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9/17/12 Day 1
John 17
English Standard Version (ESV)
The High Priestly Prayer
17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.[a] 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them[b] in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,[c] that they also may be sanctified[d] in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Amen!!!
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This Prayer from Jesus is at the heart of the "10 Days" call to Prayer, Fasting, and Worship. It was this Prayer that prompted the fast of the founder of the 10 days prayer movemen in 2004 were the Lord began to reveal this call of Gods people to return to him in preparation of the coming King, Jesus Christ, Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
In this prayer Jesus asks the Father that we would be one as he is one with the Father, and that the Holy Spirit would bind us together as one Body and in union and under the authority of Christ Jesus which is the head. Jesus also asks that this oneness or unity would be THE sign to the world that he was sent by the Father. On both point, it seems that we are missing the water mark that the Lord set and asked for in this prayer. Our current reality in comparison to this pray shows the impossibility of it in our natural state. This is the point of the 10 days of pray. To come together and repent for the divisions in our hearts as well as the divisions that have been created by our fathers before us.
The good news is that this prayer, is it is also prophetic in nature, and IT WILL COME TO PASS. Our part is to ask, "how can we be apart of it?" This question must be asked if want to see it answered in our life time.
Read this Prayer Slowly and allow Jesus Prayer to become your Prayer.
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9/18/12 Day 2
Revelation 18 (New International Version)
Lament Over Fallen Babylon
2. With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a]
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3. For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment
4. Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b]
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5. for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6. Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7. Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
I will never mourn.’
8. Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
9. “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
11. “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore 12. cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
14. “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15. The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16. and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17. In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
Genesis 11
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused[a] the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
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--Disclaimer--
I know that when we begin to discuss Babylon or the Book of Revelation, that because of "guilt by association" we all begin to think of far left fanaticism or fear mongering that has been prevalent in these topics. This post is NOT THAT. This is Gog's word. So, we are going to take a look at it with our teacher the Holy Spirit and see how these mysteries may apply to us. (Also, the daily meditations will be shorter after this post. This is also some foundational info on 10 days.
In 2004, Jonathan Friz, (the founder of the 10 days prayer movement) entered a season of prayer and fasting. At it's completion he clearly heard the Lord say to him. "Babylon refuses to mourn. But, my people will mourn before I return" later to find nearly the same thing prophesied in Rev. 18. Matthew 9: 15 says, Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. One of the he central theme of the fall 10 Days is Mourning. But, how do we mourn when we do not feel like it or don't fully understand why it is that we are mourning? It is much like worshiping. How many of us have commanded our bodies to worship even when we don't feel like it? What happens? Gods Spirit brings our Spirit to life so that we can connect with the purpose of the Spirit, to bring Glory to Jesus. It is the same with biblical mourning or lamenting. In short, Mourning is connecting with God's heart for how things "should be" in us and in the world.
Here is three aspects of this morning that we believe will help you in this 10 days of prayer.
- Personal repentance, and personal renewal, for the purpose of seeking maturity in Christ.
- Intercession (Seeking the Lord for "his will" so that we can pray his will for his People)
- Developing a heart that longs for the return of Jesus! Rev 22:17 17 "The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
To begin to understand the lament for Babylon in Rev 18, I think we must first look at the original sin of Babel (the future sight of Babylon) in Genesis 11. Their Sin was that they thought they could reach the Heavens and God by their own human efforts and abilities. At the center of this is PRIDE. This is also drasticly close to the original sin that cast Satan from Heaven, as well as the sin described in Rev 18. This is where the mourning comes in. Verse 4 says, "Come out of her, MY PEOPLE!!!" Wait a minute... That's us... The question is, does the sin of Babylon dwell in me? Does it dwell in my church? could this sin be part of the reason that the Vale of religion and carnality is covering the eyes of so many that say that they are Gods people??? I find it very interesting that all the elements in verses 12 and 13 were also element used in the construction and ceremony of the Leviticle temple. I don't kwnow exactly why, but as I said, It is a mystery.
Lord, as we read these scriptures, will you send your Spirit to search our hearts and lead us into repentance and mourning that is honoring, and ordained by you.
Amen
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9/19/12 Day 3
As I was driving to work yesterday, I was asking the Lord what scripture we should look at for today's meditation. I felt that he was leading me to the story of King Josiah. When I arrived at work, I received a text from my wife that said, 'I feel the Lord is directing me to 2 Chronicles 34" Which is the story of King Josiah. (I love when God makes thing so clear.) We are going to look at the same story in 2 Kings 22 & 23, because it discusses our main theme, COVENANT... I wanted to preface this before the scripture because I wanted you to look for some things as you read.
Josiah felt a burden to reform the temple that had been desecrated in the generations that proceeded Solomon. In doing so they come across the Book of the Covenant Law. This was the Covenant that God made with Israel through Moses, that If they would keep his decrees, they would find blessing, but if they did not, they would bring curses upon there head. This brought a wave of revelation throughout the whole nation, which lead to to one of the largest reforms or renewal of Gods people in the Old Testament.
What we are praying for in the 10 Days of prayer, is a Josiah type of revelation throughout the entire South Shore. A revelation that Gods Covenant with his people is available to change our hearts and everything around us. But, this change in Josiah's day came under Moses Covenant which was a Covenant of judgement and death, while we are under a New Covenant that brings life by the Holy Spirit. If this kind of change can come under the old covenant, how much more will come under the new.... (See Hebrews 8 below.)
In this new Covenant, we gain the access to know God again. To walk with him in the Garden, in the Cool of the day. I included John 14 even though it does not mention the word covenant, I believe that what Jesus is describing is the covenant relationship that was sealed in his blood. Before we can seek change for our region, we must seek it in our hearts. We must go to the mediator of the Covenant and work out our salvation with fear and trembling, until we know that we know that we know him. We may need to seek some help, we may need to confess some sin, we may need to allow the Lord to heal some wounds that have callused our hearts, but we must first know him. There is a psalm that says, The nation of Israel knew my deeds, but Moses knew my ways. The answers to our prayers come first in knowing him.
Also, God's first order of business in renewal is for us to tear down the idols. We may think that we don't have idols because we don't dance around statues, but we would be wrong. What do we go to in difficulty. What do we go to in a vein attempt to gain the fruits of the Spirit instead of the only one that can give us the real thing. What is the functional saviors in our lives other than Jesus. It can even be our own image. They must be pulled down.
Jesus, Mediator of the Covenant, Please help us to know you. To really, really know you. Please also let us see the Idols that stand in the way, and give us the strength to tear them down.
We love you Jesus!
Amen
2 Kings 22
The Book of the Law Found
3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said:4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord—6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings."
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple."10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant:13 "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."
14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
15 She said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,16 'This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,t my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.'18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curset and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.
20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.'"
2 Kings 23
Josiah Renews the Covenant
1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.2 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord.3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.5 He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.6 He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the Lord to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people.7 He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the temple of the Lord, the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah.
8 Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the gateway at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which was on the left of the city gate.9 Although the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.
10 He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice their son or daughter in the fire to Molek.11 He removed from the entrance to the temple of the Lord the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the courtt near the room of an official named Nathan-Melek. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.
12 He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the Lord. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley.13 The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon.14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.
15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also.16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.
17 The king asked, "What is that tombstone I see?"
The people of the city said, "It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it."
18 "Leave it alone," he said. "Don't let anyone disturb his bones." So they spared his bones and those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.
19 Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria and that had aroused the Lord's anger.20 Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
21 The king gave this order to all the people: "Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant."22 Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem.
24 Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
So they took her answer back to the king.
Hebrews 8
6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.8 But God found fault with the people and saidt:
"The days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."t
13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
John 14
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,t to be with you forever,17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
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9/20/12 Day 4
Intercession
Daniel 9
Daniel's Prayer for His People
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.8 To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us,t by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.14 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 "O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,t make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name."
Gabriel Brings an Answer
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God,21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.
Daniel 10
Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.t And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,t and I retained no strength.9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.12 Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
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These are possibly the best two examples of Intercession in all the scriptures! (Other than Christ's perfect intercession for the sons of God.) But, before we get into this model of intercession, I wanted to make some observations about how Daniel grew in Favor in the sight of God and man. Since the book of Daniel was written in a period of over 50 years, it allows us to see these leaps of depth that can only develop in a deepening relationship with our Father, the one that draws us in. In chapter 1, The Lord reveals his favor on Daniel by Choosing him out of the exiles for service to the King. In chapters 1-3, Daniel and those under him respond by taking radical steps in Obedience and faith in not eating the defiling food, interpreting the first dream, and at the fiery furnace. In chapters 4-5, Daniel is sought out by man because of the favor of the Lord, in the second dream and the writing on the wall. In chapter 6, Daniel is persecuted because of the favor of man and his obedience, at the lions den. In chapters 7-8, He receives Visions, and in the end of chapters 8-11, he receives visitations. I just wanted to show the relationship that had to develop to lead to the powerful prayers of Intercession in Chapters 9, and 10. Also I wanted to point out the progression of what the Lord calls him. Earlier on he is called "son of man" but later on he is called "Daniel, man greatly loved"
Intercession begins with knowing God. Daniel single handedly interceded for the nation of Israel and the Lord answered his prayers by making King Cyrus release them back to Jerusalem and fund the building of the temple. (I find it interesting that this is the same thing he did when Israel was released from Egypt as well. When they are released they also receive grace through super natural provision from the enemy.) But, Danial was given this ability by being able to perceive the will of the Lord.
That is what Intercession is. It is connecting with the Lords heart for what "should be" according to his will. What it really comes down to is dominion. We were given dominion over the earth in the garden. We handed it over to the enemy. The Lord took it back at the cross and gives it to those that love him, to destroy the works of the devil. That is why we pray, "Let your Kingdom come, Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The power in intercession is in relationship, knowing that our Dad is the King of the universe and that He wants to give us the authority he won on the cross to release his will every were that we go. But he doesn't want us to do this in boisterous arrogance. Instead he wants us to do it as Daniel did when it was said to him, "from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard." And, in the way that Jesus did, in meekness and humility.
Lord, I thank you for Daniel and all that he has to teach us. I thank you for showing us in chapter 10, what happens in the spirit when we pray. Lord help us to learn more as we read you word, and ultimately know you more.
Amen
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Galatians 3
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."t12 But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spiritt through faith.
2 Corinthians 3
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplatet the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 10
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
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It has been discerned by many, and does not take a strong gift of discernment to see that there is a stronghold of carnal religion in the South Shore Region. I included these scriptures today so that we can use them to seek the Lord for his wisdom in how we can enter the spiritual battle and tear down this stronghold and in so doing, open the eyes of the blind, release the captive, and give liberty to the Spirit of God to flow in all man.
Earlier this year I felt that the Lord lead me to do a slow study on Galatians as well as directing me to Luther's commentary on Galatians and Bunyan's "Grace Abounding to the Chief of All Sinners," Which I was unaware at the time, was heavily influenced by Luther's commentary. I had also at the time, been battling frustration. I realized that, much of the source of the frustration was seeing my insufficiency in comparison to the life of power and love that is descried in the New Testament. I realized some time into this study that it was taking aim at this frustration.
As I had been noticing this I began seeing frustration on many people in the church. It was almost like a garment that people are wearing, sometimes almost willingly as if it was taken on as a burden of the Lord. But the Lord then reminded me that later in Galatians Paul discusses the fruits of the Spirit and does not list frustration. As I thought this, I reminded the Lord that his words were the strongest in the scriptures when discussing our urgency and devotion to him. I felt His answer to that is that the burden of the Lord is there to create tension but not frustration. If we are in frustration than it is a result of trying to force our promise by human effort, and frustration is one of the fruits of the "curse of the Galatians". When we try to obtain the promise by human effort, we are partnering with the curse of the Galatians, and stepping back into slavery.
I feel that this has been a year that the Lord has been showing all of us our lack. Nearly everyone I know that is chasing after God has been struggling this year with their insufficiency to the abundant life of Christ and our current reality. I feel that God is bringing us to a cross road. The narrow path is dependence, reliance on Jesus, being lead by the Spirit, faith, and trust. The wide path is, human effort, self reliance, hastiness, and frustration (The curse of the Galatians). I feel the Lord is bringing many of us back to the cross roads and giving us another chance to choose.
Lord, give us discernment in recognizing and tearing down the strongholds in our lives. And then, We ask you to give us your authority and wisdom to do battle in our land.
Amen
9/23/12 Day 7 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Israel
Luke 19
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Nehemiah 1
Report from Jerusalem
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital,t2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.3 And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."
Nehemiah's Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.5 And I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned.7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.'10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
Deuteronomy 30
Repentance and Forgiveness
1 "And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,2 and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.
Romans 11
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You can not read more than two or three pages in the scriptures with out hearing the Lords heart cry for Jerusalem and Israel. I do not want to do too much commentary on this subject, because I want the scriptures to speak for themselves. The fact is that, we as westerners with two thousand years of time separating us from the writing of the Bible, may have a difficult time connecting with the Lords burden for Israel. But, as we said in the previous days, our objective in prayer is to pray for the Lords will to be done and that his Kingdom would come on earth as it is in Heaven. By reading these scriptures, as well as many, many more, we see that the Lords will for Israel is very clear.
Lord, As Gentiles, we ask that you give us your heart for Israel, and that you quicken the day when we will all be gathered in from the ends of the earth.
Amen
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9/24/12 Day 8 (continue down on the page for previous days)
The Waiting Bride
Romans 8
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.
Revelation 19
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
Ephesians 5
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansingt her by the washing with water through the word,27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—30 for we are members of his body.31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."t32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
2 Peter 3
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
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In that last passage, Peter says, "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" Wow. Have you ever thought about that? Peter is saying that we have a part to play in the timing of Jesus return. That is astonishing!!! This does not seem consistent with what I was taught growing up. I was taught that only the Father know, not even the angels or even the son know the day of the Lord. Which is true but, in teaching this it was implied that we are to just lock down the doors of the church, have an annual out reach and wait for the destruction to happen our to be beamed up when the Father wrist watch passes twelve (depending on your pre or post trib stance which was also debated at every possible chance.) These passages shows that we have much more of a part than passively waiting or not waiting at all.
But, please do not hear this with shame or condemnation. It completely goes against every natural fiber of our humanity to long for a place or a person that we have never seen with our natural eyes or heard with our natural ears. That is why we talked about knowing him on day three. Really knowing, spirit to Spirit, that you Know him.
The Good news is, If you do not feel this longing, or groaning, or love sickness in your spirit, you can ask the Lord for it. It is commanded that we should, and we know that we would not command us to do what we can not obtained. He is faithful he will give you what you ask. It is in his will for you to desire him in this way. He will do it. Just ask.
Lord, the Spirit and the Bride say, COME! The South Shore says, Come! We long for you to set all things right, and to see you and to know you. Let the Spirit Show us any part of us that is not in alignment with this cry. We ask that you shake everything that can be shaken so that only spirit remains.
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9/25/12 Day 9 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Zealous For His Name
Numbers 25
Moab Seduces Israel
1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.3 So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord's anger burned against them.
4 The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
5 So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor."
6 Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand8 and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman's stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
10 The Lord said to Moses,11 "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal.12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."
Ezekiel 36
The Lord's Concern for His Holy Name
16 Again the word of the Lord came to me:17 "Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman's monthly uncleanness in my sight.18 So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, 'These are the Lord's people, and yet they had to leave his land.'21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.
22 "Therefore say to the Israelites, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
24 "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!
33 "'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.35 They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited."36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.' !!!!
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I Love the Bible. You could not make this stuff up. The Lord is shown honor by someone that stabs through not one but two people that where most likely going to commit a ritualistic sexual act in the temple, (in front of the alter, the one place on earth that the glory of God was in manifest form.) and then in Ezekiel 36, God compares us, (I say us, and not the Israelite's because the promise in the passage is foretelling of our present day.) his people to a woman's menstrual cycle. Boy, I can really pick some passages to look at... But, it's in the book, so we will look at it.
I Love the story of Phinehas in Numbers 25! I remember a number of years ago, I was using my commute to work to listen through the Bible. As I got to the end of this story, I was literally Yelling YAAAAAAAAAAA in my vehical!!! After I calmed down, I though, "This is strange." Even though I love a good testosterone movie like Brave Heart from time to time, I am generally more calm, even keeled, and have a easier connection with Gods Mercy than his Judgement. But where was this coming from? Then I feel that the Lord answered that question. His answer was, "I am giving you a Zeal for my name." In this story, it almost seems that the Lord is truly surprised with the free will choice that Phinehas made with the spear. I can just see Moses and the Lord having and exasperated conversation about how they are going to respond to this abomination, as they are both silenced by what they see out of the corner of their eyes. Phinehas, with spear in hand, steadily marching past them with his eyes fixed on purging the abomination from the camp, in zeal and love for his God. As you read the Lords response to this act, you can almost sense this, "Father Pride" like when a son hits a home run. I'm not saying that the Lord has any rejoicing in someones death, but I am saying that he has great concern for his Holy Name and how it is represented by his people. This must remain in the front of our thoughts as we look do do thing in His Name. I am also surprised my the covenant that the Lord makes in response. It was a covenant of Peace. Peace and Zeal almost seem like polar opposites but in fact, peace is the reward for a Zealous heart.
In Ezekiel 36, the Lord makes it abundantly clear that the outpouring of the Spirit, the very thing that we are crying out for, will not be done for our benefit, but first, in restoration of His Holy Name. Why does his name need to be restored? Because, we have profaned it. We have taken His Name in Vein. Taking the Lords name in vein is not just yelling it when we hit our thumb with a hammer, it is starting a ministry or program, or even a church with his Name on it, when it was nothing more than someones man made idea. It is representing God by condemning someone or a whole people group and turning your back on them for their sin, while you and half your church is in secret unconfessed sin. We have profaned his name. It is time to repent.
Lord, Forgive us for taking your Name in vein. Lord we ask that in repentance, you turn our selfishness into zeal for you. Lord, the Zeal that the first disciples that saw you face to face had, lead them to a martyrs death. Lord we ask for this zeal.
Amen
Intercession
Daniel 9
Daniel's Prayer for His People
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.8 To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us,t by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.14 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 "O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,t make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name."
Gabriel Brings an Answer
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God,21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.
Daniel 10
Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.t And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,t and I retained no strength.9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.12 Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
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These are possibly the best two examples of Intercession in all the scriptures! (Other than Christ's perfect intercession for the sons of God.) But, before we get into this model of intercession, I wanted to make some observations about how Daniel grew in Favor in the sight of God and man. Since the book of Daniel was written in a period of over 50 years, it allows us to see these leaps of depth that can only develop in a deepening relationship with our Father, the one that draws us in. In chapter 1, The Lord reveals his favor on Daniel by Choosing him out of the exiles for service to the King. In chapters 1-3, Daniel and those under him respond by taking radical steps in Obedience and faith in not eating the defiling food, interpreting the first dream, and at the fiery furnace. In chapters 4-5, Daniel is sought out by man because of the favor of the Lord, in the second dream and the writing on the wall. In chapter 6, Daniel is persecuted because of the favor of man and his obedience, at the lions den. In chapters 7-8, He receives Visions, and in the end of chapters 8-11, he receives visitations. I just wanted to show the relationship that had to develop to lead to the powerful prayers of Intercession in Chapters 9, and 10. Also I wanted to point out the progression of what the Lord calls him. Earlier on he is called "son of man" but later on he is called "Daniel, man greatly loved"
Intercession begins with knowing God. Daniel single handedly interceded for the nation of Israel and the Lord answered his prayers by making King Cyrus release them back to Jerusalem and fund the building of the temple. (I find it interesting that this is the same thing he did when Israel was released from Egypt as well. When they are released they also receive grace through super natural provision from the enemy.) But, Danial was given this ability by being able to perceive the will of the Lord.
That is what Intercession is. It is connecting with the Lords heart for what "should be" according to his will. What it really comes down to is dominion. We were given dominion over the earth in the garden. We handed it over to the enemy. The Lord took it back at the cross and gives it to those that love him, to destroy the works of the devil. That is why we pray, "Let your Kingdom come, Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The power in intercession is in relationship, knowing that our Dad is the King of the universe and that He wants to give us the authority he won on the cross to release his will every were that we go. But he doesn't want us to do this in boisterous arrogance. Instead he wants us to do it as Daniel did when it was said to him, "from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard." And, in the way that Jesus did, in meekness and humility.
Lord, I thank you for Daniel and all that he has to teach us. I thank you for showing us in chapter 10, what happens in the spirit when we pray. Lord help us to learn more as we read you word, and ultimately know you more.
Amen
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9/21/12 Day 5
Galatians 3
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."t12 But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spiritt through faith.
2 Corinthians 3
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplatet the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 10
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
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It has been discerned by many, and does not take a strong gift of discernment to see that there is a stronghold of carnal religion in the South Shore Region. I included these scriptures today so that we can use them to seek the Lord for his wisdom in how we can enter the spiritual battle and tear down this stronghold and in so doing, open the eyes of the blind, release the captive, and give liberty to the Spirit of God to flow in all man.
Earlier this year I felt that the Lord lead me to do a slow study on Galatians as well as directing me to Luther's commentary on Galatians and Bunyan's "Grace Abounding to the Chief of All Sinners," Which I was unaware at the time, was heavily influenced by Luther's commentary. I had also at the time, been battling frustration. I realized that, much of the source of the frustration was seeing my insufficiency in comparison to the life of power and love that is descried in the New Testament. I realized some time into this study that it was taking aim at this frustration.
As I had been noticing this I began seeing frustration on many people in the church. It was almost like a garment that people are wearing, sometimes almost willingly as if it was taken on as a burden of the Lord. But the Lord then reminded me that later in Galatians Paul discusses the fruits of the Spirit and does not list frustration. As I thought this, I reminded the Lord that his words were the strongest in the scriptures when discussing our urgency and devotion to him. I felt His answer to that is that the burden of the Lord is there to create tension but not frustration. If we are in frustration than it is a result of trying to force our promise by human effort, and frustration is one of the fruits of the "curse of the Galatians". When we try to obtain the promise by human effort, we are partnering with the curse of the Galatians, and stepping back into slavery.
I feel that this has been a year that the Lord has been showing all of us our lack. Nearly everyone I know that is chasing after God has been struggling this year with their insufficiency to the abundant life of Christ and our current reality. I feel that God is bringing us to a cross road. The narrow path is dependence, reliance on Jesus, being lead by the Spirit, faith, and trust. The wide path is, human effort, self reliance, hastiness, and frustration (The curse of the Galatians). I feel the Lord is bringing many of us back to the cross roads and giving us another chance to choose.
Lord, give us discernment in recognizing and tearing down the strongholds in our lives. And then, We ask you to give us your authority and wisdom to do battle in our land.
Amen
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9/22/12 Day 6 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Faith Word Study
Matthew 8:26
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
Matthew 9:29
Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
Matthew 13:58
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 14:31
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 21:21
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.
Mark 2:5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Mark 5:34
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
Mark 10:52
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 8:25
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
Luke 8:48
Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
Luke 17: 5-9
5The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
6He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
7"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
Luke 17:19
Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Luke 18:8
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Luke 18:42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."
John 14:12
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
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I love word studies! These are just some examples of the use of the word FAITH in the Gospels. I encourage you to read these passages slowly... If one jumps out at you, than grab your bible and read it's context. As you do you will start to notice that there is a DRAMATIC gap between the promises about faith and our current reality. We may have read these passages in the past and dismissed, or diminished them as exaggerations or assumed that Jesus could reap the rewards of faith because he is God. But, Jesus did not exaggerate. Jesus layed down his divinity, and everything he did in faith was done in connection to the Father and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus whole life was an example of what man can do in union with God. If the acts of Jesus where done out of divinity than we can not call his life an example.
What do we put our faith in. Jesus said that we would do greater things than he. Mark's gospel says that "signs" would follow the believers. Something my pastor say frequently is, "Faith is the currency of heaven. And, I think he is right. If we put our all of our faith in the government, financial systems of the world, and modern medicine, than we can only reap the rewards that they have to offer. Many times we turn to faith as a last resort, when those things fail us. But, if we had our faith in thing of this world to begin with, than we have already said to the Lord that we do not need him. Faith must be cultivated over a life time and not in times of crisis. I am not saying that any of those things are bad. In fact they are authorities that are ordained by God and in place for our benefit. But, if our faith is in them and not God, than we can obtain nothing higher than what they have to offer.
Lord, show us the sandy foundations that we put our faith in, and help us to built upon the rock.
Amen
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9/22/12 Day 6 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Faith Word Study
Matthew 8:26
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
Matthew 9:29
Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
Matthew 13:58
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 14:31
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 21:21
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.
Mark 2:5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Mark 5:34
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
Mark 10:52
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 8:25
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
Luke 8:48
Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
Luke 17: 5-9
5The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
6He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
7"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
Luke 17:19
Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Luke 18:8
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Luke 18:42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."
John 14:12
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
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I love word studies! These are just some examples of the use of the word FAITH in the Gospels. I encourage you to read these passages slowly... If one jumps out at you, than grab your bible and read it's context. As you do you will start to notice that there is a DRAMATIC gap between the promises about faith and our current reality. We may have read these passages in the past and dismissed, or diminished them as exaggerations or assumed that Jesus could reap the rewards of faith because he is God. But, Jesus did not exaggerate. Jesus layed down his divinity, and everything he did in faith was done in connection to the Father and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus whole life was an example of what man can do in union with God. If the acts of Jesus where done out of divinity than we can not call his life an example.
What do we put our faith in. Jesus said that we would do greater things than he. Mark's gospel says that "signs" would follow the believers. Something my pastor say frequently is, "Faith is the currency of heaven. And, I think he is right. If we put our all of our faith in the government, financial systems of the world, and modern medicine, than we can only reap the rewards that they have to offer. Many times we turn to faith as a last resort, when those things fail us. But, if we had our faith in thing of this world to begin with, than we have already said to the Lord that we do not need him. Faith must be cultivated over a life time and not in times of crisis. I am not saying that any of those things are bad. In fact they are authorities that are ordained by God and in place for our benefit. But, if our faith is in them and not God, than we can obtain nothing higher than what they have to offer.
Lord, show us the sandy foundations that we put our faith in, and help us to built upon the rock.
Amen
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9/23/12 Day 7 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Israel
Luke 13
Lament over Jerusalem
it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.'34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"Luke 19
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Nehemiah 1
Report from Jerusalem
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital,t2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.3 And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."
Nehemiah's Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.5 And I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned.7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.'10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
Deuteronomy 30
Repentance and Forgiveness
1 "And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,2 and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.
Romans 11
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You can not read more than two or three pages in the scriptures with out hearing the Lords heart cry for Jerusalem and Israel. I do not want to do too much commentary on this subject, because I want the scriptures to speak for themselves. The fact is that, we as westerners with two thousand years of time separating us from the writing of the Bible, may have a difficult time connecting with the Lords burden for Israel. But, as we said in the previous days, our objective in prayer is to pray for the Lords will to be done and that his Kingdom would come on earth as it is in Heaven. By reading these scriptures, as well as many, many more, we see that the Lords will for Israel is very clear.
Lord, As Gentiles, we ask that you give us your heart for Israel, and that you quicken the day when we will all be gathered in from the ends of the earth.
Amen
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9/24/12 Day 8 (continue down on the page for previous days)
The Waiting Bride
Romans 8
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.
Revelation 19
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
Ephesians 5
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansingt her by the washing with water through the word,27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—30 for we are members of his body.31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."t32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
2 Peter 3
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
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In that last passage, Peter says, "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" Wow. Have you ever thought about that? Peter is saying that we have a part to play in the timing of Jesus return. That is astonishing!!! This does not seem consistent with what I was taught growing up. I was taught that only the Father know, not even the angels or even the son know the day of the Lord. Which is true but, in teaching this it was implied that we are to just lock down the doors of the church, have an annual out reach and wait for the destruction to happen our to be beamed up when the Father wrist watch passes twelve (depending on your pre or post trib stance which was also debated at every possible chance.) These passages shows that we have much more of a part than passively waiting or not waiting at all.
But, please do not hear this with shame or condemnation. It completely goes against every natural fiber of our humanity to long for a place or a person that we have never seen with our natural eyes or heard with our natural ears. That is why we talked about knowing him on day three. Really knowing, spirit to Spirit, that you Know him.
The Good news is, If you do not feel this longing, or groaning, or love sickness in your spirit, you can ask the Lord for it. It is commanded that we should, and we know that we would not command us to do what we can not obtained. He is faithful he will give you what you ask. It is in his will for you to desire him in this way. He will do it. Just ask.
Lord, the Spirit and the Bride say, COME! The South Shore says, Come! We long for you to set all things right, and to see you and to know you. Let the Spirit Show us any part of us that is not in alignment with this cry. We ask that you shake everything that can be shaken so that only spirit remains.
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9/25/12 Day 9 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Zealous For His Name
Numbers 25
Moab Seduces Israel
1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.3 So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord's anger burned against them.
4 The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
5 So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor."
6 Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand8 and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman's stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
10 The Lord said to Moses,11 "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal.12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."
Ezekiel 36
The Lord's Concern for His Holy Name
16 Again the word of the Lord came to me:17 "Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman's monthly uncleanness in my sight.18 So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, 'These are the Lord's people, and yet they had to leave his land.'21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.
22 "Therefore say to the Israelites, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
24 "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!
33 "'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.35 They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited."36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.' !!!!
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I Love the Bible. You could not make this stuff up. The Lord is shown honor by someone that stabs through not one but two people that where most likely going to commit a ritualistic sexual act in the temple, (in front of the alter, the one place on earth that the glory of God was in manifest form.) and then in Ezekiel 36, God compares us, (I say us, and not the Israelite's because the promise in the passage is foretelling of our present day.) his people to a woman's menstrual cycle. Boy, I can really pick some passages to look at... But, it's in the book, so we will look at it.
I Love the story of Phinehas in Numbers 25! I remember a number of years ago, I was using my commute to work to listen through the Bible. As I got to the end of this story, I was literally Yelling YAAAAAAAAAAA in my vehical!!! After I calmed down, I though, "This is strange." Even though I love a good testosterone movie like Brave Heart from time to time, I am generally more calm, even keeled, and have a easier connection with Gods Mercy than his Judgement. But where was this coming from? Then I feel that the Lord answered that question. His answer was, "I am giving you a Zeal for my name." In this story, it almost seems that the Lord is truly surprised with the free will choice that Phinehas made with the spear. I can just see Moses and the Lord having and exasperated conversation about how they are going to respond to this abomination, as they are both silenced by what they see out of the corner of their eyes. Phinehas, with spear in hand, steadily marching past them with his eyes fixed on purging the abomination from the camp, in zeal and love for his God. As you read the Lords response to this act, you can almost sense this, "Father Pride" like when a son hits a home run. I'm not saying that the Lord has any rejoicing in someones death, but I am saying that he has great concern for his Holy Name and how it is represented by his people. This must remain in the front of our thoughts as we look do do thing in His Name. I am also surprised my the covenant that the Lord makes in response. It was a covenant of Peace. Peace and Zeal almost seem like polar opposites but in fact, peace is the reward for a Zealous heart.
In Ezekiel 36, the Lord makes it abundantly clear that the outpouring of the Spirit, the very thing that we are crying out for, will not be done for our benefit, but first, in restoration of His Holy Name. Why does his name need to be restored? Because, we have profaned it. We have taken His Name in Vein. Taking the Lords name in vein is not just yelling it when we hit our thumb with a hammer, it is starting a ministry or program, or even a church with his Name on it, when it was nothing more than someones man made idea. It is representing God by condemning someone or a whole people group and turning your back on them for their sin, while you and half your church is in secret unconfessed sin. We have profaned his name. It is time to repent.
Lord, Forgive us for taking your Name in vein. Lord we ask that in repentance, you turn our selfishness into zeal for you. Lord, the Zeal that the first disciples that saw you face to face had, lead them to a martyrs death. Lord we ask for this zeal.
Amen
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9/26/12 Day 10 (continue down on the page for previous days)
Exodus 2
God Hears Israel's Groaning
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.25 God saw the people of Israel—and God acknowledged them.
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I first wanted to thank any and all of you that have been participating in any way with this 10 day journey of joint prayer and fasting. During this time, I have been asking people what the Lord has been doing in them, in nearly every case I have heard some common themes, and maybe you will relate to it as well. The things that I have continuously heard is that the Lord has been doing a deep personal work specifically in regards to the fear of man, and in humility. But, the most consistent thing that I have heard is that their has been a quickening in this growth. I believe this is directly related to the volume of player that are coming up together and attracting specific attention from our father God. He is remembering his covenant and is acknowledging his people.
This short passage in Exodus 2, is what birthed this burden in my my heart. It was so illuminated when I read it, it was like the Lord lit a fire in my soul that has been burning ever since. Bellow I am including my journal entry from this revelation.
9-28-2009
I feel that God revealed something to me while I was reading the book of Exodus the other morning. Exodus 2:24 says that God heard the groans of the Israelites and remembered his covenant with them. This made me think about our region. I wondered how many people in the church are truly living in covenant with God or how many people understand that this New Covenant can only be given by God, the mediator of the covenant. You could say that followers of Jesus are those whom God has revealed his covenant to through revelation and that, their repentance and surrendering is the open gate to this covenant. God says in verses 23-24, "Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant". When I heard this I asked myself, “What changed in the hearts of the Israelites after 400 years that made the groans and cries attract the attention of our GOD?!?!?” Then I could see in my “minds eye” a global view of eastern MA with sporadic lights that almost looked like flairs rising up through the atmosphere. I immediately realized that the lights were the prayers of God’s people. The prayers for more of God's presence in our lives and in our physical region from those who are in covenant with God and have had this desire given to them by the father. I then could see almost in outline form, The Throne Room of God and Jesus was instructing an angel to collect the prayers from our region as incense in a large Golden Bowl. I could see the prayers of the people falling into this gold bowl one by one and very slowly, bairly filling the bottom of the bowl. At first the angel seemed almost disappointed with this assignment, but then Jesus instructed the Angel that soon the people will come together with one voice and the bowl will overflow rapidly. Then the bowl will be poured on the altar before Jesus in full Glory and the smoke will rise up as an aroma pleasing to the LORD and he will see the faces of those who desperately need his covenant restored in their hearts. He and the Father will then be moved to restore His covenant, He will pour out his Spirit, and many hearts of stone will be replaced with hearts of flesh, and He will write His laws and decrease on the souls of many, and His presence will be great because there will be a sanctuary worthy of it. And then we will know that he is our God and we are his people.
Some time later I came across these passages in Revelation that I felt brought some conformation to what the Lord was showing me.
Revelation 5
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.9 And they sang a new song, saying: t“You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God tby Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 8
3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Another interesting and confirming thing is that when I looked this journal entry up, I noticed the date. 9-28-09. I looked up this date on the Jewish calender in 2009, and found that it was on Yom Kippur. "10 Days of Prayer," which I had never heard of was finishing up for that year in the city of Lowell MA. Possibly this burden that the Lord was birthing in me was directly related to the prayers that were coming up before the Lord in that 10 Days of Prayer.
Lord, As this 10 Days is coming to an end, We ask that you pour the prayers of your people upon the alter that burn continuously before your throne. We ask that you hear the cries of the afflicted, and restore the New Covenant in the Hearts of your people, and that you pour out your Spirit, and heal this Land. And Thank you Lord!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Bless you!!! Bless you!!! We exalt your Holy Name!!!
Amen
