With this in  mind, I offer guidance regarding the potential candidacy of Mitt Romney, the  former governor of Massachusetts. As I write this, (very) early polls indicate  Romney is the frontrunner among challengers to the President for the 2012  election. I am concerned that any Christian would vote to grant a man such as  Governor Romney the solemn honor to serve this great nation as president. And  not for the reason many might assume. It’s not, as many suggest, that there is  a great deal of evidence of a lack of true conviction on his part regarding  issues such as gay-marriage and abortion. Yes, he has flipped-flopped on these.  It’s not that he was the architect of what has been called the “proto-type” of  a socialized medicine along lines very similar to Obama-care. It’s not even due  to my concern over the fact that he may be using Grecian Formula (humor). The  problem with Governor Romney is that he is a “temple” Mormon and a high priest  within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Now, for a  moment, consider if I had just written that Romney was a Wahhabi Muslim? While  most Christians would not hesitate to oppose the election of a Saudi Arabian  style Muslim to the highest office in the land, many of the same folk would not  hesitate to cast a vote for a (giving him the benefit of the doubt) solid  conservative fellow like Governor Romney. I would vote for neither but would  have less concern over the Muslim. With the Wahhabist, one knows what one is  getting. With a temple Mormon, as Sandra and Jerald Tanner suggest, it’s hard  to separate “shadow” from “reality”[1].
The Mormon temple ritual, though modified and softened in the last twenty
years, is a highly secretive and disgusting program of blood oaths and
secret-society mumbo-jumbo that was originally patterned after the rites of the
Freemasonry. If most voters were aware of the gory details of the ritual
involved in Mormon temples, especially those before the recent changes, the
ex-governor would not stand a chance of serious consideration. As an aside,
should Romney achieve the nomination, one can count on an avalanche of
“revelations” regarding the particulars of Mormon history. Romney will
constantly have to defend the many odious positions the church has taken in its  brief history. Of course these include the LDS’s historic support of polygamy  and its practice of racism (primarily towards blacks as recent as 1972).

Mormon history  is interesting and sad, but Governor Romney should have a much bigger problem  with Christians. The very essence of Christianity is the acknowledgment of  Jesus Christ as the “only” Son of God. To Christians, Jesus is God. Not only  “is”, but “always has been”. Mormon theology asserts that God evolved from a man  to a God and that all Mormon men  may one  day become gods of their own planets. Yes, indeed, Romney looks forward to one
day being God over his own planet where his celestial wives will be eternally
pregnant as they populate their “kingdom.” Further, Mormon teaching asserts that  Jesus Christ was a spirit brother of Satan and was conceived by heavenly
parents… and the goofiness goes on and on. How any informed (this is key)
Christian could consider trusting the nation’s highest office to a temple Mormon  is beyond comprehension for me. This is why.

Governor Romney  epitomizes the spirit of the Anti-Christ. The very essence this spirit is the  distortion of the identity of Jesus Christ. The Jesus that Mormonism presents  is not remotely similar to the Jesus of the Bible and the presentation of this  false-Jesus is the calling card of the Anti-Christ spirit…

1 John 4:2-3

This
is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that  Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge  Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have  heard is coming and even now is already in the world. NIV

It would be bad enough that  Romney’s Jesus is not the Jesus that we know and love, but worse, far worse, is  the fact that Mormonism offers a gospel much different than the one we have  received. Since this is the case, to elect Romney to the presidency would be to  elect someone who is under an eternal curse. Imagine that… a president perpetually  opposed by God for the sin of preaching “another gospel.”

Gal 1:8-9

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be
eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say
again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,
let him be eternally condemned! NIV

With the Muslim, one knows what  one is getting. With Romney one also knows what one is getting… if one does his  homework. Joseph Smith, the father and founding “prophet” of Mormonism was a  son of Satan, the father of all liars. Romney, unless he repents and embraces  the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, is a son of the same lineage. The pundits and  many Christians may think Romney has “come around” to the right position on  many of the issues important to conservative Christians because he has had a  change of heart. His father knows better.

This past Sunday I read my sermon for the first time in twenty-five years of preaching. I wanted to revisit the path our church has taken concerning corporate prayer. It has, as I wrote/spoke, been a path of repentance. It is difficult sometimes to find the balance between forging ahead and holding on to what is behind. I am comforted in realizing that a good bit, if not most, of the Bible addresses the need for reminding. When it comes to spiritual matters, a healthy interest in the new should never be to the exclusion of the old, or, “ancient paths” (Jer. 6:16). The book of Deuteronomy was a repetition of the Law of Moses. The Apostle Peter starts his second epistle with a reminder concerning things already established (2Pe. 1:12).

As a local New Testament Church, we should be urgent in our pursuit of corporate prayer. This urgency, however, can become legalistic bondage if we limit our creativity and imagination. Although our corporate prayer box may be bigger than many churches, it is still limited. Our box at CCC presently consists of our mid-week Call To the Wall solemn assembly (7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.); the Tuesday afternoon Mountain Movers Prophetic Prayer meeting (Noon-2 p.m.); the Tuesday evening Coweta Worship and Prayer Furnace (7 p.m.); and the Sunday morning Pre-Service Prayer (7 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.). Praying outside the box challenges all of us to not use our unavailability during these already existing corporate prayer opportunities to excuse us from the pursuit of praying with others. In light of this, I offer some suggestions that I have seen work well in the past or are presently working with other churches, etc. Just can’t make these other meetings? Consider these suggestions…

1. LIFE groups meeting in homes for prayer. Explore either hosting, leading and/or hosting and leading a corporate prayer meeting in a home. Such meetings can be established in the framework of a LIFE group in order to encourage the necessary healthy dynamics of Christian community.
2. Early morning corporate prayer groups. Many churches in American and around the world have weekly prayer groups that meet early in the morning. Such groups often meet by 6 a.m. or even earlier in order that folks can be on the way to work or school by 7 a.m. Such early time frames may seem daunting at first, but can become a habit quite quickly.
3. Alternative nights at church. For those who simply can’t attend the main mid-week prayer meeting, pick and organize another night at church. Monday, Thursday, Saturday…

The point is that we all need to consider praying outside our boxes and, again, not let existing opportunities limit our imagination. One of the unique image-bearing characteristics of man is our ability to create. Let’s focus this wonderful gift in meeting our Savior’s mandate that we all “watch and pray” (Lk. 21:36).

If anyone would like help with any of these suggestions, please contact me.

Pastor Pete

JOE 2:12  “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13  Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.14  Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. 15  Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. 16  Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. 17  Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” 

(On the day I am writing this, President Obama was quoted as saying the following to an assembled group of homosexual activists he had invited to the Whitehouse on June 29, 2009: “I will not only be your friend; I will continue to be an ally and a champion and a president who fights with you and for you,’’ In this “fight”, he went on to promise defeat of the Defense of Marriage Act and repeal of the military’s prohibition against openly homosexual service members continuing their service. I mention this to highlight the times we are living in. Now more than ever we must commit ourselves to lifting a desperate cry to heaven… a cry of repentance and petition for mercy. We must cry out like never before for a heavenly intervention. Job relates an eternal principle regarding God’s connection with man’s affairs… “Yet he (God) is over man and nation alike, to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people.” (Job 34:29b-30). This verse was written in the larger context of the truth that God is aware and that He hears the cries of those who fear him . In light of the wicked actions and intentions of many of our leaders, we are left with no other option but to seek the Lord like never before.)   

The following is a pastoral letter written to you from my heart. Below you will find what I pray will be for you and your family a prophetic word. Such a word should capture the will of God, which is revealed in his Word, and the timing of heaven…the present burden in the throne room. This is a relatively long letter, so be sure to read it when you have time rather than rushing through it. Some of the information contained herein is as much as five years old, but as relevant as ever. Following are some the specific reasons I have felt compelled to write this letter: 

1. I have been reviewing the circumstances which led to CCC’s repentance regarding corporate prayer in an attempt to see if we are remaining in the faith (See 2Co. 13:5-6).
2. I have been alarmed by what I would describe as a discernible retreat from our commitment to corporate prayer as a local church. I fear we are following an unmistakable trend within the Western Church which has been and continues to be the abandonment of corporate prayer in favor of almost everything else.
3. In light of “end-times” events, I am sensing the stage is being set from a number of perspectives for a great temptation for the “Western” church to enter a time of apostasy. Apostasy is defined as a renunciation of religious belief. We are witnessing a not-so- subtle and pervasive falling away from the fundamental elements of Biblical Christianity on a national scale. Chief among these, I believe, has and continues to be a lack of interest and involvement in corporate prayer.    
4. Notwithstanding the fact that I believe the Bible clearly teaches that seeking the Lord in prayer and worship must be the Church’s most prominent activity (Isa. 56:7; Mar. 11:17; Luk. 21:36;  Act 1:14; 2:42; Eph. 6:18; Col. 1:9; 4:2; 1Th. 5:17), now, more than ever, such activity represents the only safe harbor available to us (2Ch. 7: 13-15). For our nation, I think it accurate to say that the heavens have been shut. 

2CH 7:13  “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.  

5. I am convinced that if we fail to inspire our teens and children with the priority of corporate prayer, we will effectively rob them of any hope for the safe harbor that only God can provide as they engage the potentially overwhelming challenges sure to come their way. 

WHAT THE SOLIDER, ATHLETE, AND FARMER KNOW… AND THE CHURCH HAS FORGOTTEN  

2TI 2:3  Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer. 5  Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.6  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 

The following is a story about essential elements. The writer to the Hebrews asserts that things of first importance (essential elements) must be in place before we can go on to maturity (Heb. 6:1-2). Below one will find some of my thoughts regarding the essential element of corporate prayer and its inescapable connection to the visitation and revival we all long for. In many ways, we are like soldiers in a war who long for the news to return to our homes in peace and victory. As with the soldiers in the trenches, we tend to be focused on this desire exclusive of any connection with considerations and decisions being made at higher levels of command and responsibility necessary for the war to be won. We just want the struggle to end. Our gracious God has given us insight into the essential nature of corporate prayer as it relates to our well-being for some time now. This insight is not unique or new, but involves timeless principles associated with experiencing a move of God in our lives, families, communities and nation. In the scriptures above, the Apostle Paul likens the challenges that lay before Timothy to three professions…the soldier, farmer and athlete. These three activities illustrate what labor in the Kingdom is like. Paul wanted Timothy to understand that to successfully negotiate the challenges before him, he must have a mindset that would position him for success. As we all know, each of these three pursuits rely heavily on disciplined behavior characterized by repetition, devotion, persistence, and patience. While contemplating these things, I found myself focusing on the similarity between the need for the physical conditioning of the soldier (and athlete) and the need for corporate prayer in the church. 

The most fundamental attribute of a soldier is that he be physically fit. The first thing I learned in the Army was that physical training was going to be an inescapable fact of life. During the summer of my junior year in college, I spent two additional weeks following ROTC summer camp assigned to the 82^nd Airborne Division. It was in the middle of the summer and the heat was gut-busting. I vividly remember going on a five-mile formation run on one Friday morning during this time. Most likely, it was during these two weeks that I decided I wanted to be a paratrooper. The sense of camaraderie with these men was infectious. At some time during my senior year I requested to be assigned to Ft. Bragg and, upon graduation, got my wish. After graduation from college and with four months of additional training, I reported to Bragg. I was immediately assigned as a platoon leader…responsible for the training and general welfare of about forty-four soldiers. Somewhere in the course of my training as an army officer, I embraced the notion that soldiers should be in good physical condition. I was somewhat shocked that my devotion to this was not shared by all of my new charges. Even some of the NCO’s were not as enamored with the idea as I assumed they would be. The lesson I learned as a young, know-nothing platoon leader was that not everyone would necessarily appreciate the value of what I assumed was a fundamental necessity to the task at hand. I was somewhat surprised at the amount of “encouragement” and “inspiration” I had to extend to my troops in order to get their agreement in this matter. Twenty-four years later, as a know-nothing preacher, I found myself in a similar situation. After ministering as a pastor for about twelve years, and as a result of a number of divine encounters, I realized that the church I was shepherding was missing a fundamental dynamic essential to any hope of success. Corporate prayer! We were probably praying corporately as much as most churches, which meant hardly at all. We had our prayer chains. We were sensitive to pray for needs as they arose…hospital lists, etc. We would pray before things and after things. However, prayer was rarely “the thing.” The fact is that a soldier can do lots of things successfully without being in good physical shape. But there may well come an occasion when being physically fit could be the determining factor in his survival. An out- of- shape soldier can easily perform maintenance on a vehicle in the motor pool.  But when the time comes for him to work on his vehicle all night; travel all day and fight the following night, well, God help him. The same applies to the church. We can do lots of things without corporate prayer. But there will come a time when doing everything but the “main” thing will take its toll. By the year 2000, and by the grace of God Almighty, I was fast coming to the conclusion that CCC was suffering due to our lack of emphasis on corporate prayer. I began to sense a burning fire inside of me to repent. For years, I had pursued many good things without appreciating the best thing. Thus began my journey of repentance as a pastor…leading my congregation in becoming first and foremost a “house of prayer.” Corporate prayer can’t be the only thing, but it must be the first thing. Just as every good soldier in every army around the world begins the day with physical training, the church must begin with prayer. Just as physical training for the soldier must be relentlessly pursued, the church must relentlessly pursue corporate prayer as a life-style. Last year’s conditioning won’t win tomorrow’s battle. 

Calling one’s church to repentance concerning corporate prayer is a lonely task. Though such a notion among Para-church ministries enjoys acceptance, it is extremely rare to find a local church that will designate its primary mid-week service as a full-blown corporate prayer meeting where everyone is expected to participate. Yes everyone…kids, teens, adults, elders, deacons…you get the picture. With corporate prayer slipping to such a low priority in American church life, calls to repentance go largely unheeded. As I am now fully engaged with middle age (54), I am finding that becoming a curmudgeon is pretty easy. When other pastors share with me their plans for building the church and the Kingdom through various new and exciting approaches, I politely listen but, inside I grieve. I am, truly, a wet blanket. What I really believe is the church is fiddling (with our programs) while Rome (America) burns. As with Nero, we are tempted to blame someone else. The gut-wrenching fact, however, may be that the enemy of revival is us. If finding agreement with the proposition that churches must return to vibrant, persistent, corporate prayer were too important to me, I would be depressed. On the contrary, I am joyful like never before. The Bible teaches me that a house of prayer will be a joyous place (Isa. 56:7) and I believe it! No pity party for me as I am too busy trying to keep myself and my troops in shape. 

WHERE DID CORPORATE PRAYER GO?  

Although recent history may define “revival” in terms of a focused evangelistic effort to reach the lost, its historical meaning more accurately speaks of the restoration of relationship between God and his people. The greatest revival in history occurred at Pentecost when the church was birthed.  God is a God of order and historical revivals invariably have followed a similar pattern. An indispensable component of this pattern involves seeking the Lord through corporate prayer. Jesus insisted that this pattern be followed by the charter members of his Church and this is seen in his instructions that they “wait” on God before doing anything (Acts 1:4-14). This pattern of seeking God constantly in prayer is affirmed throughout the remainder of Acts as well as the entire New Testament. God indeed is a God of order and pattern. There can be no shortcuts in seeing the power of God released in revival. Revival simply will not happen without devotion to prayer (Acts 2:42-4:31). 

Over the past few years, our church has been walking out a path of repentance regarding the restoration of the priority of prayer. We have learned much and come a long way. We have much more to learn and a long way still to go in establishing Coweta Community Church as a house of prayer; stronghold of God; and Church of His Presence. Not everyone along the way has agreed with the emphasis that has been placed upon prayer. Some have been concerned that prayer has been emphasized at the expense of other equally important pursuits such as evangelism, discipleship, works of mercy and practical matters like the need for better facilities. This is understandable. I too have struggled with what at times seemed to me to be an undue and burdensome focus on seeking God. There is no denying the prominence and sacrifice this direction has involved. At a time when tremendous emphasis has been placed upon a person finding his or her individual “purpose” in serving the Lord, I am afraid many have missed God’s universal purposes for all Christians. Corporate prayer is not a “gift” or “divine talent.” Rather it is an obligation in the same vein as everyone’s responsibility to love and be hospitable. As attractive as it may seem, none of us have a gift of intercession. To the contrary, corporate prayer is a response to a revelation of God. It is, indeed, worship. It cannot be replaced by other legitimate pursuits and should not have to compete with activities such as choir practice and Bible study.  

Recently, the Lord has been imparting to me some things regarding these matters that have been very encouraging.  Not only has he been revealing insight, he has also allowed us as a church to begin experiencing the realities of these insights.  First, the Lord has been encouraging me to “stay the course” and do not be deterred. Many of the other pursuits that I and others have been concerned about are being and will be successfully engaged as a result of our corporate emphasis upon prayer. God is honoring and will honor his pattern. He revealed to me a few years ago the same thing he revealed to Daniel (Dan 9:13)…so much of the calamity we face has come upon us and we have not sought God. Since we have been seeking the Lord with a new level of devotion, he has been affirming to my spirit that all the good things we desire to transpire are conceived through corporate prayer. For many of these things, conception has already occurred. The gestation, labor and birth of many things are under way. Let me give you one example. 

As we pray for the harvest (as we have so many time on Wednesdays and other times), God begins to bring things to pass and arrange things in order for us to minister to the harvest he will bring. All of a sudden individuals and leaders begin to feel burdens and see issues that need to be addressed. This is fruit of the original act of praying for the harvest. There arises a real concern about preparing the saints to make disciples. People begin to see their weaknesses and address them with a Holy Spirit inspired zeal.  Recently I have witnessed a tangible eagerness to be better equipped to minister by many at CCC. There are a number of other clear examples of other ministries being birthed. The point to remember is that all were “conceived” because of prayer. This is the great thing about spirit-led prayer. We pray for one thing and so many other great things come to pass that are associated with that one thing! Wow! 

I heard the Lord very clearly speak to me regarding these things that “EVERYTHING” positive that has happened at CCC has been the fruit of prayer. He emphasized to me, “EVERYTHING!” As if I had better not forget it. In light of this, I want to encourage everyone to stay the course concerning corporate prayer. It can’t be a fad or movement, but rather a monument…a constant reminder to all of us from whence all of our good fortune comes. 

I believe it is from this understanding that the Lord inspired my wife, Sharon, to illustrate a prayer and worship furnace as being the hub connecting and the furnace firing every other ministry at CCC. (The illustration below is an early rendering of this vision as other gates have since been opened). 

So, the challenge before us remains the same…how to keep the most important thing the most important thing. I have listed some important information regarding patterns of revival and their connection to corporate prayer. The patterns mentioned refer to previous revival generations and highlight thing we need to be ever watchful for that would threaten our walk of repentance. 

Powerful Prayer Patterns from Past Generations* 

*The following was taken from Biblical Patterns for Powerful Church Prayer Meetings, Gregory R. Frizzell, PhD., pp. 12-14. 

(1) In generations of great revivals, prayer meetings were focused mostly on prayers for lost people, personal repentance, revival, and mission initiatives. Past prayer meetings focused primary attention on key kingdom issues of evangelism, missions, and sweeping revival. 6 (This pattern was especially true of generations that experienced great spiritual awakenings). By contrast, modern meetings focus mostly on a brief prayer for a hospital list. Evangelism, missions, and personal repentance have long since ceased to be the predominant focus of most prayer meetings. 

(2)  Until the twentieth century, prayer meetings were often led by lay people. 7  Lay people were the primary prayer leaders and congregational participation was extensive.  In past generations congregations were participants and not merely spectators.  By contrast, modern meetings are led mostly by the pastor and congregational participation is often minimal at best. (The point is not so much who leads the meeting, but how much the congregation participates.) 

(3)  In past prayer meetings, people spent the majority of time actually praying. 8  Little time was given for devotional sermons or talking “about” requests.  The people came to talk to God.  By contrast, modern prayer meetings typically consist of devotions and singing with only a tiny percentage of time given to direct communication with God.  Actual prayer is often the last thing done at today’s prayer meetings.  By the time churches finish with announcements, singing, devotions, and “talking about” prayer requests, almost no time is left for prayer. 

(4)  Prayer meetings were not confined to brief time slots or crowded into the midst of many other activities. 9 Revival generations promoted corporate prayer as the major church-wide experience. Because they believed prayer was important, the whole church typically spent an hour or more in fervent intercession for a variety of kingdom issues. 

By contrast, most modern churches schedule many activities at the same time a prayer and split congregations into many different groups. Quite frequently, the prayer meeting is the least promoted (and least attended) of all church activities. In most churches, there is no such thing as a “church-wide” prayer meeting.  In fact, in many churches, there is no prayer meeting at all. 

(5)  Historically, church prayer meetings often involved whole families (including older children and youth).  As did the adults, children and youth learned the power of prayer by personal participation.  In fact, revival generations valued the participation of young people. They understood that youth best learn to pray by actually praying and hearing others pray. They also understood that God hears the prayers of children and youth. 

By contrast, today’s youth are routinely excluded from prayer meetings. It has been all too common for children and youth to grow up in a Baptist church and never experience a corporate prayer meeting. (No wonder so many in today’s generation see little value in a church-wide corporate prayer meeting.) 

(6)  Historic church prayer meetings often contained strong emphasis on personal repentance and confession.  Pastors frequently shared scriptures that dealt with personal sin and called for specific prayers of repentance. 10  In the prayer meetings, people often confessed sin and asked other to pray for them in matters of spiritual struggle (James 5:16) They believed spiritual cleansing was essential to whether God would ultimately hear their prayers (Psalms 66:18) By contrast, personal confession and repentance are rarely a part of modern prayer meetings. 

(7)  Fasting was a frequent emphasis in past prayer meetings.  For the first three hundred years of Baptist history, fasting was a rather common emphasis among serious believers. 11  Yet, until very recently, fasting was seldom even mentioned much less practiced.  Even now, serious biblical fasting is exceedingly rare.  To many modern believers, simple biblical teaching on fasting still sounds extreme and unusual.  We know beyond question that fasting was a common practice for the first four hundred years after Christ’s resurrection. 

(8)  Past prayer meetings where often characterized by great fervency and inspiring testimonies.  Believers really expected  mighty answers to their prayers.  As a result, their meetings were anything but dead and formal!  Glorious public testimonies ignited faith and spurred whole congregations to ever greater depths of prayer.  By contrast, today’s prayer meetings are often routine and uninspiring. 

Following are five reasons given by Dr. Frizzell as to why churches have abandoned corporate prayer. May this not be the story our children and grand children tell! 

(1) As church programs and organizational activities became more numerous, Wednesday nights took on many purposes besides prayer.

(2)  Because of a variety of midweek activities, modern prayer meetings were pushed into ever shorter time slots.

(3)  Because many pastors were not experienced or confident in leading prayer meetings, it was natural to substitute other activities in its place.

(4)  As churches placed more and more focus on organizational programs, prayer was treated as a “side item” of lesser importance.

(5)  By the mid 1950’s churches were three generations removed from a time when strong prayer meetings were the predominate practice. 

Our Response 

What should our response be? Dr. Henry Blackaby, gives us this answer regarding corporate prayer, “Now is our turn! The witness is before us! The decision awaits us! Heaven is anticipating our obedience and waiting to burst into celebration over every believer, and every unbeliever who repents (Luk. 15:7, 10, 22-24). May we join together, week after week, corporate, power-filled prayer meetings!” (From forward to work cited above)

EZE 13:1  The word of the LORD came to me: 2   “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!  4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD.

Gates in scripture speak of authority, decision-making, and all aspects of commercial and social intercourse. They represent order and government. While addressing legitimate leadership structure, Jesus taught that legitimate leadership arrives by the gate, affirming proper order.  

JOH 10:1   “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.2  The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.

However, gates must be attached to a good wall system. The best gates in the world are useless if not connected to an effective, functioning wall system. A church can have an impressive gate… a well ordered, systematic structure for making decisions and managing activities… while at the same time suffer from not having a strong wall system.

Walls in scripture represent two primary provisions, i.e., protection and vision. Physical protection from attack and a platform from which to see what was going on outside the city. The prophets, or seers, were to be on the walls. The picture Ezekiel describes above is that of prophets ministering false visions because they were not up on the wall but rather on the ground. The prophets were still seeing things, but their visions were confined to their own imaginations. In the New Testament context, they had become ear-ticklers. Although by the time of Ezekiel Israel had kings to lead them, these kings still ultimately relied (rightly) on the visions of the prophets.

These “on-the-ground” prophets were offering uninspired visions to the king and the people. The gates were intact. The government was in order. But the heavenly inspiration for the counsel that was to flow through the gates was not there. No matter how impressive the gates of the church, if the walls are not intact and manned, all is a mirage. Gates disconnected from walls are still gates, but such gates will never experience the power they must have that comes from well-established walls. For us today, these walls represent the consistent seeking of God through corporate prayer and worship.

Ezekiel compelled the prophets then, and the Holy Spirit compels us now… come “up to the breaks in the wall to repair it…”  I pray for God’s grace for all of us to harken to Ezekiel’s call.

Come down off that wall! 

NEH 6:1 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it – though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates -2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” 

The walls must be in place before the gates can be set. Gates represent strength; power; defense; governmental authority; strategy; decision making; etc. Jesus assured Peter that all the power, authority and strategy of hell would not prevail against the Church (Mat. 16:18). In its own way, the Church is a gate to eternal life. It is through the Church that the world learns of salvation through Christ. Peter used his keys (to the gate of eternal life if you will) at Pentecost to open gates of faith for the Jews (Mat. 16:19; 18:18; Act. 2). I submit that the ten days the believers spent in prayer immediately prior to Peter’s sermon at Pentecost were the walls that had to be in place (Act. 1:14). Seeking the Lord in prayer and worship represents the walls upon which the gate (Church) is to be set in place. The gate (Church) must be in place before the glory can flow. When the walls of prayer are not in place, the gate can’t be set, much less open. It is through the gate that God’s glory, power, direction and strategy flow. If the walls of prayer are not in place, forget about the gates. Opening wide the gates for the GLORY of GOD to come (Psa. 24) in won’t even be a prospect if the walls are not first established. 

In Ezekiel 13, the prophet expresses God’s anger that the walls are broken and the prophets have nothing to say from God because they are on the ground and not up on the walls. 

EZE 13:3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins.5  You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. 

The seers of Israel could only speak out of their “own imagination” because they were not in position to see. Seeking the Lord in prayer is the absolute indispensable ingredient necessary for getting a true prophetic word from the Lord. The Church, like the prophets, will continue to be occupied with ground-bound fantasies rather than Holy Spirit inspired vision until we re-establish corporate prayer as our primary activity. 

 The spirits of Sanballat and Tobiah still cry out for the Church to come down off the wall of corporate prayer and be more reasonable about such things. However, there is a generation rising in our nation that is committed to the radical, passionate pursuit of the face of God. Like Nehemiah, they will build and fight (pray)… and refuse to come down off that wall until the task is complete!

Central to the Acts of the Apostles was the preaching of the gospel. The faithful and accurate presentation of the gospel requires divine assistance. “Much grace” (4:33) is needed to stick to the message and keep the main thing the main thing. Today, it has become fashionable to tweak the message in an apparent attempt to make it more relevant, disregarding the fact that, properly presented, the gospel is “the power of God for everyone who believes” (Ro. 1:16). Indeed, the gospel “message” remains “foolishness” to those whose hearts are not prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive it (1Co. 1:18). It is folly to attempt to make a supernatural message natural and expect the “super” to remain. Any old gospel won’t do as there are many religious messages without power (2Ti. 3:5). Understanding the indispensable connection between preaching and power is enhanced by careful examination of the occasions in Acts when the gospel is presented. One will soon discover certain essential elements are present (or properly assumed to be) whenever the gospel in preached.  

Although the gospel certainly contains a number of subordinate descriptives, e.g. “the gospel of: ‘the kingdom’; ‘grace’; ‘salvation’; and ‘peace’”; the principle descriptive is, “Jesus.” Jesus is the object of the gospel in roughly 50% of its mention in the New Testament. The first verse of the earliest gospel narrative captures this most important component of the gospel…

MAR 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

ACT 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and …

Where’s The Love?

Following is a table containing the twenty-two occasions in the Book of Acts when the gospel is presented. I have asked well over 100 people during the last few years if they could tell me which book in the New Testament was void of any mention of the word “love”. I have yet to encounter anyone who knew the answer. Of course, the answer is the Acts of the Apostles. When I first discovered this, I was intrigued by the absence of any mention of love in this book. Why was this the case? Isn’t God’s love for us, as demonstrated by his sending Jesus to die for our sins, the gospel? For God so loved the world (us)… The Holy Spirit began to release me from the prison of my own church “culture” and experiences and to see something vitally important. Of course God loves me (us). Of course God is love. Love is his motivation for everything he does for us, whether we perceive such things as pleasant or unpleasant. Whether we can comprehend it or not, God loves us. A revelation of the love of God was not new to the Jews who crucified Jesus. If there was one thing all Jews knew, it was that God loved them. The Old Testament was and continues to be a testament not only of Jesus Christ, but of the love of God for his chosen people.

When the apostles began their faithful adventure of preaching the gospel in the Book of Acts, foremost in their minds was not the love of God but the identity of Jesus Christ. They knew this was the issue. Later, in the epistles, there is much discussion about love as the apostles addressed so many issues from the context of God’s love for us and our love for him and one another. However, in Acts, the priority was the who, what, and what now of Jesus Christ.

Placing a disproportionate emphasis on God’s love for us, as Jonathan Edwards warned, can lead us to the mistaken conclusion that we are the center of God’s universe and that his highest value is that we know of and receive his love for us. On the contrary, as the Book of Acts so aptly points out, his highest value is that all mankind acknowledge him.  

The table that follows is a testimony of the faithfulness of the apostles as they kept the main thing the main thing.

Ah, Tyre, giant of commerce! This ancient city rejoiced over the judgment God had delivered to Jerusalem. She was the “market of the nations…mistress of the sea and the centre of commerce of the world” (K&D). Today, like Tyre, other giants of commerce are anticipating harm toward Israel. However, these same nations miss a very important truth set forth in the above verse. Jerusalem (Israel) is “the gate to the nations”.  All nations are irrevocably linked to Israel. This link can be a blessing or curse…we choose. God’s blessings to the nations flow through Israel…

GEN 12:3  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 

GEN 18:18  Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 

Only a blind person could miss the fact that the present national leadership of the United States, led by our president, has cooled in its support of Israel. As history appears to be poised to repeat itself,   global commercial powerhouse nations are again tempted to turn against God’s chosen people. There always have been and continue to be convenient reasons to keep a distance from Israel. Oil; settlements; homeland for the so-called Palestinians, and on and on. And now, the false gate to the nations, the “United Nations” melts before the escalating threats of a soon to be nuclear Iran. Make no mistake, Gen. 12:3 is a foretelling and forthtelling…a prophecy and promise. God help the nation that participates, encourages or otherwise acquiesces in the cursing of Israel. Intercessors can’t afford to be re-active. We must station ourselves pro-actively as we pray that our nation will always bless the womb of our Savior.

ROM 8:24  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 

Hope springs eternal. But this spring can diminish to a trickle. God always leaves us with hope. Hope remains but it may be hidden. One way to know that God is in the middle of what we go through is our sense of hope. Hope is part of who He is. God always offers hope. Hope for mercy; repentance; a new beginning; more love, etc. After counseling folks for over twenty years, I have concluded that the most important thing I can help people grasp is the availability of hope. Hope is hidden sometimes and hard to find. Satan is the master of disguising hope. The Deceiver tries to dry up our spring of hope. Whereas hope is defined as a “confident expectation,” Satan wants us to live in a realm of the hopeless. Through faith in Christ we have a sure hope…not yet fully experienced but absolutely secure. This security rises from the covenant we have with God that was sealed with the blood of the Spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ. There is a key, however, in releasing the full impact of this hope in our present experience. This key involves our revelation of our own weakness and the resultant need for God’s help. It seems like a paradox…having all we need but still recognizing our deficiencies. Israel had all they needed in the Abrahamic covenant and the Law of Moses but constantly slipped back to a  place of forgetfulness regarding their need for God. But in every case where the Lord brought correction to them, He always held out hope of restoration. Judgment never final, hope eternal.  Likewise, the New Covenant gives us all we need but we can’t live like we have all we need now. If we live and act like our hope has been fully realized, we indeed deny the true image in the mirror and deceptively think we have arrived (Jam. 1:22-23). This state of false arrival is what constantly got Israel in trouble. Indeed it could be called the theme of all their problems. Though, again, the Lord was always faithful to give His people hope…if they would only recognize their need. Without a recognition of need, there is no need for hope. Hope flourishes in the garden of need. The scripture reference at the top of this paragraph precedes a promise of help from God for a very special group of people…those who are weak.

ROM 8:26  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 with groans that words cannot express.

 The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, not strength. James writes that our focus upon the perfect law of love (the New Covenant in the person of Christ) should reveal our weaknesses…the things that need to change…like our unbridled tongues, immorality, etc. In the context of Romans 8 above, our hope is in a full realization in our experience the reality of our position in Christ. Dr. Colver refers to this as the “already but not yet.” Our hope is therefore most prominently before us in the midst of our weakness. Echoing the same truth of Rom. 8:26, Jesus invites the Church in Laodicea an opportunity to unleash the power of His ministry in their midst upon the simple recognition of their weakness (Rev. 3:20-21). The promise of His Presence is directly related to the admission of their need. I believe this reference most assuredly applies to us.

Revelation of need releases the search for hope, which translates, hopefully, in seeking the Lord. Jesus is indeed the Hope of the nations. By  responding in obedience to the Scriptural mandate that the Church be a house of prayer (Isa. 56; Mat. 21), we confess our need and focus on our only real Hope, Jesus Christ. This is one reason I am so excited about the expansion of our prayer watch. Needy people pray and God notices praying people. If you have not yet sought the Lord about manning a prayer watch, please do so. God is calling watchers to the wall (Isa. 62:6). Pastor Rodney can answer any questions you might have and is also open to any suggestions for making this effort more effective.

God bless you!

Pastor Pete

Christmas is all about revelation. Revelation is: “information that is newly disclosed, especially surprising, or valuable.” 

 The angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that she would give birth to the King of Kings.

 An angel revealed to Joseph that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and he would save his people from their sins.

 An angel revealed to the shepherds that “today” their Savior would be born in Bethlehem.

A rising star in the east revealed to the wise men that the King of the Jews had been born.

The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

 God revealed to Anna that her Redeemer had arrived. 

On each of these occasions, a life-altering revelation of Jesus Christ is described. A sudden, especially surprising and valuable event. No event in history has had the impact of this revelation.  

Some thirty-three years later, the Holy Spirit opened the hearts of over three thousand Jews and Jewish pilgrims to a revelation of Jesus Christ as the Risen Lord and Savior. As on that day and until today, the revelation of Jesus Christ is the single most powerful dynamic ever experienced, altering the destinies of multitudes. The revealing of Jesus represents our entry into eternal life in the Son. It is the ultimate cure for what ails us.

Now

 The Apostle Paul knew there was much more to follow our initial revelation of Jesus Christ as Risen Lord and Savior.  In praying for the saints at Ephesus, Paul asked God (no…kept asking God) to let them “know him better.” More revelation of HIM. Wisdom, revelation, enlightenment and resurrection power…more! This is the tension between our position in Christ realized upon our initial revelation and our experience of Christ in us as we mature. Experiencing Christ is what Jesus promised when he said the student is not above his teacher. It’s what Paul refers to when he shares his desire to “fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regards to Christ’s afflictions…”  Now we press on to a fuller revelation of Christ. We want more [Christ]… information that is newly disclosed, especially surprising or valuable. All the apostles prayed that we would have an abundance of “grace” and “peace.” Grace for more revelation of HIM in our experience and peace from the revelation of our completeness in HIM. 

Just as a revelation of Christ remains the ultimate cure for the unsaved, a deeper revelation of this same Christ remains the cure for those already saved. Complacency is the lack of a Holy Ghost inspired sense of dissatisfaction with the depth of Christ-formation in us. My prayer for all of us during this Christmas season is that we “know him better” than ever. 

Merry Christmas!