Song-"I need You, Lord."
Prayer-"We need to hear from You LORD. " Give us ears to hear.
Film clip from Indiana Jones-
IJ needed to cross a large precipice by taking a leap of faith and as he took the step, a camouflaged bridge appeared, allowing him to walk from where he was to where he needed to be.
"We can either stand on the precipice and look back or we can step forward in faith. Let our faith arise. Let our faith call into existence that which can't be seen."
John the Baptist was a forerunner for Christ's first coming.
The church is called to be the forerunner of His second coming.
PF-"I am going to be a little more serious...I am not going to worry if you are keeping up...Being on milk too long can make you deformed."
Our generation ushered in Woodstock, abortion, loss of prayer in schools..
look at the fruit we've yielded.
It is our hope that this next generation of young people usher in a revival to our land.
Scripture-11 Tim. 3-whole chapter
"In the last days...perilous times...men will be lovers of themselves...disobedient to parents...unthankful...headstrong...having a form of godliness but denying its power...turn away from such people..."
v.8-"Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth:...for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was."
Who were Jannes and Jambres?
Rabbinic teaching holds that these were the magicians that Pharoah called forth when Moses had laid down his staff and it turned into a snake. Jannes and Jambres scoffed at Moses and laid their staffs down. These became serpents as well.
Moses serpent swallowed up their serpents.
They demonstrated ability without any power.
God has enough churches and people who are out there with plenty of ability.
We become religious when we demonstrate ability without having the power of the Holy Spirit.
'Lord, would you fill my home, my life, my church..with Your power!"
Don't settle for a demonstration of ability without the power;
Not in your life, nor in others.
There are three classes of Humanity.
1)-Sinners-'All we like sheep have gone astray.' We are either serving God or the devil. We can't have our foot in both worlds. We can't be lukewarm or God will spew us out His mouth.
2)-Saved-'Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.' The saved are those who are walking in His footsteps.
3)-Believers who are in hot pursuit of God; those who are running after Him to get a ahold of His robe. They are not satisfied with salvation only and business as usual. They are not satisfied with just their ability, but long for His power.
(A cry rang out from someone in the congregation-"Forgive us Lord, and help us to see you more!")
PF-"I don't want to get to heaven and see gifts unopened with my name on them. I won't need those gifts in Heaven. I need them now. I need His double blessing, His anointing, and the knowledge of His plan right now. I am in hot pursuit of all the things He has for me NOW. I need authority. I need His Word. I need His relationship now!"
"We have tremendous programs run by tremendous people in this church. New Life is known for these things. It is not known for it's prayer. People say, 'Oh, that's the church who performs the Easter musicals...' They don't say, 'That's the church that knows how to pray.' Oh that they would say that. God, forgive me for promoting programs and people and not prayer."
The Bible records God's visitation to mankind:
God came to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and walked and talked with them.
He showed Himself to the Children of Israel as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
He came in the flesh as a baby in a manger-Immanuel.
He showed up as tongues of fire on believers who were seeking Him in one accord.
He revealed Himself to John, the beloved disciple, on the Isle of Patmos.
Today, God wants to visit mankind.
Only those who hunger and thirst for Him will experience His visitation.
Isaiah 55 gives the invitation-"Ho! Everyone who thirst, come to the waters;.."
Are you thirsty?
Only those who thirst will drink.
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O God, give us a hunger and thirst for You, the Living Bread, the Living Water.
Give us a desire to hear Your voice above all others.
Give us ears to hear Your voice.
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Sometimes, when we look in the mirror, and see where we've been wrong, we experience despair. In that despair, we cry out to God in desperation. We say, "I am all wrong. Nothing about me is right. Help me!" And He helps. He comes. He delivers. He rightens our wrong. And we are amazed at His mercy and what He has done in spite of us. We worship Him for His holiness and His light swallows up our despair. Holy, Holy, God.
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I read this today from 'Streams in the Desert.'
"Perseverance in prayer is necessary to prevalence in prayer. (Prevalent means widespread, dominant, having the superiority.)...Great intercessors...were nevertheless the grandest benefactors of the church; but it was only by abiding at the mercy-seat that they attained to be such channels of mercy to men. We must pray to pray, and continue in prayer that our prayers may continue.(Charles Spurgeon)
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This morning, I turned on GodTV and listened to a speaker while I exercised. He was teaching about hearing from God. He told the story of Elijah and how he was listening to hear the voice of God. He didn't hear it in the strong wind, the earthquake, or a fire. He heard it in a still, small voice. After Elijah heard that still, small voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of His cave.
Why did God speak in a still, small voice?
So Elijah would have to draw near to listen.
O God,
I, too, come out of Elijah's cave,
with my face wrapped in my mantle,
drawing near,
waiting to hear
your voice;
Your still small voice.
What are you saying?
What shall I reply?
Be in unto me
according to Your word.
Be it unto me
according to Your
still small voice.
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