National Day of Prayer
National Day of Prayer
Just because carnal men make a day and call it “A Day of Prayer”, it does not carry any weight with Almighty God. Prayer for America? Really? What, pray for bigger, better and more, prosperity galore? Today I feel much like Jeremiah in chapter 20 verse 9, a “burning fire shut up in my bones.”
Today national leaders will spout out meaningless heresies and blasphemies against a God they hate and to some god that does not even exist. If we want prayer, then where are the men and women who pray, seriously pray, in the early morning hours and late night hours crying out to be holy? Where are the prayers for the millions upon millions who are suffering for the namesake of Christ today? Where are the prayers today that cry out for us as individuals and as a nation to be made holy in God’s sight?
Pray for America? My prayers for America are simple: to have the millstone of God’s own hand pressed upon our very noses so that we would see sin for what it is and come to the true knowledge of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. I pray that the nation acknowledges her sin, casts out all the child and sex slavery, stops every lying, deceiving, self-indulging politian, stops the drug trade to which the government secretly makes billions, stops the extortion, corruptions, murders and conspiracies against her own people, stops the killing of millions upon millions of unborn. And even more so, I pray that the Lord Himself removes every false prophet, preacher, teacher, evangelist, priest who stands in pulpits across the nation, and even the world, who are masking themselves under the name of Christ and has done nothing than to deceive, rob and damn souls and hurt people because of their lying tongue and deceptive religion. All of the so-called “christian” media, whether it is TV, Radio or print, who begs for money and refuses to speak the whole council of God can be removed as well.
Pray for America, really? As the late Leonard Ravenhill has said, “We will either labor in prayer, or pray in labor camps.” Unfortunately, the later appears to be rapidly coming true.
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
If you have not already, be sure to get a FREE download copy of, Realities of a True Christian. Be sure to read chapter Eight – Praying, Weeping & Loving. Get your FREE copy at: www.Time2Stand.com/books
Blessings in Christ.
We Must Give Time to Knowing God
We Must Give Time to Knowing God
Progress in the Christian life is exactly equal to the growing knowledge we gain of the triune God in personal experience. And such experience requires
a whole life devoted to it and plenty of time spent at the holy task of cultivating our knowledge of God. God can be known satisfactorily only as we devote time to Him.
A thousand distractions would woo us away from thoughts of God, but if we are wise, we will sternly put them from us and make room for the King and
take time to entertain Him. Some things may be neglected with little loss to the spiritual life. But to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where
we cannot afford it. God will respond to our efforts to know Him. The Bible tells us how, but it is altogether a matter of how much determination we bring to
the holy task.
- A. W. Tozer
Let us go outside the camp.
In a week I will be preaching at a small church in OK. I need tremendous prayer – prayer for humility, a contrite heart, love, and obedience to the Word of God, the honor of Christ and submission to the Holy Spirit. This morning I received this email from brother Mack Tomlinson, author of, “In Light of Eternity” (bio of Leonard Ravenhill). This could not have come at a better time. May the Lord use this in your life and walk with Christ.
Blessings,
Jeremy Strang
Christian. Husband. Father. Author.
“Let us go therefore unto Him, outside the camp.” – Hebrews 13:13
Jesus, bearing His cross, went forth to suffer without the gate. The Christian’s reason for leaving the camp of the world’s sin and religion is not because he loves to be singular, but because Jesus did so; and the disciple must follow his Master. Christ was “not of the world.” His life and His testimony were a constant protest against conformity with the world. Never was such overflowing affection for men as you find in Him; but still He was separate from sinners. In like manner Christ’s people must “go forth unto Him.” They must take their position “without the camp,” as witness-bearers for the truth. They must be prepared to tread the straight and narrow path. They must have bold, unflinching, lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world. Jesus would have His people “go forth without the camp” for their own sanctification.
You cannot grow in grace to any high degree while you are conformed to the world. The life of separation may be a path of sorrow, but it is the highway of safety; and though the separated life may cost you many pangs, and make every day a battle, yet it is a happy life after all. No joy can excel that of the soldier of Christ: Jesus reveals Himself so graciously, and gives such sweet refreshment, that the warrior feels more calm and peace in his daily strife than others in their hours of rest. The highway of holiness is the highway of communion. It is thus we shall hope to win the crown if we are enabled by divine grace faithfully to follow Christ “without the camp.” The crown of glory will follow the cross of separation. A moment’s shame will be well recompensed by eternal honour; a little while of witness-bearing will seem nothing when we are “for ever with the Lord.”
- C. H. Spurgeon
He is our wall of fire
He is our wall of fire.
Zec 2:5 And I, says Jehovah, will be to her a wall of fire all around, and will be the glory in her midst.
At the particular time that this was written, Jerusalem was a city without a wall. She was naked and vulnerable, and open to attack. In those days, a city without a wall would be like an army without guns. Now , with broken down walls, God Himself would be a wall of fire to them. In these last days, the remnant people of God will be a people without walls. The conventional wisdom of the past will no longer apply. Not unlike the City of Jerusalem of that day, God’s remnant people will be a broken people, a vulnerable people, and a people without the traditional protection of the Church. They will seem lonely and isolated. Yet, when God brings this group of people together, He will be their wall. It will not be a wall that is built by human hands. Consider why Jerusalem was in such a position when the above Scripture was written. Their wall, built by human hands, had been breached, undermined, overcome, tore down and ultimately destroyed. If we are God’s remnant people, we will be a people that has been breached, undermined, our brokenness will be apparent, we will seek God will all of our heart. In our brokenness, in our hunger and because of our driving thirst for the things of God and for His presence, we will seek Him with all of our hearts and we will become fully dependent upon Him. When we seek Him in this way, He will be found by us. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. His presence is our wall of fire! So, we will be a people without walls around our hearts. Walls are designed to contain, to keep out, to mark boundaries, to hide behind. We will not be a people who will be able to contain the things of God. As He pours out His latter rain upon us and it enlarges our capacity to receive (If I am a vessel that wants to be filled, I must first be emptied to make room for that which I seek), then we will freely give what has been given to us. We will love more and we will forgive more and we will do good to those who miss-treat us. And as we do all that, the world will hate us more and more. It’s ironic that the more love that will be poured out into a dying and ever darkening world, the more the world will reject it. When Jesus walked the earth in all His love and mercy, He was ultimately rejected by a multitude who at first received Him. As with the Lord, so it will be with His children. Yet, no matter, love will conquer evil, the gates of hell shall not prevail against Gods remnant children. Their love shall overcome evil even as it seeks to destroy them.
(via: A Call to the Remnant: http://acalltotheremnant.com/2013/03/28/he-is-our-wall-of-fire/)
