THIRTY ONE DAYS OF PRAYER AND THE WORD:JANUARY 1-31, 2015 THEME: "ABIDE"

DAY SEVEN:
VERSE:
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...(Romans 8:1)
PRAYER:
HEAVENLY FATHER, HERE WE STOOD, ACCUSED BY THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN, FOUND GUILTY BY THE GOD OF HEAVEN AND DESTINED FOR DARKNESS FOREVER MORE, BUT YOU, YOU OH GOD, FATHER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, STOOD IN THE GAP BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE, AND PAID THE ULTIMATE COST, AS THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE POURED HIMSELF OUT FROM THE THRONE, THE ETERNAL THRONE TO BECOME A MAN.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THAT ABBA FATHER, WHICH WE COULD NEVER COMPREHEND, AT LEAST ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN- THE VERY FACT THAT HE WHO HELD THE WORLD ON ITS FOOTINGS, WHO SPOKE THE UNIVERSE INTO CREATION, WHO FORMED ADAM FROM THE DUST AND WALKED WITH ENOCH, ABRAHAM AND MOSES - HE WOULD BE BORN UNDER THE SAME LAW HE GAVE US, THEN LIVE WITH PURPOSE AND CLARITY UNDER IT, WHILE NOT VIOLATING ONE JOT OR TITTLE OF IT. WHAT MANNER OF GOD IS HE, THE ANCIENT OF DAYS, OH MERCIFUL FATHER? WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY? 

AND NOW,  BECAUSE HE GAVE HIS LIFE FREELY FOR OUR SAKE, FOR MY SAKE, I WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, FOR THIS IS WHAT THE FATHER IS LOOKING FOR IN THESE LAST DAYS. I ACCEPT THE FORGIVENESS HE OFFERS ME. I ACCEPT THE REMOVAL OF THE CHARGE OF GUILTY AND THE SENTENCE OF ETERNAL DEATH.  I ACCEPT THE REMOVAL OF ALL MY GUILTY STAINS AND SINS THAT ARE NOW AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST. I NOT ONLY FREE ACCEPT THE OFFER OF THAT FORGIVENESS BUT RECEIVE IT INTO MY SPIRIT, KNOWING YOU HAVE REMOVED ME FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE CONDEMNED, YOU HAVE TAKEN ME FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS INTO THE MARVELOUS LIGHT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THIS IS NOT JUST A PIPE DREAM OR A PROMISE YOU HAVE MADE, HEAVENLY FATHER, BUT A REALITY I LIVE RIGHT NOW, THAT WE WHO ARE CALLED BY YOUR NAME AND HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE CURRENTLY INTEGRATED INTO!

AT THE POINT OF CONVERSION, OH GOD, YOU TOOK US FROM THE PIT INTO THE ETERNAL REALM THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE KINGDOM LIVING, KINGDOM AUTHORITY AND KINGDOM BLESSINGS, NOT IN THE FUTURE, BUT RIGHT NOW. I LIVE IN THIS MOMENT, KNOWING THAT MY CURRENT LIFE IS BUT A PHYSICAL BREATH AWAY FROM THE REALITY OF MY ALREADY ESTABLISHED RESIDENCE AND GUARANTEED HOME IN THE ETERNAL WITH THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. THANK YOU FOR REDEEMING MY SOUL, FOR RESCUING YOUR SERVANT AND FOR RESTORING THROUGH YOUR SALVATION, SANCTIFICATION AND SOVEREIGN WILL. OH WHAT A GLORIOUS THING TO REST IN YOU, RELY IN YOU AND RESIDE IN YOUR PRESENCE, KNOWING THERE IS NO MORE CONDEMNATION FROM US WHO WERE BOUGHT AT THE CROSS, IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF THE KING OF GLORY – JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.

SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY SERIES: WOMEN OF DYNASTY, DYNAMIC PRAYER, DESTINY

FOUR GREAT MOTHERS OF THE BIBLE!

TODAY: RAHAB

Each year,  as we celebrate our mothers, it’s always a delight to look at some of the amazing women in the Bible and the major role they played in the chain of events, which gave us the Greatest Story Ever Told!

We all know and believe we have the greatest mom ever, and that is as it should be!!However, how did some of the more unlikely women of the Bible ended up affecting so much that means, literally the world, to so many?

The answer is – we don’t know! God chooses whomever He pleases to do whatever He wants in the Timing of His Own choosing, period! As He says “My Ways are NOT your ways”, declares the LORD.

Therefore, in honor of some of the more impactful mothers of the Bible, let’s take a look at four mothers briefly: RAHAB, RUTH, HANNAH and of course – MARY!

Rahab and Ruth were women of Dynasty.

Hannah was a woman of Dynamic Prayer.

Mary – the mother of Jesus – a woman of Destiny!

Three of these Four Women are directly in the Line of Jesus - the King of the Universe, LORD and Savior of Mankind!

RAHAB, a woman of Dynasty:

The story of Rahab, the gentile prostitute, begins in Joshua Chapter 2 as she comes on the scene when Joshua sends two scouts into Shittim to view the land of Jericho for the Israelites. The King of Jericho found out about it and sent his secret police into the town to find the Joshua’s men.

Rahab had heard of the Mighty God of Israel, as had all the people in that region who encountered God’s General Joshua, to their everlasting misfortune!  The two men showed up at this prostitute’s house, whose heart had been on fire after hearing about this Great God in Heaven. We all know the rest of the story - Rahab hid Joshua’s scouts from the pagan King of Jericho and saved their lives.

But what is so relevant to Rahab's story is her testimony here….as we pick up the passage "...and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 

Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. (Joshua 2:9-15 ESV)

So, Joshua’s army spared Rahab and her family.

But look at her words closely:

-          She heard of the mighty deeds of the Lord

-          She heard of the Judgment of the Lord

-          She had a broken heart before the Lord

-          She had to have had an encounter with Him because NO ONE testifies (vs. 11) about the LORD you GOD, without knowing Him intimately

-          She hailed Him as the God of Heaven and Creator of the Earth

-          She heralded Him as the Plumbline of Truth in making the scouts swear to spare their lives….which they did!

All of this represents a completely changed woman from her former occupation! Even though Scripture still called her Rahab the Harlot in Joshua 6:17, let us fast forward to the New Testament to see how the Holy Spirit describes the new creature who was in the only group of people saved from destruction in Jericho!

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO RAHAB?

She is mentioned in James 2:25 as a woman who was made right by her act of hiding Joshua’s men.

Then she has a surprising appearance in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:31 (ESV) “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies”

Even more exciting than her appearance in the Hall of Faith is Matthew 1:5 which places Rahab directly as the mother of the great Kinsman- redeemer himself – Boaz! Who is Boaz? Read the next section on Ruth. 

Of all the great Tribes of the Israel and the nobles and elders, the Lord chose a poor little Gentile harlot – Rahab – to be the great-grandmother of none other than – KING DAVID! AND if that was not big enough, Rahab’s husband Salmon goes all the way back to Abraham!

Rahab is one of the most Godly and exceptional heroines of the Bible!!

TOMORROW: RUTH....another woman of Dynasty!

Photo Credits: http://bibleencyclopedia.com/pictures/Joshua_2_Rahab_and_the_spies_3.htm 

UNFORGIVENESS - SPIRITUAL POISON

Freedom into your destiny only begins when you have broken free from the stronghold of sin, which has held you down. This is not some charismatic mumbo-jumbo, but truth released from the Word of God.


Christians too can be bogged down by strongholds to the point of distraction where it becomes a major distraction in life. This will rob you of your favor, your destiny and your complete rest in the Arms of the Savior.


The strongholds of sin, sex and the flesh are not the only ones which will rob you of your peace of mind or Shalom (rest). There is the stronghold of Unforgiveness! This is a stronghold which will hold you back so much that it can make you the most unpleasant human being to be around.


Have you ever seen people, and most of them 'go to church', who are so negative over everything and everybody that you cannot stand to be around them? They bust on every national of local event. They are annoyed by every little kid running down the church hallways. They comment on every short dress worn by some young married mom. They can't see the reason why the church just bought a new snowblower to clean off the sidewalks to the parking lot. No matter what they reason, they find no joy in life.


If you speak to them long enough, you will find a cause for this effect - they really hate another person. It could be their boss, supervisor or co-worker. It could be Mary Sue across the aisle who stole her boyfriend in high school. It could be Frank down the street who got the promotion at work over you, even if you have been a loyal employee at the office longer than he was. Then you come to find out Frank and the boss' son play in the same golf league and go to the same sports bar! More hate....more opportunity to gripe and complain...more..more...more.....


Have you heard the Name of God in any of these situations? No! The reason is people like this have consumed the spiritual poison of Unforgiveness. They refused to share the pardon and the grace which God has so richly demonstrated for and to them (and us) .....in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. These two examples may well be examples of people who were saved, but their growth is stunted by a lack of joy and love for their fellow human being. These two living examples are reasons why non-christians refuse to join us in corporate worship (notice I did not say 'church'). These two people are reasons non-believers call us 'hypocrites'.


Scripture says in Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."


This is an example of what we were talking about yesterday (on Strongholds).  Refusing to give Grace or listening to counsel to love one another gives the devil an opportunity to put anger in your spirit. This then causes you to sin...and boom - he has a foothold on you...and it's all because you refuse to let it go!

So Father in the Name of Jesus, I come to You now and ask You to search my heart now. Right now, dear God, I know in my own heart, You are constantly revealing sins I committed 30-40 years ago, when I was much younger, so I can be forgiven of them after repentance.


So now, oh God search my very inner core and reveal any spirit of unforgiveness towards anyone which may live in me. If it is something I swept under the carpet so I won't have to deal with it, expose it with the Light of Christ right now, so I can go make peace with that person...even if that person is a close family member or now a former friend who lives 1500 miles away. Lord, let me make it right today. Let today be the beginning of the healing of my soul.


Let me not be consumed, my Father, with the spiritual poison, which may destroy the amazing blessings of true peace, joy and contentment which You have for all Your true children, who have been called to salvation according to the Riches of Christ Jesus the King.


Let me not be carried away by pride and hate and arrogance, which goeth before the fall.


Let me not cut up on the inside while wearing the mask of righteousness, when You know the spiritman or woman in us, is not right with another person...and therefore You.


Holy Spirit, I ask You to now have access to root all that cancer out of my spirit which has spread its tentacles all inside of me. Pull it out by its roots that the fruits of my salvation may be fulfilled and I can live the truly anointed life of Favor and blessing in the Mighty Name of Jesus, amen!


TOMORROW: ARE YOU HYPOCRITE?!

(image by google images)