AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN

2 Chronicles 7: 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.

In Centreville, Md. where I live they are just beginning to harvest the winter wheat. This is wheat that is planted right before the onset of winter’s woes and barely breaks the surface as winter sets in. As the warmth of spring arises, the plants then commence to grow and produce a sure harvest of wheat and straw. At harvest time, the plant turns from emerald green to the amber waves of grain that you can see in the accompanying picture, taken right here in Centreville.

On seeing this visual the other day, I heard the words to America the Beautiful enter into my spirit and I began to sing. “O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain…” Then I began to rehearse all the negatives that have been cropping up with this once great Nation and I asked myself “What went wrong?”

I could blame it on the Democrats or Republicans, the Liberals or Conservatives, Obama or Bush, the ACLU or the Muslims, the Blacks, Whites or Hispanics, and the list goes on and on. Then I heard that “still small voice” from the Spirit of the Lord and He hit me with the Truth!

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” The problem lies squarely with you and I…the Church of Jesus Christ!

“If my people, who are called by My name…” The Spirit of the Lord is talking about us…Christians. He clearly lays the responsibility for the healing of our land (U.S.A.) upon our shoulders. When a Nation suffers injury it is a direct result of the People of God not properly shouldering our responsibilities!

“…shall humble themselves…” As Christians we need to submit our own personal goals and desires to line up with His Kingdom pursuits. It’s not about our leisure time, hobbies or even our families. It’s about His family and His directives.

“…and pray…” Not to get personal, but when is the last time you prayed for our President or the Leadership (Whether you agree with them or not) of this once great nation? Have you prayed that the Lord would give them “a heart to know Him, and to turn their hearts towards Him..”? (Jeremiah 24:7) Have you prayed for revival in America the beautiful lately? Have you even prayed for revival in your own life lately? Exactly what measure of influence have you personally had on the spiritual condition of our own Country? Perhaps we need to reflect, repent and react!

“…seek my face..” Notice He does not say “Seek My hand.” One of the conditions for the healing of our nation is for Christians to spend time in the Presence of God, where we can be strengthened with His joy. It’s a horrible shame that we spend more time with our televisions and other leisure time than we do with our Creator God!

“..and turn from our wicked ways…” Simply put, sin separates us from God and from His provision. As long as we continue to submit ourselves to our repetitive sins, He can not answer our prayers and we become impotent Kingdom people. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” OUCH!

If WE will HUMBLE OURSELVES, PRAY, SEEK THE FACE OF GOD AND TURN FROM OUR SINS…HE WILL HEAL OUR NATION AND RESTORE IT’S LUSTER!

Sounds like a great deal to me! Count me in! How about you?

CHECK ME OUT LORD!

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

One of my Spiritual mentors taught me from the beginning, a very simple secret to walking closely with God. He taught me always to be honest with God and also to always let God be honest with me. I never had a problem with being honest with God because I knew that He already knew all about me. Job 21:27 “Behold, I know your thoughts…” Psalm 94:11 “The LORD knows the thoughts of man…” It was easy for me to be honest with Him because He was the one that I could not fool. Knowing that, it was easy for me to bare my soul, openly share my feelings with Him, and expose my weaknesses, inabilities and insufficiencies.

This was a safe place to be, because I knew He cared for me even when I was a miserable sinner, desperately seeking satisfaction everywhere else but the source. Romans 5:8 “But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” If you have never realized this fact, it’s time to have a heart to heart conversation with the One Who formed you and called you into existence. He desires for you to unload your burdens, trials and tribulations on Him! His heart calls out to yours, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me… and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

His heart speaks that if we simply come to Him, He will give us rest. In addition, if we hitch (yoke) ourselves to Him and His Promises, we will find rest for our souls as well. (Our minds, emotions, imaginations, intellect, etc.) Today spend time with him and see His love and peace flowing into your being.

That part of the deal is pretty easy; but now it’s time to get on with the difficult part. For me, it was not easy to allow God to be honest with me, because then the enemy of my soul would always trick me into thinking that God was harping on all of my imperfections. I would thank Him, Praise Him, and Worship into His Presence and every time I would stop to hear His response and allow Him to speak into my life, He would tell me of His great love, care and desire to provide for me. I could listen to that all day long, but then He wanted to get even more honest and would focus my attention on an area of my life that needed cleaning up.

Precisely, at that point in the conversation, I would begin to shout Him down with praise or something like it. When he started to get real with me about me, I did not want to hear it! When I was young, I was taught that God was simply a matter of “You can’t do this. You can’t do that. You won’t do this and you won’t do that. You don’t do this and you don’t do that.” No more commandments from anyone, even God! Then I experienced a breakthrough! I discovered that His Commandments were not a burden; BUT A BREAKTHROUGH! 1John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

I discovered that in these quiet times when I allowed Him to speak to me, my faith came alive. (Romans 10:17) In these times of quiet, He would reveal Himself and His ways to me.(Psalm 46:10) His still small voice would speak to me and inject His Life into the darkest of my circumstances. His Word sprung forth in healing for my body and soul in these precious moments when I listened. (Proverbs 4:20-22) The directives, corrections and orchestrations He gave me in those quiet times literally revolutionized my life. (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 4:4)

Go ahead Lord, Have your way! “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:24 When He points out that which offends Him, He is seeking only your good. His desire is that you would respond in loving obedience and be led along the “path of everlasting life.”

It is no coincidence that you have two ears and only one mouth. You should listen to the Voice of God twice as much as you speak to Him! How about right now! Listen to Him and allow Him to be honest with you! It’s for your own good! Thanks Pastor Anthony Spero for one of the many times you’ve been used by the Holy Spirit to change my life!

A LITTLE FARTHER!

Matthew 26:39 “He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”’

There is a story told about a young lady attempting to break the world record for swimming the English Channel. Her name was Florence Chadwick and she failed in her first attempt because of heavy fog. She couldn’t see anything and when she gave up she was less than a half mile from the finish line. When she was told how close she had been, she broke down and cried.

Florence went back again and broke the World record because she realized that her goal was attainable if only she had gone a “little farther.”

Think of Jesus in the above passage at the Garden of Gethsemane. In this place, where all of hell’s forces were beginning to break out against him in their vain attempts to finish Him off, Jesus recognized the need to separate Himself from the crowd, from His disciples and even from His closest three friends.

Jesus “went on a little farther” in order to get closer to His Father God. Jesus knew that He would need this life giving sustenance in order to embrace the Will of God for His life. The Word declares in Acts 3:19 that “times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

The strength to handle your current crisis and the Godly wisdom to know which way to turn will be yours as you separate yourself from the crowd and draw near to Him. God calls to you today! “Go a little farther than you ever have before. Get up earlier and spend time with Me! Stay in My presence a little longer and dig a little deeper into My Word! IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO THE OTHER SIDE.”

Think about Jesus. He was only a few hours away from the Cross and a few days away from the Resurrection! Pentecost and the day of His Church would follow only a few months later, which would change the course of the entire world!

If today you are in your own Garden of Gethsemane experience, go “on a little farther” with God, surrender your will to His Kingdom perspective, and watch Him prove Himself on your behalf!

If you only knew how close you are to the other side!

WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?

The disciples were in a tizzy. The storm was raging and the waves were crashing over the sides of the boat. Sometimes life seems that way. Things are happening all around and it seems like we’re about to go under. At least the disciples knew that Jesus needed to be involved in their crisis and they awakened Him. Then He came to their rescue! (By the way, HE IS NOT SLEEPING NOW!) If you come to Jesus in the midst of your storm, you will not go under!

There is a better way than coming to Jesus for help in the middle of your trials and tribulations. That is STAYING with Jesus. If you’re already with Him, you won’t need to come to Him in order to use HIS faith. If you are connected with Jesus and have been in intimate Fellowship with Him, your Faith will be sufficient. He asked the disciples and He asks us today the same question. “Where is your faith?” Luke 8:25

HIGH LEVEL FAITH IS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIGH LEVEL FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM! He said in John 15:7 “If you stay joined to Me, and My words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted.” In verse 5 He also stated that “apart from Me you can do nothing.”

After Jesus had calmed the storm and He turned to the disciples and asked them the question that implied that the Faith that they had, should have been sufficient to rebuke the storm and cause them to pass safely through the storm. Remember Shadrach, Mishak and Abednigo, that all the time they were in danger of being consumed by the fiery furnace (trials in your life), Jesus was right there with them. These boys spoke out in simple Faith and Jesus showed up in the middle of the fire. “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” Daniel 3:25 They spoke directly to the source of the storm and the result …“I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” When Jesus goes through the fire with you, you will come out on the other side without a “hair of your head being singed…and not even the smell of smoke upon your garments.” Verse 27

“Where is your Faith?” The Bible says that “Faith comes by hearing…the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 This kind of “hearing” requires intimacy and fellowship with God. It requires time and effort in developing our relationship with Him. In James 4:8 the Word declares “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God rewards those who work on developing Relationship with Him. “…He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” When you allow “…the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (Putting other things first-idols..Matthew 6:33) of other things, to enter in, they choke the word (Faith building Word of God), and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:19 Where are you spending your time? What things are you pondering; the worries of the world or the Promises and Power of God?

Remember Great faith stills the Greatest Storms! “…Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is your faith: be it done to you, even as you desire. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” Mt 15:28

Your Faith will be developed and Increased only in the Presence of God. Spend time today in Fellowship with Him, so that when the next storm arises in your life, you are already connected to Jesus. You will then be given the exact words to speak and they will come forth out of your mouth filled with Great Faith and Great Power, and watch the Storms be stilled!

IT'S TIME!

Josea 10:12 “…for it’s time to seek the Lord…”

For Muslims the call to prayer comes five times a day. There is no fellowship or exchange during the lifting up of prayers, but they do at least take time out and lift up their voices in hopes that they will be heard.

Whenever we call a prayer meeting, it’s hard to get people to show up and take part. The Prophet Joel says “…it’s time to seek the Lord.” The Hebrew Word used here means to frequent, or diligently inquire, to search or seek out someone. As Christians most of us barely take enough time with the Lord to throw a bunch of personal needs and requests toward Heaven as we drive to work or brush our teeth.

If your prayer time only consists of one way communication, it’s time to seek the Lord! If you’re spending hours in front of the “boob tube” and don’t have time to spend with the Lord, it’s time to seek the Lord! If your life is wrapped up in amusement or relationships that leave little time for God, it’s time to seek the Lord!

If you’re living comfortably with habits and repetitive sins that should be bothering you, it’s time to seek the Lord! If a gift (Children, houses, finances, new relationship) has taken you away from the hunt for the heart of God, then it’s time to seek the Lord. If you’ve lost “your first love,” that passion you had when you first met Him, then it’s time to seek the Lord! If you’ve turned from walking in prompt obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, then it’s time to seek the lord!

If life is boring, depression is looming, meaninglessness is nagging, it’s time to seek the Lord! If you lack direction and Godly wisdom, it’s time to seek the Lord! If sickness and disease is all around you and taking hold, it’s time to seek the Lord! If you’ve lost your job, or your finances are hurting in these troubled times, it’s time to seek the Lord!

If having money and things are consuming your life, you don’t have enough time to spend some with your God and your family, it’s time to seek the Lord! Even if all is well, it’s time to seek the Lord, because something is going to go down sooner or later!

The early Church fathers found the Church to be growing so fast, that they discovered they had little time to pray (seek the Lord), but they did something about it! Acts 6: 1-8 “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied…the twelve…said, It is not right that we should leave the word of God…But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word…And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”

That’s where we have to start as well. If you have forsaken your time in seeking (fellowshipping) with the Lord, then something “is not right,” and it needs to be corrected! Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:33 “If you put God first in your life, then all the things of life will be added to you as well!” (Bombard paraphrase)

Today is a day to re-evaluate your priorities! Can you hear Him calling out for you? Stop playing God and give it all up to Him. His promise is that if you spend time with Him, and fellowship with Him, He will pull the load for you!

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OBAMANATION OR OBOMINATION?

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, For he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." 1 Tim 2:1-4

President Barack Obama, a man with little experience, who speaks with a voice that soothes the fears and stirs up the hopes of many people. Some say he is a savior of the nation while others proclaim the he could be the anti-christ. I believe that he is a man who is trying to do the best he knows how, with the circle of influence (advisors) and the problems that currently surround him.

It doesn't matter what political camp you park your vote in. The fact remains that for the next 3.5 years he is the President of this great Nation and He needs our prayers. Surrounded by liberals Harry Reid (Senate Majority Leader) and Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House of Representatives) they are quickly changing the landscape of America. Some believe that its for our betterment, while others say we are headed for doom and destruction. This is a political party that believes that the murder of unborn babies is alright; that God should be separated from our governmental affairs; that prayer should not be allowed in our courthouses or schools; in higher taxation, and that they (Government) know how to run our lives better and more efficiently than we do.

We must pray for those in authority (Whether we agree or not) over us if we wish to reap the benefits of good government. This is part of God's plan for our nation! "What do we pray?" someone asks. May I suggest Jeremiah 24:7 "...I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." Pray that the Lord will give them a heart to know Him personally. Pray that He will turn their hearts towards Himself, and that He will be their God and they will be His people! Pray that God will turn their hearts like a river, to do His Will!

Don't ever forget that God is still in control and that He holds the hearts of these men and women (As well as our own) and He can turn those hearts wherever HE WILLS! When a man's heart is turned, his thinking and his life actions will soon follow. Proverbs 21:1 confirms this fact. "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes."

I have to admit that in the past when someone of a different political philosophy was in the White House, I neglected to perform my civic and Christian duties. I didn't even consider to pray for those whom I differed with! I spoke against them. I have been enlightened by the Word of God and have confessed my sin and repented. I came upon a Scriptural Principal that squarely places the blame for the troubles of The United States of America on the Church...NOT ANY POLITICAL PARTY OR PERSON!

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14


If My People (The Church)...

Humbles themselves...realize our desperate need for God's involvement...that we lack the power...that we have fallen short of our responsibilities...fallen asleep at the wheel...that we have played Church and have not been the Church.

Pray...for revival in the highest places of influence in the land...for President Obama.

Seek the Face of God...not His Hand...Get into His Presence just to be with Him, to love on Him, to spend time with Him for Who He is, not for what He can do for us!

Turn from our wicked ways...Get holy! Pay the price to Abide in His presence. Say No to sin!

GOD WILL HEAR...FORGIVE AND HEAL OUR LAND!

Don't go to bed tonight before you pray for our President and the leadership of this great Nation! Whether you agree with them or not you are commanded to pray for them! I want to see President Obama gloriously proclaim the Name of Jesus Christ all over the world, because he has encountered Him personally! I want to see Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and all the other leaders get revived by the Power of the Holy Spirit. He is our only chance regardless of who is in power!