Soul Revival: A 40 Days' Journey to the Feet of Christ

Friday, September 30, 2011

Day 25 Spiritual Vision


Day 25



Spiritual Vision


“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
(Matthew 6:22-23)

Spiritual Vision is the 17th pillar

 Spiritual Vision is the 17th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

My dear beloved, I pray that God opens our spiritual eyes in this ungodly age, that we may see things by faith and not by sight, and that we may discern good from evil in this world where some call good evil and evil good.

“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

Beloved, we are no longer a natural man who walks according to the flesh, but we have been born again through the Spirit of Christ who has opened our spiritual eyes, that we may see and understand that the things we see with our physical eyes were created by Him.  We see then through the eyes of faith, by the Spirit which He has given us.  We can see Him who is invisible, by faith!  Having this mind, let us, therefore, fix our spiritual eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.

For by beholding, we become.  Let us, therefore, fix our eyes on the Light, that by beholding the Light we may also become the light of the world through Him who has called us out of darkness so that we should no longer
partake in darkness, but that, through His power, we may be established in the Light.

Therefore, my dear beloved, as it is said: “see no evil, do no evil.”  For if by beholding we become, if we then fix our eyes, which are the lights of our bodies, onto that which is evil, we will do evil, for the light of the body is the eye.  If your eye is fixed on that which is good, you will do good, but if your eye is fixed on that which is evil, you will do evil.  And if your eye, which is the light of your body, is always fixed on that which is evil, oh how great is the darkness in you.  For it is written:

“In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.”   (Isaiah 29:18)

My dear beloved, that day has passed.  For the Light has come into the world and darkness did not comprehend!  The cross has been fulfilled, and out of the cross shines the Light which gives light to all men, especially to those who believe in the Light, which is Jesus Christ our Lord! For we were all once blind and in darkness:

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”  (Ephesians 5:8-10)

And again:

“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”  (Titus 3:3-5)
                                                                                                                        
Therefore, my beloved:

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them.”   (Ephesians 5:6-7)

My dear beloved, stand fast in the calling of God.  For the LORD is faithful.  Please do not be overwhelmed by the tests and trials that we face in this evil world, for they will work for good to you in due time.  In fact, God is deliberately putting you in a position so that your spiritual eyes may open; so that you may see Him who is invisible; so that your faith in Christ may be perfected and established forever; and so that you will no longer live by sight, but by the faith of the Son of God, who died for us.  Amen! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Stand fast, therefore, on Him in whom you believe, for if you endure, in due time God will reveal Himself to you, and He will speak that which is good concerning your life, in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Stand fast even as Job who after enduring trials and tribulations, when the thoughts and intents of his heart were put to the test, stood fast trusting and believing Him in whom he believed: in God who lives forever.   Amen!

And after Job was tested and found faithful, God revealed Himself to Job and his faith became sight.  Hallelujah! Job said, after God revealed Himself to him:

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
      But now my eye sees You.”  (Job 42:5)
   Hallelujah!

Finally my dear beloved, take your eyes off anything that is evil and fix your mind and heart on that which is good.  Examine yourself before you think or do anything, watch anything, see anything, read anything, talk anything, or listen to anything.  Ask yourself how will it profit you spiritually, and if it does not profit you spiritually and does not bring you closer to God, cast it off from you in Jesus’ name.  Amen!  And meditate on that which is good, and learn to do good, to watch, to read, to listen, and to say only that which will edify you and others spiritually, and the God of peace will be with you.  Amen!
                                                                       
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.  Amen!


Meditation:  I shall walk by faith, not by sight!

Prayer points:  LORD, please open my spiritual eyes that I may see You, and by beholding You daily, I shall become like You.  I pray in Jesus’ name.   Amen!

Commitment: From today onwards, I commit myself to stop doing, watching, seeing, reading, talking and listening to that which will not profit me spiritually.  And from today onward, I commit myself to meditate on that which is good, and to learn to do good, to watch, to read, to listen, and to say only that which will edify myself and others spiritually.  May the God of peace be with me and others, through Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen! 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Day 24 Heavenly Investments


Day 24

Heavenly Investments

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21)

Heavenly Investment is the 16th pillar

Heavenly Investment is the 16th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

Beloved, where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.  This simply means that where your priorities are, that is where your heart will be.  If your priority in this life is to accumulate material riches, your heart is in the world, for wealth on earth is measured in gold.  The more gold you accumulate, the richer you are, and it is only in this world that gold has such value.  For God decided to make the most precious metal on earth—pavement in heaven! The street in heaven of the city that God has prepared for those who love Him is made up of pure gold!

“The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
(Revelation 21:21)

That means that you step on pure gold, even just walking to grab an apple or a banana off a tree.  Hallelujah!  My dear beloved, there is no money in heaven, and as you can see gold has no value in heaven. Quite frankly the banks in heaven do not take cash.  You cannot deposit cash or gold or any other material.  The only currency accepted, that can be deposited into your account in heaven, is FAITH; so the poor of the world can be very rich in heaven.  Hallelujah!

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”  (James 2:5)

When the Lord Jesus commands us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal, He is clearly telling us to have faith.  Every time we trust God, we act on faith, we walk by faith, and we believe every word God says. Your bank account in heaven is credited with treasures that cannot be stolen.  See, the devil can steal your car, your house, your family, your marriage, and he can destroy all your material possessions so quickly.  Just remember Job!  But one thing the devil cannot steal from you is your faith in Jesus Christ our Lord!  Amen!  For when you believe in Jesus Christ our Lord with all your heart and confess Him as your Lord and Savior, eternal life is credited into your bank account in heaven.  Hallelujah!  Praise the LORD!

And when you believe with all your heart, without any doubt, that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, power (grace) is deposited immediately into your heavenly bank account, and all day access is provided to you for your account, so that you may use your funds at any given time on earth to do all things and to endure all things, according to God’s will through Christ who strengthens you.  Amen!

The LORD revealed this to a man before, and showed him the balance of power (grace) that was credited into his bank account in heaven due to his faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.  This is what the man said after he saw the Amount of grace credited into his account due to his faith:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

And again:

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19)

(Beloved, I speak in a manner that we understand, because of the times we are living, the above is my humble attempt to help us understand, the riches and resources we in Christ, if we just believe. Therefore it must not be taken literary. But rather as an illustration. )

My dear beloved, the time is at hand and our salvation is nearer than before when we first believed.  Let us therefore not entangle ourselves with this ‘gospel’ the devil has planted in the church, a gospel of celebration and prosperity, lying to us, that we must live our best life now.  Of course, this counterfeits the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.                                                                                                     
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”  (Matthew 16:24-27)

My dear beloved, there are two doctrines that are being preached:

A)    The Lord Jesus is saying: forsake the world and all its lusts and desires, glory, honor, riches, temporary pleasures, and all this world has to offer.  Have faith in Me and follow Me, for I have prepared a place for you, so that where I am, you also may be.

B)    On the other hand, you have the devil saying: life is too short, let us enjoy it; live your best life now.  This is all you got.  Get money.  Be rich, be wealthy.  Get honor, prestige and glory.  I can give you all your heart desires right here on earth, so why wait for heaven when you can have it all on earth, here and now? 

These are the two doctrines that are being proclaimed to you.  You must choose one for yourself.  You definitely cannot believe both.  No one can choose for you.  You must choose for yourself.  But you must be aware that both choices come with conditions:

If you choose to follow Christ Jesus our Lord you must forsake the world and all its lusts, desires, glory, honor, riches, temporary pleasures, and all that this world has to offer, and follow Christ Jesus our Lord wholeheartedly.

If you choose to believe the devil, and you desire to have it all in this present life, the Bible warns us of the consequences:

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”   (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

And the devil’s condition is:

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’
 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”  (Matthew 4:8-10)

My dear beloved, we are the followers of Christ Jesus our Lord and together with Him let us say: “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘we shall worship the LORD our God, and Him only we shall serve.’  Away with all your worldly riches, and all your lusts and desires, glory, honor, and temporary pleasures.”   I choose Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Savior.  Amen!

What am I saying then? Should Christians have nothing?  God forbid.  For it is written:

 “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,
         The world and those who dwell therein.”  (Psalm 24:1)

Silver and gold belong to God, and God gives it to whomever He desires.  So if God gives the ability to some Christians to be wealthy to fulfill His purposes, they will be wealthy and they must support the cause of God.  We must love them rather than envy them or speak evil of them.  For they are brethren, and those whom God has blessed with earthly wealth, must be prepared to be always ready to distribute to those in need, that they may have treasures in heaven. Wealthy disciples are needed in the Kingdom of God, for when the Lord Jesus lay dead in Pilate’s possession, the poor disciples--Peter, John, James and the others--were hiding for fear of the Jews.  Then it was necessary for the wealthy disciples to fulfill their duty.  That was the reason why the LORD had placed them in that strategic and influential position:

“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.”  (John 19:38-42)

So then, the Lord Jesus was buried by wealthy disciples.  Wealthy Christians are often needed to go where poor disciples cannot go.  God will provide for Himself wealthy and influential disciples to accomplish His work.  What I am saying then, is that being poor is irrelevant and being wealthy is irrelevant. Being poor without being converted and envying those who have more is in vain. Likewise, being rich without being converted and looking down on others is vanity.  What then?  I say, life is about priorities.  What is the most important thing in your life? To make money?  Or to follow Christ Jesus our Lord with all your heart and to find out what is the will of God for your life and do it? The wisest man that ever lived once said:

“There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;  And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.”  (Proverbs 13:7)

 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”  (2 Corinthians 8:9)

I pray then:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty  power  which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”   (Ephesians 1:17-20)

Finally, my dear beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world so that through Him we may have eternal life. Let us therefore stop chasing perishable things at the expense of our faith, and by faith let us lay hold of eternal life, for which Christ died for us.  Let us, therefore, cast away all evil thoughts and schemes of the evil one, and let us not yield into this fashion of loving money, which is a root of all evil, lest we fall into temptation to be rich and depart from the living God.

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”   (1 Timothy 6:6-8)


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen!


Meditation:  Where my priorities are, there my heart will also be: is it Christ or is it the perishable things of the world?

 Prayer points:  LORD, please give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.  Please open the eyes of my understanding, that I may comprehend the riches of Your glory and the inheritance that You have prepared for me in Christ. I pray in Jesus’ name.   Amen!

Commitment:  I commit myself, from today onward, to seek the kingdom of God first above all things and to follow Jesus Christ my Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Amen!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Day 23 Fasting


Day 23

Fasting

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
(Matthew 6:16-18)

Fasting is the 15th pillar

Fasting is the 15th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

Beloved, fasting is going without food, and often without drink as well, for a period of time and for a stated purpose.  Fasting is an act of worship, a sacrifice we offer to God for our own benefit.  It is a way of saying to God that we are serious about whatever we are asking, whether it is for forgiveness, deliverance, healing, or anything that you desire so much and for which you need God’s divine intervention!

But this privilege of fasting must not be abused and it must be done in a Biblical manner.  Fasting must not be done for selfish ambitions, nor done recklessly, nor for disputing among men about who is fasting more often or who is fasting longer.  Fasting must be done God’s way.  God rebuked the Jews because of their continual offering of sacrifices and prayers to Him without repentance, and He refused to accept their sacrifices and prayers, though they offered many:

 THE REBUKE:

“’To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?’   
Says the LORD.
      ‘I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
      And the fat of fed cattle.


      I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
      Or of lambs or goats.
      “When you come to appear before Me,
      Who has required this from your hand,
      To trample My courts?
        Bring no more futile sacrifices;
      Incense is an abomination to Me.
     The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
      I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
        Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
      My soul hates;
      They are a trouble to Me,
      I am weary of bearing them.
       When you spread out your hands,
      I will hide My eyes from you;
      Even though you make many prayers,
      I will not hear.
      Your hands are full of blood.’”  (Isaiah 1:11-15)

My dear beloved, sacrifices can in fact become an abomination to God.  The Jews wanted to continue to offer sacrifices and prayers to God, but they wanted to do so while in their sins.  Even so, they expected God to accept their sacrifices and answer their prayers, but God told them:

“When you spread out your hands,
      I will hide My eyes from you;
      Even though you make many prayers,
      I will not hear.
      Your hands are full of blood.”  (Isaiah 1:15)

Even so with us Christians:  we want to offer sacrifices of fasting and prayers to God while yet in our sins, while we commit fornication, while we bribe, while we steal, and while we do all sorts of evil.  Then we come before God and offer sacrifice of fasting and prayer and fully expect God to accept our sacrifices and answer our prayers.  The same answer God gave to the Jews is given to us, for the scriptures are written for our sake, so that we learn from the scriptures and we do not commit the same mistakes the Jews did. For it is written:

“For I am the LORD, I do not change.”  (Malachi 3:6a)

But we thank God for His love, mercies, and kindness; that He is true to His promise “I will never leave nor forsake you.”   For though He does not accept our sacrifices and prayers in our sins, He instructs us what to do, that all may be well with us, that our sacrifices of fasting may be accepted and that our prayers may be heard and answered.  In Jesus’ name.   Amen! Hallelujah!

THE INSTRUCTION:

       “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
      Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
      Cease to do evil,
        Learn to do good; …
              “Come now, and let us reason together,”
      Says the LORD…”   (Isaiah 1:16-18)

THE PROMISE:

      “…Though your sins are like scarlet,
      They shall be as white as snow;
      Though they are red like crimson,
      They shall be as wool.”   (Isaiah 1:18)

THE PRIZE OF OBEDIENCE AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF DISOBEDIENCE:

     “If you are willing and obedient,
      You shall eat the good of the land;
      But if you refuse and rebel,
      You shall be devoured by the sword”;
      For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”  (Isaiah 1:19-20)

Let us, therefore, come to the LORD, and if we have sinned against Him, let us first offer a peace offering sacrifice, that is, the confession of our sins coming out of our mouths, that we may obtain the promise that says: Your sins shall be as white as snow.”


Let us, therefore, come confessing before the Lord that our sins may be as white as snow, and that we also may obtain the prize of obedience.  For God promises:

“If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.”
(Isaiah 1:19)


My dear beloved, if we do not follow the instructions of the LORD, though we offer many sacrifices of fasting and make many prayers, these sacrifices will not be accepted and our prayers will not be heard nor answered.  Then we will ask like the Jews:

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
      Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice? (Isaiah 58:3)


Then the LORD will answer us:

      “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
      And exploit all your laborers.
        Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
      And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
      You will not fast as you do this day,
      To make your voice heard on high.
        Is it a fast that I have chosen,
      A day for a man to afflict his soul?
      Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
      And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
      Would you call this a fast,
      And an acceptable day to the LORD?
        “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
      To loose the bonds of wickedness,
      To undo the heavy burdens,
      To let the oppressed go free,
      And that you break every yoke?
       Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
      And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
      When you see the naked, that you cover him,
      And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
        Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
      Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
      And your righteousness shall go before you;
      The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
       Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
      You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am...’   (Isaiah 58:3-9)


Finally, my dear beloved, let us lay aside every weight, every sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Let us come boldly to the throne of grace with fasting and prayer, with weeping and mourning, and abstain from any form of fleshly pleasure, that we may obtain mercy in this time of great need, for the LORD is faithful and just to forgive ALL our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and to bless us according to His good pleasure.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen!

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD,
      “Turn to Me with all your heart,
      With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
        So rend your heart, and not your garments;
      Return to the LORD your God,
      For He is gracious and merciful,
      Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
      And He relents from doing harm.
        Who knows if He will turn and relent,
      And leave a blessing behind Him—
      A grain offering and a drink offering
      For the LORD your God?
        Blow the trumpet in Zion,
      Consecrate a fast,
      Call a sacred assembly;
       Gather the people,
      Sanctify the congregation,
      Assemble the elders,
      Gather the children and nursing babes;
      Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
      And the bride from her dressing room.
       Let the priests, who minister to the LORD,
      Weep between the porch and the altar;
      Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD,
      And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
      That the nations should rule over them.
      Why should they say among the peoples,
      ‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD will be zealous for His land,
      And pity His people.
        The LORD will answer and say to His people,
      “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
      And you will be satisfied by them…”  (Joel 2:12-19)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen!


Meditation:  Fasting is an act of worship, a sacrifice we offer to God for our own benefit!

 Prayer points:  LORD, please teach me to fast according to Your will. Oh my God, I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Commitment:  I commit myself from today onward to learn and obey the instructions of the LORD my God; to fast according to His will; to find out what is acceptable in the eyes of the LORD, and do it through Christ who strengthens me.  Amen!







Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Day 22 Prayer


Day 22

Prayer

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

      Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
        Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
        Give us this day our daily bread.
        And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
        And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
(Matthew 6:5-15)

Prayer is the 14th pillar

Prayer is the 14th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

Beloved, prayer is a two way communication with God.  Amen!  Prayer is the most powerful outlet God has given us.  Prayer is like a spiritual minister: when you pray, you release spiritual power that is directed according to your request.  And that is the reason the devil has attacked prayer so much.  The devil will do anything in his power to keep your prayer time short and shallow, and if you would allow him, the devil would love that you do not pray at all.

The most powerful men on earth are those who are always on their knees.
The devil knows that you are only weak until you go on your knees, for temptation is a door and prayer is the key that shuts it.  Hallelujah! If you are struggling to overcome temptations, sins, vices, bad habits, marital problems, financial problems, and anything else as Christians, please do check your prayer life.

I am not saying that people who pray do not have problems.  The difference is that as we pray daily and submit our petitions to God, He directs our steps out of any problem.  We must develop a steadfast prayer life, an open two way communication with God, because, though we can share the truth, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with people, only God can convict hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit, and only God can change people’s hearts.  So we ought to spend a lot of time in prayer for all our brothers and sisters, for all our ministries and projects.  The good thing about prayer is that prayer is universal.  You can pray for anyone from anywhere in the world at anytime, and God will hear and answer all your prayers. How wonderful is that? Thank You, Oh LORD, for Your faithfulness. Amen!
Now, first things first.  There is time for everything under the sun. There are times for microwave prayers, and there are times for real and sincere prayers! Microwave prayers are what we do too much of in this generation.  We are so busy and have so much to do, that prayer must be squeezed into our tight schedule.  For we live in a microwave world, and even our prayers have to be fast and short.  No time to waste, even in our relationship with God.  “Got my life to live.” 
How foolish are we!  If we only knew where we were going, if we only had God’s divine favor, all would be well.  My dear beloved, all things belong to God.  I repeat: all things belong to God.  All the seemingly good things you are chasing with all your might, these things belong to God and He gives to whomever He desires.
You dash off without spending enough time with God, and you expect His divine favor upon you.  This is like passing the CEO at reception without giving him proper attention when he was trying to speak with you; not giving him enough of your time, leaving him at the reception and rushing into his office looking for a job!  That is foolish!  And yet, that is what we do. We leave God behind and off we go, and we expect God to intervene for us?  I tell you the truth: all things are of God.  Everything your heart desires, God has got it, and He can give it to you anytime!
“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”  (Psalm 24:1)
Therefore, my dear beloved, let us stop chasing perishables at the expense of our quality time with God, for those things are rightfully ours if we become one with the owner--God.  I tell you the truth: I spent most of my life on this earth chasing perishable things and found none worthy of keeping.  I even told God that He must wait until I built my empire first, then I would come and serve Him, and God just laughed at me:  “This fool is looking for things that are in My hands, but he is giving Me his back and is looking the other way.  How can he not see this?”
God allowed me to go and make a fool of myself, a son of a King going from one place to another, begging in the world, working as a servant, trying to get someplace in the world, when I left ALL things at home.  When the fullness of time in my life had come, God commanded that everything that made me comfortable be removed from me.  All things were taken away from me, one by one, until there was nothing between myself and God.  Then God said to me, “seek me with all your heart and you shall find Me,” and I sought the LORD with all my heart with tears night, day and noon, until I found Him.  And when I found Him, I came to this realization:  how could I have been so blind for so long?
My dear beloved, God must remove the things we think we have, so that He can give us the things that we need.  Please do not fight Him.  You will thank Him later.  For I tell you boldly in the Lord Jesus, I do not chase money, money chases me: people wake me up to give me money; people wait while I pray to give me money.  As I write these messages, I am called to go fetch money.  Things come to me, I do not chase them.  Why?  Because I am special?  NO.  It is because I chose God above all else and I have accepted that I am indeed a son of a King! Hallelujah!  Praise the LORD!  He is worthy to be praised.  Amen!  In no way I am suggesting laziness, but on the contrary, that we should work hard, only with the LORD.
Beloved, I do not say this to boast in the flesh, but rather as a testimony of what God has done in my life, so that you may believe that I speak the truth in Christ and I lie not. Amen!
 Devotional life
                                                                                                     We must develop a steadfast prayer life, a two way communication with God.  We must pray at least three times a day:  evening and morning and at noon.

“Evening and morning and at noon
         I will pray, and cry aloud,
         And He shall hear my voice.”  (Psalm 55:17)

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“Now it came to pass in those days that He [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”  (Luke 6:12)

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
         In the morning I will direct it to You,
         And I will look up.”  (Psalm 5:3)

“I rise before the dawning of the morning,
         And cry for help;
         I hope in Your word.”  (Psalm 119:147)

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” (Acts 16:25)
Will you pray earnestly, my dear beloved so that the foundations of your prison may be shaken, and that the doors may be opened and that your chains be loosed?  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!
My dear beloved, there is power in prayer.  Don’t underestimate it. Don’t be lazy to pray.  Ask God to wake you up and give you strength and courage in prayer and He will give you everything you need to maintain a steadfast prayer life.  However, God will not force you to pray.  Prayer must be out of your own will.  You must get out of the bed yourself.  So let’s GET UP in Jesus’ name.  Amen!
The Bible states 3 o’clock at noon as the hour of prayer.  So if you can, join in at 3pm, as God’s worshipers offer prayers and supplications daily. Please do so with us.   Amen!
Conditions for God-pleasing prayer:
1)    Whole-heartedness:
 “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”  (Jeremiah 29:13)
2)    Contrition:
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  (2 Chronicles 7:14)

“Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
      You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
      “ If you take away the yoke from your midst,
      The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness.”  (Isaiah 58:9)
3)    Faith:
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”  (Mark 11:24)
4)    Righteousness:
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”   (James 5:16)
5)    Obedience:
“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
(1 John 3:22)
                           
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”  (1 John 5:14-15)
Finally, my dear beloved, let us use this powerful outlet that God has given us for our own benefit, that God may change situations around us through our prayers in Jesus’ name.  Amen!
Let us, therefore, not be lazy anymore and full of excuses, when it is time for sweet hour of prayer.  But with all diligence, let us seek God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, with the confidence that He will hear us in Jesus’ name.  Amen!  So when you pray, you must allow God to answer you while you pray.  Pray and be still and allow God to reply, like a conversation with your earthly father!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, Amen!











Meditation:  Prayer is a two way communication with God.  I talk to Him and I must listen to Him.

Prayer points:  LORD, please help me to develop a steadfast prayer life.  Please give me courage and strength to pursue Your righteousness.  Please teach me to pray.  I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Commitment:  I commit myself from today onward to start a steadfast prayer life—evening and morning and noon --through Christ who strengthens me.  Amen!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Day 21 Almsgiving (Giving to the Poor)


Day 21

Almsgiving (Giving to the Poor)

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
(Matthew 6:1-4)

Giving to the Poor is the 13th pillar

Almsgiving is the 13th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

Beloved, giving to the poor is a wonderful thing, for almsgiving is both a privilege and a requirement.  However, the Lord Jesus warns us that it must be done to please God, not men!  For in truth I tell you, one of the greatest diseases we inherited from sin is the fleshly desire to be praised by men, to be glorified by men, to be seen as good by men, and all this leads to the desire of being worshiped, which then takes the place of God.  We quickly stop being a worshiper and start desiring to be worshiped!  And this is the devil’s greatest sin, the sin that cost him heaven.  For it violates the 1st Commandment:

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”  (Exodus 20:3)

Giving to the poor is an act of human kindness.  God expects us to bear fruit, and kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.  God commands us to do so:

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother.”  (Deuteronomy 15:7)


For:

“Blessed is he who considers the poor;
         The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
  The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive,
         And he will be blessed on the earth;
         You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies”
 (Psalm 41:1-2)

And:

“Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.”  (Proverbs 21:13)

Therefore, let us do good and give to the poor, only let us do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, that we may please God our Father. Let us not do good to please men, for selfish ambitions, to gain favor from men and to be called good among men, or to get a promotion in the church and in the community.  Let us put aside all selfish ambitions, and do it all to please God, not men, for God searches the heart. Let us serve God with a loyal heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.  

If you give to the poor to please Him, He will be found by you; however, if you give to the poor to please men, He will cast you off, as He did to Ananias and Sapphira who did a good thing but with an evil and selfish intent: to gain praise from men and to be called good.  They acted out of envy, because Joses, had done a good deed which was well pleasing to God, and the Apostles named Barnabas (the Son of Encouragement), and all brethren were talking well of Barnabas.  Ananias and Sapphira coveted the praise that was rightfully given to Barnabas because he did good to please God, but Ananias and Sapphira wanted to please men:

“And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.  But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?  While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’  Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  And Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?’  She said, ‘Yes, for so much.’   Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’  Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”   (Acts 4:36-37; Acts 5:1-11)

Let us, therefore, have fear and do the will of God from the heart, laying aside all malice and evil intent, serving God with fear and trembling, that our good deeds may be acceptable in the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.  Let us, therefore, do all things with our hearts set to bring glory to God our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us therefore shake off this casual attitude which is so prevalent in this current generation toward God. We are so casual in regard to God in this generation that we have lost the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom.  No wonder why this generation is full of knowledge but no wisdom.  For everything in this generation, there is a “how to”: how to do this and how to do that.  What about us fearing God, repenting and turning to God with all our hearts, minds and souls, and standing still and seeing the salvation of the LORD?  Again I say, let us fear God:

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”  (Revelation 14:6-7)                                                                                                                 

Finally my dear beloved, it is time to:

Awake, you who sleep,
      Arise from the dead,
      And Christ will give you light.”
  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5: 14-17)

It is high time for us to go back to the basics of our faith; Christianity is all about loving God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and all our strength, and then loving others as we love ourselves.  Even as those who came before us, let us be of one heart and one soul to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.”  (Acts 4:32)

Let us, therefore, love God by loving others.  Let us, therefore, do good, as to the LORD, and not to men.  Let our good deeds be seasoned with love, for without love, all that we do is in vain:

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”  (1 Corinthians 13:3)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen!
Meditation:  Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, but have not love in my heart, this profits me nothing.

 Prayer points:  LORD, please help me to do all things according to Your will, and please fill my heart with Your love, that everything I do, I will do with love and in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord.  I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Commitment:  I commit myself to do all things to please God, not men or myself. And from today, everything I do, I will do with love through Christ who strengthens me.   Amen!