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NEW November Newsletter
Tabernacle Teaching
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It's Time To Pray
IT’S TIME TO PRAY! Scripture References :Romans 8: 28; Genesis 50: 20; Genesis 18: 28; Matthew 24: 14; Revelation: 6: 16-17; Isaiah 45:7; Jeremiah 45: 4-5; Amos 3: 6-7; Daniel 10;
Just this week, the under-shepherd here at Spoken Word solemnly requested the congregation to consider a time for the Body of Christ who worship here to set a date and time for us to gather for corporate prayer. He has had a burden for a year to get this in action, and somehow many did not feel the need. Only a few attended, as busy life styles gave seeming good excuses not to attend. In view of the attack on America on September 11th by an act of terrorist, many of us have begun to realize just how we fall short in praying together as a corporate body. Beloved, there is nothing more crucial to our spiritual, physical and emotional well being than our concept of prayer. Our entire concept of Christ-like living springs from truly knowing God and embracing His ways. Our God, in His earthly walk in a body of flesh, prayed regularly and often. He taught His disciples to pray. We do not pray long, loud prayers to be seen or heard of man. We pray because God desires our fellowship. Children, when you are visiting me, I like to converse with you, listening to what you have to say and sharing my thoughts with you. When you ask me a question, you get an answer. So it is with Jesus. When we know God and are known of Him, we know that He created good and He created evil. When men break down what God has built, then God brings evil on all the land. There is no evil in the city without God doing it. At the bottom of this note there is a testimony of a fellow believer and his wife whom did the Hand of God guide to safety in this destruction of the World Trade Center. Thousands were spared that day. In the midst of calamity, it is God who "causes all things to work together for good . . ." This very fact that God enters every situation and causes something to work for good reveals that there are others that desire a situation, and often make it happen, to destroy others. When we consider the German Holocaust which destroyed so many of our Jewish brethren, or even the crucifixion of Christ Himself, the evil is worked by those in the power of satan, but the good which came out of it came from God. We must not get the two confused. It is essential to know that the Word of God spoke very clearly that for the transgressions of Mannaseh that caused Israel to worship other Gods that they would be scattered and peeled. He also stated that for His friend Abraham’s sake, He would restore them as nation in Israel in the last days. Please remember when Jesus Christ was crucified, it was according to the covenant in the Godhead prior to the creation. A perfect a perfect sacrifice was required, and it pleased the Father to bruise His Son and for Him to die for our reconciliation back to God. Consider the life of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery in an act of jealousy. They meant it for evil; yet, the Lord used the evil of Joseph's circumstances to demonstrate that nothing can hinder His plan or His purpose. He is a sovereign God. Nothing can change His plan. Joseph's life is a clear picture of the conflict between good and evil. He assured his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good". The Hebrew word translated "meant" literally translated means "to weave" or "fabricate." The Spirit of God worked this weaving of evil intent to destroy Joseph to perfect him. He redeemed it and wove the treachery into an amazing plan for good, for Joseph and his father’s family also. Joseph’s life so paralleled the Life of Jesus that makes it one of the most faith-building subjects in the whole Bible. Joseph was a praying child of God, and always made it clear that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob revealed to him the knowledge he walked in. Abraham is another who knew the value of prayer, when God was about to destroy Sodom, Abraham boldly prayed, in the time of God’s judgement upon city. Many helpless and innocent were destroyed with the wicked, only those in the covenant head’s bloodline were spared. David prayed when God destroyed so very many because of David’s sin in numbering Israel. Those destroyed were God’s children. Read Luke chapter 13, and hear the words Jesus spoke of how destruction does not just come on “bad” people. We are told not to fear. Our Lord instructs us to let Him be our fear and not to fear the terror that stalks by night, the snare of the fowler, nor the terror at noonday. He says for His House to be a House of Prayer. This is our hour. The time of the end is nearer and we are to pray. Stand with the sword of the Spirit and pray the Word in and over every situation. It is time to trust the commission of the Son of God. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come". When Jesus Christ revealed Himself to His servant John there on Patmos Isle, he tells of a great spiritual war in the end times: and He reveals the wrath of the Lamb against all ungodliness. The old covenant Prophet Daniel spoke of how Michael was revealed as the great archangel who subdued the "prince over Persia"."Michael and his angels waging war against the dragon . .” This ancient Persian empire extended from the Danube to India. Today, it is this area that is responsible for much of the terrorist activity we see in the world. It is time to pray like Daniel prayed. Shalom
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