The Day Has Come!

OH LORD!  Bring about AWAKENING of Your people and great REVIVAL among the lost and wandering!

Lord, bring forth Your word spoken through Joel:

Wake up people of God!
Cry out to the Lord!

"LORD - deliver us from our grieving!  The Day of the Lord is at hand!  Pour out Your Spirit upon Your sons and Your daughters, to declare the Day of the Lord is at hand!  As Your Ambassadors, let us sound the alarm and declare with boldness that we must must turn to the Lord, Who is gracious and compassionate!  There must be a repentance of our sins and a seeking after the righteousness and holiness of God our Creator, Master of all heaven and all earth!  Let the days be filled with proclamations of God's goodness and mercy!  Pray that many will turn from wickedness and be filled with the Holy Spirit of the Living God!"

As I woke this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this very freeing and most glorious thought filling my mind and heart:

It really doesn't matter what is going on in the world AROUND me; it matters only what is going on WITHIN me!

When it isn't about WHAT we trust, but about WHO we put our trust in, and our trust is in the Everlasting God, our minds are filled with peace and our hearts hold right attitude that keeps us joyful and hopeful, in all things and through all things!

If we base our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors on the conditions and actions of the world around us it is no wonder at all that we would be fearful and terribly discouraged!  The god of this world, the devil, has only one mission:  DECEIVE PEOPLE SO THEY WON'T  WORSHIP THE ONE TRUE GOD OR TRUST IN THE SAVIOR, JESUS!

He does this by working through PEOPLE!  He works through religious people to deceive even Gods elect if possible.  John 10:10 tells us the works of religious leaders who have given themselves completely over to the deceit and have set themselves up as something to be adored and worshipped by their foolish pride!  They kill, steal and destroy! They keep the very people God intended them to serve, enslaved to their whims and selfish human desires!

 In Jesus' day, the religious leaders set themselves against the very Savior they claimed they were seeking diligently for, waiting for and hoping for!  When He came, they were so enamored of their own high status and financial prosperity, they continued to "use" the name of God to legitimize their actions, but they no longer worshipped or served God or God's people!  They served themselves - just like their father the devil! (See John 8:44)

Because of this, they were blinded to the truth, even when He stood right in front of them and declared He was the One they had been seeking and waiting for!  Instead of rejoicing, they were afraid of Him, set themselves against Him and ultimately caused His arrest and imprisonment that led to His crucifixion!

Religion can lead you far from the Lord and cannot set you free!  Church attendance, while helpful to your growth (if truth is taught!) cannot set you free! Head knowledge about the Lord cannot and will not set you free from doubts, worries and fears.

There is only ONE who sets truly FREE INDEED and that is Christ the Savior!

In the words of our Savior I implore you today:  REPENT, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!  Ask and receive forgiveness of your sin through the sacrifice Jesus made of His life on the cross to pay every penalty for you!  Trust His work and believe that God raised Him from the dead and you SHALL BE SAVED!  Let today be the last day you face the concerns and evils of this world alone.

BEHOLD NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME, BEHOLD NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

We'd love to pray with you; fill out the prayer request form in the upper left of the screen.  Go to a local church and talk to them about your decision to walk with Christ on your side and living in your heart.

NEVER WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN FEAR AGAIN!

Revival, Awakening, RENEWAL!

Oh Lord God I lift my voice in supplication before your throne of grace and seek your help and your strength and your guidance for this day! Father I come before you humbled by your mercy toward us and exceedingly grateful that we are clothed in your righteousness, having been washed by the blood of the Savior and cleansed by your love!

Lord I lift my voice with confident trust that you not only hear my prayers but that you have already made provision for the answers to be received! The voices of wickedness are raised in violence against your truth! The sound of them pounds in our ears and causes palpitation in our hearts, yet I bow in full confidence before you, knowing that the shield of faith will indeed extinguish every fiery dart of my enemy! The shield of faith will quiet every violent noise!

The helmet of salvation, firm upon my head, assures me of my everlasting life with Christ! My feet are shod with the gospel of peace, the precious word of truth surrounding me, assuring me that the promises of God are mine and will indeed come to pass! I praise you Lord for your truth that binds me in hope of deliverance now and eternal life!

Let my eyes stay fixed on the joy of my salvation in Christ Jesus, but I will find strength in all my places of weakness! Keep my heart bathed in the word of truth but lifts me up and holds me steady through every storm! Secure my trust in the steadfast righteousness, holiness and love of God my creator! Let all the world fall to the deceit and destruction of the enemy, but let the heart and soul and mind of the followers of Christ be held steady and firm and hopeful in the everlasting life to come! Let those that will hear and receive the truth of the Lord be saved from the wicked darkness of this world! Let all who cry on the name of Jesus find peace and solace and help and strength and wisdom and guidance and hope in Him!

No matter the plans of the enemy to trip us up and cause us to fall, thank you God that your hand steadies us and your truth holds us firm and your supernatural power delivers us from all the traps and schemes and deceits of the enemy of our souls!

Help us to put aside the sinful desire of our flesh and to put on the mind of Christ and to be obedient to the truth you have given to us and to boldly share that truth with others, that salvation and awakening and true revival would sweep our world with a cleansing breath of deliverance and healing and fresh hope in the God of all creation and in the sacrifice if His Son Jesus that redeems!

Awaken your people to rise up in your name and be witnesses to Christ and ambassadors of your reconciliation to this world! Revive the dead in sin to new life in Christ Jesus! Cleanse the body of Christ of all spot and blemish to your glory and honor! I thank you father for the power of the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work of supernatural blessing on this earth now in this time of need, drawing souls to salvation and strengthening the people of God to awaken to your glory and majesty and power and might! I ask and pray your miracles, your signs and your wonders be renewed and refreshed on this earth in Jesus name, amen.

Heavenly Minded - No Earthly Good?

Here’s what’s on my mind today: we look around at everything going on in our world and we think about how we should respond, we think that we need to respond all of it.

That we, as Christians, need to respond to the social issues that are being debated in the public forums. We need to respond to the political issues, especially as we are in an election year and we are, after all, citizens of the United States and directly affected by who holds office, and the ideology that will drive which laws they will pass and which laws they will do away with.

And we are most definitely affected by the culture; the culture we ourselves grew up in that speaks to our thinking and our emotional responses, as well as the cultures that we see around us; how they differ from us, or how they are the same, and how that affects us in our daily lives at work and at home.

As Christians we wrestle with the idea of getting involved in the world around us, believing that it is our responsibility to be involved with the world around us because after all, how can we carry out the Great Commission if we are not engaged in the world around us?

But here is the question I’m not hearing asked; did Jesus directly address politics, culture or social justice when He walked this earth?  This is the main question, because we are NOT CALLED to follow Apostle Peter, or Apostle Paul or Pastor This or Reverend That or Evangelist SoandSo or Prophet Whoever. Luke 9:23

WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW JESUS.

NO ONE WAS MORE aware, and in a far deeper and far more intimate fashion than we ever could be, because he is in fact God and knows all things, than Jesus. And yet he managed to preach his gospel, the truth for all the ages,  without being political, socially "relevant" or cultural, declaring that he himself is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the father but through him.

When it came to politics his answer was always direct, simple and left no room for debate; in fact, once he spoke the truth he never said another word about it.  Think about his statements such as "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s."   He didn't waste time with argument or conjecture.  He just spoke the truth and left everyone to deal with it according to their own thoughts.  "In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world." He knew that they would either accept or reject the truth and no debate was necessary, because he knew people. Matthew 22:21  John 16:32-33

The same should be for us as Christians. We live in the United States, so we obey the laws and we  pay our taxes, just as Jesus did when he walked the earth.   Matthew 17:24-27   As citizens, we exercise the privilege of voting. But none of that overshadows the truth that we actually live by which is that this world is not our home that we are citizens of heaven.  Philippians 3:20

We should have our minds on spiritual matters and we should preach the gospel. Jesus did not say preach politics, preach social justice, preach culturally, he said preach the gospel.  Colossians 3:2

His story. 

Nothing more; nothing less. It is not for us to twist the bible to fit our narrative or tell our story or a denominations story.  It is not to be used for our own devices or make a political statement, a social statement or a cultural statement.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate universal message.  John 3:16-17

That we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23  That we have ALL been made, formed and created by God.  Genesis 1:27  Psalm 139:13  That we are ALL loved by God.   That He sent his son Jesus to die for every single solitary person whoever was, ever will be and is now, because it is His will that all should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth.   1 Timothy 2:3-4

Jesus addressed the world  issues only in so far as they impacted individual lives in relation to them accepting the gospel message of salvation. He only addressed that which was personal, tangible and eternal so that people could receive his gift. Matthew 5

Think about Jesus' conversation with the woman of Samaria at the well in John chapter 4. When she spoke of worldly, social and cultural matters relating to her understanding of spiritual and eternal issues, Jesus left all that aside; about whether Jerusalem was where they should worship or whether Samaria was where they should worship or whether the temple was where they should worship or whether there was some other place they could worship. He didn’t go into some long winded explanation, he didn’t go point by point by point to prove anything to her. He simply spoke the truth clearly and concisely; God looks for those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24

He gave her the truth and left it for her to either receive the truth and apply it or not.

This is how we Christians should be responding to everything going on in this world. We should not address specifically matters that are actually worldly. We should only address that which is eternal, which is salvation through Christ or an eternity in darkness.  2 Corinthians 5:18

That is the only truth that truly matters and that is the only gospel that should concern a Christian walking with Christ.

I don’t care who you are, where are you were born, how you were raised, what your skin looks like, what color your hair is, what language you speak, there is one gospel and it is for everyone equally.

We are all sinners, we are all in need of a Savior, we all must repent of our sin and declare with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our Lord and have eternal life through him or eternity apart from him.

Until we have that straight, that our ETERNITY must be settled before we can settle anything else, nothing else we say or do will matter for anyone.

ROMANS 10: 9-10   ...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

ONCE THAT IS SETTLED THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL LEAD EACH BELIEVER INTO THE SPECIFIC MINISTRY THEY ARE ANOINTED BY GOD TO FULFILL.  UNTIL THEN, SALVATION IS THE ONLY MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND SETTLED.

PRAYERS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE

Lord we need your peace! Only in the place of your peace Lord can we receive all that we have need of, all that You desire for us. 

I pray today Lord, your peace would quiet the minds of your people, your peace quiet the hearts of your people. Lord that in the place of your supernatural peace over us, we are able to hear the voice of our God, we are able to know Your powerful presence with us, that in your peace we would hear and understand your counsel and guidance, that by your peace quieting us, we are able to understand and act on your words of truth!

Father,  today I ask that your peace would flow in and over and around and under and completely surround the hearts and minds of your people, that we would come into a peaceful fellowship with you, your truth, and realize our place in the body of Christ. 

I pray Lord that your peace would keep us, your peace would strengthen us, your peace in us would allow your Holy Spirit to lead us in boldness today to do the will of God, to receive your blessings and the joy of our salvation, in Jesus name, amen!

FRIDAY PRAYERS

Lord, you alone know the end from the beginning and you alone understand all the pains and all the sorrows experienced by the hearts of all the people that you’ve created.

You alone are the answer to every question, every concern and every fear that we have or will ever have. We cry out to you, Holy Spirit, cover our hearts, quiet our minds! Bring order to the chaos of our thoughts and our feelings! Hold your people steady on the Rock of our salvation, and let the joy of that salvation rise up and give us strength!

Gracious God, release your peace, that Your peace will guard our hearts and our minds and keep them from spiraling down into dark fear and doubts! 

Lord God, you have called your people to be the beacons of light that will shine into the darkness, that will light a path to lead others to your grace and to your hope for their today’s and their tomorrow’s! 

Lord we need your Holy Spirit power to steady are standing. Oh Lord let our faith rise up and bless us with the strength to stand firm, to shine brightly, to love without hypocrisy, to comfort those in need and speak the powerful everlasting words of life, words of salvation, so that all will hear and all would have opportunity, to choose everlasting life with the Lord God who saves!

Fill our mouth‘s Lord, fill the mouth’s of Your people with the gracious words of repentance leading to salvation that comes with the knowledge that Christ Jesus alone is Lord! 

How we need you God, we cry out to you Lord, let the Holy Spirit work be done in us, let the work of the Holy Spirit be done through us!  Lord you are our God, our deliverer, our Father of grace and mercy!

Shine through us that the darkness will be shattered and the world will see that you alone are LORD, and that you alone are the help and the answer that each one of us needs, we ask and pray in Jesus name, amen!

SUNDAY PRAYERS

Lord God, I come before you in humble admiration of your perfection and your glory and your everlasting love. I petition you this morning Father on behalf of myself and my brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly today, as we think about the things of the Lord, as we contemplate the events of our world, and as we gather together, many of us, in fellowship to worship you, I ask today a mighty wind of your Holy Spirit blow through our hearts and our minds and guide us to a place of effective prayer before you, in humble submission to you, for opportunity to have our hearts cleansed of unrighteousness. We are eternally grateful that all our sin has been forgiven and washed away.

We pray the mighty power of the Holy Spirit work through us to share those glorious words of hope with others, that they would repent and declare Jesus as Lord and receive the washing of your word, a glorious harvest of born-again believers walking in harmony with your truth to honor your name and bless the body of Christ!

Today Lord, move Holy Spirit,  powerfully and swiftly and deliberately in the hearts of your people, raising up a compassion for the hurting and the lost and the wandering and those tangled in web of chaos in their lives.

Let our compassion move us to speak of your glorious healing and deliverance and restoration and wholeness and joy to their blessing, to your glory, in the powerful majestic name of Jesus Christ the King!

Priorities and Purpose in the Current Climate

Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we as Christians go about our daily lives?  Many churches are still closed down, some are minimally operating and others simply continued to function as usual with nary a missed step.

ARE WE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?
Are we supposed to be "changing" things in our lives?

Here's what made me think along these lines; listen in and see what you think, or how the Holy Spirit may move in your heart about this.

ACCORDING to the Word of God my focus and priority is to SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Matthew 6:33

          With reverence, respect, wisdom, fear and trembling, and AWE I am to seek the Lord through reading His word daily, praying, meditating on those things that are pure and true and noble....Philippians 4:8

THAT HASN'T CHANGED!

ACCORDING to the instructions to the Lords people found in Ephesians 4:10-16, I am to be purposeful and deliberate about sharing the Gospel to the end I am part of building the Body of Christ and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.

THAT HASN'T CHANGED!

ACCORDING to Jesus' instructions to His disciples, of which I am one, His command is that we LOVE one another, just as He loves us, the Father loves Him and us, so we are to love one another.  John 13:35 and reiterated directly to the saints today in 1Peter 1:22.  

THAT HASN'T CHANGED!

The truth is that for the Christian who is endeavoring to walk with Christ and in obedience to His word, the constant turmoil, upheaval, chaos, insanity, politics, societal ills and cultural clashes of this WORLD are not to be the platform on which we stand nor the platform from which we speak.  

We are to STAND on the steadfast, immovable, unchangeable, strong and solid ROCK of Jesus Christ the Savior Who is the same yesterday, today and forever!

May the God of all Glory give you peace, strength, wisdom and the power through His Holy Spirit to stand firm in His truth today, tomorrow and every day, in Jesus name! 

Morning Prayer

Father in heaven I cry out to you, the God who changes the hearts of man, the God who delivers our souls from eternal darkness and death into eternal life through Jesus Christ. Help me Lord, to walk in the light of your truth, help me Lord, to live my life in the light of your truth.

I am so very grateful to you Lord, that all my sin I have confessed to you, and all my sin you have forgiven me! The blood of Jesus covers me, and has washed me clean and delivered me from the consequence of my sin and has cleansed me of all unrighteousness, that I can walk in fellowship with my Creator!

Holy Spirit show me the way that is right in the sight of my God, for my feet to bring me into the fullness of the will of God, and into the blessings of walking in fellowship with Him, and into the covering of His Almighty grace that covers the multitude of my sin.

Keep my feet on the path of His love and mercy! Every day, Holy Spirit lead and guide me, that I will be the ambassador for Christ,  be that new creation in Christ, living out the life of a blood bought child of the living God!

As I walk through my day today father, I pray the precious words of eternal life would fall from my lips into the ears and the hearts of the lost and the wandering, that they would share in the joy and the fellowship of your children! That your desire, which is that all would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, would be fulfilled one soul at a time, through the words that I speak and the actions that I take, that the name of my God would be honored and glorified, in the name of Jesus the Son, alleluia and amen!

Prayer for Peace to Prevail

Heavenly father as we seek your face early this morning, we cry out for the leading and the guiding of your Holy Spirit to strengthen our hearts today, to bless us with wisdom and understanding as we go about our daily tasks today. 

Lord I pray that the power of your grace and mercy go out today to quiet the chattering of evil and wickedness. Shut up the voices that stir up storms today, in order that many would hear instead the opportunity of peace through Christ Jesus the Lord today. That the voice of reason, the voice of peace will be heard among above the clamor for violence and hatred and bitterness and anger! 

God I ask that there would be a calming peace pervading over America today, that those who will hear your words of love and mercy will have the opportunity to hear and receive into their hearts and be turned away from hardness and harshness and hatred and anger and violent behaviors. 

I pray that those whose hearts choose the way of wickedness and evil, that they will be shut down today, that they will be quieted today, that the peace of God will rise up today and allow those who would rather walk in light and life and love would have the opportunity to receive that, that the stirring up of wicked and evil would be overcome by your light, that your peace, your gracious love be highly favored, lifted and embraced so that mens hearts are quieted, in Jesus name!