777 - SEVEN DAYS OF PRAYER STARTS TODAY (JULY 1-7, 2014)

DAY ONE (JULY 1, 2014):
When Anne Graham Lotz (daughter of the great Evangelist Billy Graham) introduced 777 - "An Urgent Call to Prayer",  it marked the first national call to Prayer and Repentance from any national recognized ministry or church leader in a long time. For troubled times like these, this Call could not be any more timely.

While prayer is beneficial to a people and for the personal growth of those called by God, it remains the only line of Communication from the created to our Creator God in Heaven. Prayer still remains the only way we build our love and relationship with Abba Father above. Prayer has been given to us as the modus operandi to enhance our fellowship with "oh, what a Friend we have in Jesus". Prayer still remains the only way to seek forgiveness for our sins -personal and corporate - and to be forgiven by the Father and Judge of the Universe.

Anne Graham Lotz laid out these three purposes as we proceed as individuals to deepen our prayer life and strengthen our walk with Jesus Christ, over these next seven days:

·     For God the Father to restrain, protect, and deliver His people from the evil that has come into our world.

·     For God the Son to be exalted, magnified, and glorified in His church, in our nation, and in our lives.

·     For God the Holy Spirit to fall on us in a fresh way, compelling the church to repent of sin and our nation to return to faith in the living God, resulting in a great national spiritual awakening.

These are worthwhile objectives to keep in mind, but as we begin any prolong period of focused prayer, as we have done several times in recent years on this blog - THE WRITE STUFF - we MUST begin by acknowledging His Sovereignty, His Majesty and His Power.

So as we begin this brief journey together, let us worship His Majesty:
Father God, in Jesus Strong and Mighty Name, I say like Job (Chapter 42) did “I know that You can do everything, that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." You are all Powerful, all Magnificent, all Glorious, all Knowing, all Sovereign and all Righteous.

Lord, Your Power and Glory has been seen for all generations for all times. You are the Creator and Commander of the Universe. You are the Foundation of Time and the Diviner of All Truth. Nothing came into being or was or is or will be unless YOU, My Father, said so. Nothing lives or dies or flourishes, unless YOU, My Father, grant grace, breath and life according to Your Perfect Will and Wonder.

There is no one greater than You.

There is no one stronger than You.

There is none more righteous than You.

There is none more Holy than You.

There is none like You. 

Therefore Most Holy and Righteous  Father, and as Job said in verse 6 (Chapter 42), I detest myself and my sin and repent in dust and ashes. I am not worthy to be in Thy Holy Presence. I am like filthy rags and have become undone, as Isaiah was when he saw the King. I am a man of unclean lips. We are people of unclean lips and unwashed hearts and yet, You still listen and love and grant us life and liberty.

Lord, I acknowledge You, adore You, glorify and thank You. I worship and bow down before You and praise You Holy Name, on this blessed day You have given. Father in addition to our daily conversations with You, may these next seven days be an extra offering from us, Your people, as we cry out to You for a special dispensation, for such a time as this, in Jesus Holy and Most Powerful Name, amen.

WHAT IS THE GLORY OF GOD?

Most Christians associate the word "Glory" with God. This is as it should be. But what does Glory mean. What does it mean when a song's lyrics rise up in your heart even as you prepare the meet the challenges of this day? Well the English online dictionary has the following definitions of "GLORY":
glory [ˈglɔːrɪ]

 1. exaltation, praise, or honour, as that accorded by general consent the glory for         the exploit went to the captain

2. something that brings or is worthy of praise (esp in the phrase crowning glory)

3. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) thanksgiving, adoration, or worship glory be to God

4. pomp; splendour the glory of the king's reign

5. radiant beauty; resplendence the glory of the sunset

6. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) the beauty and bliss of heaven

7. a state of extreme happiness or prosperity

(Source - the Free Online Dictionary)

The Hebrew word from the Bible, which is what we are really MORE interested in, is tremendously beautiful. The word is "Kavod". Now this is very interesting concept. Kavod literally means "armaments"! As in the battlefield gear covering the Lord God or YAHWEH (Jesus). That tells me all I need to know about, love about and have a righteous and Holy fear about in God - He is a Warrior, He is not to be trifled with and He is serious about Who He is.

Most Christians sleepwalk through their lives not knowing fully, this God. They know the Western God Who will overlook any and every transgression. But here are some examples of the Warrior in Him:
Psalm 3:3 says the Glory (Kavod) of God is His Shield
Psalm 24:8 we read "who is this king of the kavod, YHWH is strong and mighty, YHWH is mighty in battle."
Job 29:20 associates His Glory (Kavod) with His "Bow" - a weapon!
Exodus 16:7 says "In the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?" This means - He will deal with these people, and you will not just His Power but His fury in dealing with this situation.

The thing to ponder this day and always, is what does the glory of God really mean to us, to our spirit? Are we in a place - through obedience, prayer, fasting and submission where we are so tuned in to His Spirit that when He speaks, we instantly perk up and listen? OR are we in a place almost of the unredeemed - floundering, rebelling and almost shaking our fist at Him?

This is not the way to God. Beholding His Glory is the True Mark of a believer, a follower and the man or woman. Capturing the TRUE meaning of His Glory is the TRUE mark of the person who is serious about seeking after Him. Amen

THINK ON THESE THINGS - WORSHIP

This morning is not about any incredible revelation or exhortation, but Glorification.
This morning, and all this beautiful day that the Lord has made, we lift High His Name in Praise.
We lift our voices and our hearts to the One Who is Holy.
We long for the Shekinah Glory to surround us in all His Majesty.
We love the Sound of the Sweet Spirit who lives in us.
We listen intently now as we enter in the Most Sacred Ground there is - His Throne Room.
We lay our hearts down in that Secret Place, as we worship......


Oh Worship the Lord, oh ye His saints
Worship in the Beauty of His Majesty
Worship in the Fire of His Holiness
Fix your gaze on the One Who is Holy
Fall on your face before Him now
Fail not to see this fact:
Faithful and True is His Name


He has made a promise, He will not sleep
He has done the work, now YOU He will keep
No, let not cares and fears cause you to weep
For He has taken your sins and made a clean sweep
My God, My God YOU have delivered me
Mercy and Grace You handed to me
Majesty, therefore, Yours alone, I will be


Glory to the Father seated High Above
Fearsome and powerful yet gentle as a Dove
Come Lord Jesus, Your Spirit fills this Place
I have never been higher than flat on my face
Fill me, pour me, make me, mold me 
Oh Lord God Jehovah, bend me
To Thy Wonderful Perfect Will....now and always, Amen.

In the Name of Jesus,

Bernie Lutchman, 

A bondslave of Christ

THINK ON THESE THINGS - SATURDAY

Think of the word "FOREVER" and we think "never-ending" or infinity.We like to write love songs which tell the object of our true love "I will love you forever"....or the old country song asks, tongue in cheek "How long is Forever....this time"!!


If you look at the last few words of the LORD's PRAYER, you may understand why I am spending so much time on one sentence. We are in Day 4 of this one phrase! Today we look at what modern readers call "FOREVER" but which the English translators of the Bible recognize as literal...and these are two words: "FOR EVER"!

Matthew 6: 8-13:

Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
      Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
    And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.

We see here, the Lord Jesus actually used two words "for ever" and not "FOREVER".  While they are synonyms, the literal phrase has more impact for the following reason:
FOR: EIS (The Original Greek) ...meaning into, in, unto, to, upon, towards, for or among.
EVER: AION (The Original Greek)...meaning an age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity.


Jesus is more intentional about the Majesty, Mighty and Mystery of His and our Father in Heaven than just a flippant throwaway line in a song about "forever". Get this again - EIS AION - the Lord MEANS that all of these awesome attributes of God are for a cycle or period of time, from Eternity past and not just NOW, but into the future as far as infinity...AND BEYOND! (Incidentally, we get the word 'eon' or 'aeon' from this Greek word, to describe a long period of time.)


Wrap your mind around this for a few minutes and it will but thrill and awe you, just how long and GREAT GOD really is! This is why, when we evangelize, we had better show the unsaved person, the need to  realize how long Eternity away from God really is...and that they really don't want to go there!


LET US PRAY:
ELOHEY KEDEM - oh God of the Beginning, You are the Beginning and Genesis of all things and all mankind! Before there was time, You were there. The creator of Time, You are here, Jehovah Shammah. The God of future Time, You see us there. With You, there is no end. Many will go into everlasting judgment, Father, but You, oh Eternal God, see Your saints from the viewpoint of perfection outside of the realm of time.
Father You have caused Eternity to be built into the very souls and fiber of the human soul. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says You set eternity in the hearts of men. You know our innermost thoughts and leanings, because You have created us. Come now, Lord Jesus, in the Name of Abba Father, and fill us with a sense of Awe and Power of just how Perfect and Magnificent You are that we may grab just an inkling of what all of this really means....just how meaningful the word Eternity is! Give wisdom and understanding of this one true attribute of our Father in Heaven, in Your Name, I pray, Lord Jesus, amen and amen!