People of God, the enemy is running rampant in our churches. Look around! We are living in a time when the mature saints of God must move by the Spirit of God and “come up” in accountability for the health and strength of the Church, the Body of Christ.
This is a plea this morning, to get on your post. Get in position and stay there! You are needed! We cannot continue to pray only when the church has an intercessory prayer service. We cannot continue to fast only when a corporate call is made. We cannot continue to worship only when the organ is playing.
This is truly a season of maturity. Satan is severing relationships, exposing weak integrity and accusing the saints on every hand. How can we sit idly by and allow him to make a mockery of the Body of Christ? How can we watch as our brothers and sisters die a spiritual death right before our eyes.
It’s time to get to work. PLEASE, be in prayer this week and consecrate a fast before the Lord. Our leaders need our prayers. They need us to engage in true, spiritual warfare. Even more, we need it ourselves!!! We need to seek the Lord like never before. Stay in His face. Pray in the Spirit and be lead of God. Fast before God. This is the season to crucify the flesh. We must bridle our tongues and watch our mouths. We are under attack, but we are more than conquerors! We must simply use the weapons God has given us.
Is 58:1
CRY ALOUD, spare not. Lift up your voice like a trumpet and declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins!
Is 58:2
Yet they seek, inquire for, and require Me daily and delight [externally] to know My ways, as [if they were in reality] a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God [in visible ways].
Is 58:3
Why have we fasted, they say, and You do not see it? Why have we afflicted ourselves, and You take no knowledge [of it]? Behold [O Israel], on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins], you find profit in your business, and [instead of stopping all work, as the law implies you and your workmen should do] you extort from your hired servants a full amount of labor. [Lev. 16:29.]
Is 58:4
[The facts are that] you fast only for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness. Fasting as you do today will not cause your voice to be heard on high.
Is 58:5
Is such a fast as yours what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself with sorrow in his soul? [Is true fasting merely mechanical?] Is it only to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him [to indicate a condition of heart that he does not have]? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?
Is 58:6
[Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke? [Acts 8:23.]
Is 58:7
Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house--when you see the naked, that you cover him, and that you hide not yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?
Is 58:8
Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. [Exod. 14:19, 20; Isa. 52:12.]
Is 58:9
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away from your midst yokes of oppression [wherever you find them], the finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and every form of false, harsh, unjust, and wicked speaking, [Exod. 3:14.]
Is 58:10
And if you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity and gloom become like the noonday.
Is 58:11
And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.
Is 58:12
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of [buildings that have laid waste for] many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
Is 58:13
If you turn away your foot from [traveling unduly on] the Sabbath, from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor Him and it, not going your own way or seeking or finding your own pleasure or speaking with your own [idle] words,
Is 58:14
Then will you delight yourself in the Lord, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage [promised for you] of Jacob your father; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. [Gen. 27:28, 29; 28:13-15.]
Eph 6:11
Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
Eph 6:12
For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Eph 6:13
Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Eph 6:14
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
Eph 6:15
And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. [Isa. 52:7.]
Eph 6:16
Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
Eph 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Eph 6:18
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Pour It at His Feet
John 12:3-8 (AMP)
3Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said,
5Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year's wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?
6Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections].
7But Jesus said, Let her alone. It was [intended] that she should keep it for the time of My preparation for burial. [She has kept it that she might have it for the time of My embalming.]
8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.
What are you holding onto? What are you saving up for? In the Body of Christ, so many of us are sitting on our treasures. For some, it’s money, but for most, it’s time, gifts, talents and even faith.
Due to “church hurt”, we are often reluctant to pour out of ourselves, but God is calling for that sacrifice in this season. We are not being asked to pour out unto men, but unto the Father. Just as Mary poured expensive oil on the feet of Jesus, He is waiting for our sacrifices to be laid at His feet.
We have grown so accustomed to “working on ministry” that for many of us, even that is not yielded to God. There are more churches who preach the gospel of “I” and “My” than that of Jesus Christ. Yes, even our ministries must be laid at the feet of Jesus Christ. That means that we must yield some things to Him. Most importantly, we must TRUST HIM. This is not the season to do it all yourself. This is not the time to depend on you, your plans, your paycheck, your gifts or even your abilities. God is looking for those who will once again yield to Him and give all for His glory.
In 2 Samuel 24:24, David declares that he will not sacrifice anything unto God that doesn’t cost Him something. Our thinking, it seems, is that we won’t give up anything that has cost us something. We work so hard on great edifices, TV and radio broadcasts, grand conferences and banquets, but we pull them further and further away from God. We want to operate in a spirit of control, but God wants the throne in the tabernacle.
Is all our hard work really for God and His glory? If it were, we would allow Him to move. We would allow His people to operate in their gifts and callings. We would not operate in a spirit of control. We would obey the voice of God and move by the Spirit, rather than learned behavior. We would live by faith – not by habit. Just because it’s related to church doesn’t mean it’s building the Church. Just because it references God doesn’t mean it brings Him glory.
We know that entertainment draws the crowd, and the crowd pays the bills, but God wants that church poured at HIS feet. We know that lying from the pulpit brings the faithful contributions, but God wants to provide the increase. He wants the doctrine laid at HIS feet. We know that organized, traditional religion promises church growth and recognition, but God wants you to lay the tradition and the education at HIS feet. That thing that you have caused to flourish in the flesh, will you exchange it for the supernatural in this season? The center of your pride and joy – that great accomplishment that carries your name – will you allow God to undo it as He sees fit? That which has costs you so much – will you give it up for the glory of God?
No flesh shall get the glory. Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up. Selah.
3Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said,
5Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year's wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?
6Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections].
7But Jesus said, Let her alone. It was [intended] that she should keep it for the time of My preparation for burial. [She has kept it that she might have it for the time of My embalming.]
8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.
What are you holding onto? What are you saving up for? In the Body of Christ, so many of us are sitting on our treasures. For some, it’s money, but for most, it’s time, gifts, talents and even faith.
Due to “church hurt”, we are often reluctant to pour out of ourselves, but God is calling for that sacrifice in this season. We are not being asked to pour out unto men, but unto the Father. Just as Mary poured expensive oil on the feet of Jesus, He is waiting for our sacrifices to be laid at His feet.
We have grown so accustomed to “working on ministry” that for many of us, even that is not yielded to God. There are more churches who preach the gospel of “I” and “My” than that of Jesus Christ. Yes, even our ministries must be laid at the feet of Jesus Christ. That means that we must yield some things to Him. Most importantly, we must TRUST HIM. This is not the season to do it all yourself. This is not the time to depend on you, your plans, your paycheck, your gifts or even your abilities. God is looking for those who will once again yield to Him and give all for His glory.
In 2 Samuel 24:24, David declares that he will not sacrifice anything unto God that doesn’t cost Him something. Our thinking, it seems, is that we won’t give up anything that has cost us something. We work so hard on great edifices, TV and radio broadcasts, grand conferences and banquets, but we pull them further and further away from God. We want to operate in a spirit of control, but God wants the throne in the tabernacle.
Is all our hard work really for God and His glory? If it were, we would allow Him to move. We would allow His people to operate in their gifts and callings. We would not operate in a spirit of control. We would obey the voice of God and move by the Spirit, rather than learned behavior. We would live by faith – not by habit. Just because it’s related to church doesn’t mean it’s building the Church. Just because it references God doesn’t mean it brings Him glory.
We know that entertainment draws the crowd, and the crowd pays the bills, but God wants that church poured at HIS feet. We know that lying from the pulpit brings the faithful contributions, but God wants to provide the increase. He wants the doctrine laid at HIS feet. We know that organized, traditional religion promises church growth and recognition, but God wants you to lay the tradition and the education at HIS feet. That thing that you have caused to flourish in the flesh, will you exchange it for the supernatural in this season? The center of your pride and joy – that great accomplishment that carries your name – will you allow God to undo it as He sees fit? That which has costs you so much – will you give it up for the glory of God?
No flesh shall get the glory. Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up. Selah.
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