Wake Up!

And when these things begin to come to pass , then look up, 

and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  

Luke 21:28

In the gospels, we are told of the signs to look for when the end is near.  These are truly signs of  the last days that we are living in.  Right before our eyes, we see a dying world; dying from sin and degradation, we see the ravages of war, we see and hear of the senseless killings, the suicides of children and adults, tragic killings and a seemingly unrelentless plague and if we have any spiritual discernment at all, we see the loss of hope.  All of this while the body of Christ stands back and scarcely bats an eye.  What is scary about this situation is that the body of Christ is only a hop, skip and jump away.  The commentary on the body of Christ today is that it is truly a sad thing that it is not so much that the body of Christ is seemingly losing the battle, it's that its not even fighting! Jesus told the disciples:

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.   Matthew 16:18

The body of Christ is to be advancing the Kingdom of God.  Instead, there has never been so many downcast, depressed, angry and bitter children of God!  It can only be concluded that there are some things missing in the spiritual armor – we have not completely sold out to God.  Instead, we are just as caught up in the things of the world as the world.  We think like the world and we react like the world.  What happened to the joy of the Lord being our strength?  What happened to knowing that He that is within us is greater than he that is in the world?    Here’s the problem:  We know that we serve a God who is in full control, who can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or even think:

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20

We remember that first part but we forget to apply the ending that states 'according to the power that worketh in us'!  That’s why we’re walking around angry, bitter, depressed, and downcast.  We have yet to tap into or activate the power within us.  The Holy Spirit will lead you; the Holy Spirit will direct you; you’ll know what you should be praying for, what you need to hold onto and what you just need to let go of.  We need to ask ourselves are we following Jesus' example, are we walking out the example given us in the gospel?  Think about it, Jesus slipped away and prayed, Jesus had a servant mentality, Jesus loved, Jesus gave of himself.  Are we doing these things on a consistent basis?  We want so much for ourselves but how much of ourselves are we willing to give God?   The bible tells us to be like minded with Christ.  Apostle Paul told the body of Christ in Philippians:

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Philippians 2:1:5

As we go before God in prayer, think about it and determine within yourself that you're going to let the mind of Jesus be in you!

 Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you this day with a grateful heart; rejoicing in this day that You have made.  You said let everything that has breath praise You.  And so Lord, I am praising and magnifying Your name on today; giving You all of the honor and glory as it surely belongs to You.  Lord we thank You and we praise You in the beauty of holiness.  On this day Lord, I thank You for Your creation of the heavens and the earth.  When I look up in the skies and behold the magnificence of Your creation, I am in awe.

To Your wisdom Lord, there is no end.  You and only You are God alone.  You are the one true living, all wise God.   It was You who set all things in motion.  And so I honor you as the sovereign One not only of this earth and this universe, but of my life.   Lord, I know that all power belongs to You and that at one thought You can move heaven and earth at Your pleasure but I come to You today Lord asking that you send the angels to watch over, protect and be with Your children in these turbulent times; that You build a fence all around us to keep the enemy, the devourer, at bay. 

Lord we acknowledge that we need You each and every hour of every day.  You are our sustainer; our keeper in our times of trouble.   We have no need to sorrow as the world does because we have the comfort of Your precious Holy Spirit residing within us and we thank you for that.

Lord we thank You for the blood of the precious lamb, Jesus Christ.  We know that through His blood comes power to be washed and delivered from sin, healing power, redemptive power, power to live right and power to do Your will.  Had it not been for the shedding of the blood . . . and so I just want to thank You God for Your son, Jesus Christ, who became the final sacrifice for our sins.

The song says, ‘to be like Jesus, to be like Jesus!  On earth I long just to be like Him.’   Lord Your everlasting love, Your loving kindness, Your tender mercy is more than I can comprehend, but I desire and I endeavor to be like our perfect example, Jesus Christ.  I thank You God for Jesus, Your only begotten son who set the pattern; the example for us to follow.  

Someone is hurting today, Lord, someone is distressed, discouraged, ailing in their body, confused in their mind.  But Lord, I know that You are able to relieve and alleviate the curse of the enemy who desires to see us defeated and cast down and under his management.  In the mighty name of Jesus, the name that all will have to bow down to, the only name given whereby we are to obtain salvation, we ask that You intervene according to Your will and make a way out of seemingly impossible situations!   Lord You said with man it is impossible, but with You, all things are possible!  

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26

Help someone to believe in You; to know that You are the alpha and the omega and without You, we are lost.  Without You, we are like ships without sails;  like sheep who have gone astray; just aimlessly drifting without direction, off course from Your will.  Put somebody on course today Lord.  Use us, Your body,  to bring in the lost.  Help us to be willing vessels.  Help us to be instruments for Your use and for Your purpose. 

Help us Lord to put all of our faith in You; wholly trusting and leaning on You; knowing that our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.  We need You Lord like never before, in our homes, in our jobs, in our churches – we need You Lord!  Help us to make our way back to You; help us to get our focus back to You; help us to be what You called us to be which is witnesses for You.  Help us Lord, despite everything that is going on in the world today, to still remain focused on You.  We can’t become despondent over the cares of this world but we have to continue moving forward in You – providing a shining light to the world. 

You already said in Your word that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Ephesians 6:12

Lord, bring deliverance wherever it is needed in accordance to Your Divine will. 

Help us to fight in the spirit and to recognize that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but through our prayers, Your word, the blood of Jesus, the power of Jesus name, the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, we are armed to stand against every single attack of the enemy. And with You on our side Lord, we know we are victorious!

And now Lord as we come before You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit lead and guide us in the direction, that we should take, that our assigned angels be with us and that we represent You well as representatives and ambassadors of Your Kingdom. 

In Jesus' name I thank you and I pray, amen.

Psalms 27 is a humbling praise, acknowledgement and submission to God:

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all he days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 

 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing , yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, Neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Be blessed today and be strong in God's might!

Elder C. Henry

12/12/15

07/22/20