POWER OF INTERCESSION

Monday, August 1, 2011
James 5: 16b
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

A "righteous man" is a true believer, who does not waver and is not double-minded. When he prays, he prays in union with GOD and according to the will of GOD. Praying in such a way, is powerful; praying in such a way for others means transformation for them.
INTERCESSION IS THE KEY TO GOD'S INTERVENTION

We hold in our hand the powerful key to unlock the hearts, minds and actions of the wayward and wicked; the sick and the hurting; the dying and the depressed; the key is intercession on their behalf to GOD. Many are depending on us, the Church, to bring souls to the Throne of Grace for GOD to show mercy. My friend in Huntsville daily prays for those who have no intercessor. I challenge all of you to add this simple prayer to your prayers for others:
"LORD, meet the needs of all those, this day, who have no intercessor for them before your Throne. I stand in the gap for them, that You will give them Your mercy. Be glorified, O LORD! I praise You and Bless your Holy Name, AMEN"

INTERCESSION IS THE KEY TO GOD'S INTERVENTION

PRAYER FAILURE

Saturday, July 30, 2011
James 1: 6,7
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the LORD.

RED ALERT 9 - DON'T WAVER; ONLY BELIEVE

Wavering and double-mindedness are sure signs of spiritual instability. Do you REALLY believe that GOD is and is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him? Do you REALLY believe that JESUS came in the flesh, lived among man, died on the Cross, was raised from the dead and is seated at the Right Hand of Father GOD making intercession for you? Do you REALLY believe that you are reconciled to GOD by the Blood of JESUS? Do yoU REALLY believe that JESUS is coming again? DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD?
If you said "yes" to all of those questions, you can go to your Father in Heaven with all your requests and He will hear you; if you are in doubt about any of those questions or are lukewarm about your answers, you are wavering. The verse in James 1:7 says that you must first clear out the doubt or GOD can not answer you when you pray.

Double-mindedness is an insult to GOD. It is a terrible thing to insult the One who has loved us so much that He gave His highest and best for our salvation.

PRAYER FAILURE
RED ALERTS
1. You don't pray.
2. You ask amiss.
3. Unconfessed sin.
4. Pride and vanity.
5. Pray to man not to GOD.
6. Unforgiveness.
7. Rejecting GOD'S Word.
8. Neglect mercy and compassion
9. Double-mindedness and wavering

MARK THESE WELL SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THEM AND ENJOY A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD GOD WHO LOVES YOU.

PRAYER FAILURE

Friday, July 29, 2011
Proverbs 28: 9 and 21:13
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law (GOD'S WORD), even his prayer shall be an abomination.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

RED ALERTS 7 AND 8
RED ALERT 7 - REJECTING OF GOD'S WORD
There are many folk who reject or ignore some parts of Scripture, because it doesn't sound pleasing to the ear. They will pick and choose what Scriptures they will agree with and ignore the rest. They do this to their peril. All of Scripture is given by the inspiration of GOD and is profitable. It holds the key to living in right relationship with GOD by building up and by correcting behavior. It is the love of GOD that motivates Him to correct us, so that we will learn what is right and righteous in His sight.

The result of turning our ear from hearing the WORD OF GOD, is that even our prayers are an abomination to Him. The WORD OF GOD is also the will of GOD toward us, so if we ignore His WORD, we ignore His will.

One more thing about ignoring the WORD OF GOD; JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD, so to ignore the WORD is to ignore JESUS. That is terribly serious.

RED ALERT 8 - TO NEGLECT MERCY
Mercy and Love are compassion in action.
Matthew 25: 31-46 are the words of JESUS about mercy. When we show mercy to another we are really showing compassion to JESUS Himself. The words: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." are the words of JESUS about the relationship between acts of mercy and GOD. GOD hears the merciful when they cry for help. Notice the principle of reciprocity: we are forgiven by GOD, when we forgive; we are heard by GOD, when we hear the cry of the poor; we receive from GOD, when we give.
The blessings of the LORD pour out upon those who pour out blessings to others. This is also the meaning of sowing and reaping. What you sow into the lives of others, you will reap in your own life.

Tomorrow we will talk about RED ALERT 9 - WAVERING AND DOUBLEMINDEDNESS

PRAYER FAILURE

Thursday, July 28, 2011
Matthew 6:5,6
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily I say unto you, "They shall have their reward." But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy room, and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

RED ALERTS 5
Pray to GOD not to man

Many times, people pray horizontally and not vertically. They pray so that everyone around will be impressed by their great words or spiritual insights, but they are not speaking to GOD. It is the cry from the heart that reaches the Heart of GOD. In the case of Peter, when he was sinking in the lake, cried, "help me!" and the LORD reached out His hand to help. Few words, spoken from the heart to GOD are of more value than many words spoken to impress a crowd.

Matthew 6: 14, 15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Unforgiveness blocks prayer from being heard

Unforgiveness is a barrier between you and GOD. It is the cause of sickness in the mind, body and spirit for those who cherish their unforgiveness. The Scripture says that the root that is formed is bitterness and bitterness will defile a person.
Mark 11:25,26 says that when you are standing in prayer, forgive; if you do not forgive, you can not be forgiven, therefore there is a barrier between you and GOD.

These RED ALERTS, are very serious, because they prevent GOD from giving His highest and best to you.
Tomorrow we will look at RED ALERTS 7, 8.
I suggest that you review the last few devotionals and write down the "Red Alerts" so that all your prayers will be heard and answered to the highest by the LORD GOD who loves you.

PRAYER FAILURE

Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Psalm 66: 16-20 (NIV)
Come and listen, all you who fear GOD; let me tell you what He has done for me. I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened; but GOD has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to GOD, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me.

RED ALERTS 3 AND 4

SIN AND PRIDE HINDER PRAYER, BUT PRAYER HINDERS SIN AND PRIDE

Notice the words, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened."
Sin will hinder the right relationship with GOD and thus He will not listen to our prayers. The work for us, then, is to purge our heart and mind of all sin and all pride. Many times, it is pride that causes us to hide sin, hoping that no one will find out for fear of what they will think of us. To detect sin in our life we have three resources; the Word of GOD (Psalm 119:11), prayer, and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). It is pride that keeps us from looking deeply into the Word of GOD and listening to the Holy Spirit, who will convict of sin.

The word "cherish" also stands out for me; to cherish something means to love it. If we "love" the sin and refuse to let it go, then we are living a spiritual life of adultery, or double-mindedness, at the least. The LORD says that we must "return to the first love"(the Revelation 2:4). In order to do that, we must forsake all idols or anything that we cherish more that the LORD. He must be our "first love and our last".

So, RED ALERTS 3, 4 tell us to be aware of sin and pride in our life. They will block and hinder our prayer to GOD. Instead, praise and thanksgiving, remembering the good things the LORD has done, testifying of His Goodness and His Love, giving love to those who are in need and humbling our self in the sight of the LORD, He will life us up and hear our prayer. His answer is always yea, and amen.

PRAYER FAILURE

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
James 4: 2, 3
Ye lust, and have not ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon you lusts.

RED ALERTS 1 AND 2

RED ALERT 1
YOU DON'T PRAY

The first red alert is that when you are in a situation or are facing a situation, YOU DON'T PRAY.
NO PRAYER = PRAYER FAILURE. Prayer should be the first choice in any situation or when there is a question about anything, ASK GOD FIRST.

RED ALERT 2
YOU ASK AMISS

Asking amiss is a prayer that is selfish, asking according to your desires for the outcome. Asking aright is a prayer according to GOD'S WILL. When we pray according to the will of GOD the answer is always "yes".
How do we find out what the will of GOD is in a matter?
Know the Word of the LORD in Holy Scripture. Read, study and inwardly digest GOD'S Word and stand on that Word for your situation.

To ask amiss is like this: "LORD I want a big, flashy, car so that I can attract people to myself."
To ask according to the will of GOD is like this: "Never the less, not my will, but Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. You said, in your Word, that you would supply all my needs according to your riches in Glory in Christ JESUS, I thank you for your answer to my prayer that you will be glorified."

Tomorrow, RED ALERTS 3, 4

PRAYER FAILURE

Monday, July 25, 2011
James 5: 16b
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This week we will address the controversial questions, "Is prayer always successful? Does prayer fail?

Most people do not like to look at these questions, because there are a variety of answers which could lead to arguments and broken relationships.
Stop here for a moment and answer them for yourself, what do you think?.......


In the next few days, we will look at the Scripture about the listening and responding of GOD to prayer. There are nine RED ALERTS for us to consider when we pray. These RED ALERTS will guide us into the place of "effectual and fervent prayer of the righteous man."

Righteousness means to be "rightly related to GOD", but there are ways in which we can place our self in a wrong relationship with GOD, thus making our prayers ineffectual and, no matter how fervent, a failure. Only YOU can cause prayer to fail. Notice that I didn't say that GOD fails to answer. In these Red Alerts, we will see that there are nine ways, according to the Scripture, in which GOD does not hear the prayers, therefore, He can not answer them.

HANG ON TO YOUR SEAT BELT; THIS WEEK WILL BE VERY ENLIGHTENING.

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Saturday, July 23, 2011
Luke 3: 21, 22
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that JESUS, also, being Baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice come from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.

The very best example of effective prayer is JESUS and His prayer life. JESUS, when He walked the earth in human form, only did what He saw the Father do or say. He was totally obedient to the Father. In order to remain so pure, JESUS prayed often and everywhere. He would go off to a deserted place and pray; He would take others with Him, at times, but most of the time He was alone with His Father.

The result of His prayer life and intimate relationship with His Father, were great miracles, astounding words of wisdom, deep insights and knowledge beyond His human ability. When the people saw Him, they saw the Father. Notice that when JESUS prayed, Heaven was opened and their was a manifestation of the Person and Voice of GOD. The Trinity was revealed in one moment, when JESUS prayed. I would say that His prayer was effective!

There is a saying that I believe we all need to hear. If we look at JESUS, we find that He practiced this in His life.
NEVER TAKE ON MORE THAN YOU CAN SATURATE IN PRAYER.
We tend to say "yes" to too many things and find that we do not have time to spend in deep prayer for those things. That which is not saturated in prayer, looses its power and effectiveness. Never begin a work unless the LORD has anointed it and you sustain it in deep prayer. This is a very important word to all Church workers.

JESUS didn't "burn out", He finished the work that His Father sent Him to do. We must do the same. Then we will hear the words from our Heavenly Father, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the LORD."

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Friday, July 22, 2011
Luke 11: 13
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.

EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE AND COMETH DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS IN WHOM THERE IS NO VERIABLENESS NEITHER SHADOW OF TURNING. (James 1: 17)

Look around you, look at everything that you have, look at your body, your home, your friends, your children, your cooking pots; all this is a gift from GOD to you. Breathe in, exhale, then breathe in again; this is a gift from GOD to you. Our Heavenly Father has given us life, breath, food, and companionship. He has given us a mission and a path to walk in. All this is a gift from GOD to you.

The greatest gift of all is the gift of JESUS, the propitiation for our sins; His Blood reconciling us to GOD; His intercession for us sustains us throughout our life. JESUS prayed that the Holy Spirit would be sent to all believers, the Children of GOD, who ask Him for the Holy Spirit to come into their life. At Pentecost, that Holy Spirit was given and is given today.

The LORD GOD never goes back on His Word. Once He speaks His Word it is His bond. His gift of the Holy Spirit is His pledge to His Son and to us through His Son. The Father can only give perfect gifts.

Our earthly fathers gave gifts to their children which were imperfect and the joy of receiving them soon faded away, but the Gift of the Holy Spirit never fades or vanishes. This empowerment only grows and the joy is renewed every day. It is a perfect gift from a Faithful, Loving Father, which never grows dim.

COME, HOLY SPIRIT, GIFT OF THE FATHER GOD. ENTER INTO THE HEART OF ALL, THIS DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT LOVE FOR US, WE PRAISE YOU, O BLESSED FATHER GOD. AMEN

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Acts 16: 25, 26
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to GOD, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and every body's chains came loose.

"At midnight" is a very important statement. It means that Paul and Silas were praying and singing at the darkest hour. We can see in this a deeper meaning; in our darkest hour of life's circumstances, if we pray and sing unto GOD, the LORD will move mightily. He will shake the foundations of the circumstances, open the doors of the binding forces and loosen the chains that bind us.

Never stop praying and singing praise to GOD, others will be listening and they will come to the LORD by your example. GOD never wastes anything. He will use your faithfulness to Him to bring many to Himself for deliverance and for salvation. In this story in Acts, even the Jailer was saved and the other prisoners were set free. The witness of the faithful people is an opportunity for a powerful manifestation of the the mighty acts of GOD.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Wednesday July 20, 2011
Acts 3:8
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the Name of JESUS Christ of Nazareth, WALK."

The LORD GOD has given Himself to us as a free gift so that we can be vessels of His, reaching out to a broken world. We have nothing of our own or of the world that can bring people to the LORD, heal their body and soul, and give them rest from the torment of their circumstances. What we DO HAVE is JESUS Christ within us and working through us. We are only arms and legs, eyes and ears, voice and a mouth. He is the power to touch and heal, restore sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and gives the Word of Truth for us to speak. To be yielded to Him is the assurance that He is working through us; our task is to completely yield to Him.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency and the power be of GOD and not of ourselves."(2 Corinthians 4: 7) When we are empty of self, GOD will fill us with Him self and flow through us to heal a sin sick world.

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the Word of GOD with boldness.

Make prayer your first priority, not your last resort.

In the life of the early Church, the priority was first to pray, to seek the face of the LORD and then wait for His action. They would assemble, then agree (be in one accord), then pray with one voice to GOD. Agreement on earth, agreeing with GOD'S will and Word, opened the door of heaven for a mighty action by GOD. Literally, it shook the place and the anointing of the LORD flooded the room. Each person was filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke the Word of the LORD with boldness.

Notice that the anointed ones spoke the Word of GOD boldly. They didn't go around talking their own words boldly; they were anointed to speak GOD'S WORD. Do you remember what JESUS said, that the words He spoke were what He heard His Father speak? Well, the same thing is true for us; what the LORD speaks, we are to speak boldly. This is not pious platitudes, we are to speak the WORD OF GOD. When we do, there will be a manifestation of His power, the anointing will rock the place and His power will be manifest.

LORD, let your power fall on us; healing, restoring, forgiving, strengthening, and setting the captive free. May we speak the Word of GOD with boldness. Let it be so, in the Name of JESUS

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Monday, July 18, 2011
James 5:16 (NIV)
Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

At the beginning of this new week, we return to the James verse. I want you to take note of the fact that if you confess your faults and sins to one another and pray for one another, YOU will be healed. The LORD will heal those who are humble and contrite. He brings into His Heart those who have the same understanding of sin as He does. GOD hates sin; He loves the sinner, but hates the sin. When we confess our sins to one another, we are saying by our actions, "I hate the sin in me that has hurt or harmed another. I am sorry and want to put an end to my sin forever." When we ask for prayer from others and we pray for others to be healed from the wounds of sin, the LORD agrees with us and heals/saves. He restores us to a right relationship with Him, we are made righteous through Him.

In review from last week's devotionals: Effective and powerful prayer begins with:
1.GET RIGHT WITH GOD.
2. PARTNER WITH GOD.
3. BELIEVE GOD.
4. LIVE BY FAITH.
5. BE THANKFUL FOR ANSWERED PRAYER BEFORE THE MANIFESTATION.
6. PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

This week we will look at examples from the Scripture about effective and powerful prayer and what happens.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

POWER OF PRAYER

Saturday, July 16, 2011
James 5: 16b.
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

I return to this verse, mentioned in Monday's devotional, so that we can review the points of "effectual and fervent prayer". It is so important that we understand what those words mean and how to put them into practice.
1.We must prepare our heart before praying by confessing our faults and receiving forgiveness from GOD.
2. We must "partner with GOD", know His will and pray accordingly.
3. We must believe that He answers prayer and not doubt that He can remove the mountains of circumstances.
4. Pray in faith, believing that GOD will keep all of His promises.
5. Thank GOD for the answer before it is accomplished.
6. Pray in the Name of JESUS, always, every time, on all occasions.
THANK GOD FOR THE ANSWER AND PRAISE HIM WHILE YOU WAIT.

POWER OF PRAYER

Friday, July 15, 2011
Philippians 4: 6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto GOD.

When we are anxious, we wring our hands and skrinch up our face and say, "what to do, what to do!!!" The LORD is saying through the Apostle Paul, don't be anxious, trust the LORD. Those who are not anxious, in the face of terrible events, are demonstrating the fruit of faith. They can go beyond just waiting to see GOD move, they are praising and thanking the LORD for the answer to their prayer even before they see success.

There is a neat saying that we can all remember: "Thank him for the answer and praise Him while you wait"This takes the faith that will not yield to circumstances and is the faith that is born out of enduring circumstances and seeing the LORD move in power.

Let your requests be made known unto GOD and then "THANK HIM FOR THE ANSWER AND PRAISE HIM WHILE YOU WAIT"

POWER OF PRAYER

Thursday, July 14, 2011
Isaiah 7: 9b
If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

If you don't believe, you won't receive.

Yesterday we looked at the statement of faith for Living Faith Cristian Church. Before I joined the Church, I read it to see if I was in agreement with what this Church believed. The creed of a Church must conform to the Word of GOD for it to be fundamentally Christian. Every "We believe" statement is followed by the Scripture that supports that statement. I found that I could say "yes" to every one of the 11 statements of faith.

The fundamental belief that brings stability and answered prayer is, "JESUS Christ is LORD", by Him, in Him, through Him all things exist in heaven and in the earth. Unto Him be all glory, honor and praise forever more. By the Blood of JESUS we are reconciled to GOD and healed. Through His Name we receive what we ask of the Father. At the Name of JESUS every knee shall bow in heaven and on the earth, and every tongue confess that JESUS Christ is LORD, to the glory of GOD the Father.

We first must believe that JESUS is GOD and then faith begins to grow. Belief comes first then faith, which is a gift from GOD to us who believe. The statement can be changed: "If you believe, you will receive" all the promises of GOD are yours. The question now remains,
DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS?

POWER OF PRAYER

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Matthew 21: 21, 22
If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also, if ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea', it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

What is your faith statement? In whom do you believe?
Living Faith Christian Center has an 11 point "We Believe" and it is solid, based on Scripture and good for Doctrine, since it is based on Scripture. Here are the 11 points:

1. We believe in one GOD who is eternal in His existence, Triune in His manifestation, being Father, Son and Holy Ghost. He is Sovereign and Absolute in His authority.
2.We believe in the Father who is God Himself, Creator of the universe.
3. We believe that JESUS is the Son of GOD. He suffered, died, was buried, and rose from the dead for our total salvation.
4. We believe that JESUS is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
5. We believe in the Holy Spirit who is GOD indwelling, empowering and regenerating the believer. This Holy Spirit is called the Comforter; the Spirit of Truth.
6. We believe that the blood of JESUS Christ atones for our sins and iniquity. It is through His shed blood that we are saved, healed and set free from the bondage and forces of darkness.
7. We believe that every believer must have a personal and intimate relationship with JESUS Christ...
8. We believe that the Bible is the true, infallible, Word of GOD, which cleanses our souls...
9. We believe that we are to wash and renew our minds daily by the Word of GOD...
10. We believe in justification by faith.
11.We believe that salvation is free and apart from any work of man, is a result of the sovereign grace of GOD.

I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day.

POWER OF PRAYER

Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Matthew 6:9, 10
After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

This is the word of JESUS, who taught His disciples the way to pray. When we pray in this manner, we are moving into partnership with GOD and asking that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What is His will? His will is that all shall be saved and restored to wholeness, just like those in heaven are whole. His will is that there will be no soul lost, that all will come to Him through the Blood of His Son. How do I know that this is His will? Because He said so in His Word, and because He gave his highest and His best, His Son, to make a way for all to be saved.

When we pray, our devotion to GOD and the uniting of our will with His, means that what we ask Him, in faith believing and according to His will, He will do. He wants for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. He wants the perfection of heaven to be realized on earth. Saints and angels want the same thing and so do we. Therefore, let us unite our heart and mind in agreement with the LORD and pray in the manner JESUS taught us.

THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

POWER OF PRAYER

Monday, July 11, 2011
James 5: 16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Before you come to the LORD in prayer, it is essential that you prepare yourself. When you pray, you must be in right relationship with Him and with your neighbor; the barrier of sin must be removed. The Holy Spirit will convict your heart of wrong doing, when He does, confess it and correct it immediately. Then you are clean from sin and in right relationship with GOD.

The prayer of a person who is in right relationship - righteous - is effective and powerful. Prayer is heard by the LORD and answered. Those who abide in the LORD and call upon Him in the Name of JESUS will find sweet relief from the circumstances that trouble the soul. There is a rest for those in right relationship with JESUS; that rest is great peace in the midst of the storm.

LOOK TO JESUS AND BE SAVED; TRUST HIM WITH YOUR LIFE.

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Saturday, July 9, 2011
Ephesians 6: 18, 19
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that Utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel.

We are directed by the Apostle Paul to "keep watch" for all the saints/brethren, leaders, those in authority and to pray for them, in the Spirit. Why don't we just keep a list of people and pray, asking the LORD to bless each one everyday and let it go at that? Wouldn't just a simple prayer be OK? Why pray "in the Spirit"?

The Holy Spirit knows the need of every person and the heart of every one. When we pray in the Spirit, He instructs us how to pray for each individual, according to their need. Many times, people dance across our heart while we are in prayer, this is the time that they need the prayer the most; we don't need to know why. Praying in the Spirit, unites our heart with the Heart of GOD; we, therefore, pray according to His mind. It takes time to pray, persevere, and supplicate. Intercession for the co-laborers with Christ, is all about sitting with JESUS and hearing His Heart, this takes intentional time.

The Holy Spirit is the one who opens doors of utterance, so that individuals will hear the Gospel of JESUS Christ in their own language. Timing for the planting of the Holy Seed of the Word of GOD is essential, so that the seed will bear fruit. The Holy Spirit knows when the time is right and He opens the door; He brings to that person just the right man or woman to bring the Gospel and lead the soul to Christ. We must be alert for the movement of the Holy Spirit, so that we know when the time is at it's peak. WATCH AND PRAY; BE ALERT, STAND GUARD, A WATCHMAN ON THE WALL.

Prayer, in the Spirit, will change things in the natural. Pray for the time when you will be the instrument of GOD in the conversion of a soul.

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Friday, July 8, 2011
II Timothy 2: 1, 8
I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks, be made for all men...I will, therefore, that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

When we look at the decisions being made today, in every sphere, we wonder what we can do to point things in the direction of the LORD and His way. We realize that we are small and easily overlooked by those who make decisions which effect our life. What can we do? To whom can we turn for help?

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, answers these questions, Paul exhorts everyone, everywhere to pray, intercede, petition the LORD for help. The LORD holds the power to influence the hearts and minds of men to make the right decisions. We have work to do; we must pray for our leaders every day. Pray that they will open their heart to the LORD and seek His guidance before they make decisions. We are to pray for all who hold authority in any place, that they will follow the will of the LORD, so that "we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."(Verse 2.). It is GOD'S will that all people be saved and come to the LORD.

In the Acts 1: 24 are these words: "And they prayed, and said, 'Thou, LORD, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen." This prayer was said by the 11 remaining Apostles when they were to choose a replacement for Judas, who hung himself.
If the first Apostles turned to the LORD for guidance and wisdom, then we need to pray that our leaders will do the same.

PRAY FOR ALL OUR LEADERS AND THOSE WHO HAVE AUTHORITY.
PRAY!

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Thursday, July 7, 2011
Proverbs 14: 34
Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

It has been said in the media, that the personal life of an elected official does not effect the decisions they make and the policies that they put in place. Many elected officials have been excused for REALLY BAD behavior, because they are good politicians. I believe that the media has not looked at this verse from Scripture; "sin is a reproach to any people".

A life style of immorality, cheating, lying and stealing will influence the decisions that a person makes in any other sphere of their life. The choices made at the social level, influence the choices made on a public level and, worse, on a spiritual level. Those who choose the life style of hurt and harm, are really in very bad shape. There is not a thing that they touch that is righteous in the eyes of GOD. Decisions that they make can cause very great harm to the people effected by their decisions.

PRAY FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR NATION, THAT THEY WILL BE MEN AND WOMEN OF HONOR AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Psalm 127:1
Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Yesterday, we talked about our founding Fathers and their devotion to the LORD. Their labor was not in vain, because it was in the LORD. We are witnesses of the devotion of the men and women who founded our Country, that they loved the LORD and served Him with courage and strength. Now it is our turn, will we follow the lead of our founders or will we abandon the principles upon which our Country stands. The choice remains with us; who will we serve, "GOD or Mammon"; GOD or politics; GOD or money.

The second part of this verse says: "except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." The watchman on the wall, in ancient times, alerted the city that there was something or someone approaching. They would shout a warning or the coming of an army or a stranger or a weather system or a plague. The watchman on the wall was put there by the King, who trusted that the safety of the city would be sure. This watchman was always awake and watching for signs. If the LORD keeps this Nation, there will be watchmen appointed by Him to be alert for danger. The Holy Spirit will call attention to signs and the watchmen will sound the call. But, if the LORD is not honored, there will be no watchmen, no alarm and they won't see. We only see by the Light of the LORD.

LORD, build our Country on the foundation of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Call and set a watchman, so that we will rest in safety.

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Psalm 11:2
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

The foundation of the United States of America is the LORD GOD. In their writings, 52 of the founding fathers confessed a profound belief in JESUS: Samuel Adams; George Washington; James Madison; Patrick Henry; Andrew Jackson; John Hancock; John Adams and more, confessed JESUS Christ as LORD. John Adams was the founder of the American Bible Society. The State of Delaware has, as part of it's oath of office for government officials, a confession of the Gospel Creed, "I believe..."

If these foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? We can do the one thing in our power to rebuild the foundations and re establish our Nation UNDER GOD; WE CAN PRAY AND SEEK THE FACE OF THE LORD; AND REPENT.

PRAY FOR OUR NATION; PRAY

A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Monday July 4, 2011
Psalm 33:12, 18
Blessed is the Nation whose GOD is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance...Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope in His mercy.

Today, we celebrate the Birth of our Nation, the United States of America. A Nation founded in GOD and on the Holy Scripture and prayer. We have wandered far from the focus of our founding fathers, who prayed and trusted in the LORD GOD. We have wandered far, but not out of the reach and grasp of the LORD, who always keeps His Covenant. He shows mercy, abundant pardon and Grace through His unconditional, never ending Love.

What does "Blessed" mean? It means to prosper or to increase in favor. The United States of America will prosper and increase in favor as it stands firm on the foundation of JESUS CHRIST the LORD GOD. The inheritance of the people of GOD is Eternal Life GOD; protection in this earthly life; prosperity in living and GOD'S favor.

It is never too late for us to undo the trail of dismantling of our foundation. We must continue the work of re building our Nation in devotion to GOD. We can all participate in the rebuilding through prayer, crying with the House and Senate Crier:
"GOD SAVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"

WAITING ON GOD

Saturday, July 2, 2011
Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD.

As we close this week and look forward to a week of celebration of the establishment of the United States of America, let's review the four keys to waiting on the LORD.
KEYS FOR WAITING
1. Be patient; wait on the LORD and follow Him.
2. Be positive; be of good courage; think and speak words of faith and hope.
3. Be in prayer; be strong; the LORD will strengthen your heart.
4. Be faithful; wait on the LORD with expectation.

The most important part of waiting is on whom are you waiting. As for me and my house, we will focus on the LORD JESUS and wait for Him to act. He is the only one for whom it is worth waiting. JESUS is the way; He is the truth and He is the Life; everything good is found in Him, therefore, we wait on Him. Blessed is the Nation who waits on the LORD.

I close this week with the verses from Psalm 33:12, 13, 18: Blessed is the Nation whose GOD is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men...Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope in His mercy.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY