Prayer

House Of Prayer 

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Isaiah 56:7
“For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Isaiah foresaw a day when people from all nations would be adopted into the family of God. He saw salvation reaching beyond the borders of Israel to the uttermost parts of the earth. Seven hundred years later Jesus entered into the temple and saw the outer courts turned into a marketplace. Instead of people being encouraged to to come to God they were being hindered. The religious leaders for the sake of financial gain and status among the people were actually keeping people from the Lord. At some point a sign was placed on the entrance of the temple warning Gentiles not to enter under the threat of death. When Jesus saw the actions of the leaders He was outraged. He began to overturn the tables and drive out those who were buying and selling. It was at that point that He quoted from this passage,

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

It is worth noting that Jesus was enraged when people stood in the way of others coming to God. We know it is the desire of God for all men everywhere to be saved. We know that a person is saved when they put trust in Christ as their savior and we know that people come to trust Christ through the witness of others. We should be seeking to live lives that properly represent Christ so that others will be drawn to Him rather than repelled from Him.

Jim

 

God Speaks

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1 Chronicles 25:1
“Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals…”

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Worship is an important part of the life of the believer and the health of the local church. It is a time when we are able to take our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and put them on the Lord. It is a time when we are able to declare the truths about the character and behavior of God in a way that brings Him glory and magnifies His name. It is often in these times of worship that we are able to see our lives from the proper perspective. Instead of seeing our circumstances as hopeless and ourselves as helpless we are able to see the God who can part seas, provide water in the desert or counsel the confused Christian. Worship is certainly a very important exercise for every follower of Christ.

That being said we find yet another value of worship tucked away in the narrative of the Chronicles. We are told that worship leaders were trained and appointed so they could prophecy with stringed instruments and percussions. Prophecy is when God speaks to His people and worship is one of the key mediums that God chooses to use to speak to us. Often when a believer will fix his attention upon the Lord and begin to pour out praise he will find that God speaks to him in an unexpected way.

There have been numerous times in my life, when in the midst of worship I, have sensed the voice of God speaking to my heart and directing my life. On one such occasion I was considering returning for a second trip to west Africa. My children were very young and the church was quite small and needed my attention, so I was struggling with the decision to go. As I sat in worship I recall singing a song about the faithfulness of God. I was almost overcome with the sense that God was calling me back to Africa. My fears, worries and concerns were somewhat alleviated when I realized that God was giving me the green light to go. As the years have passed and we have seen God accomplish so many wonderful things through the ministry in west Africa I am so thankful for that time of worship when God spoke prophetic word.

Jim

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Works Of God 

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Psalms 66:5
“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.”

Where we can go to see God work?

We could start by attending a church where people are serving the Lord. We can watch God work in the lives of others. We can observe His transforming work as people respond to the Gospel, or His equipping work as young and old, men and women, offer themselves in service of the Lord. We might see His comforting work as the broken hearted are encouraged by the Word of God, and the presence of Christ. We might see His restoring work as the prodigals return to relationship with Jesus. But there is another way to see the works of God. We can step out of our comfort zone and offer ourselves as servants. The chief reason people don’t see God work in their lives is because they are afraid to step out in faith and serve the Lord. If we continue to use the excuse that we can’t, we will never find the power and enabling of God to assist us beyond our abilities. On one occasion the disciples found they could not accomplish the ministry they were faced with, when they asked Jesus why He responded,

Matthew 17:20
“Why could we not cast it out?
‘So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.'”

Jesus promised if they trusted Him, they would see God accomplish tasks they knew to be impossible. Our problem is we do not want to be in impossible situations. We like to have control of our life and the events surrounding us. It is when we will step out in faith, trusting in the provision of God, and enlisting ourselves in His service, that we will see the works of God.

Perhaps God has been stirring your heart to serve. Maybe you have been thinking about volunteering to teach children or to join a mission team or to open your house for a home fellowship, but you have resisted because you feel inadequate. Allow me to encourage you,  God always calls the inadequate. His methods are to choose the weak and foolish things of the world so He is always glorified through whatever is accomplished.

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.”

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 66

  1. The 5th chapter of James asks “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” According to Psalm 66 verses 1-4 we are to shout, sing, and tell the world and God how awesome He is. If the Lord is doing or has done a work in you are you praising Him?
  2. In verses 5-7 the writer is remembering how God rescued the Israelites by parting the Red Sea. God continues to save people today!
  3. Fire is used to purify metals in a process called smelting. God uses a process called trials to refine us. Look at verse 12, where does God bring us at the end?
  4. Verses 13-15 describe vows, have you ever said “God, if you get me out of this mess I will obey you for now on”, but you return to your old ways? Be careful to follow through on whatever you promise to do. Let your “yes be yes” and your “no be no.”
  5. In verses 16-20 is describing confession. Are you afraid of God? Fear not. What does the writer say in verse 20?

 

Shepherd’s Heart

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Psalms 20:1-4
“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.”

The bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart. I am sure the meaning behind that statement is many faceted.  While I do not pretend to know all that it means, I am pretty certain that it has a lot to do with the fact that David, like God, had the heart of a shepherd. When he looked at the people of God, he did so with the eyes of a shepherd. His great desire was to see them flourish and grow in the Lord. There are very few texts that express that idea in a greater way than the one before us. Here we are invited into the prayer chamber of the king, as he stands before the throne of grace, on behalf of congregation of Israel. His prayer is a beautiful expression of love for others and should serve as a model for each of us to follow.

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you”

Life is filled with difficult and challenging times. When a person loses someone they love, has a marriage collapse, is diagnosed with a serious illness, or a host of other trying experiences, it is our hope and prayer that they would find both answers and defense, from the God who loves them. Whatever trying experience you are undergoing, I hope you will find consolation in the presence of the Lord. I hope you will hear His gentle voice speaking to your heart, as you cling to Him for answers and for strength to face another day.

“May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion”

The sanctuary was not a fortress or a military compound. It was a place to meet with God, offer prayer, and hear from Him. David knows that in the tragedies of life, our help and strength will come from the presence of the Lord. Friends are a blessing, family is a great source of comfort, but true, lasting, even abiding strength, will be found as we frequent the sanctuary and enjoy sweet communion with Christ.

“May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice.”

Sacrifices were accepted on their merit, not on the merit of the person making the offering. He or she was there, not because they were perfect, not because they had unwavering faith, or a stainless record, they were their because of sin, and the sacrifice was accepted on their behalf. Trials, which often express weakness and sin, are not designed to keep us from the Lord, but to bring the offering of confession, perhaps mingled with brokenness, and offer ourselves once again as a living sacrifice. We are accepted not because we have not sinned, but because of the spotless Lamb who was offered for us.

Perhaps there is no better way to sign off than to simply quote the final request from the king;

“May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.”

Pastor Jim

Psalm 20

In this sweet psalm, David is actually praying for you.

Make a list of the things he is praying and take some time to pray those things.

 

Until The Whole World Hears

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Psalms 2:8
“Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.“

As we reach the end of ourselves and cry out in desperation to God, prayer is the place where we express our greatest desires. We have found ourselves on our knees pleading with God for direction, the healing of a loved one, or to fix a mess we have created through our own foolishness. I wonder though, when is the last time we pleaded with God for those who don’t yet know Him.

The great promise of the Gospel is that it knows no borders. Every man, woman and child can have their sins forgiven, and enter into a personal relationship with God, through Christ. We can participate in that through the ministry of prayer.

Take a moment to make a list of a few people that don’t yet know the Lord and begin to pray for them daily. Add to that list an area in the world where your church is involved in ministry, and pray for the furtherance of the Gospel there. Perhaps the Lord may even send you, some day, to assist in the work.

Pastor Jim

Psalm 2

  1. According to verses 1-2, what is the “Vain thing” that the nations of the earth are attempting to do?
  2. How does God react to those who are attempting to live apart from His authority?
  3. What has the Father given to His Son?
  4. Knowing the great majesty and authority of God what should our response be to Him? Look carefully at verse 11-12.
  5. According to verse 12, what kind of life will those who trust the Lord have? Does that describe your life? Are you trusting in the Lord? True trust shows itself in obedience to His Word.

 

Blessing

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Numbers 6:22-27
The Priestly Blessing

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you;  the Lord make His face shine upon you,  and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”””

“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

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Leaven

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Leviticus 2:11
“No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fire.”


Leaven is a substance (such as yeast) that makes dough rise and become light before it is baked. Because it is a small ingredient in the dough and has the tendency to spread through the whole lump, it is used in Scripture to illustrate sin. Sin always starts small, but never stays that way. When a person falls into a “big sin,” it is because they started out making little compromises. As a result, it was a forbidden component in the grain offered to the Lord.

The New Testament declares that because of the work of Christ, we no longer are required to bring offerings to an altar and make sacrifices to God. Instead, we are to become a living sacrifice. Our whole life is to be devoted to the Lord. We should give our private life, family life, public life and church life as a sacrifice to God, and look for ways to honor and serve Him. If this living sacrifice is to be a sweet aroma to the Lord, we need to remove the leaven. In other words, we need to deal with sin as God reveals it. The New Testaments model for dealing with sin is that God reveals it through His word, we confess it in prayer, and He empowers us by His Spirit, to have victory over it in our lives.

If you are struggling in an area of sin, it is important that you address it before it spreads and becomes so large that it begins to destroy your relationship with God and others. The way to address it is to confess it to the Lord and to a trustworthy brother or sister in Christ. James spoke of the value of confessing our sin to one another, so we can pray for one another.

Don’t let sin reign in your life. Take it to the cross and be forgiven and set free.

Pastor Jim

 

A Good Defense 

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Nahum 2:1
“He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.”

Nahum wrote to warn Assyria of the destruction that was coming upon them, because of their violent and immoral rebellion against God, His word, and His ways. He foretold of a time when the ancient city of Nineveh would be razed to the ground. Like Jonah before him, his message reveals the mercy of God, as the people are warned in advance and told how to be prepared. They are told to man the fort, watch the road and fortify the city. This is good advice no matter what enemy we are facing. In ancient times, cities were defended by being surrounded by high walls. The less defensive the terrain, the higher the walls had to be. If a city sat on a hilltop surrounded by steep cliffs, it’s walls did not have to be nearly as high as a city situated in the plains.

In many ways, the believer is like an ancient city. The more we become like Christ, the higher a target we become to the enemy of our souls, and the more likely we are to be under his attack. Every Christian who has stepped into ministry has experienced this. If you sign up for a mission trip, join the prayer team, or become a children’s ministry volunteer, you know this will come with increased opposition, temptation and difficulty. The key is not to retreat from service, but to build better defenses. We need to know what our weaknesses are if we are going to successfully prepare for an attack, and we need to have a defense system set in place. Often, this is done by making it more and more difficult to sin. For example, if you struggle with worry, then it is a good idea to build a defense system that makes worrying more difficult. This can be done by focusing less on the things that cause concern and spending time meditating in the promises of God. If I were prescribing medication to the worrier, it would be to take a healthy does of the promises of Jesus.

Whatever your greatest area of spiritual weakness might be, the solution is to build a good defense system against it.

Pastor Jim

 

In The Gap

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Amos 7:5-6
“Then I said: ‘O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!’ So the Lord relented concerning this. ‘This also shall not be,’ said the Lord God.” 

Amos, the shepherd-prophet, saw two consecutive visions that revealed the impending disaster looming over the nation. The first was a swarm of locust that would come just prior to harvest time. History records massive swarms of locusts in and around Israel, that had devastating affects upon the land, the people and the economy. One such incident describes a swarm so great, it devoured every crop in he field,  took the bark off the trees, and even the thatch off the roof of many homes. The only thing that stopped this deadly swarm, was when they finally reached the Sea. So many locust died in the waters that a plague broke out and thousands of people died. The second vision was that of a fire that would consume the land. If these visions were fulfilled consecutively, the devastation would be catastrophic.

What happens next is amazing. Amos declares, these visions did not come to pass. This was not because they were idle threats, nor was it because God does not keep His promises. These disasters were averted because of the intercession of one man, who once cared for sheep and now cared for the nation. This one man who stood in the gap and prayed on behalf of the entire nation, rescued the people from disaster.

This is quite convicting to me, partly because I tend to associate the work of God with a multitude of people. If we called a prayer meeting and five thousand people showed up, we might expect God to do something great. We might even anticipate the moral tide of the country to begin to change. However, when we sit alone in our devotion chair, and intercede on behalf of others, we rarely do so with great expectation. Keep in mind,  a lowly shepherd from Tekoa stood in the gap, prayed for his nation, and the judgment of God was averted.
What, or perhaps, who will you stand in the gap for today?

Pastor Jim

 

Silence In Heaven

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Revelation 8:1
“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”

Revelation 8 paints a sober picture and before the events unfold, Heaven goes silent for half an hour. These events are a series of judgments that are unleashed upon the earth. While it, no doubt, grieves the heart of God to judge the sinful men He sent His own Son to save, these judgments are released as the prayers of God’s people arise like incense before the throne of God.

Revelation 8:3-4 “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.”

For thousands of years, the hearts of God’s children have been crying out against the injustices of men. In war-torn parts of the world, men’s hearts cry out; they are saddened and exhausted by constant uprisings, as others vie for power, position or wealth. They are weary of watching their sons and daughter die. They are weary of losing their freedom to share Christ with their neighbors and friends. They are weary of the persecutions that rise against them. Their hearts cry out to heaven, where their prayers become like sweet incense before the throne of God. In peaceful parts of the world, men’s hearts cry out against injustice and immorality. They are tired of wickedness running rampant; tired of evil being called good and good, evil. Tired of hearing of millions of wombs being assaulted and babies aborted. As their hearts cry out, they too, become like sweet incense arising to the throne of God.

Revelation 8:5 “Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.”

All that follows, is the just recompense of living sin-filled lives. All the injustice that man has brought upon man will one day be reckoned, as God righteously deals with the sins of man. While my heart and yours echo these cries for justice, we are all guilty of committing the very injustices we cry to be made right. Fortunately, there is a glorious escape from the judgement provided in the cross. Every heart that cries out for His mercy will be pardoned from all sin and escape the righteous judgment to come.

Pastor Jim