Exhortation to Prayer and a Happy New Year!

"You're doin it wrong!" 

If you're like me you tend to contemplate the Pros and Cons of everything, to almost unhealthy proportions. . . if you're like me you tend to have trouble sleeping at night.


My brain is a whirlwind of facts figures, suppositions and propositions, and I'm blessed to be a member of a forgiving congregation that regards me as a youngin' still.   It's New Years Day;  A frosty Sunday morning, and the sun in all its blazing glory is shining bright as we welcome with a healthy balance of sobriety and festivity the start of a brand New Year.

 

Exhortation to Prayer 

 

Prayer Link

I've been in prayer,  and the Word I received for 2017 is a call to the zeal of Old, for the sake of our Discernment,  a call to Righteousness for the sake of our Prayers, and a call to Prayer for the sakes of our Souls. 

Below is my address to the Congregation for The New Year.  

 Many see the Church to be a kind of haven, and that it is.    It’s a gathering place where believers work to build one another up in the Faith.  Now there are many ways we may go about edifying and encouraging one another, but if we do it apart from the Spirit of God, we’ll soon run out of energy, and nothing will come from it.

"Psalm 127 – Unless the Lord Build the house, those who labor build it in vain. "

I’m here to talk about The Spirit.   The food may be good, the activities entertaining, but if we don’t build up our relationship with Him, we’ll each miss out on the very best of His love.

I see a Hunger -  Only He can fill us.

When I look at the Today’s Church, I see a deep-rooted hunger for the Spirit of God.  The most important thing we can do to be well fed, and nourished by His Spirit, is to seek him in Prayer.  If we don't  its like going out on a long journey with no food to sustain you.  Everyone ends up famished, bitterness and resentment kicks in, the children are crying... and soon you're thanking God  for a fast food rescue, when really, you should have been better prepared. Each day should be centered around God.  For no one can help your soul.  Mom and Dad can’t help you,  your spouse,  your friends can’t help you.  In fact the very people in your life who are supposed to be there for you,  can cause you anguish.  .     All the more reason why we need him Every Day.  Only He can train you to wrestle and grow strong , so that you can bear the burden of life with grace, and Dignity  and bear with one another in truth and love.

Lulled to Sleep – Counterfeit Love

 Now the Church is a far cry from that Zealous Spirit, signature of the Saints of old.  Through that Blazing fire of Baptism, the Protestant movement was born, and America became a nation.   It was a call to righteousness that marked the early Christians .   But we see that such a zeal today is all but quenched by a Corruption of this generation.   It sings a lullaby of tolerance and political correctness.  It whispers to thin skins,  for fear of offense.   Pretty soon we can’t tell the Truth from Error, and we loose our sense of taste.

There’s a spirit at work in the world of Cowardice masquerading as Love.  A fear of rejection, and a timidity that stifles the soul.  The Churches would do well to build strength.  We are to embrace the Truth, and then live in Peace with it.    I don’t know about you but my Jesus loved me enough to correct me.  His is not a spirit of Fear but of Power, of Love and a Sound mind. 

Salt and Light Medicine and Fire

 If we turn our hearts… Away from the grave of the world,  and turn it Towards the brilliant and fiery face of Holy God,   Don’t you think he’ll fan us into a brilliant blaze? Refining each of us as silver and gold?
with Him we’re effective.  Without Him , we may as well just sit down.   

Now Some people only want so much of God.   Just enough that they can function in the world.  Others, desire so much Him that He obliterates all other world views.  The Degree to which you allow Him room is to the degree he delights in you and He will Give you the growth. For His names sake.

Inspired to Prayer

Every Sunday my mother has been gracious enough to offer of her prayers for the congregation.   Shouldn’t we be inspired to develop our own dialogue with the Living God?  Oughtn’t we be grow in the spirit ,  praying in all things and taking root in Him?

Have you ever felt that fullness of the Spirit of  God fill your hearts to overflowing?  That’s our New Life now, we need to seek Him Daily!  Don’t wait until Sunday to receive of his Limitless Love.  if you’re not being fed by him, you’re running on empty. I want to inspire you today to seek Him,  with all your heart. 

Christ the Head – Listen

Look with me here   Christ is the head of the body   Col 1:19
"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell," We must make ourselves receptive to direction from the Head.  Learn to Listen to the Holy Spirit.   How else except by your prayer life will you know where you’re heading?   We ought to ask-  are we in Him,  is He in us?   As pilgrims on the Road to Eternity,  we must keep one another in all vigilance, making the habitations of our hearts, pleasing for Him to dwell.

God is Choosy Who He listens to

Now God doesn’t just listen to everybody’s prayer.  

I Peter 3 and 4 speaks of living a Purified Sanctified Life.  For the purpose of our Prayers.   God doesn’t listen to our prayers if we don’t walk upright and walk in Earnest Love and sincerity of Faith.

This year,  let’s make time alone with God our highest priority,   let that be the defining element of who we are.  Let us find ourselves in Christ.  By Prayer.
So that like Silver or Golden vessels, reserved for a special use,
The fullness of God, might be pleased to dwell within each one of us.

Colossians 1:19
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
Is the presence of God pleased to dwell in you?