The Power of Crying Out.

The following is a small snippet taken from the prayer watchman March calendar of Christian Vision Media. Yes, I have permission to use it. It’s called “The Power of Crying Out.”

In his book, The Power of Crying Out, Bill Gothard writes; “The most significant difference between the prayers of God’s people in Scripture (so powerfully effective) and our prayers today (so seemingly ineffective) is this: there was a fervency in the prayers of Biblical saints – a fervency that is inherent in crying out. When we grasp this fact, the pages of Scripture come alive with sound!”

David said; “In my distress, I … cried unto my God; He heard my voice” (Ps 18:6). The Hebrew word that describes David’s outcry is ‘shava’, a higher pitched cry for help. Again the Psalmist says; “I called to You for help and You healed me” (Ps 30:2 NIV).

We know from our own families that a true father’s heart hears his children’s cries, and that his children naturally cry to him. In the same way, crying out to God is our child-to-father impulse, planted within us by the Holy Spirit. “[Because we are His children],” Paul says, “[We] have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Rom 8:15).

The Greek word here for crying out is a strong word usually translated as ‘shouting.’

Away with dignity and decorum! Desperate situations call for desperate measures. We must allow the Holy Spirit to cry out from within us. Why? Because God hears and answers the cry He Himself inspires. Ever found yourself deliberately suppressing an urge to cry out to God? Could you be quenching the Spirit of God? If so, it’s time to make a change – to respond to Him in humility and obedience by ‘crying out.’ 

Mentioned in the above, is the word fervency. Fervency is intensity of feeling or expression. It’s passion, ardour, enthusiasm, zeal. Intense emotion compelling action. Neutrality never wins God’s heart. God would rather you be hot or cold. There’s no sitting on the fence. Hunger and thirst, yearn and be desperate for the great things of God and you shall see them.

Hayman of the bible and Hitler of the 2nd world war, had something in common. They both had the spirit of Amalek. The spirit of Amalek is the spirit of evil, stirring up hatred and spewing forth their love of lies.

Fatherlessness breeds frustration, terrorism, loneliness, rejection and hate. Hitler’s father was viewed as harsh and distant. God the Father is a loving and near God. While Hitler knew his father, he can’t have met my God.

Studies show an adolescent’s level of violence increases within fatherless families. Fatherless families also exhibit higher emotional problems, deeper levels of anxiety and depression and have a greater propensity to fail school and to end up in jail.

The Muslim too, is a fatherless nation. The Muslim hasn’t met The Father, our Father, my Father. They worship a god of violence and fear. The Muslim man will dominate their family through viciousness and without compassion. They follow a god who teaches to be accepted they must oppress and kill.

Because they are a nation where fathers dominate rather than love, a father-child relationship between them and their children isn’t possible and a father-child relationship between the Muslim and their God is incomprehensible to many of them. This is why, not all, but a proportion of Muslims are so hate-filled, for they are a Fatherless nation and in that, they cannot know the love of The Father.

So, you see, you need to have the right relationship with your Father in Heaven. If you’re not seeing results, you’re either inconsistent in your walk with God, you might view God through a distorted lens, you might be in sin or even at times, the devil is attempting to thwart your efforts. Or, as mentioned, it could be a lack of fervency or passion towards the Lord. A lack of reverence perhaps.

Daily reading of the word, prayer, worship and taking of the elements aid you in this regard. Don’t be hit and miss. Be diligent. If we’re not diligent, we won’t see the results we desire.

Let's turn things around. Let’s start today. Let’s take now, of the blood and the body, in remembrance of Him. For as it says in Matthew 26:26-28; And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The Cross and The Blood.

A number of years ago, Louie Giglio gave a talk on Laminin. Laminin joins one DNA strand to another and it comes in the form of a cross. According to Mr Giglio, Laminin is clearly visible under magnification.

I read a post recently. I don’t know who the original writer was and so I can’t give credit here, however the post states something along the lines of; We have 33 vertebrae in our spine. Jesus lived for 33 years. There’s a natural oil that runs up our spine called “Christos.” It runs for 28 days, until it hits the “Vegas Nerve.” The Vegas Nerve is shaped like a cross. At the end of the 28 days the Christos fluid dies before being resurrected again at around the third day.

Note; The Vegas Nerves are the main nerves of the body, controlling digestion, heart rate and the immune system.

The bible tells us the life is in the blood. It tells us Christ lives in us. Science can prove the reality of this, as the development of the microscope becomes more refined and we begin to see the cross in our DNA, Christos of our spine and in the death and resurrection of Christos after almost 3 days. What more proof do we need?

Leviticus speaks on the sacrifice of animals, bringing to light the most holiness of God. In Leviticus, God requested that man not drink of the blood of the sacrificial animal. Why? Because the life is in the blood, because the blood is sacred and the only blood worthy of drinking is the Blood of the Lamb who hadn’t, at that time, entered the scene.

We are the most fortunate of generations in these latter days, as we have the resurrected Christ with us. People of the Old Testament didn’t have that luxury. While the Laminin and the Christos were present, at that time science hadn’t evolved enough for them to see and to know it, nor had the Holy Spirit come.

In their day, for the ancients of old, just one sacrifice wouldn’t do. One sacrificial animal wasn’t enough. It was a constant work to remain approved under God. We, today, have that One sacrificial Lamb and that Lamb lives within us. I’m sure the patriarchs of old envy us in this regard.

The Blood of the Lamb overcomes all. The Blood of the Lamb is the greater power and no lesser power can stand before Him. The Blood of the Lamb is the conquering weapon under which no enemy can win. And the Blood of the Lamb resides with us. How wonderful is that!

Let us now honour the Lord, as we take of the Blood of the Lamb and of the Bread of His Body, shed and broken for us that we may have life and have life abundantly.

Lord, we praise You, honour You and thank You, for Your great and wonderful sacrifice. Amen.

11 Disciples

Mother’s Day last year, my daughter gave me one of renowned photographer, Ken Duncan’s books; The Holy Land – Where Jesus Walked. I’ve been savouring that book, reading it as slow as I dare. I’ve almost come to the end and I reckon I’ll read it again.

Recently I wrote a little snippet on the mantle and part of that snippet on the mantle was how Elisha was the only one who saw Elijah ascend to heaven. The other prophets from that moment in the bible, stood on the opposite side of the Jordan River, watching on. They didn’t cross the river when Elijah and Elisha crossed. It was Elisha alone who followed Elijah. The other prophets stayed within the bounds and safety of their little bean patch. Elisha alone saw the miracle of Elijah ascending into heaven in a whirlwind with chariots and horses.

In reading Where Jesus Walked, as I approached the end of the book, I noticed something in which I hadn’t put two and two together before. When Elijah ascended, only one person (Elisha) witnessed it. When Jesus ascended some days after His crucifixion, the eleven disciples witnessed it along with two angels (this is spoken of in Acts 1:6-11). A question came to mind – Why only one then and why eleven now?

In old testament days, Holy Spirit only fell on one person at a time and it was generally a priest or a prophet. Elisha being the only one to witness the ascension of Elijah was the validation needed to confirm Elijah’s successor. In the new testament days, Jesus died and was resurrected once and for all; for all to be saved. Not for one successor only but for community – the church; hence the disciples, those who followed Jesus – for it was His body and blood shed for His bride alone. The many witnesses of Jesus ascension underscored the historical credibility and communal nature of the event; the public empowerment of a global movement, not just a single successor.

The singular witness preserved the mystery of Elijah’s departure, emphasising the unique and almost mystical status of the prophet in their day. That one witness was the condition under which Elisha received the mantle. The other prophets who stayed behind knew the baton had been passed, so to speak; knew it had taken place not because they saw the transaction but because Elisha now held the mantle.

Jesus ascension is portrayed as the culmination of His earthly mission and His enthronement at the right hand of the Father – a theological cornerstone of Christian faith.

The contrast highlights the shift from the Old Covenant model, where God’s Spirit rested on select individuals, to the New Covenant, where the Spirit is poured out on all believers; all those who follow Christ. It’s a foundation of faith meant for all nations.

As followers of Christ, we too carry the mantle. We carry Christ’s mantle and with that mantle comes ability; ability to preach to the poor in spirit, cast out demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk, the blind see and the deaf hear.

In doing so, we must follow the pattern of the Son. To be strong in the Lord, there are things we need to be doing; reading our bible, praise and worship and the taking of the elements are just a few. Jesus spoke of the bread and the wine, this being His body broken for us and His blood shed that we may have life and have life abundantly.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

To Him that Overcome

The word of the Lord gives you promises. It says, to him that overcome I give:

To eat of the tree of life which is in the middle of the paradise of God Rev 2:7. When Adam and Eve fell, God put guards in place so no-one could eat of the fruit again but once you become an overcomer, access is granted to you to eat from the tree of life once more.

He that is faithful unto death I will give the crown of life Rev 2:10. He who picks up his cross and follows Jesus, even unto death, to him is life given.

He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him I will give power over the nations Rev 2:26.

And I will give him the morning star Rev 2:28. Jesus Himself – full participation in His glory.

He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot his name out of the book of life and I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels Rev 3:5.

Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world Rev 3:10.

Hold fast, that no man can take thy crown Rev 3:11.

To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His throne Rev 3:21.

We may not understand all of what’s promised by God, but if we stick with it, if we keep close to God, one day we will know the full extent of those promises.

In the parables of the seed and the ground, the seed is the word of God, the ground is the heart of man. He that has an ear, let him hear. To him who hears, understanding will come.

Only 25% of people will get the understanding of the seed and the ground, as the word falls on stony ground, as the word is replaced by the cares of the world, or thorns. Only a small portion falls on good ground with well drained, and fertilized soil ready for growth.

Out of that 25% there’s 30, 60 and 100-fold, which means only 8% of people will gain the hundredfold. Many will fall away, discouraged and disillusioned. If you want the hundred-fold, you need to follow the word of God, do as it says, believe in His truth and continue the good fight of faith…then you shall be an overcomer and all of the above will be yours.

Is it easy? No. The devil will try at every turn to convince you otherwise. He will use all his wiles and schemes to distract you, to bring you into fear, to cause you to question your faith and bring you to fall away from your faith. If you want the crown (the prize), you have to stay the course until the end.

There are no insignificant battles either. Little battles equip you for the bigger battles, but no battle is insignificant.

A person easily swayed, a double minded man or woman, will receive nothing from the Lord. James 1:6-8 says; But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Set your intention and keep to it.

The mind is the single most complicated thing in the whole universe and it’s our job to learn how to use it in keeping with our best interest. One of the ways to best keep our mind is in placing God’s word deep in our heart. It’s reading God’s word every day. It’s in doing what God asks us do to and one of the best ways to do that, is to take of the elements, to take communion in remembrance of Jesus and all that He did on the cross.

For as it says in Matthew 26:26-28; And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”