The Rally That Counts1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land
Turn from our wicked ways. In today's world so much of what our nation once understood to be right and wrong has been cast aside and wickedness has been accepted. "Don't judge", they say in a total twist of Jesus's words, denying the power of the cross to transform lives. Some feel trapped unable to change and others feel justified in their evil actions, The first step is repent, to admit that our actions are sin before God. That true repentance breaks bonds.
The United States has accepted and promoted that which is sin. Even the church has allowed or accepted what God says is wrong to be tolerated in its doors. Seeking God and His face will result in Him revealing to us our mess and us accepting that what has been tolerated is sin. Repentance means to admit our wrong and to change our ways. We pray for God to change hearts all through out our nation.
Let me always seek Him, Let me always have a heart to listen to His correction, Let me be transformed by the blood and Let the nation be transformed because of our willingness to change and repent of our wicked ways.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Thursday, July 21, 2016
The Rally that counts: Pray and Seek My Face
The Rally That Counts1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We talked last time about humbling ourselves before God. Admitting that we can't change the things going wrong with our nation without submitting ourselves to him being willing to change according to his ways and acknowledge him in all things. The next part of the verse talks about praying and seeking.
In a humble spirit we must pray. Prayer is asking of God and listening as He speaks to our Spirit and through His Word. This should flow into seeking Him. We may be tempted to simply throw out petitions for certain things we or our nation need much as a young child simply voices his desires, but there is much more. Prayer that seeks His face desires to know God and to look for more than what voicing a request provides. A child might want to go on a trip with friends and may voice that request ,but really seeking his parent would involve a wiliness to listen and desiring to share a back and forth that would create a sharing of hearts that would allow them to receive the wisdom of their parents on the issue as well as their heart toward them...another words it brings an intimacy that allows them begin to know their parents. The great thing about this is that our Father in Heaven draws near to us when we draw near to Him and He desires to share His heart with us. When we ask of the father let it be deeper than the desire of the manifestation of our request....in the asking seek to know Him and His love for you.
Here are some verses to ponder. God is waiting for you to seek Him and desire to know Him.
Matthew 7:7-8Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.…
Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 37:1-7 (read the whole Psalm at biblegateway.com )
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We talked last time about humbling ourselves before God. Admitting that we can't change the things going wrong with our nation without submitting ourselves to him being willing to change according to his ways and acknowledge him in all things. The next part of the verse talks about praying and seeking.
In a humble spirit we must pray. Prayer is asking of God and listening as He speaks to our Spirit and through His Word. This should flow into seeking Him. We may be tempted to simply throw out petitions for certain things we or our nation need much as a young child simply voices his desires, but there is much more. Prayer that seeks His face desires to know God and to look for more than what voicing a request provides. A child might want to go on a trip with friends and may voice that request ,but really seeking his parent would involve a wiliness to listen and desiring to share a back and forth that would create a sharing of hearts that would allow them to receive the wisdom of their parents on the issue as well as their heart toward them...another words it brings an intimacy that allows them begin to know their parents. The great thing about this is that our Father in Heaven draws near to us when we draw near to Him and He desires to share His heart with us. When we ask of the father let it be deeper than the desire of the manifestation of our request....in the asking seek to know Him and His love for you.
Here are some verses to ponder. God is waiting for you to seek Him and desire to know Him.
Matthew 7:7-8Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.…
Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 37:1-7 (read the whole Psalm at biblegateway.com )
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Monday, July 18, 2016
The Rally that counts: Thanksgiving with Prayer.
The Rally That Counts1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Thanksgiving
Last time I posted we talked about what it means to humble yourself. My Dad used to say to be humble means that you make others feel like a person in your presence, rich or poor, male or female, educated or uneducated. That is certainly a good part of it. We also found that humbling ourselves involves yielding to God and getting on board with His good plan. In that vain of thought the last few days have been interesting in that with all the grave things that have taken place Holy Spirit has been talking to me about mixing thanksgiving in our prayers. The Rally that counts be it in a group or be it in your prayer closet will mix prayer for peace, wisdom and healing with thanksgiving to our Great God who made Heaven and earth.
Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Wonderment about the state of the world, our elections and our future abound, but God wants to give peace to us that will guard our minds through Christ Jesus. Think about that a minute: God's peace can guard your mind. It doesn't mean our heads are in the sand...it means when others give way to fear, hatred, or apathy Jesus literally guards our minds through the blood of Jesus. Fear can cripple the mind making it impossible for a person to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or to move forward. Mixing prayer with thanksgiving can guard mind of the American Christian wondering what is going to happen next, the Russian Christian praying over the new proposed law that would shut the door to evangelism, to the believer in the middle east who faces danger daily for his faith in Jesus along with the grave situations believers face around the world.
Thank God today for the big and little things. Thank God for our nation. Thank God that in the midst of world turmoil that He has a plan for us and that He will never forsake His children. Where there seems to be no way He will make a way. Make your Rally that counts today a mixture of prayer and thanksgiving.......take these steps with your heart believing His promise to guard your mind in Jesus.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Thanksgiving
Last time I posted we talked about what it means to humble yourself. My Dad used to say to be humble means that you make others feel like a person in your presence, rich or poor, male or female, educated or uneducated. That is certainly a good part of it. We also found that humbling ourselves involves yielding to God and getting on board with His good plan. In that vain of thought the last few days have been interesting in that with all the grave things that have taken place Holy Spirit has been talking to me about mixing thanksgiving in our prayers. The Rally that counts be it in a group or be it in your prayer closet will mix prayer for peace, wisdom and healing with thanksgiving to our Great God who made Heaven and earth.
Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Wonderment about the state of the world, our elections and our future abound, but God wants to give peace to us that will guard our minds through Christ Jesus. Think about that a minute: God's peace can guard your mind. It doesn't mean our heads are in the sand...it means when others give way to fear, hatred, or apathy Jesus literally guards our minds through the blood of Jesus. Fear can cripple the mind making it impossible for a person to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or to move forward. Mixing prayer with thanksgiving can guard mind of the American Christian wondering what is going to happen next, the Russian Christian praying over the new proposed law that would shut the door to evangelism, to the believer in the middle east who faces danger daily for his faith in Jesus along with the grave situations believers face around the world.
Thank God today for the big and little things. Thank God for our nation. Thank God that in the midst of world turmoil that He has a plan for us and that He will never forsake His children. Where there seems to be no way He will make a way. Make your Rally that counts today a mixture of prayer and thanksgiving.......take these steps with your heart believing His promise to guard your mind in Jesus.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Humble yourselves.
The Rally That Counts1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I hope that a rally call that the body of Christ in America will heed is to "humble themselves" before the Lord. People may disagree with me, but I believe America was formed and called to be a nation under God. I believe our history shows that fact to be true. We, like the Israel, have served God and we have turned from God in cycles. I've been blessed to see prayer movements around the earth pray for their nations and seek God's face.
Christians are called after the name of our Savior. We are called to humble ourselves. To agree with God, to submit to Him in all things. So many times in America we are concerned by "our rights" and they do play a part, but we also must concentrate on our responsibilities. We desire choices and expression and while those things are not wrong in themselves when those choices don't line up with God's Word it blocks relationship with Him and further it blocks His blessing upon a people.
When Ezra and Nehemiah called their people to repentance they acknowledged their sin and the sins of the nation and repented. Verbal repentance was a start to change that would require a turning around that showed a repentance of heart. Heart change came about as they taught the people and as they were an example. God is calling upon us to take the same journey.
Humbling one's heart is not about looking plain or for lone, but rather it is to agree with God's assessment. What does God say about an issue? How does God say to treat our fellowman? What standards does God say are important. These concepts may interfere with our notion of our rights. I urge Christians who want Rallies that count whether public or in the church or even in private homes to consist of humble repentance. Repentance that the Holy Spirit will reveal....some for our individual lives and some for the corporate sins of our nation.
Here is a nice link on the word humble. My father's definition has always been my favorite in the light of others...."Make a man feel like a man an a lady like a lady....another words show other's their worth." We must first acknowledge God and His worth in obedience to make the move towards showing others their worth as His creation.
http://www.2chronicles714.net/will_humble_themselves.htm
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I hope that a rally call that the body of Christ in America will heed is to "humble themselves" before the Lord. People may disagree with me, but I believe America was formed and called to be a nation under God. I believe our history shows that fact to be true. We, like the Israel, have served God and we have turned from God in cycles. I've been blessed to see prayer movements around the earth pray for their nations and seek God's face.
Christians are called after the name of our Savior. We are called to humble ourselves. To agree with God, to submit to Him in all things. So many times in America we are concerned by "our rights" and they do play a part, but we also must concentrate on our responsibilities. We desire choices and expression and while those things are not wrong in themselves when those choices don't line up with God's Word it blocks relationship with Him and further it blocks His blessing upon a people.
When Ezra and Nehemiah called their people to repentance they acknowledged their sin and the sins of the nation and repented. Verbal repentance was a start to change that would require a turning around that showed a repentance of heart. Heart change came about as they taught the people and as they were an example. God is calling upon us to take the same journey.
Humbling one's heart is not about looking plain or for lone, but rather it is to agree with God's assessment. What does God say about an issue? How does God say to treat our fellowman? What standards does God say are important. These concepts may interfere with our notion of our rights. I urge Christians who want Rallies that count whether public or in the church or even in private homes to consist of humble repentance. Repentance that the Holy Spirit will reveal....some for our individual lives and some for the corporate sins of our nation.
Here is a nice link on the word humble. My father's definition has always been my favorite in the light of others...."Make a man feel like a man an a lady like a lady....another words show other's their worth." We must first acknowledge God and His worth in obedience to make the move towards showing others their worth as His creation.
http://www.2chronicles714.net/will_humble_themselves.htm
Monday, July 11, 2016
"I will heal your land"
The Rally That Counts
1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Throughout the country rallies will be held in the wake of recent events. Some will be peaceful and some confrontational. Some will be secular and some will be religious in nature. Some will be speaking out for justice and some will be inciting hatred and violence. Speakers will talk about unity and peace or about changing the landscape of our country. God's rally is different. Israel as a nation had turned its heart from God and His ways in the story in 1 Chronicles where God's famous statement in chapter 7 verse 14 is made. As many commentators declare nations around the world find themselves in the same circumstances but if God's people humble themselves He is willing to heal the land. Israel was founded upon God and likewise America was founded from the days of the Pilgrims upon God.
I speak to Christian rally organizers and Christians who attend rallies to make your events be more than a big feel good get together. If you go to a rally know its mission statement . Is it merely promoting an outward show of unity for all peoples or is it asking more of you? Folks, it is easy s to go to a rally and hold cards and even to bow your head and pray. The harder thing is to humble yourself and allow God to show you hidden things that lie in your soul and require repentance. It is not about yelling at each other about who you are going to vote for or differences in backgrounds. God's kind of rally may not happen in an hour or even an afternoon. God's rally will take a willingness to listen to His voice.
I hope to speak to several things in the next few weeks, humbleness, repentance, seeking God's face, and being thankful for each other. There is no way to cover anyone of these subjects in a few post, but my hope is that you will taste and see that the Lord is good and make a journey of seeking these things out for yourself.
Those who attended LWF this Sunday know we are taking the next few weeks to pray for our nation. I hope others will join us as we examine our hearts and ask God to speak to us as we hold our nation in prayer.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Not in my House----Not on my Watch
Those that attend the House know the theme God has given Pastor John for this season. I hope to write at least once a week. Blessing to our House, to those who have moved and have found new houses but still carry our love and blessing and to those who are friends and are faithful to their local House of worship.
Not in my House---Not on my Watch
The Mission
This season is a season of warfare for Living Waters Fellowship and indeed for the body of Christ as we forge an offensive attack against the enemy of our soul. Let us not misunderstand, it is not an attack we are running from or an attack which the enemy orchestrated, rather it is God ordained that the body of Christ move forward taking back everything the enemy stole from us in years past. Much like the study we did on the wall that Nehemiah and the captives reconstructive despite mockery and all-out assaults to cause failure we now decree we take back what was taken by the thief. The enemy, in that case, did not want Isreal to have defences against the attacks and influence of enemies all around. Our mission is likewise a wall of defence that gives us the vantage point to launch into the enemies territory and retrieve what was stolen and to protect our house from being pillaged. We refuse to allow our House (Living Waters Fellowship of Watertown, NY ) to be pillaged with sickness, poverty, loss of relationship and loss of faith on our watch. Likewise, local bodies of Christ throughout the world join together to build their part of the wall. The restoration in the house is the beginning of the end-time work of God to see lost souls come to the Kingdom.
What is Needed?
Loyalty and Faithful Hearts
As a local body, we need to be loyal to the Lord and to the body where God has placed us. If you are reading this and are a member of another local body of believers the same is true of you...we all play a vital part in our local body.
Area's of Loyalty
1. Love for the Lord and willingness to obey His Word in all circumstances with an undivided heart. A love that puts the will of the Father above all else and is thankful to Jesus for all things and honors the shed blood shed on the cross for us. A love that is awakened to the Spirit of God.
2. Love for the House that God placed you in and a desire to see it come to it's full potential understanding that we each are responsible for seeing that happen. We must grasp the vision of our local body, be faithful in attendance, prayer and individual ministry. We must seek the Lord to become aware of our part. Sometimes if a person is not in pulpit ministry they mistakenly think their role is minimal when in fact in God's eyes it is key to the survival of the mission He has for your church.
3. Love for the leadership that allows you to grasp the vision God has placed in different seasons of life for the House. Love for the people that allows you to see beyond Sunday faces to the needs that they carry. Love for Jesus and people that brings you to your knees with passionate praise and intercession.
Not in my House---Not on my Watch
The Mission
This season is a season of warfare for Living Waters Fellowship and indeed for the body of Christ as we forge an offensive attack against the enemy of our soul. Let us not misunderstand, it is not an attack we are running from or an attack which the enemy orchestrated, rather it is God ordained that the body of Christ move forward taking back everything the enemy stole from us in years past. Much like the study we did on the wall that Nehemiah and the captives reconstructive despite mockery and all-out assaults to cause failure we now decree we take back what was taken by the thief. The enemy, in that case, did not want Isreal to have defences against the attacks and influence of enemies all around. Our mission is likewise a wall of defence that gives us the vantage point to launch into the enemies territory and retrieve what was stolen and to protect our house from being pillaged. We refuse to allow our House (Living Waters Fellowship of Watertown, NY ) to be pillaged with sickness, poverty, loss of relationship and loss of faith on our watch. Likewise, local bodies of Christ throughout the world join together to build their part of the wall. The restoration in the house is the beginning of the end-time work of God to see lost souls come to the Kingdom.
What is Needed?
Loyalty and Faithful Hearts
As a local body, we need to be loyal to the Lord and to the body where God has placed us. If you are reading this and are a member of another local body of believers the same is true of you...we all play a vital part in our local body.
Area's of Loyalty
1. Love for the Lord and willingness to obey His Word in all circumstances with an undivided heart. A love that puts the will of the Father above all else and is thankful to Jesus for all things and honors the shed blood shed on the cross for us. A love that is awakened to the Spirit of God.
2. Love for the House that God placed you in and a desire to see it come to it's full potential understanding that we each are responsible for seeing that happen. We must grasp the vision of our local body, be faithful in attendance, prayer and individual ministry. We must seek the Lord to become aware of our part. Sometimes if a person is not in pulpit ministry they mistakenly think their role is minimal when in fact in God's eyes it is key to the survival of the mission He has for your church.
3. Love for the leadership that allows you to grasp the vision God has placed in different seasons of life for the House. Love for the people that allows you to see beyond Sunday faces to the needs that they carry. Love for Jesus and people that brings you to your knees with passionate praise and intercession.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Coming into the Throne Room
Many of you know that Living Waters Fellowship has started a Friday night meeting called the Throne Room. It was a dream that Pastor John and I have had for a long time and we were waiting for the time that the Lord would say, "Go". Some have asked, "What is this and Why is it called the Throne Room"? I'd like to write a little about it and perhaps eventually we will form a blog called the Throne Room.
What is the Throne Room ?
Years ago we did a study at our church on the tabernacle and the temple of God in the Old Testament and we realized that God desired to be with His people and that they would know the touch of His presence. There are a few things from that study that I'd like to review and perhaps it will be a frequent theme.
God's desire to dwell among us
Leviticus 26:11-12 says "I will set my tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be My people." God desired to be a God who was present in the midst of His people and He still desires that today. The Word tells us that through the precious blood of Jesus we are the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 The God of the universe desires to have relationship with us and invites us to His very Throne Room right into His Presence.
It is a Holy Place
When we study the tabernacle in Exodus and Leviticus we see that the tabernacle is a Holy Place. So how do we come into this place knowing we are human and that we are not Holy on our own. Romans 3:21-23 and 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 let us know that through the precious blood of Jesus we are righteous before God...it is not our own righteousness but His that brings us into our presence. It is Jesus that makes us righteous and cleanses us. So what part do we have in all of this? We accept the wonderful gift of Salvation and receive His righteousness. We yield to Him and He is faithful to show us things that we need to lay at His feet. The Word says in Psalms 139-23-24 23Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. The Throne Room of God is a place of His glory and His presence and it is there we are undone so to speak....He shows us our heart and what needs cleansing and He shows us His mighty plans. Are you willing today to allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart? Are you willing to allow Jesus to mold you into His image? Are you willing to see what He sees that blocks your entrance into His presence and let Him help you lay it all aside? We hope to see you at the Throne Room every Friday Night at 7 pm and we encourage you to come into His Presence everyday at home, work and play.
Next time we will look at Isaiah's Throne Room experience and how it changed His life forever.
What is the Throne Room ?
Years ago we did a study at our church on the tabernacle and the temple of God in the Old Testament and we realized that God desired to be with His people and that they would know the touch of His presence. There are a few things from that study that I'd like to review and perhaps it will be a frequent theme.
God's desire to dwell among us
Leviticus 26:11-12 says "I will set my tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be My people." God desired to be a God who was present in the midst of His people and He still desires that today. The Word tells us that through the precious blood of Jesus we are the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 The God of the universe desires to have relationship with us and invites us to His very Throne Room right into His Presence.
It is a Holy Place
When we study the tabernacle in Exodus and Leviticus we see that the tabernacle is a Holy Place. So how do we come into this place knowing we are human and that we are not Holy on our own. Romans 3:21-23 and 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 let us know that through the precious blood of Jesus we are righteous before God...it is not our own righteousness but His that brings us into our presence. It is Jesus that makes us righteous and cleanses us. So what part do we have in all of this? We accept the wonderful gift of Salvation and receive His righteousness. We yield to Him and He is faithful to show us things that we need to lay at His feet. The Word says in Psalms 139-23-24 23Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. The Throne Room of God is a place of His glory and His presence and it is there we are undone so to speak....He shows us our heart and what needs cleansing and He shows us His mighty plans. Are you willing today to allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart? Are you willing to allow Jesus to mold you into His image? Are you willing to see what He sees that blocks your entrance into His presence and let Him help you lay it all aside? We hope to see you at the Throne Room every Friday Night at 7 pm and we encourage you to come into His Presence everyday at home, work and play.
Next time we will look at Isaiah's Throne Room experience and how it changed His life forever.
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