|
Prayer
is the natural
outcry from the
heart of a human
being to his Maker
in response to the
tug of the Word of
God, implanted
within the
conscience.
That
tug is even stronger
in the heart of one
who has had a
visitation of the
Holy Spirit’s
convicting presence
or has heard the
gospel
message! The
Holy Spirit’s call
to prayer becomes as
natural and desirous
as the call for food
at mealtime!
Prayer
is our inner man
crying out for help,
fellowship and
spiritual
nourishment! It is
born out of our need
and the assurance
that God is there to
meet that need and
answer our prayer!
To the individual
who has opened his
life to the Savior,
the
Prayer
is talking,
listening and
communing with our
Maker as we enter
into the very
presence of Almighty
God. It
is intimate
fellowship on a “one-to-one
basis” with God,
through Jesus Christ
our Lord!
WHEN
WE PRAY, OUR TOTAL
MAN BECOMES
INVOLVED!
Our
spirit cries out in
response to our
needs and those of
others, as God plays
on our heart
strings, encouraging
us to share those
burdens with Him.
Our
minds stagger under
the weight of sin,
fear, worry and care
and our spirits soar
both to heights
unknown as well as
plumb to
incomprehensible
depths.
We
groan in the spirit
of intercession or
exult in the joy of
God, knowing that He
is taking control of
the situation! And
that by our
compassion, care and
faith people in need
are being convicted,
strengthened, healed
and blessed!
As
we weep in travail
our eyes redden, our
physical strength is
taxed and our body
becomes weary! Then
the Holy Spirit
takes over and
intercedes through
us with groanings
that cannot be
uttered, and we
enter into a new
realm as we pray in
the Spirit (unknown
tongues), as St.
Paul did. (1 Cor.
14:15)
The
Divine Paraclete
(the Comforter - the
One sent alongside
to help) helps us as
we do not know how
we ought to pray.
But He comes to our
rescue and prays
through us to the
Father!
The
entire Trinity is
involved in our
fellowship, as we
pray to God our
Father in the name
of Jesus Christ our
Lord!
Prayer
is mankind’s most
vital link with
Almighty God. It is,
in fact, entering
into His very
presence with our
requests, petitions
and thanksgiving.
When
we pray, God not
only listens but
speaks to our
spirits and answers
our requests in His
own way, according
to His divine and
gracious will.
The
scripture says, He
is closer than our
hands or feet. It is
therefore, not
difficult to draw
upon His power by
reaching out in
prayer and touching
Him.
The
woman with the “issue
of blood” touched
Him with her faith
and received an
instant miracle.
Jesus turned about
in the crowd and
asked specifically,
“Who touched My
clothes”?
Many
rubbed shoulders
with Him, but one
person touched Him
by faith. She had
said within herself,
“If I but touch
His garment, I shall
be whole”. She was
made whole, and
Jesus declared that
her faith had gotten
the job done! (Matt.
9:21)
‘Prayer
is talking,
listening and
communing with God
as we enter into the
very presence of the
Almighty!’
The
20th Century Bible
renders the account
this way: Jesus
said, “Someone has
touched Me”. And
they said, “Master,
the multitudes press
Thee and crush Thee”.
But He answered, “No,
someone has made a
demand upon My
ability”.
When
we believe and reach
out for a miracle,
we make a demand
upon His ability and
draw from His great
storehouse of
blessing, that which
we desire!
Another
beautiful aspect, is
that the woman
received the miracle
without Jesus
knowing she had a
need. The miracle
was already
accomplished before
Jesus was aware of
it!
‘PRAYER
NOT ONLY CHANGES
THINGS; IT CHANGES
LIVES!’
The
easiest way for me
to illustrate God’s
provision for us, is
to compare it to a
buffet banquet. Many
tables, loaded with
the best foods sits
in the middle of the
room and guests help
themselves at will.
The host simply
walks among his
friends to see if
everyone is getting
enough to eat, while
the servers keep
loading the tables
with fresh supplies!
The
host is not really
concerned whether
you make one or
three trips to the
tables, so long as
you get enough to
eat. He doesn’t
watch to see if you
take one leg of
chicken or two!
Forgiveness,
healing, blessing
and prosperity are
all provided for us.
We can have all we
need! All we have to
do, is reach out by
faith and make a
demand on His
ability, by
receiving.
Automatically,
when we tap into His
resources by faith
in His finished work
on Golgotha, the
miracle happens!
PRAYER
CHANGES THINGS
Through
prayer and communion
with God we can
affect the course of
this world and
change the
complexion of
society!
Prayer
changes things! Many
situations have been
altered, lives
changed and
priorities
rearranged by
spending time in
prayer.
Why
is this? God answers
prayer! God performs
miracles! He is
real, and communion
with Him is a
glorious reality!
God does answer
prayer.
Not
only does prayer
change things but it
changes people - the
lives of the ones
prayed for as well
as the persons
praying. Thousands
of answers to prayer
are recorded
regularly in the
books of heaven, as
well as in the
remembrances of
committed
Christians.
Miracles
of salvation,
healing,
preservation,
deliverance and
prosperity are
common occurrences
for those who really
believe God’s Word
and appropriate His
promises for
themselves!
A
person gets a
totally new outlook
on life when he
spends time in God’s
presence. His
priorities change as
well as his desires
and goals in life.
And his disposition
becomes kinder and
more caring!
SWEET
HOUR OF PRAYER
The
hymn writer penned
these words which
have blessed
millions down
through the years.
“Sweet
hour of prayer,
sweet hour of prayer
That calls me from a
world of care
And sets me at my
Father’s throne,
Makes all my wants
and wishes known.
In
seasons of distress
and grief,
My soul has often
found relief
And oft escaped the
tempter’s
snare,
By thy return, sweet
hour of prayer.”
THE
CALL TO FAITH
The
twin pillars of the
Christian Church are
REPENTANCE and
FAITH. St. Paul
makes that very
plain:
"Testifying
both to the Jews,
and also to the
Greeks, repentance
toward God, and
faith toward our
Lord Jesus
Christ." (Acts
20:21)
Writing
to new converts he
said: "For by
grace (God's
unmerited favor) are
ye saved through
faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is
the gift of God. Not
of works, lest any
man should
boast". (Eph.
2:8-9)
To
believe in Jesus
Christ and receive
Him into your life
is to have faith!
Faith is a fact but
faith is also an
act, because faith
requires
corresponding
action!
The
Bible says,
"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". (John
3:16)
When
you have faith in
God, you will
believe the Gospel
of Jesus Christ and
dedicate your life
in His service! Real
faith transforms a
person's lifestyle,
because faith in God
works miracles in
people!
"Therefore
if any man be in
Christ, he is a new
creation: old things
are passed away;
behold, all things
are become
new." (2 Cor.
5:17)
HOW
DO WE RECEIVE FAITH?
According
to the Holy
Scriptures, God has
given each one of us
faith to believe in
Jesus Christ, His
Son and be saved:
...think soberly,
according as God
hath dealt to every
man the measure of
faith." (Rom.
12:3)
He
has placed His Word
within our
conscience and our
spirit which came
from God! (Rom.
7:22-25) The Word of
God also creates
faith! "So then
faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing
by the word of
God." (Rom.
10:17) God has
called us to a life
of faith and
worship, through
Jesus Christ His
Son!
The
Bible says,
"Now faith is
the substance of
things hoped for,
the evidence of
things not seen. But
without faith it is
impossible to please
Him; for he that
cometh to God must
believe that He is,
and that He is a
rewarder of them
that diligently seek
Him". (Heb.
11:1,6)
FAITH
IS 3 THINGS: 1)
Coming to God with
our needs. 2)
Believing that God
exists and that He
is Who the Bible
says He is. 3)
Expecting a miracle
(an answer) when you
pray!
'Faith
in the Father &
faith in the Son
Faith in the Holy
Ghost, three in the
One
Demons will tremble
& sinners awake
Faith in Christ
Jesus will anything
shake!'
Faith
is also a gift as
well as a fruit of
the Holy Spirit!
"To another
faith by the same
Spirit; to another
the gifts of healing
by the same
Spirit;" (1
Cor. 12:9)
"But
the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy,
peace,
longsuffering,
gentleness,
goodness,
faith," (Gal.
5:22)
THE
CALL TO SEPARATION
Jesus
calls us to
righteous, holy and
pure living! The
Bible says,
"But as He
which hath called
you is holy, so be
ye holy in all
manner of
conduct". (1
Peter 1:15)
Sanctification
is the process by
which believers are
set apart for God
and His service, to
be made holy and
purified from sin by
His gifts and graces
and our determined
will to do that
which is right!
We
cannot do this in
our own power. The
Scripture says,
"But of Him are
ye in Christ Jesus,
Who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and
righteousness and
sanctification, and
redemption". (1
Cor. 1:30)
St.
Paul admonished,
"For this is
the will of God,
even your
sanctification, that
ye should abstain
from fornication:
That every one of
you should know how
to possess his
vessel in
sanctification and
honor."
"For
God hath not called
us unto uncleanness,
but unto
holiness." (1
Thess. 4:3, 4, 7)
God
sets us apart
through the divine
process of
redemption and the
infilling of the
Holy Spirit, but we
must separate
ourselves totally
and completely unto
Him, in order that
His miraculous
provision will work
within us!
THE
BIBLE CLEARLY STATES
THAT GOD DESIRES HIS
PEOPLE TO LEAD PURE,
WHOLESOME LIVES -
NOT LIKE THE PAGAN -
AND BE SEPARATED
FROM THE EVIL
PRACTICES OF LYING,
WITCHCRAFT, HATRED,
GAMBLING, IDOLATRY,
SODOMY AND ADULTERY.
HIS WORD TEACHES
PURITY OF THOUGHT,
WORD AND DEED!
St.
Paul declared,
"Wherefore come
out from among them,
and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and
touch not the
unclean thing; and I
will receive
you". (2 Cor.
6:17)
God
promises to be our
Father, if we
believe His Word and
live by it! In His
dealings with Israel
~ the Children of
Israel, He demanded
that they separate
themselves from
idols and the pagan
practices of the
heathen!
"But
I say, that the
things which the
Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to
devils, and not to
God: and I would not
that ye should have
fellowship with
devils." (1
Cor. 10:20-21)
As
Christians, we are
followers of Jesus
Christ and must not
try to drag Him down
to the filth in
which the ungodly
live, but allow Him
to lift us to the
place of purity and
wholeness which He
exemplifies.
HE
SAVES US FROM SINS -
not to live in our
sins
The
Bible says, "If
a man therefore
purge himself from
these (carnal,
sinful &
dishonorable
pursuits) he shall
be a vessel unto
honor, sanctified,
and meet for the
Master's use, and
prepared unto every
good work. Flee also
youthful lusts: but
follow
righteousness,
faith, charity,
peace, with them
that call on the
Lord out of a pure
heart." (2 Tim.
2:21-22)
Again
God's Word states,
"Having
therefore these
promises, dearly
beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness
of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear
of God". (2
Cor. 7:1)
THE
CALL TO DEDICATION
The
word dedicate means
to "set apart
and consecrate to a
divine being. To
give wholly or
earnestly to a
patron, friend or
purpose".
It
is in this sense I
now use this word.
We should be willing
to give ourselves
wholly and earnestly
unto the cause of
righteousness,
loving God and our
fellowman!
The
Bible does not
compromise. It is
clear in its
teachings that if we
do certain things,
God will bless and
prosper us! And if
we do not, there
will be no blessing!
Here
is His clarion call
to dedication:
"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." (Rom.
12:1-2)
This
stern admonition was
sent to former
pagans, who had
converted to Christ.
St. Paul demanded
that they break from
evil, lustful and
perverted deeds and
live in purity as
Christians!
THERE
IS NO SUCH THING AS
A CHRISTIAN THIEF OR
A CHRISTIAN LIAR OR
A CHRISTIAN
DRUNKARD, CHRISTIAN
DRUG ADDICT OR
CHRISTIAN
HOMOSEXUAL, OR A
CHRISTIAN
FORNICATOR!
When
Christ comes into
our hearts, the Holy
Spirit does a work
in us whereby we are
liberated from the
lusts and
perversions of this
wicked old world!
He
admonishes Timothy
and all of us:
"but thou, O
man of God, flee
these things; and
follow after
righteousness,
godliness, faith,
love, patience,
meekness. Fight the
good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal
life, whereunto thou
art also called, and
hast professed a
good profession
before many
witnesses.
“I
give thee charge in
the sight of God,
Who quickeneth all
things, and before
Christ Jesus, Who
before Pontius
Pilate witnessed a
good confession;
That thou keep this
commandment without
spot, unrebukeable,
until the appearing
of our Lord Jesus
Christ:" (1
Tim. 6:11-14)
It
is certainly a slap
in our face, when
Muslims and other
non-Christians
reject Christianity
because of the lewd
way in which our
so-called Christian
society conducts
itself!
I
hasten to say that
the rock and roll
music, loose living,
pornography,
abortion, alcoholism
and perversion,
which is so
prevalent in our
society, is in no
way Christian! On
the contrary, it is
anathema!
It
is sad to hear
Muslim leaders
saying that they do
not want their
people contaminated
with "the
abominable practices
of sodomy,
pornography, drug
abuse, obscene rock
& roll music and
alcoholism, which
are rife in Western
Christian
culture!"
ABSTAIN
FROM ALL APPEARANCES
OF EVIL!
The
Bible says,
"Dearly
beloved, I beseech
you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts,
which war against
the soul: Having
your conversation
honest among the
Gentiles: that,
whereas they speak
against you as
evildoers, they may
see your good works,
which they shall
behold, glorify God
in the day of
visitation". (1
Peter 2:11-12)
We
are instructed,
"Abstain from
all appearance of
evil". (1
Thess.5:22)
May
Jesus Christ always
be our example. He
was perfect in all
respects - SINLESS
in deity and
humanity - yet was
obedient to the
cross, suffering for
our sin and shame,
so that He could
save us and bring us
to God!
The
Bible says,
"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."
(Heb. 12:2)
Jesus,
“...being in the
form of God, thought
it not robbery to be
equal with God: But
made Himself of no
reputation, and took
upon Him the form of
a servant, and was
made in the likeness
of men: And being
found in fashion as
a man, He humbled
Himself, and became
obedient unto death,
even the death of
the cross".
(Phil. 2:6-8)
St.
Paul was totally
dedicated: "I
am debtor both to
the Greeks, and to
the Barbarians; both
to the wise, and to
the unwise. So, as
much as in me is, I
am ready to preach
the gospel to you
that are at Rome
also. 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". (Rom.
1:14-16)
THE
CALL TO CONSECRATION
Consecration
is the act of
obedience, when we
privately and
publicly make a
statement that we
have given ourselves
in dedication for
God’s service!
In
like manner, as we
consecrate a church
building or musical
instruments to God's
service, so we
consecrate our
bodies, talents and
riches unto the
cause of Christ and
His Church!
Christ
is calling us to
give ourselves
wholeheartedly to
His cause. To
CONSECRATE OURSELVES
unto a life of
righteous living and
evangelism!
He
is looking for those
who will be totally
committed to His
gospel, so that His
light may shine in
this ungodly world.
The
Bible says,
"...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."
(Heb. 12:1)
What
does that mean to
the liar, thief,
adulterer,
homosexual or
gambler? Pure and
simple - STOP DOING
THOSE THINGS AND
BEGIN LIVING PURE
LIVES!
Jesus
said,
"Whosoever will
come after Me, let
him deny himself,
and take up the
cross, and follow
Me. For whosoever
will save his life
shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose
his life for My sake
and the gospel's,
the same shall save
it". (Mark
8:35-36)
Our
Lord requires a full
commitment and
consecration from
us, for Him to trust
us with His
authority, gifts and
power! He does not
want to be the
"fifth
wheel" of our
existence or a
"fire-insurance
policy" kept in
a safety deposit
box.
He
must take center
stage in our lives
so that our
lifestyle will be
pleasing in His
sight, and effective
in our relationship
to others!
Jesus,
Who is our grand
example, "set
His face" to go
to Jerusalem where
He knew He would die
upon a rugged cross
and become "a
curse for us",
in order to purchase
our salvation! (Gal.
3:13)
St.
Paul said,
"What mean ye
to weep and to break
mine heart? For I am
ready not to be
bound only, but also
to die at Jerusalem
for the Name of the
Lord Jesus”. (Acts
21:13)
Again
he stated, "For
I am now ready to be
offered, and the
time of my departure
is at hand. I have
fought a good fight,
I have finished my
course, I have kept
the faith:" (2
Tim. 4:6,7)
The
great apostle was
totally dedicated to
Jesus Christ. His
life was consecrated
to His Gospel!
Martin
Luther emphasized:
“I live as though
Jesus Christ was
crucified yesterday,
arose today & is
coming again
tomorrow”.
The
great leader of the
Protestant
Reformation was
consumed with the
Gospel of Jesus
Christ, and that is
why God used him so
mightily to bring
back the simplicity,
truth, purity &
power of Christ’s
Gospel to a corrupt,
idolatrous and
backslidden Church!
This
is the commendation
given by the leaders
of the Primitive
Church regarding the
preachers they sent
out: “These are
men that have
hazarded their lives
for the name of our
Lord Jesus
Christ". (Acts
15:26)
A
proper way to
consecrate ourselves
to God is through a
‘Disciplined
Christian Life’!
Fasting & prayer
is a good way to
humble ourselves
before God and to
become consecrated
wholly to God and
His Kingdom!
THE
CALL TO SERVICE
Jesus
declared, "Go
ye into all the
world, and preach
the gospel to every
creature. He that
believeth and is
baptized shall be
saved; but he that
believeth not shall
be damned".
(Mark 16:15)
The
paramount duty of
the Christian is to
communicate the
gospel to our
fellowmen by our
chaste lifestyles,
honesty, compassion
and wholesome
outlook.
We
are "saved to
serve"!
Jesus
said, "Thou
shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy
heart, and with all
thy soul, and with
all thy mind. This
is the first and
great commandment.
And the second is
like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself.
On these two
commandments hang
all the law and the
prophets".
(Matt. 22:37-40)
The
only road to true
happiness is going
God's way, walking
the Gospel road, by
loving God and
loving our neighbors
as ourselves!
Let
us always follow the
Golden Rule:
"Do
unto others as you
would have them do
unto you".
(Luke 6:31)
Born
again Christians
automatically seek
the "high road
of life"after
an encounter with
'Jesus Christ'. We
are concerned about
the needs of others,
spiritual, emotional
and physical,
because our lives
have been changed:
“Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he
is a new creature:
old things are
passed away; behold,
all things are
become new”. (2
Cor. 5:17)
Angelic
beings brought the
message of Christ's
victory to the
disciples, at the
empty tomb on that
first resurrection
morning. They said,
"Come and see
the place where our
Lord lay, and go and
tell His
disciples..."
(Matt. 28:6, 7)
It
is incumbent upon
all Christians to
experience God's
blessings through
Christ, and then to
"go and
tell" others
the good news that
there is hope for
our nation and our
world!
AND
THAT HOPE LIES ONLY
IN THE PROCLAMATION
AND RECEPTION OF THE
GOSPEL OF JESUS
CHRIST!
The
Bible says,
"And this
gospel of the
kingdom shall be
preached in all the
world for a witness
unto all nations;
and then shall the
end come".
(Matt. 24:14) The
End Times - second
coming of Jesus.
Christ
has no hands but our
hands, to do His
work of preaching
and spreading His
Gospel to the ends
of the earth. Let us
be about our Father’s
business!
CHRIST
IS CALLING US ALL TO
COMMUNICATE, SHARE,
SPREAD, DISPENSE,
ARTICULATE AND LIVE
HIS GOSPEL BEFORE
THIS WICKED WORLD,
SO THAT MANY MORE
WILL BE SAVED BEFORE
IT IS TOO LATE!
And
that includes paying
our tithes and
giving offerings to
God's work. Let us
remember the words
of our Lord Jesus:
"It is more
blessed to give than
to receive".
(Acts 20:35)
He
also stated:
"Give, and it
shall be given unto
you; good measure,
pressed down, and
shaken together, and
running over, shall
men give into your
bosom. For with the
same measure that ye
mete withal it shall
be measured to you
again". (Luke
6:38)
Sir
Winston Churchill
said, “We make a
living by what we
get, but we make a
life by what we give”.
My question to us
all is: Are we doing
our share to spread
the Gospel through
our giving?
Or
are we guilty of
spending too much
time & money
pampering ourselves
when multitudes are
going to a ‘Christless
Eternity’ because
NO ONE HAS SHARED
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS
CHRIST WITH THEM?
William
Penn stated: “If
there is any
kindness I can show,
or any good thing I
can do to my fellow
human being, let me
do it now, and not
deter nor neglect
it. I shall not pass
this way again”.
Francis
of Assisi said,
"Preach the
gospel everyday and
if you must use
words...It is in
giving oneself, one
receives; it is in
forgetting oneself,
that one is found;
it is in pardoning,
that one obtains
pardon". He
taught his students
that there is no
point in,
"walking
somewhere to preach,
unless you can
preach while you are
walking"!
Jesus
said, "But seek
ye first the kingdom
of God, and His
righteousness; and
all these things
shall be added unto
you." (Matt.
6:33)
The
Bible instructs:
"But sanctify
the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready
always to give an
answer to every man
that asketh you a
reason of the hope
that is in you with
meekness and
fear:" (1 Peter
3:15)
"Charge
them that are rich
in this world, that
they be not
high-minded, nor
trust in uncertain
riches, but in the
living God, Who
giveth us richly all
things to enjoy;
That they do good,
that they be rich in
good works, ready to
distribute, willing
to communicate;
Laying up in store
for themselves a
good foundation
against the time to
come, that they may
lay hold on eternal
life." (1 Tim.
6:17-19)
God
loves you, my
friend. He has
purchased your total
salvation through
the death of His Son
Jesus Christ Who
paid for our sins
with His pure and
perfect blood!
The
Bible declares that
He not only died for
our sins on the
cross, but arose
from the dead for
our justification!
(Rom. 4:25)
Here
is our Lord’s
invitation to you:
“Come unto Me, all
ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and
I will give you
rest". (Matt.
11:28)
|