Praying for Your City

A group from our church has been meeting each Wednesday morning to pray an hour over our city and the surrounding areas.   

Pastor gave me permission to prepare a “focus” for our praying.  Today’s “Focus is at the bottom of this page and is in Red. 

I wanted to do a search to see how others were praying for their city and found Ann Kramer, a mother of 5 and an intercessor.  Her post below is edited from one of her posts about praying for the nation. Copies are permitted, as long as they are not sold.

 

 Intercessors For A Righteous Nation

by Ann Kramer, Founder and President

The Lord has been moving upon our hearts as intercessors for the last several years to pray IDENTIFICATIONAL PRAYER (prayers of repentance) over our cities. This is a part of the PRIESTLY role of intercession.

This foundation is absolutely necessary for us to lay in order to see God move in our cities. 

Identificational prayers remove the barriers that hinder our cities from experiencing a Divine visitation, because God’s CHARACTER is holy, righteous, just and true. Therefore, He cannot look upon sin.  

However, His NATURE is love, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, etc. On one hand, his CHARACTER prevents Him from intervening, but His NATURE is always yearning to reach out. 

That is why He is looking for an intercessor to give Him an excuse to intervene. 

So, as we COVER and REMIT the sins of our cities, both past and present, God is free to intervene without compromising His holiness. What does it mean to REMIT sin?  

REMIT means to forgive, to surrender the right of punishment, to pardon, to restore, and to disregard an offense. 

What does it mean to COVER sin? Proverbs 10:12 says, “LOVE covers ALL transgressions.” True prayer is ALWAYS born out of LOVE.  

If we find ourselves focusing only upon the sin of our cities, with a desire to see God JUDGE them, we are NOT moving in the Spirit of Christ.  

The church was not created to execute GOD’S WRATH upon MANKIND. On the contrary, He has created His church to extend His MERCY and REDEMPTION to MANKIND, and to EXECUTE JUDGMENT upon the POWERS of DARKNESS that would  hold them in bondage.       (Excerpt from Ann Kramer’s Post)

Prayer Focus: for our City Prayer Walk

1. Repent for your sins and the sins of the people. Jesus said whose ever sins you remit they shall be remitted.

2. Ask God to forgive your sins and the sins of the people.

3. Request God to flood your spirit and the spirits of the people with the Light of His Salvation.

4. Request an outpouring of the Holy Spirit over this entire area flowing out to flood other cities and States.

5. Pray for blessings to be over all those you have prayed for including yourself.

 

Standing in the Gap

 

Today’s sermon by Pastor Allan is digested from my notes.  Pastor stated that our congregation today was a small crowd, but small groups should not scare us.

Jesus began with a small company of followers.  Gideon’s band was reduced to a small number that God could use mightily.  Be faithful in your walk.  We are here to serve and to expect the Supernatural to happen.  There is a wide spread move of God happening.

Ezekiel 22:30 (KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Our country is disgracing a lot of us with what they call entertainment.  Even the commercials are telling us that wrong lifestyles are normal.  They desire to shame us to NOT stand up for righteousness.  We are right in the middle of a transforming attitude that is being forced on us to believe that sin is normal.

We have loved ones deep in sin, and we love them for who they are and not because of the wrong choices they made.

Who will stand in the gap for these we know, who need deliverance?

We are talking about people who have NO desire to know God.

Pastor stated that he wanted a church willing to stand in the gap.  Write down their name and what is needed in their life, and it is between you and Jesus.  We will place them on a bulletin board that carries the Title, “Power of Prayer.”  Don’t carry your burden alone.

We can reverse the Curse with Intercessory Prayer, in behalf of another. That is standing in the gap.

The seed was sown in the man’s heart and he came searching for Jesus.  When he found him the man said to Jesus, “Come heal my son who is dying.”  Jesus said, “Your son lives because you believe.

We have access to Christ Jesus, and there is a new generation who don’t know anything about Him.  Our faith has been altered and weakened because we often pray, “If you want to you can heal? Or if it is your will to heal and if not make them comfortable.”

The woman with the issue of blood had tried everything available but received no help. When she heard of Jesus, she pushed in, pressing into the crowd so she could touch even the hem of His garment.  She refused to take no for an answer.

So many are out there are without a praying grandmother or family member.  They have grown up in a Godless society.

We are to intercede even if it “seems hopeless.”  Even if you are weak in faith, you are qualified to intercede and to stand in the gap.

Remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for it is God’s will to protect Israel and he promises favor over those who pray thus.

Look around you and see the faces, even if you don’t know their names, pray for those faces.  The enemy has broken into our families and broken the security.  Prayer will heal the breach.  Pray for your family, your neighbors, your city and its officials, and your Nation.

^{James 5:15} And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

We need the supernatural.  It might not be as you expect, for God is not in a box.

In the Bible, there was a crazy man who lived in the tombs.  Many like him are walking our streets today.

God says, ‘I hear your voices and your cry and it is not in vain.

 

 

 

His Banker Said No

 Montgomery Ward Store Demolished in 2003

 

Our friend Bob Hall worked at the Old Montgomery Ward Catalog store in Oakland, until he retired after 30 years. 

 

Bob was the manager of the floor where the girls used roller skates to find items for customers from the catalog department.  The items were placed into bins until the entire order was ready.  Then they were sent down a shoot to the basement where customers waited for their purchase.

Bob and his wife lived in a small apartment two short blocks from the store and each day he walked back and forth to work and home. 

As a young man, the owner of his apartment offered to sell him the apartment building and told him the other units would pay him rent and eventually the building would be his free and clear. 

Mr. Hall went to a "friend" at his bank and asked him if he thought this was a good deal.  The bank advisor told him, "No it was a poor investment," and not to buy it.

Mr. Hall respected the opinion of his banker friend so he passed on the purchase.

For the next 30 years he paid the new owner rent for his apartment; the total amount was much over the price of the building he had been offered.

I remember Bob telling my husband and me this story of an opportunity lost and how he wished he had not listened to his friend. 

 

He retired a foolish man, but he made a wise decision when he began to attend church and accepted Jesus as his Savior.  He was ready to ask God to help him purchase a house.  Through another true friend, he did purchase a nice home for him and his wife and they lived a happy life. 

Perhaps at times you have listened to the advice of your friends and later regretted your choices.

Possibly you have been influenced by the media, TV, movies, or Professors at school, and you have been trying to “Fit In,” with society and the new standards being so blatantly displayed everywhere.

Sin is sin, and today it plainly has an abundance of new names.

Jesus Breaks Every Chain

Repentance is an old time word, but it basically means to turn from the path you were following and take a new road.

Friends you consider good friends will tell you, “Come let us party and feel good, life is short so let’s live it up.” Your ‘good’ friends will lead you straight to Hell if you listen to them.

Jesus offers you His Salvation, and says, "Come onto me and I will give you everlasting life."

I must also say that no matter how ruined you think you life is, God is able to turn it around.  Our Heavenly Father holds out his arms to welcome you, if you will come to Him.

Say this sort prayer; “God have mercy on me a sinner, and I ask Jesus to come into my life and make me new.”

Begin to read your Bible and start with the New Testament. 

 

Find a good Bible Believing Church where the praise and worship thrills your soul, and attend it regularly.  Join in with their small groups and Bible studies and get involved.  

 

Last but not least –

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Remember the Sabbath Day

 

 Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it Holy

The Fourth Commandment was the subject for our Bible Study at Open Door Church.

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

In Genesis 1:1-5 God divided the time, evening, night, morning, day and set in motion the shifting of each 24 hour day.  Each of 6 days, God created something new with his Word, and He said it was good. The 7^th day God rested.

The day of rest is important. 

Most of sitting there in class, were feeling pretty smug, because here we were in Church on a Sunday.  The thing is – none of us were saying how we planned to spend the rest of the day. 

Society is changing and many stores, restaurants, service stations and even banks are now open on Sunday.  Sunday is a big day for recreation and sports.

God’s law stands; One day in seven is a time of rest, avoiding the work that can wait until another day.  Spending time in the Word and bending our knees to worship will bring us time to take a breath and rest.

We realize there are some things that must be done, such as caring for your family, and your animals.  Let us be honest, some jobs require someone to be on duty on a Sunday, such as hospitals, and emergency rooms.  Usually schedules are arranged so there is at least one day out of 7 given to Sunday workers.  Use that rest day to spend time with God.

The children of Israel were slaves for 400 years and Labor was a mindset; in order to eat and survive.  God said, “That is enough, I will bring you out of Egypt and you will be free.” 

They needed to learn new habits.  God said that He would provide food for them 6 days, and to rest on the 7^th day.  They were told to only take enough for each day or it would spoil.  On the 6^th day, they were to gather twice as much to carry over to the 7^th day.

Slaves’ work 7 days a week, and we were meant to be free and not a slave.  Animals that work also need a day of rest.  Why is that important?  Even a slave and animals have rights and dignity says they need a day of rest. 

In comparison, Salvation makes us free.  We are no longer slaves to Sin.  No matter where you are or where you have been in life, you must define your new identity in Christ.  Remember whose you are.

For us, fresh manna each day is time spent in God’s word.  Pay attention to instruction and detail.

After 40 years of supply and provision, now it came time to trust God to take care of them.

He is a Holy God and it is a huge shift from slavery to freedom.

You can depend on God to lead and guide you as you obey His word. 

 

Labor for 6 days to provide for your living.  Keep the Sabbath Day Holy and you shall be blessed.

 

Decree As You Pray

Decree a Thing and it Shall Be Established

 

As Pastor Allan began his message, he reminded the congregation that on Wednesday mornings a group has been meeting at the Oroville Dam to pray over our city and the surrounding areas.

Pastor stated to allow God to show you how to pray over your city, your families and your daily work.  Then declare in your prayer what God is showing you.

Job 22:28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established for you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.

In church this morning enjoy the music, but enter into His presence, then go as soldiers taking God’s presence with you out into your world.

Before Jesus came, someone had to prepare the way.  We pray to clear the way for revival.  Not because we are special, but corporate united prayers are powerful.

Repentance is the bottom line.  Toss aside "religious" thoughts, and open your heart to Jesus and his forgiveness.  You may be going against what you have been taught in a Traditional Church or New Age teaching.  This is frightening to some because entering into God’s very presence is new and scary.  God is on the move and our responsibility is to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. 

Oroville is getting National attention.  Our city has been awarded free Fire Works.  Let the Fire of God begin here in our city and spread out to surrounding areas.

What does your neighbor see when they look at you and your life style?  We are to be separate and set apart from the world.  Allow Jesus to be seen IN you.

Remember the first time you invited Jesus into your life and the joy, you experienced.  Each day, open the door of your heart to daily experience the presence of Jesus afresh.

Learn to walk in the Spirit and we shall see miracles.  Do not be afraid, but step out boldly in His name.  God desires to use you as you listen and obey His voice.

Job 22:21 "Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you. ²² Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart. ²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents. ²⁴ Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. ²⁵ Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver; ²⁶ For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God. ²⁷ You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you,  And you will pay your vows.

Our city was built upon the Gold rush, but the gold ran out and left poverty and a waste land.  Let the Almighty God be your gold, silver and precious jewels. 

Repentance is needed. We as believers need to ask God to examine our hearts and stop doing the things he shows us that are not pleasing to Him.  It is time to quit fighting the Holy Spirit and make the changes in your life He is revealing.

Joshua was speaking to the Children of Israel and said,  “Choose this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Daniel purposed in his heart that he would NOT defile himself and he was honored by the king.

Have a thirst for righteousness and allow it to satisfy you as a drink of cool water.  Pull the plug of distraction and do what ever it takes, to walk with God.  Let God’s Word change you.

Pastor Allan prayed, "Lord I declare and decree today that you might use your people to make a difference as they pray and that you will bring repentance to our families, our neighbors and to our city.  Then may your light of blessing shine upon our land."

 

 

 

I Believe: God is Sufficient   By Guest Roy Lessin
  

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV

I believe God is wholly sufficient. I believe I am complete in Him, because in Him there is no lack, no want, and no deficiency. My sufficiency is not based on my personality, but His power; not on my pocket-book, but His riches; not my popularity, but His favor; not on my position, but His reign; not my performance, but His grace.

I am fully sufficient in His sufficiency—in Him, I am not partially content, but completely satisfied; not somewhat pleased but totally delighted; not temporarily happy, but eternally overjoyed. I believe God knows what’s best, has what’s best, gives what’s best, and allows me, by His grace, to receive His best each day.

I believe that from Him are all things—He is the source, the headwaters, the spring, the foundation, the starting place of all the good, the grace, and the blessings that come into my life.

I believe that through Him are all things—He is not only the source but the resource of all I need. All things come from Him and all things are accomplished through Him. I go through the day with His supply, I serve with His strength, I give with His generosity, I endure with His grace, I touch with His compassion, I stand with His authority, I speak with His words, I embrace with His love.

I believe that to Him are all things—He is the end of all things, the reason, the motivation, and the inspiration for all I do. What I do, I do for Him; where I go, I go for Him. All that I have I lay at His feet, all that I am I place in His hands, all that I need I rest in His care. To Him be the glory, the praise, the adoration, the appreciation, and the celebration, always and forever.
*****

"Believing comes from the very depths of who we are.  Believing is not rooted in what we know in our heads, but in what we have embraced with our hearts.”

Through this powerful devotional booklet, Roy Lessin, co-founder of DaySpring, invites us as believers to stand upon the truth of God – to confess with confidence, clarity, and conviction, God’s truth to be so in our lives! After each ‘I Believe’ declaration, Roy follows with insightful confessions of truth, that will encourage and strengthen the hearts of every believer.

You can find this Devotional Booklet in printed form here, and as an e-booklet here. DaySpring also offers an “I Believe” product line to help you to express and share your faith! You can find some of those products here.

CA Prayer Warriors - Let's Agree with this Prayer: The DROUGHT IS OVER!

(My Note:) This vision and prophesy given to Jennifer Eivaz

was on the Elijah list and It needs sharing - -

especially California Prayer Warriors

 

Jennifer Eivaz
Harvest Christian Center
Turlock California

Jennifer Eivaz: "The DROUGHT IS OVER! A Prophetic Word for California and How it Will Affect the Nation"

Word of the Lord: "The Drought is Over"

I was enjoying the cool beach air and the light rain in Carmel, California last week, as I took some personal time to think about and work on some writing assignments. The atmosphere was spiritually open and I sensed the prophetic anointing the moment I arrived. I normally encounter moderate to severe spiritual problems in each city I travel to, requiring a day or two of focused prayer just to find my balance. This time it was different and I was just grateful to have the peace of God on the very first day.

As I was walking towards the beach, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to my heart. He said, "The drought is over." I didn't react, but continued to listen. He repeated it again saying, "The drought is over and the rains are coming back to California." California has been in a physical drought for three or four years officially and has been rationing water. I live in the farm belt of California and water is critical to our economy. I've had prophetic words connected to the appearance of rain in the past, but this time it felt like a much stronger word.

Elijah and Intercessory Prayer

I suddenly connected the analogy of Elijah on Mt. Carmel in I Kings 18 and my personal trip to Carmel, California. The opening verse of this chapter is a specific instruction to Elijah from the Lord to "present yourself to Ahab and I will send rain on the earth." They too were in their third year of drought and without a word from the Lord, it was not going to change. It was also the set-up for that famous showdown between the prophets of Baal, Jezebel, and the prophet Elijah.

I believe this was a God-ordained coincidence as I've had my own dealings with the spirit of Jezebel in California. I keep prophetic watch for the state and intercede deeply for it. This prophetic watch began with a vision about eight years ago that would play repeatedly inside my imagination. I kept seeing a scene of a mother bear fighting for her cubs. It reminded me of the bear on the California state flag, but I didn't connect it until a visiting minister from England came to speak at our church. She had shared a prophetic word about the coming glory revival for the state of California.

When she shared the word, a prophetic burden came on me from the Lord and I began to fight in prayer for the children of California like a mother who had lost her "cubs.



 

Soon after, I also had a visitation from an angel with instructions on how to intercede for the state. I can't give all the details here, but one of the instructions was to:

Ask the Lord for the anointing of Elijah to come upon the state to first reconcile families and second to destroy Jezebel (Mal. 4:5-6).

As my intercessory teams and I obeyed the Lord to pray, we experienced very complex spiritual warfare that told us to never be complacent about the sick and violent assignments against children.

The Jezebel spirit hates and destroys children and we were to pray always. We've continued our intercession for California and have not given the Lord rest on this matter (Isaiah. 62:7).

Prophetic Dream: Storms of Glory Coming to the Church

At the end of my week in Carmel, the Lord gave me a prophetic dream. I was in a two-story educational facility in the middle of a well-watered, lush valley and hillside. The facility didn't belong to me, but in the dream I held authority to provide counsel within this building. I only saw one room on the top floor, but it needed some attention! It was dusty and the furniture was all out of place. I looked out the window and watched a white tornado hit a home about 1/3rd of a mile away. It flattened the garage and then went through the interior and gutted the inside. I also knew there were 30 tornadoes coming towards this educational facility very soon. The facility leader was a pretty red-haired woman who had a small company of followers with her. I warned her in the dream about the coming white tornadoes.

The timing of this dream concerned me at first. Understand that I had heard a specific prophetic word about rain and then I had a specific dream about the coming tornadoes! The very next day after this dream, and as many of you have read, there were dangerous rain downpours in the mid-west with tornadoes touching down in different places as well. In all sensitivity, I don't think my word and dream were about the mid-west situation, although it can appear that way on the surface.

I have too much intercessory history with California and it resonated with me to be more about the West Coast with promising implications for the rest of the United States. I wanted to make that clear and to remain sensitive to the serious weather mayhem that occurred with all prayerfulness.

Storm Clouds

With that being said, what is God saying? First of all, to California He is saying: there are storms, actually movements, of white glory coming to the Church.

This is good news. It's a deep glory, it's full of His holiness, and has movement on it. Ultimately, this is about the salvation of souls and advancing the Kingdom of God in ways we couldn't make happen on our own.

This glory "movement" will first challenge anything out of order by removing it or cleaning it out.

If you are a pastor, you will most likely experience your church being sifted. People who aren't with you will be moved out. You need them to go so you can move forward. Set your heart to NOT stay in grief, to NOT be bitter, but to praise Him because it needed to happen. (Photo via Wikipedia)

For others, this will challenge your friendships for the same reason. Your friendships and relationships will be reordered so you can run with those who are willing to run. We are also going to learn on a whole new level that just being sincere is not enough. Sincerity must also host the Presence of God to be effective. We will have to be in step with what God is doing and really learn how to carry the Glory of God in a way that "moves." It will be a new thing for many of us. Glory!

For the rest of the nation, here is what I believe God is doing in connection with this white glory – this "movement" coming to California. Former San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom, once said, "What happens in California will happen everywhere" (my paraphrase.)

I'm not in agreement with most of the former mayor's stances, but many of us heard the prophetic word in his statements.

(The Holy Spirit does prophesy through unbelievers on occasion: John 11:49-51.)

When I was attending college in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I began to notice a weather pattern. When it rained in California, that storm would many times show up three or four days later in Oklahoma. It would pick up force along the way, however, and be much stronger once it came to the mid-west. I believe this is a prophetic illustration for us.

This glory movement coming to California will travel through the United States and pick up force along the way as it travels into different states.

California is a "Revivalist" State

California is a historical "well" for revivalists and revival movements. God blesses each state with its own glory and we recognize California as a consistent carrier of revival. I'm not saying that powerful moves of God will never start anywhere else. Of course they will! Either way, we can always count on California to bring forth a move of God and she's going to birth another.

Rain (Photo via Pixabay)

When Elijah heard from the Lord about the rain, he didn't sit there. He went into a cave and actively prayed for the rain to come. With that said, I actively make the decree to California, "Your drought is over. The rains are coming!" Go ahead and receive this for yourself and receive it for the Body of Christ. When the physical rains come, recognize it as a blessing.

The Lord spoke to me a few years ago out of Deut. 28:12 and said, "When you see the rain, know that I am blessing all the works of your hands." With that said, we bless the rain.

We don't curse it, complain against it, or accept the attitude that it inconveniences us. We bless the rain!

Finally, how do we prepare ourselves for these "white glory" movements coming to our lives and to our churches? I haven't experienced this before in the way I see it coming, and honestly feel inadequate to instruct for it.

I do know the Word, however. It says, "The Lord God is a sun and shield, He gives grace and glory..." (Psalms. 84:11). I believe that God shines His light on what needs to be seen and He then shields your heart as you see it. This helps us to see what needs to be set in order in our lives with joy and not condemnation. He also gives grace at the same time He's giving glory. He's not bringing a glory movement to California and then to the nation so we can fail at it. There will be His grace to match His glory.

Jennifer Eivaz, Executive Pastor
Harvest Christian Center, Turlock, CA
Email: Asst2jeneivaz@harvestturlock.org
Website: jennifereivaz.com

Jennifer Eivaz is a vibrant minister and international conference speaker who carries the wisdom and fire of the Holy Spirit. She presently serves as an Executive Pastor with Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and is focused on raising up a passionate and effective prayer community that is tempered with love and hears the voice of God accurately. Jennifer loves the presence of God and is a prophetic voice to her Church and to others. Her teaching style is authentic and aimed at the heart, having been built on her personal testimony of God's incredible goodness and miraculous display in her life and in the life of her Church. Jennifer is a graduate of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is married to HCC's Senior Pastor Ron Eivaz, and they have two wonderful children. She has written a book called The Intercessor's Handbook.

 

Birthdays Come Once a Year

 

A few days ago, Friday May 22 to be exact, was my 84^th Birthday.  My Daughter Judie has been wanting to visit my new church so we conversed on Face Book.  Her long time friend Judy who calls me Aunt Hazel also wanted to come and bring her good friend Liz and my daughter decided my Birthday week end would be a good time. 

 

My daughter Judie expanded the celebration by saying she wanted to take me to Bethel Redding for the Friday night service and attend the healing rooms Saturday morning from 9:00 am to 12:01 pm.  Her friends were up for the entire package too. 

On Friday my daughter Becky had returned home from a wedding, so she and my granddaughter Ashley joined the four of us at Tong Fong Low in our city.  What a joyous time we had and more food than we could eat.  We returned home first and told my husband Robert to enjoy Chinese tonight.  

 

Robert said, this is a girl thing so go and have fun.

Soon the four of us headed for Bethel, Redding, California where Chris Gore was the Friday night speaker.  The worship time was tremendous as the Holy Spirit moved even in the overflow room where we were assigned as the auditorium was full to capacity. 

 

We visited the gift shop and I purchased a book by Mark Chironna, “The Panoramic SEER, Bringing the Prophetic into the Healing Anointing.”

You might wonder what is a “Seer”?  When one is baptized in the Holy Spirit, the evidence is speaking in other tongues, and this is a powerful gift especially in prayer, but there are other gifts of the Holy Spirit.  A SEER will see into What God is doing often by a dream or vision, or simply a knowing in their spirit what is God’s plan.

 

A Seer will often prophesy as they pray and will be praying according to God’s will.  God may allow them to see (or know) what the person they meet needs as to healing or emotional relief.  

 

It is a zeroing in on what needs to be accomplished without hap hazard praying.

The next morning we arrived at the healing rooms and filled out a form stating three of our physical needs.  Most of us hurt somewhere so that was simple.  Soon we were told our group could enter the hall way and sit in chairs along the wall. 

 

A woman volunteer gave a few verses on healing and asked if anyone had a problem with their knees and to please stand.  Several stood, and the instruction was to march in place lifting their knees.  A lady across from us exclaimed, my knee is healed as she almost danced.  The volunteer had used the “Seer” gift to call out other hurts and pains. 

 

A visiting lady in our group told of a dream that she had last night.  She saw into heaven into a large room which was filled with new body parts.  In her dream she knew that these were spiritual transplants waiting for someone with the gift of miracles and gift of faith to allow God to send these to earth. 

 

(Years ago, I heard Norval Hayes tell about a man needing a new heart and in the night an angel visited him; made an incision and placed in his chest a new heart.  I am not sure if the incision was visible, but Doctors confirmed that he now had the heart of a young person.)

We might say – “That is strange and I never heard of any such thing?”  Understand, with God all things are possible.

Shortly our group was escorted down corridors, and into a class room, where three volunteers spoke about healing and used scriptures that Jesus went about preaching, teaching and healing the sick.  He said all that I do you will also do, and commissioned us to lay hands on the sick. 

 

After this short teaching everyone’s faith was alive and well.  The leader of our group then brought us into a larger room and asked us to be seated. 

 

We could see the area in the center was filled with people standing here in small groups praying over visitors.  What happens is volunteers come to those seated and as the Lord speaks to them, they select a visitor to enter the area of praying volunteers.  This took some time, but after prayer we retired into the main auditorium to pray and wait for my family and friend to arrive.  Again the book store was visited and our friend purchased a couple of books.

We were rejoicing and happy as we went to seek out a Home Town Buffett near by and then head back to my city and wait for Sunday to arrive with Bible Study followed by Church. 

 

We were not disappointed.

 

 

God’s Name Is Holy

 

Exodus 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

At Open Door Church Bible Study, we are examining the time when God Spoke to Moses on the mountain and gave him the Law.  As our lesson continued we considered the third commandment. 

We were reminded that God is a jealous God and he will not have any other gods before Him. 

We are also NOT to make a graven image and worship it.

The Hebrew word Yahweh (Jehovah) has in it - the words “Nail, Behold, Hand.   (These simple words Nail, Behold and Hand - carry much hidden meaning.)

God revealed Himself to Moses with His name “I AM.” He IS the Self Existent One. 

John 8:58 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” 

Jesus is God and is Holy, and will not hold any one guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Many glibly blaspheme as they loosely use God’s name in conversation.  How many say OMG without even thinking – it is a bad habit.

To even swear by His name is showing disrespect and abusing His name. 

The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that Holy Holy is His name and Hollowed be His name. 

Isaiah prophesied Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel," Meaning - - God is with us.

Many misuse God’s name in anger or to strengthen conversation; those person will not be held guiltless.

Proper use of God’s name is to lift up His name in Worship, Praise and to Honor God with our lips and with our speech.

It is alright to speak up and say, “I am offended when you use God’s name that way.”  We protest with various causes; many are good, but we need to stand up for God and the incorrect use of His name.

Please do NOT disrespect the name of our God. 

The scriptures tell us there is NO other name whereby we can be saved.  The Name of Jesus is precious and powerful when used correctly.

Let the thoughts of our heart and the words of our mouth be acceptable to God.

Great is our Lord and He is the Anointed One.  He gives strength, and covers us with splendor and glory, and his love is everlasting.

Jesus introduced us to God as our Father.  We can come to God and establish the Father relationship.  God is our Father.  The enemy has destroyed many families by removing the father in the home.

Psalms 33: 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Let all the earth Fear (reverence) the Lord God.

 

“6 Things That Block the Holy Spirit's Power” by J. Lee Grady

“6 Things That Block the Holy Spirit's Power” by  J. Lee Grady  5/20/2015  

(By J. Lee Grady)  Last weekend while I was preaching at a church in central California, a young man came to the altar to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. He was eager to go deeper spiritually. Someone prayed for him for a while, but nothing happened.

I walked over to the young man a few minutes later and told him I would pray for him some more after the meeting was dismissed. I've learned that sometimes there are blockages that can prevent people from receiving the fullness of the Spirit, so I always try to discern what must be moved out of the way.

In this guy's case, his heart was in a great deal of pain because his father had abandoned his family. He wanted God to baptize him with the Spirit, but the pain of rejection was like a gaping wound that needed urgent attention. As soon as I began to address this problem, he began sobbing in my arms.

After we prayed about his father issues, and he got the healing he needed, he quickly received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A fresh joy filled his heart. And a new heavenly language began pouring out of his mouth. I encouraged him to pray in tongues for a while as he received the Spirit's anointing.

This next Sunday, May 24, is the official day of Pentecost—when Christians all over the world celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. But Pentecost should also be a very personal experience for you. Have you, or someone you know, struggled to receive this supernatural infilling?

Here are some reasons why there might be a blockage:

1. Doubt or intellectual pride. In the 1960s a journalist named John Sherrill decided to write a book discrediting the phenomenon of speaking in tongues. But after he interviewed countless people about this experience, his doubts were shattered and he was baptized in the Holy Spirit himself. His book, They Speak With Other Tongues, became a Christian classic. Spiritual experiences cannot be figured out with the mind. To receive the Spirit's infilling you must let go of your intellectual arguments and display childlike faith (see Matt. 18:2-4).

2. Religious tradition. I knew an Episcopal priest who was filled with the Holy Spirit in the 1970s in New York City. He was excited about the new vitality he felt in his faith—and thrilled that his wife had experienced a physical healing. But when he shared his testimony with his bishop, he was told he was crazy! And the bishop referred him to a psychiatrist! Religious people who are locked into "the way we've always done it" find it hard to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You must be willing to break free from tradition.


3. Fear of the supernatural. Some Christians grew up in denominations that taught against the infilling of the Holy Spirit. They were told that Pentecostals are all fanatics who go into trances, speak mindless gibberish and swing from chandeliers. Actually, the first disciples in the New Testament spoke in tongues and experienced miracles—yet their faith was not strange. It should be the norm! People who are afraid of God's supernatural power will struggle to receive it.

4. Unconfessed sin. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit can be "quenched" as well as "grieved" (1 Thess. 5:19; Eph. 4:30). Because He is so holy, our sinful habits and attitudes can cause Him to withdraw. This is why it's so important for us to walk in constant communion with God, and to be willing to repent quickly when we know we have sinned. Some people "stuff" their secret sins in the closets of their hearts. If you want to be filled with the Spirit, you must be willing to open those closets and invite the light of God's holiness into every dark corner of your life.

5. Emotional wounds. Like the young man I prayed for last weekend, some people are just too burdened with emotional baggage to be filled with the Spirit. Some have been abused, others weighted down by anxiety, others grieved or depressed. They need healing first. Like Lazarus on the day he was raised from the dead, they are bound by the grave clothes of the past, and they need to be unwrapped before they can experience God's full anointing (see John 11:44). Healing is often needed before a person can receive the blessing of Holy Spirit baptism.

6. An unyielded spirit. You cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit if you are full of yourself. Some people are too willful. They have not surrendered their plans, finances, relationships or time to God. They have their lives planned out and they don't want God interrupting their agendas. Yet God is looking to fill hearts that have been emptied and surrendered. Only the fully yielded can experience the fullness of His power.

If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or if the flow of the Spirit has been blocked in your life, empty your heart today and prepare for your own personal Pentecost.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter @leegrady. He is the author of 10 Lies Men Believe and other books. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org