Short posts to provoke daily meditation as you go through a 21 day fast.
The most recent posting is listed at the top of the page.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain,
and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation; Revelation 5:9 KJV
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great
multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Revelation 7:9-10 KJV
Nations,
and Kindreds, and People, and Tongues! Nations, and Kindreds, and People, and
Tongues! Oh my! God is interested in all of them and we're expected to be like
Him! He wants us to reach the world with
the gospel! BY ALL MEANS!!! And I saw another
angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people, Revelation 14:6 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17
KJV
As He looked on the Samaritan coming out
of their city to meet him at the woman's invitation, Jesus saith unto them, My
meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say
not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto
you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to
harvest. John 4:34-35 KJV
We
have a job to do saints and that is to finish the work He gave us to do. Like
the Hemphills we sing:
"…But I
dare not relax
Until I’ve done
all he asked
That I won’t
leave behind
An unfinished task"
I
remember a few slogans back from my younger days:
"The
Mission of the Church is Missions!"
"Pray and
Give that the Lost might Live!"
So
let us do just that for a world that is on the downward slope of the roller
coaster ride to a lost eternity! There
is no one else but the church, that has been commissioned to bear this
treasure! And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:15 KJV For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14 KJV
To
continue the Hemphills:
So when my life,
on earth is past
There’s just one
thing dear Lord I as
Don’t let me
leave behind
An unfinished
task
Father of Grace
and Truth enlighten your children to the truth of our responsibility that the
world cannot hear without a preacher and you have sent us! We pray that you
send reapers out to the ripened fields. Fill them with Your grace and love!
Keep them Lord as they faithfully serve You. We pray that your children will
give of their time, talents and treasure to bring the lost sheep home!
Verses
for the Heart: For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. John 3:16-18 KJV
FASTING DAY 20 - NEIGHBORHOOD AND NATION!
If we forget God
His mercy will flee
And sin will
cover the land and the seaIf we forget God Satan will rule
If we forget God our nation is doomed
The chorus of this Louvin Brothers song from the 50's is still true today! A neighborhood or nation that forgets God is doomed! The Bible says, The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalms 9:17 KJV Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Psalms 50:22 KJV
We
seriously need to consider this and ponder on whether we are adding to the
problem or being part of the solution. While the church should never be involved in any hate oriented
protest, against any group or individual, the church has a divine mandate to be
faithful in the discharge of its duty! Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy
4:2 KJV; and the verses following say why, For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And
they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV
We
are required to be lights. What if we aren't shining? How will those stumbling
in darkness find the Way? Do all things
without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Philippians 2:14-16 KJV Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16.
A
lot of responsibility rests on the shoulders of the nation's leaders, who WILL
give an account of their rule to the Eternal One! In the days of kingdoms the
people did not have much choice if any, about who will rule! The kingdom
usually passed on to the heir of the throne. In our times, we have been given
the responsibility of choice by the vote, and we are therefore accountable for
our choices! When the righteous are in authority, the people
rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Proverbs 29:2 KJV
Many saints of God have unwisely and selfishly elected to office, individuals
who then proceeded to unleash evil, filth and heavy burdens on the people they
are supposed to be serving! Withhold not
good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do
it. Proverbs 3:27 KJV. It applies to both the elected and the
elector!
What
should the church do concerning leaders and officials of a nation? I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For
kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV.
That's right! It's the church's privilege to pray! It's the church's duty to
pray! If there's one thing we can do, it is to pray! And as we pray we continue
to Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2 KJV
Sovereign Father
we petition You on behalf of our country and leaders. We pray for the influence
of Your precious Spirit in the affairs of men, that He will turn the hearts of
our leaders and those in authority, to seek Your wisdom like Solomon did, and
to follow that wisdom faithfully! Lord, for the sake of Your people, intervene
and bring healing, peace and hope to this land, that we may experience Your abundant
grace in quietness and service to You.
FASTING DAY 19 - THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST!
Not just the church of the Anglican, Baptist or Catholic!
Not just the Assemblies of God, Brethren Assemblies or Christian Assemblies!
Not just the AME, the BME or the CME! Not just the Apostolics, Bereans or Charismatics!
It's more than a single group in a precise geographical location, at a specific
time. It's more than a company abiding by a set church constitution.
It's mystical, it's spiritual, it transcends time, space,
language, culture, creed, geography, governments, dogmas and any other barrier
that man erects!
It's
the Church Universal!
It's
the Body of Christ!
And
it's huge!
Only God knows the sum total of the members, but we are a part of
this body, and Christ is the HEAD From whom the whole body fitly
joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to
the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body
unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:16 KJV
We're connected to each other by virtue of being a part of this
body! So since we do not hurt ourselves, we should not hurt each other, but
rather pray for each other.
Jesus wanted us to be one, and He prayed the Father that we may be
one, even as He and Father are one! Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have
given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me. John 17:20-23 KJV
This is what we are praying for also! That His will be done! That
we may be one in Him and He in us! When every cell, tissue and organ of the
body functions as they are supposed to,
then the body is healthy and efficient! When the members of the church are all
in place, working and functioning as they are supposed to, then the church is
efficient and functioning as God intended!
Men
and women place themselves in danger every day for the Lord, as they risk their
lives to take this precious gospel to the nations, people, tribes and
individuals of the world. Pray for them! Support them! Paul reminded the believers
of Thessalonica of this, Finally, brethren,
pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified,
even as it is with you: 2 And that we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
KJV
He
urges the Colossians to Continue in
prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of
utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That
I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Colossians 4:2-4 KJV
Praying
is an integral part of the armor of God, and Paul urges that the saints be Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto
me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For
which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought
to speak. Ephesians 6:18-20 KJV
Holy Father we
pray that Your saints will see the church as you see it Lord, as one unique
body connected to You! We pray for each member of this body, not only in a
local church, but in the church universal. Deliver Your servants from
unreasonable and wicked men, as they toil selflessly to deliver the glorious
gospel to the lost and dying. Melt our hearts into one, so that we will love
one another to pray for them as our own.
Verses
for the Heart: Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 KJV
FASTING
DAY 18 - SALVATION AND REDEMPTION!
The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV. God wants all the world to be saved,
including us and our loved ones, our families, friends, neighbors co-workers
and enemies! And we have to want the
same!
The
Philippian jailor asked the question, Sirs,
what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31 KJV
Now after that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:14-15
KJV
In
commissioning the disciples Jesus said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned. Mark 16:15-16 KJV
Right!
It's the gospel of Christ which we need to believe, about which Paul declared, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 KJV
Later
on Paul said, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 KJV
And
just what is this gospel that is preached?
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the
gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye
stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if
ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in
vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; 4 And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians
15:1-4 KJV
Remember,
in commissioning his disciples Jesus said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 KJV
We
need to preach the gospel! How then shall they
call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him
of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14 KJV
Therefore said he unto them, The
harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord
of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Luke 10:2 KJV
And
therein lies our mission and commission! We do not give up! We need to persistently
pray for our loved ones and all others, that they will be saved. We must care
enough to share this gospel, for if we do not care we will not share, and if we
do not share they will not hear!
We
need to take hold of the Word of God, and lay out His promises of salvation
before Him. Then we need to wrap those promises in prayer, and pray them
through until God reaches out, and fulfils what He promised! It's time to stop
placing man's words and philosophies above God's Word! It time to do with God's
Word what He's done with it! Magnify it!
Let's say like David, I will worship
toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalms 138:2 KJV
For after that in the wisdom of God
the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians
1:21 KJV
If
anyone will be saved, the gospel of Christ must be preached. Let's pray for
this gospel to be preached. Let's pray that we may be empowered to preach the
full gospel. Let's pray that this Redemption Story will be lived out in our
lives, to be a testimony and witness to the everlasting power of God unto salvation! This is the most important task that Christ
left the church to do! Do not give up on that family! Do not lose heart! Do not
give up, for He is faithful! He hears you!
Almighty Father
who make His ministers a flame of fire, we pray that You grant boldness to Your
servants to preach Your Word, by stretching forth Your hands to heal, and that
signs and wonders will be done by the Name of Your Beloved Son, and Our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that our hearts will burn with desire to preach
the gospel, and that souls will be harvested into Your Kingdom.
FASTING DAY 17 - BONDAGE BREAKING!
Bondage is more than just a kinky fetish of sick minds! It can be a death sentence to many who are caught up and entangled in addictions to various vices and undesirable habits! These vary widely from too much preoccupation with, and pursuit of, television, video games, food and gambling to pornography, sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol, occult, etc. Many are bound by financial burdens, family traditions, sinful habits and secret sins.
When a person is
in bondage to someone or something, the someone or something has dominion over
the person! That person is nothing more than a slave, though deceived into
believing he's free.
The
Bible says that While they promise them liberty, they
themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of
the same is he brought in bondage. 2
Peter 2:19 KJV. The proud
Jews were outraged when Jesus said that you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never
in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever
committeth sin is the servant of sin. John 8:33-34 KJV
The
Bible says He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the
devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 KJV
Many
of God's people, though saved, have found themselves entangled in the yoke of
bondage, due to involvement in sinful habits. Living in sin has bound, not only
the persons involved, but their families also. The enemy's attack on marriage,
pregnancies, gender, parenthood and family has subtly, but slowly and surely
ensnared many sincere believers until they no longer know where, or even care
to draw the line and say "NO MORE!!!"
But
there is hope still, for If the Son
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36 KJV
Jesus
said The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year
of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19 KJV
JESUS
WANTS TO DELIVER FROM BONDAGE AND HE IS ABLE TO DO SO!
Knowing
that He is able, and that He wants to, we can come with confidence to Him. His
Blood was shed to set us free and we overcome the enemy by the Blood of Jesus
Christ! And they overcame him by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto
the death. Revelation 12:11 KJV
He
has given us authority to use His Name which is above every other name. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it
you. 24
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive,
that your joy may be full. John 16:23-24 KJV
He
has given us the authority to bind and loose! Verily
I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as
touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father
which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together
in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:18-20 KJV
There!
He said it Himself! If two shall agree! If we gather in His Name He is THERE!
Let's
therefore gather in His Name and agree that the bondage will be broken! Let's
have confidence in His Word! Let's encircle His promises and hold on to them
against all opposition because He is
faithful that promised! Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Hebrews 10:23 KJV
O Father we
gather in Your Name, confident that your promises are true and sure! As Your
Beloved Son taught us to, we ask that You deliver us from evil! We are Yours by
creation, and we are Yours through the Blood Covenant enacted by Our Beloved Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ! We thank you for the freedom through the Blood and
through Your Name!
Verses
for the Heart: And you, being dead in
your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with
him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of
the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them
in it. Colossians 2:13-15 KJV
The
question has been fiercely debated and argued for and against. Is it God's will
to heal? Does God still heal people today? It may be wise to look into the Word
of God for an answer! The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the
Lord. 20
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat
down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And
he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:18-21 KJV. What in the scripture did Jesus say was
fulfilled? Preaching of the gospel to the poor, healing of the broken hearted,
preaching of deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, the
bruised set at liberty, and the preaching of the Lord's acceptable year!
Another
time Jesus was preaching And there came a
leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If
thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus, moved with
compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be
thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the
leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. Mark 1:40-42 KJV The leper
said if you will you can make me clean, and Jesus said I WILL, be thou clean!
Sickness
and diseases resulted from the fall of man, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by
listening to the devil, of which Jesus said, The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 KJV
We
are also told of How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 10:38 KJV
Over
and over again we read of Jesus healing the sick and performing miracles of
healing: Now when the sun was setting, all they that had
any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on
every one of them, and healed them. Luke
4:40 KJV
And he came down with them, and stood
in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people
out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon,
which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18 And
they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And
the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and
healed them all. Luke 6:17-19 KJV
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew
himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them
all; Matthew 12:15 KJV
HE
HEALED THEM ALL!
The
only time Jesus was stopped from doing miracles, was in His home town Nazareth.
Why? UNBELIEF! And he could there do no mighty work, save
that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And
he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages,
teaching. Mark 6:5-6 KJV
He
marveled at their unbelief! He wanted to do great things for them, but could
not, because of their unbelief! So when someone tells you today that Jesus does
not heal, it is an attempt plant the seeds of unbelief in your spirit, because we
see Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever. Hebrews 13:8 KJV
If
He healed then, He heals NOW! If unbelief blocked Him then, it will block Him
now! Remember when He was dealing with the desperate father, Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things
are possible to him that believeth. Mark
9:23 KJV
IF YOU CAN ONLY
BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVES!
So
as we pray, let us remember that we are praying to a God who heals and performs
miracles, and has never stopped doing so! He is still willing today! Let's get
unbelief out of the way! Faith is the antidote for unbelief, and faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, not the word of man!
Dear Father You
sent Jesus for this manifested purpose: to destroy the works of the devil! It
is Your will for us to be healed according Your Word! As you people feed on
Your Word, let faith arise in our hearts for the healing and deliverance of the
brethren, O Lord, for Thy Honor and Glory!
Verses
for the Heart: Is any among you
afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is
any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them
pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And
the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and
if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye
may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James
5:13-16 KJV
FASTING DAY 15 - MINISTRIES AND SERVICES!
The
Church of Jesus Christ includes an intricately interactive integration of
multiple ministries, missions and services, which engage and empower each other,
in a fantastically fascinating fashion, to bring glory to Father God, and
promote His kingdom on earth!
For as
we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same
office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ,
and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy
according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our
ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on
exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth,
with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:4-8 KJV
In our churches
we have various offices and departments. Each has a vital job, and none is
independent, doing its own thing, but remains in submission to the leadership,
as one cohesive, united operation. Their mission? To reveal Christ and glorify
His Name!
Our Sunday
Schools, Women's Ministries, Men's Ministries, Youth Ministries, Worship
Ministries, Boards and every other department in a church, all play a vital
part in promoting Christ!
Empowered by the
Holy Spirit, love is the oil that keeps these units working smoothly, without
friction!
Transparency, a
much misused and abused word in our day, is an absolute must in the ministries
of the church.
Each group is in
need of Spirit Filled Leadership, humble before God, while ministering faithfully to God's children.
Each group also
needs the church to be Praying always
with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18 KJV
Praying is the
one thing we can all do, and it's the one thing that we cannot afford NOT to
do! Every ministry in the church of God urgently needs people who're willing,
not just to pray for something, but to pray through, until there's a
breakthrough!
There are no
heroes or superstars in the kingdom! It's not a one man show! It's not any
man's show, or any woman's show! It is
just a blessed bunch of Blood-washed, Spirit-filled, Born-again people who are
desirous of one thing only: i.e. to bring glory to their Lord and Savior as
they snatch souls from satanic slavery, and introduce them to their Bright and
Morning Star!
Therefore
seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But
have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor
handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth
commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 2
Corinthians 4:1-2 KJV
Beloved Father God, we desire to be faithful
ministers according to your grace. Help your children Lord, to operate through
faith in Your Name, according to Your Word! We pray that your love may abound,
and unite your children to minister as one body, whose head is the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Verses for the Heart: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV
It's the plaintive plea of every preacher!
Paul's simple request comes at the end of a series of short
reminders to the saints at Thessalonica. Later on in his second letter he again
inserts the plea: Finally, brethren, pray for
us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as
it is with you: 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable
and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 KJV.
If there's one person every member of a congregation should
be praying for, it's their pastor/preacher! Have we ever stopped to think
about it? We attend Church regularly for worship and fellowship, and to hear
the Word preached! The person preaching the Word needs to do it faithfully, and
with integrity, being submissive to the Holy Spirit for the anointing,
inspiration and effectiveness in reaching the need of the congregation.
For the congregation, an eternal destiny rests on the
message that's being sent forth and received. There is intensive activity in
the spirit world, as the enemy works diligently to corrupt, confuse, destroy,
steal, kill and lie, in his efforts to block us from the Word of life!
We all want to know that what we receive, is the genuine
life giving article. There may not be much else that we can do, where the
preaching and it's delivery is concerned, but we can pray!
The enemy will get us to do anything but pray! He will even
get us all fired up in pharisaical self-righteousness, as long as we don't
pray!
It's not unusual for people to 'discuss' pastors, preachers and leaders, sounding off at length, on
their failures and shortcomings. Many pastors, their families and church
leaders, have been shredded, and substituted as appetizers during lunch or
dinner, by members. Few members have thought to get down on their faces before
God in prayer for the persons.
Sadly, what we many times fail to see, or are unwilling to
see, is that our take down of the man is influenced by the enemy of all souls,
including ours!
If there is anyone subjected to the fierce attacks of the
enemy, it is the pastors, and leaders and the members of their families. The
enemy will constantly strike at the leaders, because a leaderless congregation
is easy prey! Our appeal to all is: DON'T BE THE PREY BUT, PLEASE PRAY!
Pray that
pastors and leaders will remain focused on the plan and will of God! Pray that
they will be faithful and obedient to the heavenly vision, rather than their
own! Pray that they will work in unity and love, for the good of the church, and
the Glory of God! Again Brethren, pray for us. 1 Thessalonians 5:25
KJV
Heavenly Father we pray for those you have set in the
church, to lead and feed your children. Help them Holy Father, to remain
faithful and true to their calling. Give them clear vision, and wisdom to plan
for Your Glory. Keep them and their families Father, and empower them to be examples
of Your faith, love, power and holiness, as they lead from the front, by word
and example!
Verses
for the Heart: Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience,
in all things willing to live honestly. Hebrews 13:17-18 KJV
FASTING DAY 13 - UNITY AMONG BRETHREN!
In
that transcendent prayer of Jesus, recorded in John 17, Jesus prayed for the
unity of His disciples: And now I am no more
in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep
through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as
we are. John 17:11 KJV
In
that prayer of only 26 very short
verses, 4 of them concentrate on unity and oneness, of the believers, for as
Jesus continues to pray He said: Neither pray I
for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word; 21
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me. 22
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be
one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:20-23 KJV
The
unity that Jesus prayed for is unique: that we may be one, as He and Father God are ONE!
If
one could stand and view the church as a whole, from a vantage point, it may
appear as an incredibly confusing patchwork of beliefs, doctrines and dogmas,
that seem to do anything but unite us! Beneath all of that complexity however,
there is the underpinning union that
holds all believers IN the Lord
Jesus Christ, ON the Lord Jesus
Christ, Who's
our ROCK! He
is the Precious Holy Spirit of Whom we sing:
We are one in
the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in
the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that
all unity may one day be restored.
And they’ll know
we are Christians by our love,…
An army divided and full of internal strife, is not about to win any war! Victory is dependent on unity! Jesus emphasized the importance of unity in His prayer! We really need to live these words when we sing:
An army divided and full of internal strife, is not about to win any war! Victory is dependent on unity! Jesus emphasized the importance of unity in His prayer! We really need to live these words when we sing:
Like a mighty
army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are
treading where the saints have trod.
We are not
divided, all one body we,
One in hope and
doctrine, one in charity.
Disunity hurts the church, destroys believers, grieves the Lord and delights the devil!
Disunity hurts the church, destroys believers, grieves the Lord and delights the devil!
Divided we sin,
but united we win!
Where
do we stand this day?
Do
we continue to nurse dividing grievances, or do we forgive all?
Let
us join hearts and minds with the apostle Paul in his plea: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye
walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With
all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in
love; 3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of
your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One
God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:1-6 KJV
Today Dear Father we pray like Jesus did, that we may be one even as you are ONE! Please let Your Spirit of Love unite Your children in Holiness and Power. May the Fruit of the Spirit be bountiful in our lives, as the works of the flesh are put to death, for Your Glory!
Verses for the Heart: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalms 133:1-3 KJV
Today Dear Father we pray like Jesus did, that we may be one even as you are ONE! Please let Your Spirit of Love unite Your children in Holiness and Power. May the Fruit of the Spirit be bountiful in our lives, as the works of the flesh are put to death, for Your Glory!
Verses for the Heart: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalms 133:1-3 KJV
FASTING DAY 12 - THE FUTURE GENERATION!
Let's stop drinking the Kool-Aid, and stop following the marijuana dreams of politicians! Contrary to them, the Bible says that the world is not getting better!
Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,
even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last
time. 1 John 2:18 KJV
Knowing
this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after
their own lusts, 2 Peter 3:3 KJV
This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women
laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV
But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:13 KJV
The future generation
will be faced with the mess of the previous generation and all its ungodly
legacy! It's definitely not getting better! This is why we cannot afford to
give up in our effort, to influence the young for good, and persuade them
toward godliness.
The future generation
includes all our children. Are we preparing them for what is to come? Or are we
spending their time and ours, indulging them with every form of recreation and
secular activity, for which we make completely thorough preparation. Meanwhile
we treat the work of God, and fellowship with the saints, as something we can
put off for a more convenient season?
What values are we
implanting in them when we do this? Are we showing them the right priorities?
Why is it that church
and the work of God always takes second, or even third and fourth place, if
any, while we indulge in all our "responsibly
important" selfish pursuits. It matters not how we try to label our
pursuits, the Word of the Lord is still saying: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 KJV
If we really love our children, if
we really care about their future, if we are concerned about the world that
they will eventually be left to, then as never before, we should be praying
constantly for them! We should always make sure that they are fed on
righteousness! We should be examples, not only in word, but in lifestyle! We
should let them know and learn, by example, that the most important thing is
putting God before anything else! We have a future to influence right now!
Let's give it our best shot in Jesus Name!
Eternal Father when you created us in Christ,
you bestowed on us all that's necessary to change this world. May we rise up to
this challenge and task, O Lord! May the Anointing of the Holy Spirit break
through the mist of our minds, and revive us again. May your church become
again the world changer that it started out as Father, and may you be glorified
in it all!
Verses for the Heart: For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in
Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to
their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them,
even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to
their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and
not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And
might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a
generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast
with God. Psalms 78: 5-8 KJV
FASTING DAY
11 - PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN!
God
cares for children, and He will receive any child brought by their parents to
Him!
And they brought young children to him,
that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought
them. 14
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them,
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is
the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And
he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark
10:13-16 KJV
The
future of a church or a nation, is dependent on the children! We
need godly children! The world of today is totally different from that of
our forefathers and theirs. For the major part, the modern adult nation has
left the training and education of its children to a mostly secular society of
educators, baby sitters and day cares, while parents go off to work and various
other activities. Then the children come home to television and video games, to
keep them quiet while parents de-stress and relax. In the meantime, our
children are exposed to the whims and fancies of many ungodly individuals, who utilize
the time well, by filling those young minds with their godless, and oftentimes
perverse propaganda and philosophies. When all this takes place, what do we expect
will be the product unleashed on the world of tomorrow?
The
enticing lure of the modern media enchantments exerts a hypnotically compelling
pull on even adults, much less children with more impressionable minds. The
enemy just loves the fact that parents have mostly left the training of those
young minds to his ungodly team of slaves!
In
writing to Timothy, Paul says, When I call to
remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy
grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee
also. 2 Timothy 1:5 KJV.
Paul recognizes that Timothy's sincere faith was due to the influence of a
godly mother and grandmother, who knew the truth of the proverb, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old,
he will not depart from it. Proverbs
22:6 KJV
That
why he urges Timothy to,…continue thou in
the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom
thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 KJV
We
need to surround our children with continuous layers of prayers. We need to
appeal to the power of the Blood Covenant between us and our covenant keeping
God, on behalf of our children, as we daily plead the power of that Blood over
their lives! And it is vital that we spend time with our children and teach
them daily, the values that are essential for godly living, and lead them to
the throne room of the Almighty !
Beloved Father
God we bring our children before You in intercession and prayer! Because of the
Blood Covenant, they are yours Father, and we pray Father God, that they will
be kept by you! Surround them Lord! Help parents to accept and faithfully carry
out their responsibility for bringing up godly children.
Verses
for the Heart: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is
his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so
are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of
them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the
gate. Psalms 127:3-5 KJV
Marriage
is a covenant agreement between a man and a woman. It involves the death of two
people in the formation of one: And he answered and
said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made
them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one
flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one
flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Matthew 19:4-6 KJV
And Adam said, This is now bone of my
bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and
his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:23-24 KJV
The
Bible has a lot to say about marriage and the marriage covenant. The so called
enlightened nations of the world seek to make a travesty of this covenant, by
their approval and legitimizing of 'gay marriages' and other perverse unions. There
is a deliberate and concerted satanic effort to destroy the Biblical meaning of
marriage as described above. It started in Eden! The marriage covenant is
today, in a more serious crisis than ever before! We can only continue to sound
a warning here, to beware of ungodly
programs and intentions, and of those who promote them!
A
strong healthy marriage is the foundation for a strong family, which is the
foundation for a strong community, and a strong nation under God! While the
word will continue to shove its agenda of 'liberation and freedom' from marital
shackles to those gullible enough to swallow their deceptive drivel, the Bible
says, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed
undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 KJV
It
is easy to let go and let things flow. It is easy to just float along with the
tide of popular opinion, but as the children of God, saved by His grace, we
need to remind ourselves who we are, and to Who we belong. We need to be
obedient to the Word of God and lift our marriages and that of others before
God daily in prayer.
God
has expressed His opinion of those who have been unfaithful and deceitful in
their marriage covenant. Judah hath dealt
treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for
Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married
the daughter of a strange god. 12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth
this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that
offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
13 And this have ye done again,
covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out,
insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good
will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath
been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast
dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Malachi 2:11-14 KJV
It
is quite obvious that God's opinion is not taken into consideration by nations
and their leaders, as they continue to plunge heedlessly on a disastrous
collision course with an ugly destiny! The church of Jesus Christ urgently
needs the grace and power of God, as it continues to be the light of God's
grace and love in a sin darkened world!
Father God who
keeps covenant, help us today to live according to covenant with you. Help all
those of Your children who are in a marriage covenant to be faithful to the
promises and requirements of that covenant. Help those who are considering
taking this step to be keep You in focus and to make all decisions with Your
approval. Help Your church to be strong and faithful in their commitment to
prayer for the brethren and the nations.
Verses
for the Heart: So ought men to love their
wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For
no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as
the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh,
and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father
and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Ephesians 5:28-31 KJV
FASTING
DAY 9 - DIVINE REVELATION!
God gives revelation! That whole of the final book of the Bible is called The Revelation of Jesus Christ! There are revelation gifts listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the church! For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 KJV
God gives revelation! That whole of the final book of the Bible is called The Revelation of Jesus Christ! There are revelation gifts listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the church! For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 KJV
Man has always been, and will always be curious concerning the
hidden things and the future things! This has lead to many diverse, dubious and
dangerous way to acquire revelation resulting in deception and demonic
oppression! The Bible says The secret things belong unto the LORD
our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children
for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV
Amos said Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but
he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 KJV
From Genesis to Revelation God is shown revealing things to his
servants in various ways! Enoch prophesied through divine revelation. Noah was
warned and obeyed! To Abraham…the LORD said, Shall I
hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
Genesis 18:17 KJV
Divine
revelation has played a vital role in the lives of key persons in the Scriptures.
Divine revelation continues to play a vital role in the church! In the book of
Acts divine revelation exposed sin in Ananias and his wife, surrounded Stephen
at his martyrdom, knocked Saul to the ground, sent Peter to the Gentiles, and
the list goes on!
Without
divine revelation the church is reduced to a secular society of sermons and
songs, and schools and socials. Divine revelation is not for or from the pulpit
alone! Divine revelation is for every child of God. The child who is constantly
close to the parent often gets the news before others! God reveals things by
His Spirit…as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1
Corinthians 2:9-10 KJV
As
the children of God…we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God. 1
Corinthians 2:12 KJV
God
uses various ways and means to deliver divine revelation. Divine revelation can
come through a vision, a dream, prophecy, a word of knowledge or a word of
wisdom, a discerning. It can come through a Bible study, a song or a sermon. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Hebrews 2:1 KJV.
We
as God's children, should expect God to reveal His will, wishes and plans as we
wait on Him, and worship Him, in Spirit and in Truth! In the early church, it
was As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them. Acts 13:2 KJV
Paul
said that he was…made a minister, according to the dispensation
of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but
now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known
what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every
man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according
to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Colossians 1:25-29 KJV
We
see here that God wants to make known, and is making known the mystery and
riches of the glory of this mystery! Let
us therefore minister to the Lord in our worship and service. Let us continue
to devote our time to Him in fasting and prayer, for He will surely answer and strengthen
us by His divine revelation! Moreover the word
of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the
court of the prison, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the
LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3 Call
unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which
thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:1-3 KJV
Omniscient
Father, we need wisdom and understanding of your will and plan, for us and your
church. We need strength to live according to your plan and purpose. Help us to
glorify you each day, as we wait on You. In Your graciousness reach out to us
and strengthen us through your divine revelation as we wait on you!
FASTING DAY 8 - DIVINE GUIDANCE
Men give advice;
God gives guidance. - Leonard Ravenhill
It's
one thing to get Divine Directions! It's a totally different thing to follow
them!
In
Numbers 22, Balaam asked for Yahweh's guidance on whether to go with the
messengers of king Balak , but was reluctant to let go of the reward offered by
Balak. BIG TIME FAIL!
What
a fascinating and fantastic experience it must have been for Philip (Acts 8).
He was in Samaria in the middle of a great big revival! Salvation, healings,
miracles, and deliverance as Jesus was glorified! It was a preacher's dream
event!
Then
he was prompted by God to move to a desert spot! What! Leave this massive
miracle meeting and go to a barren desert? Leave all this outpouring of glory
for what? To intercept a lone Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah, on his way
home!
If we're looking
for guidance from God, we can often expect to hear unexpected directions.
Philip
was obedient to the Holy Spirit, and became instrumental in the gospel reaching
Ethiopia!
So the next time God sends you from a great and blessed environment to a barren desert, look for the Ethiopian reading Isaiah! You may just be positioned to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ!
So the next time God sends you from a great and blessed environment to a barren desert, look for the Ethiopian reading Isaiah! You may just be positioned to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ!
We
all would like expert advice and guidance, especially when it comes to the major things in our
lives. Who should I marry? Where should
I work? Should I buy that house, that
car, that fur coat? Should I go there or stay here? And the list goes on!
The
100% reliable source of Guidance is the Word of God, for We have
also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as
unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star
arise in your hearts: 2 Peter 1:19 KJV. If God already dealt with it in His Word, we do not attempt to get around it!
The
psalmist said, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee…Thy word
is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalms 119:11,105 KJV.
When
His Word is in our hearts, it becomes a glistening illumination to the way we
should go!
God
guides through His Spirit, for Jesus said, Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come. John 16:13
KJV
The
Voice of the Holy Spirit will ALWAYS be aligned with the Word of God! He NEVER
acts outside the boundaries of the Word which He Himself inspired!
God
can guide you through circumstances. Sometimes He can make a situation pretty
uncomfortable for you, so that you need to get out of it! Many times in his
ministry Paul was forced to flee a city due to persecution! He ended up
somewhere else, and the gospel spread further! It's also possible and quite a
regular thing, for God to guide through another Christian, whether preacher or
fellow Christian. Remember when God guides through people, it will never be in opposition to the Word!
As
we pray and wait before God for guidance, remember that The
steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalms 37:23 KJV
Do
not be like those described by James: Go to now, ye that
say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a
year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall
be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth
for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If
the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. James 4:13-15 KJV
Bob
Mumford in his book 'Take Another Look at
Guidance', relates this story to demonstrate finding God's will:
A certain harbor
in Italy can be reached only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous
rocks and shoals. Over the years, many ships have been wrecked, and navigation
is hazardous. To guide the ships safely into port, (obviously
before electronic navigation!), three
lights have been mounted on three huge poles in the harbor. When the three
lights are perfectly lined up and seen as one, the ship can safely proceed up
the narrow channel. If the pilot sees two or three lights, he knows he’s off
course and in danger.
Bob
Mumford goes on to make the application this way:
God has also
provided three beacons to guide us. The same rules of navigation apply—the
three lights must be lined up before it is safe for us to proceed. The three
harbor lights of guidance are:
1. The Word of
God (objective standard)
2. The Holy
Spirit (subjective witness)
3. Circumstances
(divine providence)
Together they
assure us that the directions we’ve received are from God, and will lead us
safely along his way.
Father of Lights
we pray and ask that Your will be done in our lives as we daily seek after You.
May our steps may be ordered by You as we place our trust in your Word! May the
voice of Your Spirit be ever clear in our hearts, so that You may be glorified
in all things.
FASTING DAY 7 - GOD GIVEN
INSIGHT
That
we may see! That we may know!
Why do some find it so hard to read the Bible? Why
is it such a hard thing to do? Many Christians will wade through five to ten
other books in a week but struggle to read a few chapters of the Bible?
Why is it so difficult to understand sometimes,
and at other times it seems so clear? Have you ever found yourself thinking
this way?
Some people walk around with big Bibles crammed
with notes from well known teachers and preachers! In fact you can now buy a
Bible, interwoven with commentaries by your favorite preacher, with their name
stamped on it as "John Doe's Study Bible". They have done all
the study and research, putting the results side by side with the relevant
verses, making it convenient and helpful, for whoever buys one…if they ever
take time to read it!
The problem with such an approach, is that many
tend to just read the notes, ignoring the Word! Another problem is that if
they read the Word, they are guided by
the attached notes, and may fall into the mindset of the author of the notes,
instead of the Mindset of the Author of the Word!
It takes more
than owning a huge study Bible or a library of dictionaries, notes and
commentaries to understand the Word of God. We may acquire a large storehouse
of helpful knowledge, but it requires the Presence of the Author of the Word,
to obtain God Given Insight, for…no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the Real Author
sit down beside you and interpret the Scripture as you read it? When the two on
Emmaus received revelation of the Scriptures from Jesus, they said one to another, Did not our heart
burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us
the scriptures? Luke 24:32 KJV. Oh that our hearts may
likewise burn, in eager anticipation of God given insight into His Word!
The Bible will always be an enigma to those who
approach it as just another book! It's more than that, for All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV For
after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV
To truly understand
and enjoy reading and studying the Word, it is necessary to have the Author
commenting and interpreting for you. This is why the psalmist prayed, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of
thy law. Psalms 119:18 KJV
It's why Paul
prayed, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And
what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according
to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ,
when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church, 23
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians
1:17-23 KJV
The whole
passage had to be quoted, it is so wonderful! It reveals the abundance of
revelation awaiting us, when we have God given insight into all that He has
done for us! With that insight from the Author Himself, we are empowered to
live and really enjoy God!
No more does the
walk appear tedious and dull! It becomes a delight to approach the Word of God,
eagerly digging into it like a miner in a gold field, looking for those
precious nuggets, enriching and bringing healing to the spirit, soul and body!
Our Father in Heaven, please reveal yourself to your
children, as we look into the Word and search the Scriptures daily. May our
hearts be set on fire in anticipation of your revelation! Open our eyes to see,
and our hearts to receive your precious life giving Words, so that we can live
as more than conquerors through Christ, in our daily walk.
Verses for the Heart: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now
we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 Corinthians
2:9-12 KJV
FASTING DAY 6 - SPIRITUAL FOCUS
Focus is referred to as
the point where rays of light, heat, sound or other rays meet together, or
diverge from. When an object is brought into sharp clarity, it is said to be in
focus.
To be focused on
something, is to be concentrating our attention on that thing, to the exclusion
of all else. In spiritual focus, we endeavor to bring Jesus into sharp clarity
in our lives, to the exclusion of distractions.
Father God brought this
forcefully to the three disciples, who were with Jesus on the mountain during
His transfiguration.
And
Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let
us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. 7
And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the
cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8 And suddenly,
when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only
with themselves. Mark 9:5-8 KJV
Like Peter we can become
sidetracked by the presence of great men (or supposedly great men) and tend to
place them on the same level with Jesus, or even believe their words more than
the Word of God! Great though Elijah and Moses were, Father God said, the
person we should be hearing, is His Beloved Son Jesus! We listen to others only
as they point to the Beloved Son Jesus! Like the Greeks at Jerusalem
said to Philip "Sir, We would see Jesus!"
We can also become
distracted by too much ordinary care! We become busy doing what appears to be
very necessary things, but in the process we lose focus of what is most
important! Sitting at the feet of Jesus! We do not make the world go round! He
does. That's why Jesus
answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about
many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:41-42 KJV
How often have we found
ourselves doing what we didn't really have to, and ended up losing out on
precious moments of fellowship with God. Remember it can wait! It can all wait
because Christ is most important!
It's the enemy's job to
put every distraction in the way, from subtle sin, to faithless feelings, to
legitimate labors! It's his desire to blur the lens and get Jesus out of focus.
Television, movies, amusement parks, secular readings, picnics, gatherings, trips
and cruises Oh My! They can all blur our focus and distract us, intentionally
or unintentionally, from faith building encounters with the Lord.
How much do we want
answers from the Lord? This will determine how prepared we are to let go of
distractions and use the time in prayer and waiting on Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians
3:20 KJV
Heavenly Father help today to seek your face, to
enjoy your grace, to look unto you, and to put away distractions. Grant us wisdom
to discern between the essential and non-essential. Increase our ability to
focus on You as we live daily in Your Word!
Verses for the Heart: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3 KJV
FASTING DAY 5 - RESTORATION AND RENEWAL
Today we focus on
renewal and restoration.
"He restoreth my soul!" David shouted joyously, in the 23rd
Psalm.
Restore means to bring back to the starting
point. Renew means to make new again
Mankind has been plundered
by the enemy since the time of Adam. The enemy has delighted in releasing
misery on the human race. We have fallen prey to sin and its horrible results.
Then Jesus came, and
declared: The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel
to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance
to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them
that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19 KJV
Anointed by the Holy
Spirit, He singlehandedly stepped into the battlefield, into enemy territory on
our behalf, and stripped the enemy of his authority over man. At every point, and
in every area, Jesus handed the enemy a resounding defeat! Jesus made a spectacle of the enemy as all
heaven looked on and shouted in delight and praise. What Jesus did through the
cross, has again made available to man, all that Father God intended for us. He
restores to us that which the enemy stole through deceit. Now in Christ we are blessed with every spiritual (given by the Holy
Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!
Ephesians 1:3 AMP
The enemy still tries to
undermine us, and it's still through deceit. Don't give him that authority over
you again! Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 KJV. Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27 KJV
RENEW! Jesus does this well!! He delights in making
things new! And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful. Revelation 21:5 KJV
Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. 2
Corinthians 5:17 KJV
This is expanded well,
by the Amplified version:
Therefore
if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a
new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has
passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
Connection is essential to restoration and
renewal
Therefore, if anyone is united with the
Messiah, he is a new creation (CJB) 2Co 5:17
A
branch connected to the vine, will receive the life giving juices that flow in
the vine. Even so, because we are connected to Jesus the True Vine,
Resurrection Life will flow through us, bringing restoration and renewal!
Let
us therefore make sure there is no obstacle or barrier in our personal lives,
that will prevent the abundant flow of the riches of his grace, and the
empowering Life of Christ through us!
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2 KJV
Dear Father God
we pray today that we will be strengthened through our connection to you. We
reject every obstacle that will get in the way of your Life flowing in us.
Saturate every part of our being with your restoring and renewing power of your
grace and truth, until we simply ooze your goodness and power to others for
your glory.
FASTING DAY 4 - REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION ARE PARTNERS!
There is a lot of talk about
confession but there's not much repentance!
According the Bible scholars and
lexicons, repent in the Greek means to think
differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider. Confession
means to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent
When God calls on us
to repent, He is urging us to start thinking differently from our selfish,
fleshly way of thinking. Our thoughts should be in line with what God says and
not what we feel is best or right. It is as we align with God's Word that
we begin to experience victory in the spirit.
John the Baptist came
preaching: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Jesus took up the
call, preaching the same message of repentance
In preaching
repentance, the call is to change our way of thinking, and start thinking the
way God wants us to think.
In turning away from
one thing we are, in effect, turning to something else!
So repentance is turning away from wrong thinking to right
thinking, based on the Word.
Therefore it's a turning: from evil
to good, from unrighteousness to righteousness, from weakness to strength, from
defeat to victory, from the world to God and from hell to heaven. Repentance
means to continuously move in a direction away, from what is rejected by God,
to what is accepted by God. The road to holiness is a road of repentance.
I should now ask, what
are some of the things I need to turn away from in repentance?
There
is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death. Proverbs 14:12 KJV
So often we get caught up in, and
obsessed with our own ideas of right and wrong. Someone wronged us, and the
more we think on it, the more we justify our rising bitterness against the person.
This continual obsession eventually leads to justifying of any vengeful
thoughts and acts of retaliation. It seems right, but the end of that way is
not pleasant. It leads to death!
Repentance will be for us to
deliberately evict those thoughts of bitterness, and replace them with
forgiveness, love and compassion. We are changing our way of thinking. We are
repenting and therefore thinking the way God's Word requires. It gets better
with practice!
Looking on a woman (or man)
lustfully, generates wrong thinking, and will lead to confusion, hurt,
destruction and death! Repent! Turn your thoughts away towards the things
recommended!
Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be
any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 KJV
Belief in the heart leads to
confession with the mouth. We should not let our mouth run off with what God
does not want. What we believe in, we will sooner or later confess. Our mouths
can't help but say what we think!
A
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that
which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke
6:45 KJV
As we learn to repent,
we will also learn to make a good confession! Our mouths will align with our
hearts, and bring forth of the heart's abundance. It is so very important to
fill our hearts with an abundance of God! For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10 KJV
Holy Father we tarry in your
presence and ask that you help us see the things we need to turn away from and
to truly repent. Help us to fill our hearts with Your Word, so that we might
not sin against you. We pray that our mouths may speak aright and confess that
which glorifies You always. Thank you for strength to live right this day in
Jesus' Name!
Verses for the Heart: My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my
sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the
midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find
them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from
thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Proverbs 4:20-24 KJV
FASTING DAY 3 - JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE!
"Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be."
(Traditional)
"Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side." (Frances
J. Crosby)
"Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I'm Your friend"
(Kelly Carpenter)
From the traditional to
the contemporary, many of our songs have one theme in common.
They express a desire to
have a closer walk with God.
It is the latent lyric
of every heart,
the intimate inclination
of every soul,
the perennial petition
on every tongue...
Nearer my God to Thee!
Once upon a time it was
eternally impossible to have this walk, because of the infinite span of the
great divide between Holy God and sinful man.
Then Jesus bridged that
gap! He came as a man, and demolished the barrier that prevented man from
getting closer to God. By His Precious Blood Offering, Jesus once and forever,
made it possible for sinful man to approach and fellowship with Sinless God!
Now it's all up to us,
to cease from putting up our human hindrances in the way to closeness with God.
What barriers and
obstacles have we been placing between us and a closer walk with Our God? Sin
should never be a barrier between us and our God anymore! My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 KJV
So
draw near to God! Near to His Mercy Seat, for the Blood sprinkled is the Blood
applied! There's FREEDOM FOR FELLOWSHIP!
There
is not ONE thing that we have to do to earn God's Love, Redemption and
Fellowship for JESUS PAID IT ALL!
So
let's reach out and run towards Him continuously with expectation and certainty
of His Love!
Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 KJV
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek
thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and
thirsty land, where no water is;…My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right
hand upholdeth me. Psalms 63:1,8 KJV
Our
preoccupation with too many things worldly, though legitimate, can stifle a
beautiful and intimate relationship with our God!
But Martha was cumbered about much
serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister
hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled
about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath
chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:40-42
KJV
Dearest Father,
That my heart will be filled with a constant longing for You, I pray. That my
longing will lead to a constant seeking for you night and day! Let my longing be constantly expressed in the
words of the song:
"I wanna
sit at your feet
Drink from the
cup in your hand.
Lay back against
you and breath, feel your heart beat
This love is so
deep, it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your
peace, it's overwhelming"
Verses
for the Heart: For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go
and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find
me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 KJV
FASTING DAY 2 - KEEPING THE 'DISCIPLE' IN DISCIPLESHIP!
FASTING DAY 2 - KEEPING THE 'DISCIPLE' IN DISCIPLESHIP!
In the beginning of the Christian era, a 'Christian'
was practically the same as a 'Disciple' and the terms could be used
interchangeably! Today??? Not So AT ALL!!
In his excellent book Spiritual
Discipleship, J Oswald Sanders writes that "Jesus enunciated three
fundamental principles to guide His disciples in their service"
He lists these as the
Continuance Principle, the Love Principle and the Fruit Principle, quoted the relevant
verses, from which he mines these principles, and explains as follows:
1. "The Continuance Principle" is revealed in John 8:31-32 KJV Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed
on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
This gives us the inward view of discipleship,
permanent continuance in the words of the Master, the attitude of scholar to
teacher. Where that is absent, discipleship is nominal and lacks reality.”
► As a disciple of Christ how teachable am I,
and how submissive am I to His Word?
2. "The Love Principle" is revealed in John
13:34-35 KJV A new commandment I give
unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Those verses give the outward view of
discipleship and have to do with our relations with our fellow men”
► As a disciple of Christ I should stop judging
others and ask myself "Where is the love?"
3. "The Fruit Principle" is revealed in John
15:7-8 KJV If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you. 8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be
my disciples.
This passage reveals the upward view of
discipleship. A fruitless disciple of Christ is a contradiction in terms.
If there is no real fruit in our lives, we cannot claim to be true disciples”
► So if I am a disciple of Christ as I believe,
then where is the fruit?
In Luke 14 Jesus makes three
challenging declarations concerning being His disciple
Luke
14:26-27,33 KJV If any man come to me, and
hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And
whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my
disciple. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
It boils down to this stark truth:
Unless we are absolutely willing to put Him first, ahead of family, flesh, fame
and fortune WE CANNOT BE HIS DISCIPLES!!!
So let us ask ourselves
today; can we stand up and be counted as disciples?
Dear Father we ask that You search us through
Your Word by Your Spirit. Help us who are Your children to be willing to
change, according to Your will, to worship You joyfully, to serve You
faithfully, to glorify You passionately and may our longing to be like you be
echoed in this chorus:
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Verses for the Heart: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me,
and know my thoughts: 24 And see if
there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms
139:23-24 KJV
DAY 1 - OUR COMMITMENT TO FAST!
DAY 1 - OUR COMMITMENT TO FAST!
Mark
9:28-29 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can
come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew
17:19-21 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not
we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily
I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and
fasting.
Whether it is the demon or the
unbelief that goes out by prayer and fasting, we know that prayer and fasting
is here recommended for some spiritual victories.
The question "Why Fast?",
is answered in the above verses by The Lord.
Many experts in biblical studies
claim that fasting is not part of the original text in the referenced verses.
So should this affect the need and motivation to fast?
Regardless of the arguments, the
early church fasted. As they ministered
to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called them. Acts 13:2 KJV
It was during this ministering to
The Lord while they were fasting, that God gave revelation concerning
the selection of Barnabas and Saul for a specific ministry.
Cornelius a centurion, while in
intensive fasting and praying, received a revelation, and was given
instructions to send for Peter, who preached to them the gospel. God followed
up with a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the group gathered in
Cornelius' house.
Paul mentioned that he engaged often
in fasting. Jesus fasted, and also said Can
the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?
but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then
shall they fast. Matthew 9:15 KJV
The bridegroom is now away, and so
we fast!
Fasting is our way of saying "Lord
we need this so badly, that food is of little importance in comparison!"
Fasting brings into subjection the
fleshly appetites and sensual impulses, in deference to a longing to hear from
God, and to see His Presence and Power manifested among His people. Fasting
makes mockery of the flesh, and clears away the obstacle, so that our spirit
can reach out purely to God!
No amount of sitting down with
arguments and debates in closeted cliques, critical circles and family feuds
will solve the present need of a faltering church. We have to ask ourselves how
badly do we want this to happen?!?
We have to be determined to place
our reaching out to The Lord, on top of our priority list!
There are many of us who have prayed
and prayed, but we are yet to receive a positive response from heaven.
May not the fast intensify our
intercessions, focus our faith and energize our entreaties towards God?
Why did the disciples fail at that
which they had been previously commissioned to do? The answer was very definite
from The Lord. "Because of your unbelief!...Howbeit this
kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting!"
Beloved children of God let us
determine to hold on like Daniel did. For 21 days, he held on till the answer
became tangible, breakthrough was achieved, and revelation flowed like a
torrential overflow!
Dear God help us as we commit to this fast, that we may be
found faithful to You. That we may be united in You! That we may be determined
to hold on for total victory in You! That we may be strengthened in You! And
that You be glorified in all things!
Amen!
Verses for the Heart:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV
Verses for the Heart:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV
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