shall not turn from it.” From this main idea we are told how and what to train our children in. Life skills such as how to have and keep a good reputation, that God rules over everyone no matter their status in life, how to wisely handle finances, the importance of the company you keep and why a pure heart is essential. There are many other parenting skills and exercises to train your child in, read the proverb, it is a deep well of parental advice. 

This proverb first and foremost puts the responsibility of training and educating children directly at the feet of the parents, and particularly the father(s). Many Christians have abandoned this responsibility. As the structure of our modern culture demands more of our time, energy and commitment away from our family, we have surrendered the training of our children to total strangers, many of whom do not share our faith or values. God has designed the family in such a way that it takes a mother and father, yet our culture says it takes a village. To the point where the government run institutions not only believe that they are the authority over your child’s life, but they also threaten parents with arrest and prosecution for daring to show up at school board meetings to have their concerns voiced.  

 Public schools began in our nation, like most public institutions, with pure and holy intentions. Like hospitals, penitentiaries and social services, public schools were instituted by the local churches. Before schools were formed in our nation parents taught their children at home. It was not the odd thing for families to do, as it is viewed today, it was the norm. As cultural demands increased on families, local churches took the responsibility of educating the children in their congregations, as a ministry to families. Once the population and expansion of our nation became overwhelming for the resources the local church the local, state and federal governments took over those responsibilities. Today my brothers and sisters, if you surrender your children to public schools, they are destined to become wards of the state at best and potentially become victims of Satan’s wiles. It’s almost mental, emotional and moral child abuse. Your children are God’s children, entrusted to you for a short season for the purpose of His kingdom. You dare not allow the government to educate them. Our public schools have become cesspools of woke philosophies, promoting sexual immorality, communism and indoctrination to a socialist world view. Everything perverse and demonic is accepted and promoted and anything Holy and of God is soundly rejected. There is no longer hope or salvation for public schools. It is time to come out from among them and be separate, and trust Jesus to give you the resources you need to train your own children in the way they should go. You can and must do this before it is too late. God has given you His Holy Spirit, His word, His wisdom and will meet your every need according to His riches. Trust Him with all your heart and He will direct your path. Let’s pray. 

 Oh Father, I confess that I have been deceived and have put my faith and trust in people and institutions other than You. I have acted and made my decisions because of my fear and my conformity to the demands of the culture I live in. For my own convenience I surrendered Your children to be trained in the way they should go to the world. Please cleanse me and change my heart. Change my intent and help my unbelief. I never believed that I could train my children at home, nor did I see how I have been instructed to do so by Your word. Forgive me and reverse the course, bring to me and especially my children, deliverance, faith and the resources we need to train my children at home. Jesus, I stand in faith against the Godless institutions that pollute the minds of our children with lies, filth and political indoctrination. I ask for Your intervention to completely reverse their course or to dissolve them.  Help us, Your church, to rescue children, parents and families from these demonic influences. Call all teachers and administrators to faith in You and to a higher calling for their life here on earth. As we dare to pull our children out of public schools and train them at home, help us to bring the saving knowledge of Your gospels to all those who work in and support these institutes. I ask that You raise up Godly public servants, men of God that fear, love and obey You, to legislate laws to protect and assist Christians who obey Your word and train their children in at home. Give us the courage to swim against the current of public demands. I surrender the children You have given me into Your loving care. In Jesus name, amen. 

Choosing well….how to pray for America

Have you ever been to a political rally? They have seemed to become a modern phenomenon with Donald Trump. I think because the political environment we find ourselves in, these last days, goes way beyond issues and political opinions. It’s more than a choice between red and blue, left or right, or those who try to stay safely in the middle. With the demonic assault that has raged against our culture in the United States since the end of WW2, in these last days there can be no middle ground, no compromise. It has clearly become a choice between right and wrong, sin or morality, God or Satan.  

 It was like that for the children of Israel when God delivered them from slavery and, finally, two generations later, brought them into Canaan through the leadership of Joshua. After their victory over Jericho, Joshua gathered all the people together and held a political rally. He shared with them the message God delivered to him for the people. He addressed the masses and chronicled their history and shared heritage. He started with Abraham and how Abraham’s father worshipped many demonic spirits and God called Abraham to separate himself from the pagan worship of his fathers and to follow the One true living God. He brought them through the history of Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all the failures, conquests, upheavals and victories that brought them to the place where they were now standing. Then pointing ahead Joshua revealed that God was giving them a vote! They could choose who would lead them from this point. They could choose the demonic forces their ancient fathers worshipped, the evil forces the civilizations that surrounded them worshipped, or they could make the right choice. Joshua then proclaims, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord”. (Joshua 24:15). They chose to follow Joshua’s lead as he followed the Lord! It was a clear choice between what pleased God and what abhorred God.  

So, it is for America today. We share a common heritage, a heritage where pilgrims were called away from the demonic worship that their fathers participated in, called to come away to a new land, a promised land, where they could freely worship the One true Living God, Jesus Christ. Our founding fathers made that choice and built our nation for the very purpose of the proclamation and promotion of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is our heritage, this is who we are, this is America. Yet for the last 70 years Satan has assaulted our heritage and corrupted our culture. Satan planted many tares among the wheat. Socialist and communist tares that worship power and government above God. Perverted tares that worship homosexuality and gender confusion above God’s design for man, woman and the family. Murderous tares that demand the slaughter of babies in the womb to make their promiscuous lifestyles convenient, demanding a right to murder what they consider a burden against their desire to worship self above God. A generation of lovers of self, haters of God. Violent, arrogant, with no natural affections.  

 Today we are not faced with a choice between conservatives or socialists. The choice is not even between Republican or Democrat. The choice is between God’s desire and Satan’s desires. We only have two political parties. The Democrat party clearly supports Marxist ideals, homosexuality and other perversions, abortion and silencing the gospel. The Republican party clearly supports freedom to worship, freedom of speech, freedom of individuals to defend themselves, their family and property and the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you choose to vote for or support any person affiliated with the Democrats, you clearly oppose God. Look at the judgments our nation has endured the last four years because we chose to follow and submit to the authority that Satan controls. The choice is clear for anyone who claims to love Jesus. Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will choose and serve the Lord.  This was Jesus’ political stance; He looked Pilate dead in the face and proclaimed’ “You have no authority over me except that which my Father gives you”. It should be our political stance as well. We should submit to Godly authority and resist Satan. Let’s pray. 

 Father, we cry out to You for our nation. We plead the blood of Jesus over our corrupted culture and political leadership. We ask Your forgiveness for submitting ourselves to Satan and his servants. Forgive us for not resisting evil, for compromising with evil and surrendering the Kingdom authority we hold as Your ambassadors over our government and our culture and allowing the heathen to rage. Cleanse us and embolden us to revolt against the wicked and refuse to allow Satan to gain any more ground. Encourage us to choose righteousness when we enter the voting booths. Enlighten us to the truth about the choices set before us and Holy Spirit help us to choose what is the good and perfect will of our Father. Bring our nation back to the purity of the pursuit of Jesus and Your kingdom, for we have no King but Jesus! Please remove every politician from power of any type that supports abortion, homosexuality, Marxist ideals and those who worship government. Please remove them from the local school boards, courtrooms, state legislation, federal branches of government and from the presidency. I pray for the complete and utter failure and removal of those who oppose You, hate Israel and support those who call for Israel’s destruction. Remove all senators and congress people that support the evils that pervade the political parties. I ask that You raise up men of God who will love You, fear You, seek You and worship You to lead our nation. Put them in seats of authority from the schoolhouse to the White House. Raise up Your church to preach holiness and righteousness without compromise to our nation. Heal marriages, unite the family structure, protect the unborn and breathe revival across our land. All this we ask in Jesus mighty name. Amen! 

 

The prayer that shakes everything in Heaven and on earth! 

How has your prayer life been lately? When was the last time you prayed, and it started an earthquake? I don’t mean figuratively; I mean quite literally. What? That hasn’t happened in a while? Oh, it has NEVER happened? Well, I believe God and take Him at His word. His word remains forever. It never changes because He never changes. His gifts and calling are without repentance. What He did for the saints in the first century is what He will do for us today, if we dare to follow the way they did. 

In the book of Acts in chapter 3 Peter and John were going to the temple, around 9am, to pray. They were not setting out to evangelize, start a campaign, feed the homeless or any other planned event. They were simply going to pray, minding their own business. But business had changed for them. They were no longer fishermen, but fishers of men. They had their minds always set on the Kingdom. They no longer made plans for their lives, they simply looked for His plan as they followed daily, instant at any moment to throw out the nets and pull in a catch, as Jesus sent the fish in their direction. 

As they came to the gate called Beautiful, a crippled beggar was placed in their path. He asked them for money. Jesus didn’t provide them with temporary solutions to people’s issues, He anointed them with resurrection power. So, they said “We don’t have any money, but what we have we will give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” Instantly the man was healed! This caused the enemy to stir up his servants to come against the Apostles and the authority they were walking in. They were arrested. The religious leaders could not tolerate that Jesus was still moving in Kingdom authority through His servants. In chapter 4 we see the confrontation. The evidence is examined, and the miracle was undeniable. They were not indignant that the man was healed, they were outraged that he was healed in the name of Jesus, the One they crucified. In frustration the only thing they demanded of Peter and John is that they never again work miracles or preach the good news in the name of Jesus. Of course, the Apostles boldly proclaimed that salvation is by no other name than the name of Jesus. So, the leaders further threatened them with violence, then released them. 

They go back to the rest of the church and tell them what has happened. They came to the realization that Satan had declared war on them just as he had on Jesus. So, in preparation for what was coming they prayed. Their prayer never asked for a way of escape or even for divine protection, they wanted earth shaking victory! They prayed and their prayer caused the earth to shake and the Holy Spirit to fall on them and they all began to preach the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In your face devil! It wasn’t because they were the initial ones called and that this first century church had a special dispensation of power and anointing. Remember, He is the same today, yesterday and forever. His call, His gifts and His plan for His church is the same. God wants you and me to walk in the same power and anointing they did. So why don’t we get the same results when we pray? Because we don’t follow like they did. Let’s look at how they got the results they did. 

The first factor was their attitude and mindset. They followed with an expectancy. They knew who they now were, what their purpose here on earth was, and who they were representing. The center of their lives was Jesus and His Kingdom. They didn’t center their lives on their careers, family, home, retirement, etc. They didn’t plan out their lives and fit Jesus into their plans. Jesus was their life. 

The next factor was the pattern of the prayer.  Step 1, they looked up; They approached the throne with worship and declaring the sovereign authority and power of the One who created all things. (Chapter 4: 24). Step 2, they looked back: They spoke the Word of God into the atmosphere as a weapon against Satan, as they quoted Psalm 2:1-2 and mocked the powers of darkness with David’s words; Why do the heathen wage? They spoke the futility of Satan’s wiles against the power of the Almighty God! (Chapter 4: 25-26) Step 3, they looked around: They declared that even the earthly authorities that are coming against them and Jesus, are all just puppets in the hands of God. Those religious leaders of Israel and political leaders of Rome perceived that their authority was a result of their own power, yet God is simply using them to work His perfect plan. (Chapter 4: 27-28). Finally step 4, they looked ahead: they asked Jesus to consider the threats against them and embolden them to speak the Word so the power of the truth would be so far above the fear of any threats spoken. The threats promised warned that the authority of this world would stretch out it’s hand to punish them harshly for speaking the name of Jesus. So, they asked Jesus to stretch out His hand to perform miracles and wonders to silence the threats against them and make the actions of their oppressor’s mute. (Chapter 4: 29-30) Then the earth shook beneath them, and the Spirit fell upon them. Let’s pray and expect! 

Father, we worship You. There is no power above you and nothing can stop Your will. We approach Your throne boldly in the name of Jesus, covered by His blood and filled with Your Spirit. We come with expectancy as children on the inside, heirs to the Kingdom and joint heirs with Jesus, who has paid the price for our forgiveness and has clothed us with His righteousness. Thank you that You hear us always and Your answers are yes and amen. Father, You have created us for this day and this time in history according to Your omniscient design. We are your servants for these last days, and we receive with gladness the yoke You have placed upon us and the call that You have issued. They enemies have amassed around us. The false prophets speak clever words of deception, targeting itching ears they can deceive. The rulers of this world in these last days are becoming more violent toward You, Your servants and the gospel we preach. They desire to silence us and to keep us from walking and preaching in Your name. Father hear their threats and stretch out Your hand to us that we may speak boldly and that the boldness of the truth we speak will shake them more violently than any of their threats could shake us to fear. Jesus release to us resurrection power to set the captive free, to confirm the word we preach with signs and wonders and to show them that only You hold all power and authority. Be exalted above all the earth and all the authorities of the earth and may the work we do and the gospel we preached be established forever. In Jesus name we pray. Amen! 

Praying to restore your first love

When I was young in the Lord Jesus led me into a unique situation. As I look back on it, this time in my life was a time of innocence and passion. Innocence because I wasn’t consciously aware of the spiritual activity that was swirling around me, and passionate because I was in a desperate pursuit of where Jesus was leading me. I was becoming deeply involved in prison ministry and I was experiencing concern for my fellow man that was totally foreign to me before I was born again. The Lord was setting everything up in my life to bring me to a place of serving Him that would not have been possible if I had chosen a path directed by my own wisdom or the counsel of man. 

 Jesus led me to a job at a local car wash chain. It was the only job I could obtain that had a flexible enough schedule that would allow me the time I needed to go to a different state prison three nights a week and on Saturdays, which also provided enough finances to take care of my growing family. Not by coincidence, the car wash I worked at was the slowest location in the entire chain. This afforded me a lot of unbusy time. I used this time to pray, study the word and listen to teaching on the local Christian radio station. I was enveloped in studying the word and prayer 5-6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 15 years! Most people pay large tuition to attend seminary, I was getting paid to go, and the Holy Spirit was my teacher. Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus? Do you remember the passion and the praise? Clear open communication in prayer and times of worship? I remember those days!  

I have volumes of journals I wrote out. Some would say they were like letters between best friends. In addition, I have notebooks that are self-authored commentaries on every book in the New Testament! Hours of deep study, prayer charts and theological prowess were the fruit from all the time spent between Jesus and me! The more I chased Him the closer we got. The closer we got the greater the trials and the grander the victories. I was discipled by the Jesus people and set on fire by the ministry of Kieth Green. Now those journals, notebooks and Kieth Green cassettes are in a storage room collecting dust. What happened to those days? 

 Jesus never changed. He never moved. His love for me and His joy of fellowshipping with me has never faded. It’s me, my senses have been seared and my passion has been dulled. It wasn’t caused by any overt sin or immoral pursuits. There has not been any huge compromise. To this day I remain very busy working for Jesus. Yet what happened to the full joy of my salvation? The faded passion is the result of a slow drain of interest. Life offers an opportunity to pursue other things. I finally went to “real” seminary. I found it true that knowledge puffs up, yet wisdom builds up. The energy and resources I have spent securing a home for my wife and children, learning better skills to be more marketable for a more lucrative career to secure these practical things have stolen my physical strength, my mental tenacity and my emotional balance. Yet I can get those innocent and passionate days back. Here is my plan. 

 In Revelation 2 Jesus sends a desperate love letter to the church at Ephesus. Ephesus was not only the center of ancient culture in the first century, but it was also the center of the young church. This letter was written about 60 years after Jesus ascended to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit. It is the church founded by Paul, pastored by Timothy, and the final church home to the Apostle John. This church was built on the passionate pursuit the Apostle Paul had for Jesus. He passed this passion to his son in the faith Timothy. Timothy was a mighty soldier of the Lord. The work of evangelism and the wisdom shared in fellowship was legendary as this church, rooted in the middle of a culture that worshipped Satan, took territory for Jesus and His Kingdom. Jesus opens His letter to them acknowledging their faithfulness and diligent works. He commends them not only for their tireless works but for their resistance to Satan. They would not tolerate false prophets and liars that were wolves in sheep’s clothing, wishing to devour the flock. They were faithful and busy winning souls, yet Jesus says that He has something against them. They left their first love. He warns them that if they do not return to their first love that He will quickly remove their candlestick. What does that mean? I think Jesus is telling them that the key to all their good works being effective for the Kingdom must come out of the fire of this first love. If they do not quickly return to this first love they will lose their witness. The love of other things will snuff out the purifying fire of the gospel they preach. If doing good works, holding Bible studies and evangelistic campaigns isn’t an expression of love, then what is our first love? It is that innocent and passionate time spent in the presence of Jesus. A desire for that more than anything that may accompany it. Jesus said we return by doing three things. First, we must remember. Reflect on those innocent and passionate encounters we had with Him in the beginning. Secondly repent. Turn away, lay down and walk away from all the activities and great ideas that have stolen the time and resources you use to invest in those innocent and passionate encounters. Third, do those things that came out of those encounters in the beginning. For me it will be opening the Word, writing those commentaries and listening to Kieth Green. Those were the things that kept me enveloped in His presence. Let’s pray and chase after Him! 

Father, I come running home to You in the saving name of Jesus. Holy Spirit lead me into the presence of my Lord! I long for those days when I sat at Your feet Lord, and we spoke heart to heart. I long for those times when I felt Your being so openly, heard your voice so clearly and understood Your call so readily. I miss You and miss resting in the fellowship of Your love and the joy of my salvation. Other loves have called me away. I confess to You that survival and self-preservation have dulled my senses and diminished my passion for Your presence. Forgive me Lord. I have been more enamored with what You bless me with than with who you are to me. I have allowed the cares of this world to turn my flame into a flicker. Reignite my passion into a blaze. You and You alone have the power to do this for me Lord. I cannot do it by my own strength. I confess that I listen more to politicians and world news than worship and the good news. Change my heart God! Fill my heart with a desire for You and Your fellowship, set a holy fire within me! Take all the things out of my life that distract me from spending time in Your word and in Your presence. I turn away from those things I have come to love as much or even more than You. I repent for wasting the precious time and resources that You have given me. Wash me clean. Strengthen me to do those first works I did in the beginning. Be my first love always, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hay and Stubble

Hay and stubble. I often wonder if all I desire to serve Jesus with will burn away in the fire of trials like hay and stubble. As the day of the Lord approaches ever closer, my heart is weighed down with the surety of judgement that God will soon bring upon this oblivious generation. I’m desperate to be a light to this dark world, but it seems that I struggle to keep the flame aglow as the impending doom of the apocalypse dampens my hope of an awakening that will delay the inevitable. This wicked generation has a deaf ear for the truth of the gospel and an itching ear turned toward convenient “truths” that will appease and promote their sinful lifestyles. As we teeter on the precipice of World War 3, the moral decay of our society and the stage being set for the son of perdition, I wonder if I am working the true works of righteousness or just manufacturing hay and stubble. 

When I was a young pastor, I learned a valuable lesson concerning the difference between pure works that were God centered and self-centered works that seemed pure on the outside but were simply exercises of good intentions. I founded and pastured a church plant in Ft. Lauderdale for several years. As circumstances changed, I felt God calling me to the House of Prayer ministry. We dissolved the church and needed to leave the church building we were renting from. We promised to leave the building as it was when we moved in, that meant I had to disassemble the altar we had constructed. Some of the brethren promised to help me, but, as I suspected, they never showed. So, I did the work myself. I lifted the carpet from the plywood decking and took it to a storeroom the church had provided. The altar was constructed in a series of wooden boxes which I tore apart one at a time and drug to the storage area. As I was storing the sections a thought came to my mind. “Wow there sure was a lot of worship at this altar. There were so many sermons preached at this altar.” As I was surveying all my wonderful accomplishments, the Lord interrupted my self-glorification. He spoke to my spirit and said “How many souls were saved at this altar, how many people were healed at this altar, who was delivered at this altar? For if people were not saved, healed or delivered at this altar then it never was an altar to Me, it was simply an altar to yourself.” When those words registered in my spirit, they totally disintegrated me. I was laying on that storage room floor for over an hour, weeping and repenting at His feet for all the hay and stubble. 

Jesus gives all of us a severe warning concerning our pursuit of Him in these last days. It is recorded in the gospel of Luke 21:34-36. It is a parallel to His sermon concerning the last days recorded in Matthew 24-25. In Lukes account, after Jesus speaks the parable of the fig tree (Israel in these last days), He warns us that these last days will be so trying, that if we are not careful, we can actually miss the rapture and miss our only opportunity to “escape all the wrath of God that is about to be poured out.” Jesus instructs us in what we MUST do to endure until the end and be found “worthy” to escape God’s judgment. He first instructs us to “be on the watch”. I know many Christians that expect the rapture to come after or during the great tribulation. Because of this they are preparing for the apocalypse instead of looking for rapture. If you do not diligently look up and watch you can be left behind. If you are not looking you can miss it. I have heard it said that we who keep hoping in the rapture are simply looking for a way of escape. I agree! That is exactly what Jesus promises, IF we keep looking up with expectation as the day approaches. Otherwise, He warns that our hearts will be weighed down and there is a chance of us turning away from following. Secondly, He instructs us to pray and never stop praying. What should we pray for? We need to pray that we never give up hope for the lost to be saved, never give up on the promise of His appearing to catch us away and we should pray that the works we do are pure works that will endure the fire of trials and tribulation and not be burned away like hay and stubble. So, church look up! The birth pains that all of creation is experiencing points to the inevitable fulfillment of prophesy. So, watch with anticipation and hope! Do not waste the precious time that remains on works that stem from your own ideas and good intentions. Pray, surrender, follow closely and only do what Jesus instructs you to do! Let’s pray! 

 Father thank you that you hear us always. Thank you for your mercy and your grace. Thank you that your word is true, and your promises are sure. Heaven and earth will pass away, but your word will never pass away, nor can it be altered, changed or denied. Jesus, keep me close to your side and attentive to your call. I thank you that I am sealed by your Spirit and He leads me into all truth. 

Forgive me Lord for all those times I have strayed onto my own path, following my own ideas, spending the time and resources you have anointed me with promoting my own good intentions. Help me to redeem the times and apply your wisdom to my heart. My desire is to do only what it is that you are doing and instruct me to do as I closely follow your lead. Jesus I still call upon your grace to send an awakening, beginning with your church. Revive our appetites for the things of your kingdom, a passion to rescue the dying and give us a disdain for the things of this world and the desires of our flesh. If there is still time Lord send to us a revival and help us to reap a last day harvest of souls, so that you are glorified, your children are edified, your will is accomplished, and your enemy becomes your footstool! Also, Lord, so that our works are not burned away like hay and stubble. Father, we ask all this in Jesus’ name, amen. 

 

 Series on the Master’s teachings on prayer

The Master teaches us to pray 

By Jim Locke 

 

Lesson one: The best question you can ask your rabbi. 

 

My goal in teaching this series is to examine the full spectrum on what Jesus taught His disciples (and now us) about prayer. To take a panoramic view of the Master’s ingenious dissertation, we must view the entire episode from the synoptic gospels. The synoptic gospels are a coordinated viewpoint from the gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark. John’s gospel is not usually included in the synoptic because John’s gospel was written later than the first three and some consider that, although inspired by the Holy Spirit and infallible, John’s gospel is not contemporary with the first three. 

What are the synoptic gospels? It is a combined viewpoint of accounts in the life and teachings of Jesus. When the same account is viewed from three different perspectives, we get the full details of the account and come into a clearer understanding of details of events and teachings.  

To illustrate how it works imagine there was an auto accident on the corner of Main and First Streets. The police arrive and begin to get details from witnesses as to what happened. They want to know what caused the accident, was anyone at fault, are there criminal elements to investigate, etc. They surmise all of this by putting the information together from the accounts of different witnesses who saw the same incident from different perspectives. One witness may have been involved in the accident and give details of what they were doing just prior to the accident. A person on the street corner saw both vehicles and may state that one car was speeding, or swaying, maybe ran a light. A third witness may state that one of the vehicles slid through a puddle. Having all the details from different perspectives they now can very accurately put together the entire story, just as it happened. 

So, to begin our teaching on the Master’s teaching on prayer, we are going to take details from the gospel of Matthew chapters 5-7 and the gospel of Luke chapter 11. Let’s first take inventory of our witnesses. Matthew was a disciple of Jesus and was an eyewitness to His teachings. Matthew painstakingly writes many details about Jesus and His earthly ministry. He was the second longest survivor of all of Jesus’ disciples (John being the longest) and made it his personal mission to record every detail. Luke’s gospel is just as Holy Ghost inspired, however he was not an eyewitness, Luke was a disciple of the Apostle Paul and he likely got his details from people like Peter, Mary or even perhaps Paul. 

We know that Matthew 5-7 and Luke 11 are speaking of the same incident because, although Luke’s account is much less detailed, there are too many matching details to be anything else but the same incident. Particularly what we call the Lord’s prayer or the Out Father. (We will examine this model prayer in detail in a later lesson). 

Our account begins in Luke chapter 11. Jesus is praying and his disciples are observing His communication with the Father. When Jesus is through praying the disciples come to Him and ask Him the best question anyone could ask their rabbi. They say to Jesus Master teach us to pray even as John (the Baptist) taught his disciples. Now it was a common practice for rabbis to teach their disciples to pray. The students of a rabbi’s goal in life were to become just like their rabbi. To worship, serve and pray just as their rabbi did. Some of Jesus’ disciples were indeed once disciples of John the Baptist, so it was natural for them to want Jesus to teach them to pray even as John taught them. But the way Jesus prayed was far beyond even the way John did. 

The disciples had been following Jesus for almost three years at this point and had seen the miraculous power and the supernatural wisdom that He walked in. The disciples could have asked Jesus to show them how to cast out demons, or to feed the thousands with a few fish and a few loaves. The saw Him walk on water, calm the storm and raise the dead! They may have asked Him to show them how to heal the sick or give sight to the blind. Yet as they observed their rabbi, they learned that all the divine attributes He displayed came out of this inseparable relationship He had with His Father, in fact Jesus often taught them that He only did that which His Father showed Him to do. Jesus submitted Himself to the authority of the Father and did nothing except what the Father told Him to do. This deep personal one on one relationship Jesus had with His Father was perpetrated through prayer, So this is the one thing His disciples wanted to learn how to do. 

Finally let’s put the two gospel accounts together. Luke 11:1 the greatest question is asked. Jesus immediate response is recorded starting in Matthew 5:1 As we put the synoptics together, in contemporary translation the full account would go like this; Jesus was praying to the Father and when had finished His disciples came to Him and said Master teach us to pray even as John taught his disciples. Now when Jesus saw the crowds He walked further up the mountain and called His disciples to gather around Him. Then He answered their request, opened His mouth and taught them (HOW TO PRAY) saying “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God”. WHAT? The beatitudes are the beginning of Jesus’ teaching on prayer? YES. I will show you this in the following lessons.