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.
Monday, July 18, 2016
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.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Not My will but Thine
Resurrection Day is almost upon us. I love this season. My thoughts ponder the greatness of our Savior's love for us. To think that God the Son was willing to leave the portals of Heaven and walk among us as a man and to take our sin upon himself is amazing in its scope. Jesus, both fully God and fully man, made a choice that would change our lives forever.
Christmas recounts His entry into our world. The willingness of Mary and Joseph to take on what could arguably be considered the greatest assignment ever given to human parents gives insight into the Father's faith in their ability to instill the same total surrender to the Father in Jesus on a human level. Mary was told she would have a child as a virgin who would save His people from their sin, Joseph was told to go ahead and take Mary as his wife and raise the child...the Messiah of His people. Mary told the angel, "Be it unto me as you have said." Joseph obeyed and took Mary as his wife. These acts of obedience were not easy at all. Mary faced potential death or at least scorn of those who would never understand or believe that God had called her to bring forth the Messiah. Joseph would be looked upon with pity by those who think he was duped into a marriage with a young woman who didn't deserve him. Their willingness to obey was the basis of God's ability to trust them in the raising of the Christ child.
The garden prayer of our Savior reminds me of Mary's statement. He said, "Not my will but thine". Jesus was willing to obey the Father. The road ahead, though planned from the foundation of the world, was not an easy road to walk. His prayer was urgent...those he loved slept around him and one even betrayed Him. The pain involved in the way He would died was emense, but the taking on of our sin and being the spotless lamb is what made Him different from anyone else who died on a cross. "Not my will but thine" , he said...echoing Mary's words as a young woman, "Be it unto me as you have said."
Father God may we as a people, and as believers have a mind that declares...."Be it unto me as You have said, Not my will but thine". We love you Jesus.
Christmas recounts His entry into our world. The willingness of Mary and Joseph to take on what could arguably be considered the greatest assignment ever given to human parents gives insight into the Father's faith in their ability to instill the same total surrender to the Father in Jesus on a human level. Mary was told she would have a child as a virgin who would save His people from their sin, Joseph was told to go ahead and take Mary as his wife and raise the child...the Messiah of His people. Mary told the angel, "Be it unto me as you have said." Joseph obeyed and took Mary as his wife. These acts of obedience were not easy at all. Mary faced potential death or at least scorn of those who would never understand or believe that God had called her to bring forth the Messiah. Joseph would be looked upon with pity by those who think he was duped into a marriage with a young woman who didn't deserve him. Their willingness to obey was the basis of God's ability to trust them in the raising of the Christ child.
The garden prayer of our Savior reminds me of Mary's statement. He said, "Not my will but thine". Jesus was willing to obey the Father. The road ahead, though planned from the foundation of the world, was not an easy road to walk. His prayer was urgent...those he loved slept around him and one even betrayed Him. The pain involved in the way He would died was emense, but the taking on of our sin and being the spotless lamb is what made Him different from anyone else who died on a cross. "Not my will but thine" , he said...echoing Mary's words as a young woman, "Be it unto me as you have said."
Father God may we as a people, and as believers have a mind that declares...."Be it unto me as You have said, Not my will but thine". We love you Jesus.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
God's Love: While we were yet sinners.
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." NIV
John 3:16 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." NLT
As we start the study of God's love lets look at these familiar verses. God shows His love in these verses in two ways. First He loves us before we accept Him as Lord and King, before we are changed by His power and transformed by His light. He is our creator and could require our aligence through sure might, but instead He desires willing love, and willing fellowship. He loves us even when we don't love Him. He loves us even when we ignore His existence. He seeks to draw us to Himself, but He never usurps our will. He paid the price of salvation even before anyone accepted Him. Secondly God the Father gave Jesus God the Son to us as gift so that we would have a way of Salvation. He sacrificed because He loved us before we ever made a move toward Him.
I want you to understand God loves you just as you are right now. Many may be upset at that statement because they think you have to be perfect to receive God's love. God loves people even when they still have some stains and disobedience. I didn't say Jesus wants us to stay as we are..(in fact even if you've been saved for 20 years you still have things Jesus is working on in your life) He surely will help us and He will transform us as we renew our mind to the Word of God. He does however, love us right now mistakes, shortcomings, faults and all. He doesn't wait until we've gain a level of goodness...He is our righteousness. He doesn't wait for us to have our life all together perfect. He loves us now. Say that out loud. God loves me. I'm not perfect, I still have a ways to grow in Him...but He loves me now.
John 3:16 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." NLT
As we start the study of God's love lets look at these familiar verses. God shows His love in these verses in two ways. First He loves us before we accept Him as Lord and King, before we are changed by His power and transformed by His light. He is our creator and could require our aligence through sure might, but instead He desires willing love, and willing fellowship. He loves us even when we don't love Him. He loves us even when we ignore His existence. He seeks to draw us to Himself, but He never usurps our will. He paid the price of salvation even before anyone accepted Him. Secondly God the Father gave Jesus God the Son to us as gift so that we would have a way of Salvation. He sacrificed because He loved us before we ever made a move toward Him.
I want you to understand God loves you just as you are right now. Many may be upset at that statement because they think you have to be perfect to receive God's love. God loves people even when they still have some stains and disobedience. I didn't say Jesus wants us to stay as we are..(in fact even if you've been saved for 20 years you still have things Jesus is working on in your life) He surely will help us and He will transform us as we renew our mind to the Word of God. He does however, love us right now mistakes, shortcomings, faults and all. He doesn't wait until we've gain a level of goodness...He is our righteousness. He doesn't wait for us to have our life all together perfect. He loves us now. Say that out loud. God loves me. I'm not perfect, I still have a ways to grow in Him...but He loves me now.
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