THIRTY DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE - DAY 10

PRAY THE NAMES OF GOD

DAY 10


JEHOVAH SHALOM


In a stressful and restless world, there is one constant. Just as the sailors of old followed the North Star, if we find that constant, we can refuse to participate with the rest of the world in their pity party. 


We find it on the altar of the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. We find it at the Foot of the Cross.

What am I talking about? Well, back in the day of the Judges in the Old Testament, "every man did what was right in his own eyes"! This is just like today where evil and rebellious man has walked away from the One True God and is finding spirituality (so to speak) in New Age paganism and other eastern mystic cults like hinduism, buddhism and such.


An Angel of God appeared to one of those men - Gideon - and told God will give him the victory over the Midianites. Gideon, a pagan at that time, questioned the Angel and made him prove Himself. Once the Angel (Who was Jesus) made Himself known and vanished, Gideon said "I have seen the Angel of the LORD Face to face". At this point, the LORD told Gideon not to fear, as he will live. Even a pagan like Gideon knew no one could see God and live! (Read the full account here in Judges 6)


To celebrate and remember this occasion, Gideon "built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace (Shalom). To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites" (Judges 6:24).

Jehovah Shalom means the LORD is Peace. Shalom is not just the Hebrew word for Peace, but it means perfect peace, security, rest, trusted, at ease, having a TRUE sense of well-being and more!


When the Bible talks of the Angel of the LORD, it is a description of the pre-incarnate Christ, Who appears in the Bible from Genesis to the end of Revelation. This Angel, this Jesus is the Messenger of True Peace, True Shalom.


There will be no peace in our souls apart from believing and trusting in Him and accepting Him as Your LORD and Savior...so pray with me right now:


Father, in the Name of the God of Peace - Jehovah Shalom - I thank You this day that You alone are God and there is no other! Lord, Your servant Gideon saw You Face to face and lived. 

I thank You that You drew me to Yourself that I too can have an encounter You...that I too can see my failings...that I too can see the Midianites of today: sin, self and selling out....that I too can be face to face with the fact that I was worthless...but You, Oh God, took that blob of dying mess, breathed Life into me, rejuvenated me, saved me, brought me into Your Kingdom and then gave me YOUR SHALOM!


Father, this was only possible because the same Angel of the Lord Who appeared to Gideon and Samson's mother, is the Son of Man, the God-man, the Last Adam, Who became flesh and tabernacled among us. This shalom was only possible because He gave it all on the Cross, as a once and for all payment for my sins and all sins of all time. This was only possible because I believed, trusted and surrendered at the Foot of that Cross and the Precious Blood of the Lamb of God on that Cross washed me clean so that I too can enter into Your Rest....because I too received that Rest!


God, You said only those whom You choose will enter that rest....that peace...that Shalom which is set aside for the People of God.


When the world is spinning out of control, I soak in that rest.
When the world is surrendering to satan, I soak in Your rest.
When the world is stressing over mammon and material things, I soak in Your rest.
When the world is swimming in a sinkhole of its self-importance, I soak in Your rest.
When the world is seeking after its false gods something that can only be found in You,I soak in Your rest.
When the world is siding with the enemies of Christ and plotting against Him, I soak in Your rest.
When the world is signing security agreements with invisible ink with no clue of YOUR eternal security, I soak in Your rest.


You alone are the Source of my peace.
You alone are the Sign of my salvation.
You alone are the Savior Who heals.
You alone are the Shalom I seek.


I worship, adore, rejoice, praise and give thanks that You have not only forgiven and pardoned me, but that You have given me that most precious of that fruits of Your Salvation - Your Shalom, Your Eternal Rest.

I thank You for the fact that this Eternal Rest has already begun, my LORD and my God.


I thank You that I can walk and talk and live in that rest right now, this very minute, every minute of every day, until the end of time and then in Eternity with You, in the Name of Jesus, amen.

TOMORROW:HIS NAME IS IMMUTABLE!

THINK ON THESE THINGS - THURSDAY

PROTOCOLS OF PRAYER...part 3

..."on earth as it is in Heaven!"

Today's phrase (in red) is very interesting and should be DOUBLY exciting for the Believer! The amazing thing about these 7 little words from Jesus is the Power behind it! I was studying this phrase last night when it hit me! Jesus was talking Tabernacle! Yes!!

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 forever. Amen.

Remember, when He gave Moses the instruction to build the very first Meeting Place of God on earth, the Lord was very specific. Hebrews 8:5 confirms it! Here is what the Holy Spirit, who wrote the book of Hebrews said "⁵ .....a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” (Emphasis mine).

ON EARTH: 

Therefore, the Tabernacle of God is a COPY of the One in Heaven. When Solomon built the Temple of the LORD for His Shekinah Glory, the Spirit came to the Temple at His Own Pleasure. After Christ died on the Cross that Temple became the true Believer in Christ where Holy Spirit took up residence.

A group of believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, who are now walking/talking Temples, is called the Church. We exist for one purpose - to Glorify God and Love and Bless and Enjoy Him forever. This is His Will here on earth for the Temple (us) and the Church (a whole bunch of us)!!!!

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN:

The Heaven part is the more incredible one to me!! There is NO church, no matter how many electric guitars; fog machines; fancy lights or magnificent Baptist choirs exist that can come close to matching up to the Worship in HEAVEN RIGHT NOW!!! Yes - RIGHT NOW!!

Here is the proof from Revelation 4: 8-11 

Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
   “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
      the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
 ⁹ Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
 ¹¹ “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
      to receive glory and honor and power.
   For you created all things,
      and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

How would have thought this one little phrase from Jesus was so full of wonder and majesty. But so is Jesus Himself- that's my King....full of Grace, Majesty and Incredible POWER! This is why we pray - to Worship in the Beauty of His Holiness, in the Name of Jesus, amen!

ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN: Father You said whatsoever we bind on earth will be bound in Heaven. We bind the enemy oh God. We bind sin. We bind our failings. We bind the stronghold of the prince of this world, Thy eternal enemy. Lord let Your Power over all rule all the earth. Let Your Power buttress us against those who rise up against us. Let Your Power and Your Word fill us. Oh God, have mercy upon Your people and reign in us in Grace, power and zeal for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen