ez3728

The next two weeks has me traveling coast to coast three times. My most recent writing was therefore on a 5 hour flight, then posted when I landed.

All that said, the paragraph after the Matt 5 citation auto-spellcheck INCORRECTLY stated “nomothetic” (adj) as being Greek for “law”. The correct word is nomos (noun) and since our Lord was specifically jot and tittling us about scriptural prophetic accuracy and therefore accountability, I felt the proper response would be to correct that one.

Ah, technology! As a friend sometimes texts: “spell check is my worst enema”.

Follow

HOW AND WHY ONE WRITES, MINISTERS, PREACHES, TEACHES, SINGS, OR DOES ANYTHING FOR THE KING AND THE KINGDOM, might be expressed in this book review:

This review is about: Church and the Tribulation: A Biblical Examination of Posttribulationism (Paperback)

I agree with the author’s point of view (at least I THINK I DO. I did not get through the entire book. I had to put it down). The author is well versed. I heartily disagree with his intentional employment of words and phrases that obviously are meant to target the book to theological intellectuals, and/or impress the readers with Robert Gundry’s intellect and vocabulary. Robert Gundry obviously is brilliant and appears to honor and respect the word of God. But the whole point of the word of God is to minister to people, for their edification and information, and for the glory of God. If that is the case, then one must wonder about the rhyme or reason of someone intentionally using difficult, uncommon and oft-times unnecessary uber-intellectual words to explain something way more explainable in more easily understood language. If the purpose of the writing is to impress others with the author’s vocabulary, then this is a fantastic book. If the purpose of the writing is to minister and explain and clarify biblical writings, then this book fails and suddenly the author presents himself as intentionally writing for other theologians only, excluding all others. That is disappointing, and sad. I would humbly suggest Mr. Gundry goes back and writes another version of the book, for mere mortals to read and understand. In doing that, somehow I think he’d be more in line with Rabbi Paul, who wrote and said all scripture was intended for all people all the time, and purposely wrote with the pen and heart of a minister rather than the pen and head of a theological intellectual out to impress other theological intellectuals. If the Kingdom of God is truly the Kingdom of God, what is anyone doing writing like this? The ministry of Jesus was and is to take the story and plan of God to the people, is it not?

Follow

Prayer In These Times – week six

THE NIGHT SHIFT
DREAM PRAYER
THE SECRET PLACE OF REVELATION AND DIALOGUE

THE INTENT is to leave more time for prayer tonight.

I admit that what we’re delving into is pertinent to ALL times as much as THESE time, but THESE times are OUR times, and I firmly believe they are THE times before the return of our Lord, and that being the case, our understanding the urgency, glory, potential, necessity, and spiritual nuances of prayer, are more and more critical.

I’m further encouraged to see how the Lord is “working me over” as I delve into this study, and I am believing He will do the same for anyone who wants to go deeper. I want to. And I know I need to go deeper in Him.

Jesus said this about times prior to His return:
Luke 21:25-36
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree
29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.
30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.
31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

It’s almost humorous for our Lord to say “Assuredly” – as if EVERYTHING that He EVER SAID was anything less than guaranteed. I believe He tells us things like: “verily verily” or “assuredly” as a pre-emptive strike against what He knew would be a point of prophetic contention – He knew there would be lies propagated in the future to specifically speak contrary to the plans of heaven. He was saying “ASSUREDLY” for us.

All that to say: Moran’s message this past weekend was solid, and if you haven’t sat in the classes re the Isaiah Apocalypse or Ezekiel 33-39 a few years ago, then perhaps this weekend’s message presented itself as a shock to you, a wake-up call. Personally, Moran is yet one more clear voice speaking biblical truth. I am of the mind that we’re called to identify the FIG TREE SITUATION of our times. There are things happening in the earthly and heavenly realms, IN THIS SEASON, and they are intended to be signs for us.
THE JESUS TELL US CLEARLY:

BACK AGAIN TO THE FINAL VERSES we just looked at (BACK 2 SLIDES)
Luke 21
31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
“GENERATION”: (GENEA – means way more than the group of people taht were HEARING JESUS SPEAK – it can mean AGE, which theo-LOGIC would lean us toward believing. The context of the passage, to coordinate with ALL of prophetic scripture, would require that this was definitely NOT fulfilled during the days of the first or second century, but instead position themselves within the timeframes prior to the completion of this AGE.

AND THEN WE’RE ASSURED THIS IS NOT GOING TO “GO AWAY” SIMPLY BECAUSE WE EITHER IGNORE THE SITUATIONS ON EARTH, or EVEN WORSE, TRY TO PREACH OR TEACH AROUND THESE TRUTHS.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
AND HERE’S THE “PRAY-ALWAYS” ADMONITION FROM THE LIPS OF OUR LORD:
36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

That being the situation, it would be THEO-logical to assume that our Lord, in His RELENTLESS MERCY, would be working to prepare us to WATCH and PRAY ALWAYS. He is FOR us making it, and standing successfully, by His grace, before His throne of judgment.

SO HE IS ON THE MOVE and CALLS US TO BE ON THE ALERT.
Our time in prayer, and understanding the prayer context, is critical.
We do need to reclaim the LIVELINESS OF COMMUNICATION WITH GOD. It is WONDERFUL
WHEN and
WHY and
HOW
our Great God speaks to His people and reveals Himself to His people.
That will be a lot of our focus this week, and maybe rolling into next week as well.

There wants/needs/deserves to be an ANTICIPATION OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, as we make room for Him, both in our TIME and also in our HEARTS OF FAITH.
And those places are blessed as we see how God has spoken to people throughout the entire age.

I am very much trying to increase my personal pray-always awareness throughout the day and the night.

Part of God’s never-changing persona is that He is ALWAYS mystifying and magical and marvelous, and loves surprising His people.

I am personally marveling how the Lord has been dealing w me during the preparations for this class, and as I prepare. It continues to be a season of huge challenge for me, as I press into what He is doing and how He has been communicating w me.

FOR ME, IN THIS SEASON (I say this appreciating your season and your walk w Him is YOUR season and YOUR walk w Him) – one thing is that God has been dealing w me heavily in the place of DREAMS.

DREAMS and PRAYER are not contradictory, and I want to demonstrate that scripturally.

FIRST AND FOREMOST – look at this prophetic declaration BY PETER, in explaining the UPPER ROOM birthing of Holy Spirit indwelling – the announcement of a new season of intimacy between GOD and MAN, ushered in w fire. Peter was quoting Joel:
Acts 2:16-21
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

The “great and awesome day of the Lord” is the Lord’s RETURN – not His birth or even His crucifixion. THAT being the case, Peter was in some ways pulling these verses down to explain the BIRTHING of the SEASON – but we would be wise to see in this declaration as pointing to INCREASE of these components as we get closer to the real “great and awesome day of the Lord” – including increase in signs and wonders and dreams and visions.

Because of the 24/7 nature of God, GOD TAKES YOUR SLEEP TIME/DREAM TIME SERIOUSLY, as should you. Let’s look into this truth, both to see how it might factor in communications FROM God as well as even communications TO God, both of which therefore qualify as PRAYER.

I am convinced PRAYER INCLUDES on your knees or in whatever posture of reverence you might assume, BUT also that Prayer – communication dialogue w God, ought to rightly include ALL those other times in our days.

CRAZY BALAAM had a few things right:
Numbers 22:18-21
18 Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
19 Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

FAR MORE DEFINITE IS THIS DISCOURSE – God coming to Solomon and BOTH OF THEM dialoguing in a DREAM, and its importance to God Himself.
1 Kings 3:3-15
3 And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
(so we see God still working in the life of Solomon, even w Solomon NOT living as he should have been. That is ENCOURAGING to us, in that perfection is not a requirement, and yet the outcome of Solomon’s life ought to seriously provoke us to do better than he did).
4 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
6 And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,
12 behold, I have done (God’s instant timing) according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.
14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15 Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

1 Kings 9:1-9
God’s Second Appearance to Solomon
1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he wanted to do,
2 that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.
3 And the Lord said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
4 Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,
5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
6 But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

1 KINGS 9 IS PARALLEL TO 2 CHRON 7:14
2 Chronicles 7:12-14
(God’s Second Appearance to Solomon)
12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
(we have been standing on the promise of a DREAM DIALOGUE between God and Solomon, since it occurred. How can we blow off our own dreams?)
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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

AND THEN THE CONFIRMATION OF THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THOSE DREAM DIALOGUES:
1 Kings 11:6-10
6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David.
7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.
8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded.

So what we are seeing is that our ALL-THE-TIME AWARENESS OF THE PRESENCE and POTENTIAL for dialogue w God will bless us and keep us ON COURSE and IN THE SPIRIT.

PSALM 17
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
You have tried me and have found nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
…(then a descriptive of the men of this world)…

Verse 15 COULD be speaking to resurrection – waking up in eternity w God, but giving some respect to verse 3 we might also consider this the “morning daily wake-up” – coming out of the night-test and knowing all things are right w God.

15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalms 63:6
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.

AND understanding God dealing w ALL MEN – here’s the “mother of all prophetic dreams”, then interpreted by young Daniel in Babylon – which catapulted him to prominence and position, and set in motion the ONLY written account in scripture of a KING’s salvation adventure, and also provides for all of us THE spiritual framework for the ENTIRE AGE IN WHICH WE LIVE, culminating with the purposeful and supernatural collapse of the governments of man, by God Himself.

Daniel 2:1-45
1 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

SUCH A DEAL
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.
6 However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”
8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm:
9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;
15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.

(FIRST THINGS FIRST: Praising and thanking God – could this also have taken place during the night vision?)
So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
23 “I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and (CONTRARY TO DANIEL’S HUMILITY) said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:
29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.
30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.
32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.

37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory;
38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.

39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours
(INFERIOR IN THAT THE RULING HEAD DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH ABSOLUTE POWER. THAT WAS THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE – and we know Darius was up all night looking for some LEGAL WAY to free Daniel from the lion’s den); then another (GREECE), a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron (ROME), inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided (MIXED SYSTEMS OF RULE – as we see throughout the earth); yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile (constant flux and change as people battle for position and authority, with the populace asserting itself and powerful men jockeying for control within these “mixed environments” of clay and iron. The results continue to be roughness and strength and conflict, and of less value than gold or silver or bronze).
43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

There’s been lots of theories and thoughts about the FEET of the STATUE – many thinking the feet represented (ONLY) DEMOCRACY – anointed ones along w the common masses. Some go so far as to say the FEET are America. I don’t know how they conjure that up.
The image I “borrowed” (for the slide) had the feet as the restored Roman Empire, since many contend Rome (and the Roman Catholic Church), almost ALONE, is the BEAST.
Others feel the FEET are a combined European power group – but there too I tend to disagree.
My view of the FEET is about a worldwide order of many nations, including European nations and likely America, along with kings and nations from the far north (Ezekiel) and elsewhere. If you want to embrace all of the obvious prophecies re the final invasion of Israel, then you need to include Zechariah 12-14, Ezek 36-39, lots of Isaiah (clearly pointing to what was the Assyrian Empire)

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

AN OBSERVATION RE THE 24/7 OF GOD:
During the World War 2, my dad worked in the ship yards, wiring battleships. The urgency of the battle had 3 work crews, each spending 8 hours, working around the clock, 24/7, because of the urgency of the hour. Our nation was at war.
I believe we should figure that God, knowing the lateness of the hour prior to His return, would want to be speaking w us, and having US speak w Him, 24/7.

I THINK WE’D DO WELL TO ANTICIPATE THE LORD SPEAKING W AT ALL TIMES. That mindset and preparation of our hearts will place us into more effective place of readiness.

WE’VE LOOKED AT THESE SCRIPTURES before, but I think I am understanding more and more what they are pointing to for OUR LIVES, especially in THESE TIMES
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
(I am thinking the “disobedience” Paul is talking about is what is NATURALLY IN US, and that he is pointing to a Spirit-empowered and willingly Spirit-possessed life where all of our disobedience thoughts, contradicting the Lord’s thoughts, are taken captive)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I UNDERSTAND THIS in principle. I personally am working to get there.

All scripture NKJV

Follow

Last week I was out of town and hopefully many of you were here, engaged in prayer and worship w Michelle. We want and require all of the components of prayer and worship, just as we are supposed to want and require a full gospel. Over and over again the prophets encountering God were told to “eat the whole scroll”. That’s bible-speak for the whole enchilada.

Thankfully, the work of the Lord will not depend upon any one believer. God continues to be on the move, particularly in these days – and He’s wanting all hands on deck. Part of the plan.

TONIGHT, in keeping w the theme PRAYER IN THESE TIMES, I very much want to look at THESE TIMES, and also what the scriptures appear to be telling us about these times. THAT will help align our prayer lives w the things God is doing on earth, as well as in the heavenly realms.

Several things occurred while I was out of town – one most notable being my receipt of a news article from friends in Israel speaking of a barely-disguised (except for the spiritually blind) satanic worship event coordinated in seven cities around the world – something that began several years ago in Belgium and is spreading country to country because of its “global” and “”world order” roots. Positioned as a festival of peace and unity.

The roots of the festival run directly back to paganism, Hinduism, and the occult.

SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE NEWS ARTICLE (Kehila News – a Messianic news service in Israel):

https://kehilanews.com/2016/07/20/occult-music-festival-tomorrowland-invades-the-holy-land/

Occult Music Festival “Tomorrowland” Invades the Holy Land

The annual festival that uses music as a cover for occult indoctrination stakes a claim in Jerusalem.

Kehila News Israel Staff Jul 20, 2016

If the name makes you think of Disneyland, you’re right. “Tomorrowland” is a theme section at Disneyland. The original Walt Disney, a great fan of futuristic ideas, said that the Disneyland version was designed “to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future.”

The global music festival called “Tomorrowland” …has the same goal… sort of. What is being offered, however, is neither a musical experience nor a technological one. The festival is openly spiritual, weaving “stories” and “fairy tales” in between the musical performances to communicate a hybrid of Luciferian, Wiccan and Hindu religion.

This year the “Tomorrowland” festival comes to Israel for the first time as the new 11,000-seat Payis Arena Stadium in the Holy City of Jerusalem hosts this pagan missionary outreach extravaganza, choosing instead to see it as “the world’s biggest music festival”.

This festival began in 2005 in Belgium, and its growth has been impressive. Starting in 2008, it settled on a weekend in late July, and the numbers topped 50,000. By 2012, the headcount was an incredible 185,000 participants.

In 2013, a companion festival was established in the USA (Georgia), named “Tomorrow World”. The following year, “Tomorrowland” opened a second base in Brazil. Then in 2015 came the idea of “mirror” festivals, live-linked from different locations via giant video screens. The “Mirror to Tomorrowland” festivals enabled youth to “unite” through the mirror and “be part of the Madness” in six countries:

Mexico, India, Japan, Colombia, Germany and South Africa. On July 23 (the second day of the 3-day Belgian festival), Israel becomes mirror number 7 to join the madness. The Jerusalem event is scheduled to run on July 23, 2016 from 8:00pm until 4:00am.

Each year revolves around a theme, and these provide the first clue that despite its billing as a global music festival, “Tomorrowland” is not really about music. The concepts of “life” and “happiness”, the “power” and “mysteries” of the invisible world, are explored in captivating, high-budget theme clips released well ahead of each festival. Often music is not even mentioned in these introductions. The second clue is that every single intro clip – as well as the festival kickoff ceremonies beamed from Belgium – includes the reverent opening of an animated book called “the book of wisdom”, from which all the festival’s “stories” are drawn. On its cover is the logo of “Tomorrowland”, an ambiguous design except for the “third eye“, the traditional occult sign of spiritual enlightenment. The eye is crowned, symbolizing a claim of lordship over this spiritual power source.

“The book of wisdom” was mentioned in the video promo clip for 2013 Georgia festival, stating, “The book of wisdom will be opened in our second home.” In the 2012 video, these explanations and visuals leave no doubt as to the pagan roots of this “wisdom”. The custodians of these writings (portrayed in the clip as bizarre horned characters engaged in various occult activities) are described as a “magnificent civilization” composed of “fairy-tale keepers”, and they receive honorable mention during the festivals.

In “The Arising of Life” (Tomorrowland 2013 Trailer), hints are dropped about an unidentified man who is “hidden from civilization” somewhere, and who is unlocking ancient secrets for mankind. This clip invites you to “connect with the beings who roam in the heart of this magical land… Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

“The Key to Happiness” (Tomorrowland 2014 Trailer) “reveals a secret behind a magical key…” which acquaints festival-goers with another occult symbol of the mythical pathway to enlightenment: a mythical ancient machine waiting to be reactivated. Here again, we are told that this machine was built for mankind in the past by a mysterious hidden man, who entrusted the key to “guardians”.

Only once does music become a theme (“The Secret Kingdom of Melodia”, 2015). The short intro teases the viewer by asking where all music comes from. A longer clip presents music as merely a gateway into the spirit dimension, using innocent children as models, but doesn’t answer the question. You get that later at the Belgium festival, which introduces “the king of Melodia”… an image embedded in what looks like a Christian cathedral, framed by organ pipes. In fact, the audio reveals church-like organ music playing… not exactly the favorite genre for party-loving youth, but some things are more important than pleasing fans. Over this background music, the narrator explains that “The king of Melodia holds all music in his heart. His only desire is to unite the world in a single melody, and giving joy to all who come to his kingdom.”

Readers who know their Bibles will remember that as “the covering cherub” in God’s holy mountain, one particular archangel was endowed with musical ability, described as inlaid “tambourines and pipes” (Ezek.28:13, Hebrew). His Hebrew name, “Heilel ben Shahar” (Isa.14:12, “brightstar, son of the dawn”) indicates his ability to illuminate the darkness. So when the Belgian “mirror” tells us that the music produced by the king of Melodia has “immense power, filling the world with illuminating sounds,” we can know exactly which “kingdom” is sponsoring “Tomorrowland”.

This year’s theme is “The Elixir of Life” (Tomorrowland 2016 Introduction Trailer) in which a beautiful Wiccan maiden roams through an equally beautiful forest, consulting a book and gathering ingredients for a spell. The witch tells us that “it is from the past that our secret elixir originates,” and that the necessary ingredients are “in a place where only the chosen ones can enter.” Her cryptic statement, “We are all connected to her; it is her voice that guides me,” is left unexplained, but Gaia worshipers will understand. She needs one last ingredient to establish “my road to eternal bliss”, and to find it she has to walk blindfolded – a common requirement for an occult initiate.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE ARTICLE – A CALL TO PRAYER – and a list of bullet points for the prayer.

What we are seeing, in complete alignment w scriptural prophecy, is the resurgence and even increase in Baal worship. And w that increase in worship is an increase in demonic activity.

Particularly the youth of Israel, disappointed and disgusted in the deadness and religiosity of what they see as “Judaism” by the Pharisaical Hasidim, are turning to the ways of the world.
Sadly, the ways of the world are not simply WORLDLY.

They are demonic.

This kind of activity ought to confirm to us what is happening, globally. We need to be praying people, taking a stand for righteousness. UNDERSTANDING WHAT PAUL SAID 2,000 years ago:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. – Eph.6:12

Eph 6:13 & 18
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

I sent out an email to many so that folks might pray and intercede.

I am confident many did, not simply from my email alert, but from alerts and notices from saints all around the world.

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS – in the way of a promise – represented in the portion of scripture referred to as the ISAIAH APOCALYPSE – which I taught on several months ago – it pertains to assaults against Israel (PARTIALLY fulfilled in past historic events, but never FULLY-FILLLED – so stay tuned):
Isa 28:5
In that day the Lord of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people,
6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
There is a place of spiritual conflict and resistance to which the saints are being called, and that call is a place of PRAYER and WORSHIP and STANDING ON THE WORD OF GOD.

This particular invasive demonic festival, held the 17^th of Tammuz and in the holy city of Jerusalem – also ought to confirm w us the spiritual relevance of the times and seasons in which we live.

HISTORICALLY – 17^th of Tammuz:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/479885/jewish/The-17th-of-Tammuz.htm
The fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, is the start of a three-week mourning period for the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Holy Temples.

The fast actually commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date:

• Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf.
• During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, the Jews were forced to cease offering the daily sacrifices due to the lack of sheep.
• Apostomos burned the holy Torah.¹
• An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.²
• The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)

The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.
Prophetically, if 17 Tammuz happens to be a special day of judgment by God, I personally would be looking to TWO MORE events to occur….
So here we have a spiritual enemy at work, and we have a God who is leaning heavily upon His disobedient people, Israel – fulfilling HIS PROMISE OF SHAKING AND PRESSURIZATION – also revealing to us the PURPOSE OF THE INVASIVE WORK:
(MUCH OF WHAT WE ARE COVERING TONIGHT ARE MY NOTES WRITTEN PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL NOTICE – several weeks ago)

BACK TO HAGGAI (which we read earlier) – the PROMISE OF GLORY around the time of the SHAKING-WORK:

God will fill His temple with glory – as we saw last week the Solomon-temple-dedication bunny trail – which we will get back to shortly, this evening.
There is a distinct correlation between PRAYER, THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND THE FILLING WITH GLORY:

Hag 2:7-9
7          ‘and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.
8          ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.
9          ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah tells us the GLORY-FILLED FINAL TEMPLE is going to be a certain kind of place – accessible to Jew and Gentile alike – this is the temple that the Lord

1. Is Preparing FOR US; and
2. Is Preparing US FOR:

WE NEED TO GET A VISION OF THIS END-PLAN:
This is yet another reason why He is “divinely working us over” to get us to the place of Spirit-filled living, through Spirit-filled prayer.

Isa 56:6-7
(the promise extending beyond the sons of Abraham who come to the Lord):
6          “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants– everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant–
7          Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
God’s great plan has ONE age coming to an end, and THE NEXT age immediately following, like DAY follows NIGHT.
That NEXT AGE is going to see a rebuilt temple, filled with people who:

KNOW TO PRAY; and also
KNOW HOW TO PRAY
I believe the season we are entering, and in fact have already entered, is a season of intensified conflict.

 
GOD, knowing that, is allowing our prayers to WORK when they are in alignment w Him and His word, and also to NOT WORK when they are out of that alignment.

 
HE IS TRAINING US TO ENGAGE IN PRAYER WARFARE, EFFECTIVELY, NOW.
What we are seeing in these and many other prophetic verses is an IMAGE OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD at the END of THIS AGE, and then extending into the NEXT AGE.

Furthermore, and critical for our understanding of the PRIORITY OF PRAYER is this amazing fact that ought to ignite our understanding of

our WORTH,
our POSITION,
our CALLING and
our PARTNERSHIP into the CREATION PLAN OF GOD.
CRITICAL NT REVELATION as to God’s prophetic plan – that WILL SURELY come to pass – is the BATTLE FOR OUR WORSHIP.

 
The scriptures make it clear that Satan’s ultimate goal was to get Jesus Himself to worship him.

(Luke 4:6-8). That is ongoing. Scriptures describing the end-of-age anti-Christ man illustrates someone so demonized that even world control will not satisfy him. He will demand worship.
THE RESISTANCE TO OUR PRAYERS, and our PRAYING:

So what we need to realize is that Satan (Hebrew: “Adversary”) rages against prayer and worship. It is his worst nightmare – a praying, worshipping saint.
Besides being A LIE (because there is no truth in Him), Satan’s promise to Jesus – that He’d get everything were He to worship Satan, was and remains in complete opposition to the entire creation-purpose of mankind.
We were meant for worship and prayer – only to God.

LUKE 4:8       
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”
This is why WE, as redeemed creatures, consistently encounter so much opposition to prayer – opposition to wanting to pray, to engage in prayer, to remain in prayer, to stay awake in prayer, and to surrender in prayer.
Some Biblical Promises – and we’re invited to remind the Lord of His promises:

A FAMOUS BIGGEE – couched in the CONTEXT of the prophetic paragraph – for clarity and emphasis:

(LAST WEEK we concluded with the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple – a doctrinally accurate and effective prayer that ushered in the presence of God.
Looking at the amazing response and promise BY GOD, after Solomon had so powerfully and so accurately prayed at the dedication of the temple:

2 Chr 7:1-2
1          When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2          And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER….

2 Chr 7:12-22
12        Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
13        “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

….God’s dream-dialogue w Solomon continues to confirm the accuracy of Solomon’s earlier temple-dedication prayer, accurately describing the cause and effect of man’s sinfulness and God’s righteous judgment.
GOD’S PROMISE TO JERUSALEM – His city and the city central to His people and His purposes

Isa 62
1 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory
In the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem
In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah (LOVELY) , and your land Beulah (MARRIED);
For the Lord delights in you,
And your land shall be married.
 
6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
7 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
 
 
10 Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up,
Build up the highway!
Take out the stones,
Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’ ”
 
12 And they shall call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.

ISA 66
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
 
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
 
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword
The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
 

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
THEN, AFTER JUDGMENT AND PURIFICATION OF THE LAND:
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

That is how the prophetic book of Isaiah, prophetically ends. It completes its prophesy AT THE END THE AGE, CITING CONDITIONS AT THE END OF THE AGE.

1 Cor 10:11
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
 
AND PETER PUTS IT THIS WAY –speaking of the events at the end of age:
2 Peter 3
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The Jewish People speak of DAYS OF AWE each year, as a season of remembrance. I believe the Days Of Awe are actually reserved for the climax of this age – and I am further inclined to believe we are heading towards them at noticeable pace.

What we appear to be experiencing is the beginning of the bubbling of the teapot of God. The teapot of troubling. Tribulation, if you will. Whether you might think it is THE Tribulation, or merely A SEASON OF Tribulation, we are no doubt living in increasingly troubled times.

And our great God utilizes, and in fact often initiates troubling for the purpose of drawing men to Himself.
Psalms 78:32-34
32 In spite of this they still sinned,
And did not believe in His wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility,
And their years in fear.
34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.

SOME GOOD deeds of Asa, a Judean king whose life sadly later illustrated the problems associated with disobedience. BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES – we see him responding well, early, and we get to hear some good teaching from Azariah the prophet
2 Chronicles 15:1-8
1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law;
AND HERE’S THE GOOD FRUIT OF GOD’S TROUBLE:
4 but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.
(I am praying about spending a few Thursdays analyzing some of the kings of Israel and Judah – so that we might learn from their successes and failures. There is much to learn. AND we’re called KINGS as well as PRIESTS. Some examples might be good for us – pray for me re this direction as we go forward)
Daniel 12:1-3
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.

COMPARE (SLIDE) Dan 12:1 to Matthew 24:21
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

CONTINUING IN MATTHEW (to defuse the popularized misunderstanding that the toughest days ever to hit the earth was in the first or second century AD

Matt 24
29 “Immediately (“EUTHEOS” – at once) after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
These things are coming upon us, and our great God is calling us to that watchman position, and as He’s doing that, I believe He is “watching the watchmen”, and taking note of our response to His calling upon our lives.

I can testify that God has been doing wondrous things in my own life the past few weeks. Not all necessarily according to my plan or purpose, but instead according to HIS PLANS and HIS PURPOSE to draw me deeper to the DESIRE OF THE NATIONS.

Our response and also our own initiative to press in to Him will have a lot to say about our success.

I so love and appreciate pastor Daniel’s message this weekend re spirit living, and coming back into the place of hearing God. It will be our safety and our success, and the only safety and success.
I wrote something recently called SHORT TIME LIVING. I would recommend it.

https://ez3728.com/?p=701
Let’s pray. And let’s pray for Israel.

All scripture NKJV

Follow