B2B Concert of Prayer – Rejecting God #846

Posted on May 5, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 846

“Rejecting God”

Luke 10:16 (ESV)    “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

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Gideon BibleI enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam War and was handed my first Bible by the Gideons as I entered boot camp in San Diego.  I had grown up in a religious tradition but had no relationship with Jesus as my Lord and Savior at that time.  I faced many difficult and trying times throughout my military service and I found peace and comfort from the Lord through the reading of His Word in that little Bible.  I confessed my sins and accepted Christ as my Lord eight years later.  I know that my new birth by the Spirit of God came about from the seeds of the Truth of His Word planted in my heart in the early years of reading His Word from the Bible placed in my hand by a man who cared enough for my soul to stand in the heat of the day and provide me with the Living Word of God as he prayed for each of us who passed by.

The question is how much longer will the Gideons and others like them be allowed to stand on ‘government property’ and minister in the Name of Jesus?  Over the last several years we have seen an accelerated effort to reject God in all areas of government and government regulated or funded entities. It began in our public schools and moved to our court houses and other public buildings and establishments.  There is now increased pressure to remove Christian influence of all types from our Armed Services.  Christian concerts and movies are blocked or banned from being conducted on military bases.  Fundamentalist Christian ministers are blocked from speaking at the National Day of Prayer events.

In 2010, a defense contractor was forced to remove New Testament references from being inscribed on the gun sights they provided.  In 2013, the Pentagon invited an extreme anti-Christian activist and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) to advise them on policy regarding religious expression by Catholics and Evangelical Christians in the ranks. (Ref: gazette.com editorial, May 3, 2013)  …You do not go out, O God, with our armies.  Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!  With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes. – Psalm 108 11b-13

There is coming a time when God will not go out with our armed forces because our nation is systematically rejecting Him and telling Him not to.  The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.  The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue … Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield … – Psalm 33:16-22

The underpinnings of our great nation founded on faith in Jesus Christ are being systematically demolished in the name of political correctness.  We seek to not offend any faction no matter how minor, therefore we reduce ourselves to the lowest common denominator of pantheistic worship and reject the one true God, our Creator and Savior.

Rise up people of God!  Be salt and light in our nation. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  “You are the light of the world … let your light shine before others, so that they may … give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:13-16

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Suddenly #845

Posted on April 29, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 845

“Suddenly”

Colossians 1:11 (NRSV)  May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father…

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tornado-twister-disastersA sink hole opens up.  An earthquake hits.  A terrorist bomb goes off.  Your doctor urgently requests an office visit to discuss ‘abnormalities in your blood test’.  The list of sudden crisis events is evident every day in the news media as well as our personal lives.

The Scout Motto is: ‘Be Prepared’ which means you are always in a state of readiness of mind and body.  Jesus exhorts us similarly to be ready in mind and body but also in spirit. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. – Proverbs 3:25,26

There is one thing we can always expect and that is the unexpected.  It is our spiritual relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ that prepares us to deal with the unexpected, sudden crises of life.  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. –  Isaiah 26:3

The sudden disasters and crises of life serve to remind us of just how fragile life is – and how temporary it is in light of eternity.  Many of us fear death and would rather not think about it. Death however sudden is not the end of our existence.  The choice we make while in the body concerning Jesus Christ determines our eternal destiny.  … if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Rom 10:9

We need to live out our daily lives in anticipation of the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  Suddenly, in an instant, the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. – Isa 29:5,6

If God were to call you from this life in the next moment, do you have the assurance that you will be in heaven with Him?  …Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come – Mark 13:33

You can have the blessed assurance of eternal life by confessing your sin and accepting God’s gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who suffered and died so that you may be forgiven and become a child of God.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12

May you have the power, peace, and steadfastness of faith which brings hope in all of the sudden crises of life through the Holy Spirit’s presence in your heart.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Hard Worship #844

Posted on April 21, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 844

“Hard Worship”

Job 1:20 (ESV) Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.

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worshipSometimes worship is just plain hard.  The pressures of life and its trials seem to drag on without relief in sight.  It weighs on you physically and emotionally sapping your spiritual strength.  You may be a caregiver for a family member, child or parent and after years of pouring out your love and care with only brief moments of respite, you find yourself drained to the dregs and worship is hard to do.

You may be struggling financially on a fixed income and forced to seek seasonal employment during a time when you thought you would be able to rest from a life of labor and it is taking its toll on you physically and emotionally and try as you might, worship is hard.  Worship will be hard for largely two reasons.  For some it is because they have more religion than a born-again relationship with Jesus. They pridefully persist in allowing willful, unrepented sin to remain in their life which keeps them distanced from God.

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:6

For many Christians worship becomes hard when their trials in the midst of a prolonged ‘wilderness experience’ blind them to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. They are no longer able to look up and see the pillar of cloud at the entrance to the temple of their heart.

And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.- Exodus 33:10

Whether on the mountaintop when worship is easy or in the valley when worship is hard, it is the Holy Spirit, our Helper, who fuels our worship from within.

…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – Romans 8:26

Worship is spiritual in origin, not physical.  We cannot physically work ourselves up into a frenzy of meaningful and true worship.

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”- John 4:23

When worship is hard shut the doors of your mind that open to all the distractions and cares of this life.  Press in to His presence and allow the mind of Christ to prevail as you acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s presence.  When at a loss for words let the Holy Spirit intercede in true worship for you.  Read, pray, and meditate on God’s Word again allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and fuel your worship flooding your heart with God’s peace.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Integrity #843

Posted on April 14, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 843

“Integrity”

1 Chronicles 29:17 (NLT)  I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there.

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integrity6The root word translated ‘integrity’ in our reference Scripture is also translated as ‘uprightness’ in other versions.  It has the meaning of evenness of character.  How even is your character?  Are you the same person no matter where you are? Is your character the same regardless of your anonymity and when no one who knows you is watching?  The fact of the matter is that the one who knows us best always sees us and rejoices when He finds integrity and uprightness in our heart of hearts.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from your presence? – Psalm 139:7

In recent weeks the news reported two separate events where police officers were caught violating the law by their own dash cameras and traffic cameras.  Passive accountability such as provided by surveillance cameras fails to deter the emergence of one’s true character. Our human nature’s propensity to sin dictates that we all need dynamic accountability to maintain an awareness of God’s omnipresence in our lives and to remain vigilant in living out our faith.  None of us can be so sanctified and holy this side of eternity that we cannot succumb to temptation.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. – 1 Corinthians 10:12

Temptation in itself is not sin.  How we respond to temptation dictates whether we sin or not.  Sin is always a choice.  We all have unique areas where we are weakest and it is usually along those lines that we are tempted to sin.  For some, the weakness is drug or alcohol abuse.  For others it is greed and covetousness.  Sexual immorality is a weak area that many share.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Seeking first His kingdom and righteousness is a commitment to living a pure and holy life as a Christian follower of Jesus Christ. To do so we must acknowledge our weaknesses and take steps to build dynamic accountability for our actions along the lines where we know we will be tempted.  Some accountability methods are as follows:

Flee from sexual immorality… – 1 Corinthians 6:18 When travelling away from home never be alone with a member of the opposite sex.  Stay at hotels open to disabling the television which is usually a source of pornography.  Have an accountability partner that knows your itinerary and will call you when you least expect it to touch base.  They will know if you lie to them.  Use your computer under open scrutiny at home and at work and use filters to block immoral sites.

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness… – 2 Timothy 2:22  The character of the people you hang out with will influence your character.  Choose your friends carefully.  The places you frequent and how you entertain yourself in your leisure time can place you in a context whereby you are tempted to sin.  Choose to avoid the opportunity to be tempted.

May you learn to hear and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit as He guides and checks.  May the power of the risen Christ in your heart give you the power and authority to say no to sin and to be a man or woman of integrity before God and your fellow man.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Being Holy #842

Posted on April 7, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 842

“Being Holy”

Lev 11:44 (ESV)   For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

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holiness_1What comes to mind when you consider what it means to be holy?  Is it rules and regulations: ‘Don’t smoke, don’t dance, don’t chew and don’t go with girls (or guys) who do’?  Or is it a matter of how you look and dress: plain, somber, and without jewelry? Does being holy mean to be isolated in a religious commune or monastery, separated from this evil world?  How can we be holy as God is holy?

… I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. – John 17:14-19

Being holy means to live a sanctified life that is consecrated, dedicated, and set apart unto God. Holiness is one aspect of what it means to live seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Being holy requires us to fit into day-to-day life in this world while remaining separated unto God.

And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” – Luke 5:30

Jesus fit in.  He was accused by the ‘holier than thou’ religious hypocrites of the day because He was seen in fellowship with sinners.  Being holy means to be salt and light in a dark world that is in need of salvation.  Fitting in also makes us a prime target for the enemy to seek to trip us up.

When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every evil thing …Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you. – Deuteronomy 23:9-14

Our ‘camp’ begins with our heart, mind, soul and body and includes our homes, churches, workplaces as well as our nation.  Is God welcome in your camp or is He forced to turn away because of the impurity that you have willingly allowed to be there?

We should never tolerate any practice in our public and private lives, which is not in keeping with the holiness of God.  What off-color jokes do we listen to, laugh at, and perhaps retell?  How much profanity and immorality will we allow in our homes by way of what entertains us – and our children?  Can we ‘fit in’ in our places of work without dimming the light of Christ or losing our ‘saltiness’?

I appeal to you therefore … to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God … Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind… – Romans 12:1-2

Our camp must be transformed and renewed … every detail of our lives is to come under the scrutiny of a Holy God.  May you purify your camp and enjoy the peace, joy and protection of His Holy Presence.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. – Psa 51:10

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Marriage Defense #841

Posted on March 31, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 841

“Marriage Defense”

Genesis 2:21-24 (ESV)  …And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

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SONY DSC“Have a yabba dabba doo time, a dabba doo time, We’ll have a gay old time.” – Lyrics excerpt from Meet the Flintstones theme.

How many of us today would describe our feeling of merriment as “I’m feeling gay”?  I believe that if the Flintstones theme were being written for today’s audience, a different word might have been used to convey merriment.  Why? As societal norms change, new words are always being added, nouns become verbs, and word meanings change and are expanded upon.  Such is the case with the word, ‘gay’ which has come to mean a homosexual orientation preference and lifestyle.  A movement is now underway to change the meaning of the word, ‘marriage’ and the Supreme Court of the United States is debating the issue.

The polarizing effect that this issue is having has to do with the moral compass by which people are guided.  Secular morality is guided by principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong behavior.  Society’s laws are written to define what is right and what is wrong.  One has only to look at the changing ‘blue laws’ in the United States to see how, over time, what was once wrong has become right and vice versa.  The moral compass of secular society often loses its sense of direction.

Christian morality can be defined as the right and wrongness of human actions with respect to how such actions affect the individual, others, or society as a whole. Right and wrong for Christians are defined by the unchangeable Truth of God’s Word.

There is no doubt that many same-sex unions are loving, committed relationships and we would be denying the truth if we did not acknowledge the fact that many heterosexual relationships fail due to the lack of love and commitment.  It is also true that God’s Word defines same-sex unions as sin.  However, it is equally true that all human beings, heterosexual and otherwise, are sinners as well and one sin is not greater than the other.  Regardless of our sexual orientation, we all stand as sinners before God in need of salvation through Jesus Christ.  None of us has the right to cast the first stone.

‘Marriage’, however, is more than a word to be redefined.  Marriage is an institution created by God as the union between one man and one woman. It is the foundation He created for the family and society.  This position has nothing to do with homophobia or hate speech.  It has everything to do with preventing the dilution and corruption of a sacred institution.

Our country has legislated away its biblical moral compass.  The catalyst for this issue is equal rights for same-sex unions under law.  This can be achieved by legislating equal rights for civil unions without redefining ‘marriage’ – unless the real underlying motivational force is to further distance our society from the one true God and His Word.  It is a spiritual war that is being waged.

Let your voice be heard in defense of marriage.  Let it be heard in love; without hate toward people that Jesus loves and died for.  Pray for our nation and our leaders that they will be guided by God’s moral compass.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – The Light of Eternity #840

Posted on March 24, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 840

“The Light of Eternity”

Luke 9:51 (ESV)  When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

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sunpathRaw determination meets steadfast love and obedience.  Jesus knew full well what suffering He was about to experience, yet He set His face to go to Jerusalem.

We tend to soften in our minds the experience that Jesus endured in suffering and dying for all the sins of mankind.  We forget that He was fully man and fully God and that all the emotions and feelings of His humanity were not diminished one iota by His deity.

…he…began to be greatly distressed and troubled.  And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed… – Mark 14:32

We have images in paintings and stained glass windows of Jesus in flowing robes kneeling at a rock in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Mark’s Gospel shows us a more realistic image of our Lord falling to the ground, prostrate in agonizing prayer.  Words like ‘greatly distressed’, ‘troubled’, and ‘sorrowful, even to death’ simply are inadequate to fully convey the agony that Jesus experienced.  The extreme distress He experienced in His humanity caused Him to sweat blood, a phenomena known as hematohidrosis.  He knew all this before He experienced it and yet He still set His face to go to Jerusalem.  It is in this context that along the way people are coming to Him and saying, ‘I will follow you’.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23

Many of us want to follow Jesus but do not wish to deny our carnal desires.  To this Jesus says:

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”- Luke 9:58

Others desire to follow Christ but on their terms and in their priority order.  To these Jesus says:

“…go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” and “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”- Luke 9:59-62

Following Jesus means to follow Him all the way to the cross and beyond.  We need to take up our cross each day and follow Him.  Our old sin nature must die and not be kept on life support.

I’m holding all of my life up to the light; The light of eternity; And I know what I should let go, I see what matters most In the light of eternity; And I want You to see me shine in the light of eternity – Lyrics from The Light of Eternity by Matthew West

Jesus lived in the light of eternity.  He knew that the cross was before Him and He also knew the hope that lay beyond the cross. Our difficulties and trials of life pale in comparison with what Jesus faced.  He experienced and overcame more than we will ever be faced with so that He can be our savior and a comfort to us in our time of need.  May you resolutely deny your old nature and take up your cross every day and follow Him knowing that hope and the light of eternity lay just ahead of you.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Gone Fishing #839

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 839

“Gone Fishing”

Matthew 4:18-19 (ESV)  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

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gonefishingSome of my best memories of time with my Dad were when we would go fishing together.  There were four common sense principles that he impressed upon me about fishing: Maintain your equipment, go where the fish are, be attractive to them, and don’t scare them away.

Jesus teaches us to fish, just as He taught Peter, Andrew and the other disciples.  Jesus teaches us to be fishers of people of all nations and like the lesson taught by my dad, similar common sense principles apply:

Be equipped – Just as you would not go fishing without a rod and reel in good working order, you also cannot go out into the mission field without knowledge of the Word of God.  You must be spiritually equipped through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and through the knowledge of His Word that comes by the reading and study of His Word.

Go where the people are – We cannot live isolated, cloistered lives if we are to be fishers of people.  We have to be willing to get out of our comfort zone.  Some of the best fishing holes I remember were nearly inaccessible and dangerous.  But God protected us and kept us safe and as I reflect on this today I realize that He continues to protect us as we follow Him and go where He leads us.

Show them Jesus – It has been said that ‘People don’t care what you know until they know that you care’.  God’s love for the lost must manifest itself in your genuine care and love for them.  A relationship may develop over months or years before the opportunity to share the Gospel presents itself.  People will be attracted to the light and love of Christ that shines through your life character.

Don’t drive them away from Jesus – I would sometimes get bored and begin to throw rocks into the water which scared the fish away.  Do we drive people away from Jesus with our judgmental attitude and ‘stone throwing’?  “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” – John 8:7 

We are called to be Christ-like in that all the fruit of His Spirit are manifested in our day to day character.  If we only act like Christians when we are surrounded by Christians we are hypocrites and we drive people away from Christ rather than attract them to Him.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… – Galatians 5:22 

Where has Jesus led you to go fishing?  For most of us it is our place of work, our community and neighborhood.  Some of us find ourselves in jobs and places we do not want to be in.  This can give rise to anxiety and despair and we feel trapped wondering why God led us to these wilderness areas.  Are we willing to follow Jesus only to pleasant places of our choosing?

May God transform your mind and attitude with regard to your circumstances.  May you approach each new day with a ‘Gone Fishing’ attitude and go and face each day as if you are going fishing, carrying the light of Christ to the lost.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men … You are serving the Lord Christ. – Col 3:23

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Conformity #838

Posted on March 10, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 838

“Conformity”

Daniel 3:14-18 (ESV)  Nebuchadnezzar … said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of … every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said …If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

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nailThere is a Japanese proverb that states, ‘The nail that sticks out gets hammered down’.  I would stick out on occasion in boot camp when I got out of step with the marching formation.  Whenever this happened, I would receive a head slap causing me to try harder to conform.

What happens when the context changes from that of a military unit to that of Christian life in our society?  What happens when we are ‘hammered down’ in America for our faith in Jesus Christ?  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego moved to the beat of a different drum.  They were the nail that stuck out in their day.  When everyone else was bowing down to idols at the sound of the music, they stood tall in honor of the one true God.  While their story is from thousands of years ago it continues to be played out in the lives of others even into our century.  Will you be able to stand firm as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did?

Jesus’ call on our lives to ‘Come, follow Me’ is a call to move to the beat of a different drum from that of our world society.  In this country Christians are persecuted in the workplace and in schools for their refusal to conform to the beat of society’s drum.  Today, we have laws to protect our rights to follow Christ.  Will we have those rights tomorrow?

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.- Romans 12:2

Christian persecution is a reality in our world society today and we are naïve to think that what is happening throughout the world could not happen in America.  Preaching the full gospel truth of the Word of God is deemed as hate speech and Pastors have been charged with this crime.  Indeed, some church denominations have chosen to conform to new societal norms and deny the truth of the Word of God.  They have been hammered down.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste … It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden …let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:13

May you choose to follow Jesus and not to conform to the world system that contradicts the truth of His Word.  May you be firmly rooted in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ so that you may be prepared to stand in His power and authority against the darkness of this world today and in the days to come.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Typical Monday #837

Posted on March 4, 2013 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 837

“Typical Monday”

Job 1:20-22 (ESV)       Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

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mondayHave you ever had a ‘typical Monday’?  Monday’s have a reputation for being the day that whatever can go wrong will go wrong.

We deal with the periodic ‘curve balls’ that life throws at us throughout the week, but Monday has the reputation as the day that we usually get beaned.

Job had a ‘typical Monday’. He had just received word that his sons and daughters had been killed and that he had lost his servants and all his herds.  It is true that Job cried out in anguish, tore his clothes and shaved his head, but take note of what he did next … he worshipped God.

Our ‘typical Mondays’ pale in comparison to that of Job, yet we are more likely to curse God or blame Him or ask ‘Why me?’  We are more likely to have fits of rage and anger and engage in a pity party than we are to respond with worship.  One reason for our poor response to the trials and crisis of life is that we have lost our perspective of who God is and who we are to Him.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. – Psalm 95:6

Have we forgotten that as Christians we are His children and that He cares for us immensely more than our earthly fathers ever could have?  Have we forgotten that He is Sovereign and that His kingdom rules over all?  Have we lost our sense of awe for an awesome God?

Another reason for our improper response is that we tend to be long on religion and short on a personal relationship with God.  When life is all good it is easy for us to place our trust in God’s blessings and to neglect our personal relationship with the One from whom all blessings come.

Job was a prosperous man and he enjoyed the good life.  Job also had a personal relationship with God which proved to be the source of his strength to persevere through his time of crisis.  Job did not take God for granted as we are sometimes prone to do.  He did not see God as a blessing machine that had malfunctioned and failed to continue to give him what he desired.

Are you going through a prolonged typical Monday period of time?  Does it seem that everything is being stripped away until all that is left is you in the presence of Jesus?

When the music fades all is stripped away and I simply come longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart…I’m coming back to the heart of worship and it’s all about you-it’s all about you, Jesus… from Heart of Worship by Matt Redmond

May your daily Christian walk be characterized by a personal relationship with God.  May you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  May you hold lightly onto the temporary things of this world and hold tightly onto your eternal relationship with Jesus. May you always have a spontaneously responsive heart of worship whether it is on a typical Monday or a fabulous Friday.

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