Sword of the Spirit

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 686

“A Cup Full”

Psalm 16:5 (ESV) The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

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I recently read about a Russian priest named Father John Sergiev (1829-1908) that answered the call of God to minister to people in the slums of St. Petersburg. It is said that when he would encounter the down and out drunken people in the gutter he would look them in the eyes and tell them “This is beneath your dignity. You were created to house the fullness of God”. The priest continually sought to give people renewed hope and optimism by reminding them of who they were in Christ Jesus. He sought to fill their cups with Spiritual drink rather than liquid spirits.

What are you full of? What does your cup overflow with? Is it joy or bitterness? Do you exude hope or despair to those around you? Are you tempted to numb the pain of your circumstances by making others equally miserable or by filling your cup with drugs and alcohol? We are definitely living in some very challenging financial times right now and in the flesh it is difficult to maintain an optimistic outlook.

Lamentations 3:24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

What have you considered to be your portion in life that is now lost? Did you consider your portion to be your career or investment portfolio? Was your home your portion which has either lost value or about to be foreclosed upon? King David who had an abundance of wealth and property realized that his most prized portion was the Lord Himself as he penned Psalm 16.

Psalm 142:5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

The Psalmist declares that the Lord is his portion and his cup. The Hebrew word used here in the original text can be equally translated as chosen portion, share, and inheritance. The point of emphasis is that the abiding presence of the Lord Himself is a more valuable inheritance than any material possession that this world has to offer. Not only is the Lord his most valued possession it is also continually and forever abundant as David declares in Psalm 23:5 … my cup overflows.

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

David continues to declare that the Lord holds his lot. The original word here means to ‘hold fast’, ‘to be seized’, and ‘to keep’. The word ‘lot’ carries the meaning of a means for making decisions or a portion assigned. Either way you view it, the emphasis is that the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. His decisions for you stem from His love for you and He will protect us from harm.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Does the fullness of God overflow in your speech and actions? Make the choice to rise to the level of dignity you have in Christ Jesus. Choose to empty your cup of anger and resentment because of your present circumstances. Scrape it clean of the crud of bitterness and choose the Lord as your portion and let Him overflow from your cup to others who need renewed hope and optimism.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER
Pray Week 685

“The Cloud Moved”

EXODUS 40:36 (ESV) Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.

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The Lord made it clear to the nation of Israel when it was time to pack up and move from one encampment to the next while they wandered in the wilderness. When the cloud moved, they moved. We do not have a visual pillar of cloud and of fire to guide us in the direction God wants us to go. So how do we discern God’s path and direction? How does God hone our faith and equip us to serve Him and to fulfill His purpose in this life? One method God uses to communicate direction and to develop our character is through our circumstances.

God is in control of our circumstances and oftentimes it is our prayerful response to these circumstances that direct our path. Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good… Sometimes our situation can be like an oasis with abundance of all that is good and we never want to leave. Then circumstances change and we are compelled to move because our situation became as dry and harsh as the wilderness and our faith is tested because life does not feel very good any more.

Oswald Chambers in his writings asks a pointed question: ‘Are we prepared to let God do as He likes with us – prepared to be separated from conscious blessings?’

God wants us to seek Him first and to place our complete trust in Him. Our depth of faith and trust in God is developed and strengthened through the real circumstances of life – the valleys and the mountaintop experiences. It is a superficial faith at best that is based solely upon our feelings and emotions that come from experiencing the blessings of God.

Can we praise Him equally in the dry valleys as well as from the abundance of mountaintops as the prophet Habakkuk declared? Habakkuk 3:17 – Though the fig tree should not blossom,  nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Paul also wrote about life where reality and faith intersect in his letter to the Philippians: Philippians 4:12 – I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. This secret Paul mentions is a learned faith response. God is the teacher, and life is the classroom.

Jesus set His face with determination and went to Jerusalem knowing full well the crucifixion that awaited Him. He maintained an eternal perspective knowing that this earthly life was temporary and He had a purpose to fulfill while He was in the body. Jesus held loosely to this world and reached purposefully for the eternal kingdom of God.

Has the cloud moved in your life? Have circumstances changed that necessitate a new direction? May the Lord light the path for you to follow. May you learn stability of faith as you follow the leading of the Lord in your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 684

“Given, Found and Opened”

Matt 7:7-11 (ESV) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened…
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In Week 668 we looked at this Scripture in light of the asking, seeking and knocking discipline of prayer. Another aspect of this Scripture deals with God’s response – His giving, allowing the finding, and His opening.

ASK – GIVEN: We ask when we have a need, craving, or desire. We don’t ask when our stubborn pride gets in the way. James 4:2a … You do not have, because you do not ask. Pride keeps me from asking for directions or for help. We should not blame God for not giving when we did not humbly ask in the first place. The flip side of this coin is that we do ask but with wrong motives. James 4:2b … You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Sometimes God says ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ to our asking – not because we ask amiss, but rather because He knows what is best for us. However, God does give in response to the asking at this first level of prayer petition beginning with the most important gift of all – His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

SEEK – FOUND: Where asking stems from a desire, seeking is reaching to fulfill that desire. Sometimes God wants us to find what we desire rather than have it handed to us. Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Our first priority in this life is to seek the kingdom of God, His abiding presence and His righteousness. How badly do you want God’s abiding presence in your life? How badly do you desire the righteousness that comes from Jesus? Are you willing to reach to fulfill that desire?

I used to travel a lot in a prior career and I loved coming home to the cheers of my children and wife, ‘Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home’! Imagine how it would feel to come home and be greeted instead with ‘What did you get me’? Our prayers all too often are the seeking of material goods and the pleasures of this world without a second thought about God’s kingdom or righteousness. We ask and seek wrongly when Father God’s presence is not nearly as desirable as His presents.

Like roots going deeper and deeper seeking life-giving water is the process of seeking that God uses to take us into a deeper relationship with Him. We may have to go on several job interviews before He allows us to find the job He had planned for us. Through the seeking process, He trains us, gives us experience, and brings us to a new level of reliance, trust, and faith in Him. It is in the seeking that He allows us to find what we need to be equipped to serve Him. Heb 13:20 …may the God of peace …equip you with everything good that you may do his will…

KNOCK – OPENED: Where asking stems from a desire and seeking is reaching to fulfill that desire, knocking implies tenacity, perseverance and endurance in reaching for what is desired. Sometimes God does not immediately give to us for the asking because He wants to develop our character through endurance. Romans 5:4 …and endurance produces character, and character produces hope… Try knocking only once a door and see how strange that seems. When we knock it is natural to knock several times. Don’t give up on God. He will open the door when your character is developed and ready for what lies beyond.

Are you asking, seeking, and knocking? What is the root motivation for your prayer to God? Do you crave and desire first His abiding presence, His kingdom and righteousness or is it material blessing that you desire most? When we pray and ask of God we need to be sensitive to His leading to actively seek and to knock. We need to be yielded to the Master potters hand and allow Him to shape and mold our faith and character so that we may be fully equipped as we step in His service through the doors He opens.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God.

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 683

“Cast Your Net”

John 21:1-14 (ESV) … Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore… He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish…

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Following His resurrection, Jesus had appeared to His disciples twice over a period of eight days. It is uncertain how much time passed following His second appearance but it was enough time that it triggered Peter’s ‘I have to do something’ personality into action. Doers detest sitting idle. In the absence of clear direction, doers fall back on what they know how to do, and in Peter’s case that was fishing. Note the following:

The Lord sometimes seems silent and distant. There are times in our life when it seems that God has abandoned us and left us alone in the wilderness to fend for ourselves. The enemy of your soul will bring that lie to your mind. The truth of God is that He will never leave you or abandon you.

Heb 13:5 …he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

If we water our lawns too much, the roots remain shallow and the plant becomes weak, susceptible to attack, and unable to withstand seasonal challenges. Proper periodic watering allows the roots to go deep and strengthen the plant. There are times when God pours out His blessing upon us and there are times when we wonder where He is. It is during these times of perceived abandonment that we are to endure, going deeper in our relationship with Him. This strengthens our faith and confidence in God so that we are better equipped in His power and Spirit to withstand and help others through the coming challenges of life.

Romans 5:3 …we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…

They did not catch any fish. Scripture is silent on the issue but it has been suggested that God kept the fish away from Peter’s boat that night. These men were skilled fisherman. They were doing what they knew how to do and were confident in their abilities. It would be easy to blame a lack of success on an attack of the devil. However, sometimes a lack of success in a particular undertaking is due to God’s intervention to redirect our focus and confidence from the things of the world and on our abilities and to wholly place our trust and dependence upon Him.

Leaders need to also follow. Peter was a leader. He was a decisive man of action. He decided to go fishing and several of the other disciples followed him. There must have been an authoritative quality to the voice of Jesus because they followed His instructions to cast their net on the right side without questioning the wisdom of this unknown person on shore giving them direction.

As leaders we need to ask ourselves: ‘If others follow me, am I leading them in the Lord’s direction and purpose or in the direction of man?’ ‘Am I helping them see Jesus or me?’ As leaders we need to come under the authority of Jesus and have a heart open to obey and follow His leading.

Are you a doer like Peter? Do you find yourself trapped in the doldrums without clear direction? Does it seem like the Lord is pouring out blessing on everyone else but you? Are success elusive and all your efforts thwarted at every turn? If this is your situation, now is the time to say ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’. Now is the time to pause and go deeper in your relationship with Him: ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

What net have you been casting? What have you been ‘fishing’ for? What success has eluded you for so long that you have lost hope in all that you ever placed your confidence in? May your hope always be in Jesus. May your confidence always be in God and may you have ears to hear and the heart to obey the command of Jesus when He directs you to ‘cast your nets on the right side’.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 682

“Confidence”

Psa 27:1-3 The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? … Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

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Confidence has been described as the character exhibited by those who would go after Moby Dick with a rowboat, a harpoon and a jar of tartar sauce.

How many of us fail to have this ‘tartar sauce confidence’ as we approach the challenges of life each day? How many of us worry about all the ‘what if…’ scenarios that could happen tomorrow or the next day? Jesus exposes the utter futility of worry when He asks, “Who … by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Prov 3:25-26 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

It is important that we be honest with ourselves and reflect upon the basis for our confidence. Is your confidence in your giftedness and abilities? Are you confident in your financial portfolio? Is your confidence solidly and completely based upon the Lord?

Jer 17:7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him…

Our journeys may begin with the utmost confidence but given a few setbacks our confidence becomes shaken and we begin to worry. If this is true of you then all or a portion of the basis for your confidence was on something other than the Lord Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in a shaken confidence, worrisome pattern then you need to F.E.E.L. your way back.

Fundamentals of faith. Get back to the basic fundamental truths of your faith in God. Just as an athlete who is ‘off their game’ recalibrates themselves by getting back to working on the fundamental basics of their sport so we too need to read and meditate on the truth of the Word of God.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.

Eliminate idols between you and the Lord. Whatever it is that you have placed your confidence in other than the Lord has become an idol to you. It is in between you and God and it must be put into proper perspective and place in your life.

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me.

Encourage yourself in the Lord. Keep a periodic journal of your prayer life and see the faithfulness of God in your life over time. This will build your courage.

1 Sam 30:6 …David was greatly distressed… but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Lean on Jesus. Get to know Him and His character through His Word. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and through His abiding presence you will find the strength and courage to persevere.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

May you FEEL your way back to full confidence in Jesus. Pass the tartar sauce, please.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER
Pray Week 681

“Watchman”

Ezekiel 33:1-9 (ESV) The word of the LORD came to me: … “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
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This might be my last chance
To tell him that You love him
What am I so afraid of? – Lyrics excerpted from Here I Go Again by Casting Crowns

During my service in the military, I would frequently be assigned night watchman duty. Hundreds of lives depended upon my remaining alert to any danger and to sound the alarm. It was a court martial offense to be found negligent in watchman duty. Our reference Scripture applies as much to us today as it did for Ezekiel in his day. As those who proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are commissioned as watchmen to proclaim the Truth of His Gospel. We are to sound the alarm to awaken those in danger from the enemy of their souls.

What are we afraid of? Why do we remain silent concerning the truth of the Gospel in the presence of those who need to hear it? Why do we move about in the world incognito, hiding our faith and blending into this dark world like chameleons?

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV) “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. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

I repent of all the times I have failed to minister in Jesus’ Name to the strangers, friends, family, and co-workers when our lives have intersected by divine appointment. Sometimes we need to ‘butt-in’ to an overheard conversation and lovingly share the Truth of God’s Word to those who need to hear it. Sometimes we need to demonstrate God’s love by a sacrificial act on behalf of ‘the least of these’ and without speaking a word, communicate volumes about the Gospel message.

It is time, husband, for you to take a stand for Jesus in your home and not allow compromise to bring a false ‘peace’ in your home. It is time, parent, for you to fulfill your responsibility to train your child up in the Word of God and not to ignore the hard accountability discussions that you need to have with them. It is time, Christian, for you to take a stand for Jesus in your workplace and not blend into the coarse talk and worldly culture that is there.

Who do you know that is in danger of perishing? Don’t be the watchman who failed to sound the alarm. Pray that the Lord will show you who needs to hear the Gospel and that He will open the door for you and empower you by His Holy Spirit to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ with them.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 680

“Millstone Jewelry”

Matthew 18:6-10 (NKJV) “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! … “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
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You are driving well over the speed limit and suddenly notice the blue lights flashing in your rear view mirror. You did not do your study work and walk into school only to find a pop quiz being handed out. Your boss walks into your office unexpectedly and finds you playing computer games on company time. All these situations cause us to have a “sinking feeling” in the pit of our stomachs. In life there are consequences to our actions and the bad choices we make. God’s Word teaches us that there are eternal consequences as well.

In our reference Scripture, Jesus talks about a sinking feeling that would be better for us to experience over the wrath of God if we cause others to sin, especially little children. The word translated ‘offenses’ in the original Greek is ‘skandalon’ from which we get our English word ‘scandal’. It literally means a trap stick or bent sapling that is used as a snare or to cause someone to trip and stumble.

The tone of Jesus’ words indicates the seriousness of the action of causing others to sin. Remember that people emulate those they look up to and admire. Children are especially impressionable as they seek out and identify with role models. So how do we measure up? Do we cause people to sin? What kind of role model are we?

Language: What comes out of our mouths when we are under stress? What do we say when driving among the crazies in traffic? What do we say when we hit our thumb with a hammer or stub our toe against furniture? Where do elementary school kids learn to ‘cuss like a sailor’?

Attitude: How do we voice or act out our displeasure with those in authority over us? Do we always find fault in others and ‘run it up the gossip flagpole’? Is it OK to tell a small lie? Where do children learn to disrespect authority, deceitfulness, and racial prejudice?

Behavior: Do we abuse alcohol, nicotine, or other drugs? Are we physically or psychologically abusive toward our spouse or children? How are we entertained? What TV, Movies, Books, Magazines, Games and Music do we welcome into our homes and allow our children to watch? Where do playground bullies learn to be abusive toward others?

‘Do as I say and not as I do’ falls on deaf ears. Our lifestyle shouts out a value system that will be emulated by those who look up to us. Our actions speak louder than our words. Will those who emulate us remain pure and innocent? By our attitude, language and behavior are we setting snares that will trip up those around us? Does our lifestyle victimize or evangelize?

Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas in your life that need to be sanctified and purified. Seek to live out God’s Word. There is no sinking feeling when we walk the narrow path of God.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 679

“Are We There Yet?”

PSALM 27:14 (ESV) Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

PSALM 31:24 (ESV) Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

HOSEA 12:6 (ESV) “… wait continually for your God.”
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If you have ever driven in a car with children you probably have heard their impatient whining question, ‘Are we there yet’? I don’t think we ever outgrow this impatient aspect of our character. I have found that I use my GPS system to tell me how far I have yet to go before reaching my destination. I use the GPS even when I know the way to travel and frequently glance at the miles remaining indicator. I may not voice it, but my glance asks, ‘Are we there yet?’

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Heb 11:1

Does our lack of faith cause us to be impatient with God? Do you find yourself constantly asking God, ‘Are we there yet’? Does it seem that God has set you on a path or journey and then abandoned you there? Does He seem silent and unresponsive to your impatient whining?

… hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. – Rom 8:22

God does not give us a visual indicator of His timing. He will not tell you how much longer or how much further it is to your destination. God expects us to patiently hope and trust in Him.

I will wait for the LORD … and I will hope in him. – Isa 8:17

I confess that I am not good at waiting. I plant a garden or seed my lawn and the very next day I am out there looking for signs of new growth.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. – James 5:7

What are you waiting on the Lord for? Is it physical healing? Perhaps you are looking for a job or enough customers to keep your business going. If you are like me the temptation is to wrest control of your life from God and take matters in your own hands and try to make something happen yourself. This is striving with God and Isaiah 45:9 declares ‘Woe to him who strives with Him who formed him…’

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” – Deut 31:8

Learn to quiet the turmoil in your soul through prayer and meditating upon the Truth of the Word of God. Through His indwelling, abiding presence learn to rest and experience His peace and joy in the midst of your circumstances. Seek His kingdom and His righteousness first and you can say with conviction what the Psalmist wrote:

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; – Psalm 130:5

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 678

“Underpinnings”

Matt 7:24-27 (ESV) “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
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Whenever I read this parable that Jesus taught, I used to always envision two houses, one built on a rocky outcropping and the other built on the beach. As I meditated on this Scripture this week the Lord showed me two houses in the same community that, for all intents and purposes, looked to be identical. The storms of life will shake both houses to their very foundations. “… He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”.-Matt 5:45 The difference between these two houses is in their underpinnings.

This parable is about a relationship. It is about our relationship with Jesus. It is about the constant, solid touch of His abiding presence in our lives. Some of us have an indirect, proxy relationship with Him. We relate to Him through others in the ministry and through the ritual and rites of religion. This is similar to the house built on sand. The sand is in between the foundation and the bedrock that is Jesus Christ. This sand is unstable and shifty. Ministry leaders are fallible like you and me. Traditional rites and rituals of religion are changeable over time. The other house may have the same sandy soil beneath it as the first, but it remains rooted firmly on the solid rock of Jesus Christ through its underpinning personal relationship with Him. When the storms of life come, the one with a solid one-to-one, personal relationship with Jesus can draw strength and stability from Him and remain standing. What do these underpinnings look like?

TRUST “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. – John 13:38. This underpinning stems from an ongoing personal relationship with God. It is difficult to trust someone we do not know. We get to know Jesus through a lifestyle of study of His Word and through prayer.

LOVE He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.” – Matt 22:37. This underpinning is like the cornerstone that supports the entire structure. To love as God commands is impossible in our own strength and ability. It requires the abiding presence of His Holy Spirit. Through Him we are able to see even our enemies with His eyes of love, forgiveness and compassion. Bitterness and unforgiveness harbored in our hearts weakens this underpinning such that it can no longer add support and strength to endure the storms of life.

PURITY I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. – Lev 11:44. Purity comes before power. We cannot expect the abiding presence of a Holy God in our lives when our hearts continue after the impurity of this world. When we choose to live a compromised lifestyle we choose an underpinning that fails to reach all the way to bedrock.

OBEDIENCE “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. – John 15:10. Note the interdependence of these underpinnings. Choosing to remain pure requires obedience to God’s Word. God’s abiding love stems from our obedience to Him. His abiding presence builds a strong relationship of trust in the truth of His Word and in His love for us.

What storms of life are attacking you today? Are you fearful of collapse or do you have a deep sense of His peace that stems from His abiding presence? Strengthen your house through an underpinned relationship with Jesus Christ by seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. Dig deep through the shifting sand of a compromised lifestyle and of all that has separated you from a total and complete commitment of your life to follow Him. Sink pillars of Obedience, Love, Purity, and Trust solidly onto a bed rock personal relationship with Jesus.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 677

“I Love My Wife”

Eph 5:25-33 (ESV) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.? In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body … let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Col 3:18-19 (ESV) Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
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The Christian Church is the Bride of Christ. Jesus gave Himself up in order to sanctify His bride and make her holy. The Bride of Christ must be pure through and through beginning at the cellular level which is the individual families that comprise the Christian Church.

The sanctification process and purity must begin at the family cellular level. This is why God’s Word exhorts husbands to love their wives ‘In the same way…’ as Jesus loves His church.

“Love is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day.” – Nicholas Sparks

Giving ourselves up for her – Jesus died for His bride. Are we willing to ‘die little deaths’ for our wives? Are you willing to put down the newspaper or magazine in order to maintain eye contact and listen to her and engage in conversation with her? Are you willing to turn off the TV to do the same? Are you willing to set aside your agenda in order to address her ‘honey-do-list’ and deal with the things that are important to her? Are you willing to give up your desire for expensive ‘toys’ that you cannot afford in order to preserve the integrity and stability of family finances?

Sanctify her – Jesus is the Living Word of God, pure and holy. Do you keep yourself – your mind, heart, and soul – pure before God? Do you allow impurity to defile your home through internet pornography, and immoral TV, books and magazines? Do you keep your marriage bed pure? Does your wife have to wonder deep in the recesses of her heart if you have remained faithful and pure? Do you pray the Word of God over your wife, speaking blessings over her? Are you the spiritual leader of your home, its priest and pastor?

Expressions of love are much more than an annual Valentine’s Day card and box of chocolates. Expressions of true love are constant and continual. To love your wife is to see her through the eyes of Jesus Christ. To truly love your wife is to allow Christ’s love for her to manifest itself through you.

It is easy for wives to submit to a husband who is first submitted to Jesus Christ. Men, God has called and ordained you to be His faithful steward of your family. He expects you to be yielded and submitted to Him and in so doing to love your wives as He loves His church. The purity of His church stems from the purity of the individual families that comprise the church. Let this purity begin in your heart, mind and soul.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God.