A New Season! Part 1.

I am aware of all the hype over 2012 (See our post here entitled: "The End of the World").  And while I place no value in the predictions of destruction for 12/21/12, I do recognize that many people, even those who are not active followers of Jesus, sense that there is something exciting and new about 2012.  That "newness" can best be described by the Followers of Jesus Himself!  It is not a description of destruction, but rather a description of a New Season in God's economy!  What I mean is this.  We have turned a page in the scheme of things as it relates to the Kingdom of God.  We are in a brand new season that God has determined for His people.  2009 and 2010 were very hard times for the Body of Christ!  Many Followers of Christ suffered severe economic issues.  Many Pastors who were tired, empty, and 'burnt-out" decided to call it quits!  Churches suffered reductions in giving due to the economic upheaval of our Country and there was a general feeling of despair that generated a feeling of depression for many Believers.  Yes, the enemy had a "field-day!"  And in the midst of all of these attacks against the Body of Christ, you could hear the Holy Spirit saying to the Body:  "Hold-on, occupy, be strong in His might, a New Season is almost upon us!" And THAT New Season arrived with the beginning of 2012!

My wife and I are not in the habit of making "New Years Resolutions."  I find it quite discouraging to make a commitment out of the fact that it is a new year, only to fail within the first three months (speaking from past experiences, LOL!!!)  However, many Christian Leaders and Laity alike sense that there is something very unique and special about the year 2012.  Dealing with what I believe makes 2012 so special in the Kingdom of God, I want to address two very important issues.

First, as Followers of Christ, life is best understood not from a linear mode of thinking, (i.e. Years, months, days, weeks, etc.), but rather from the understanding of 'SEASONS!"  Listen to the Word of God on this subject from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 

 A time to be born and a time to die.  A time to plant and a time to harvest. 

 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 

 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace."  NLT.

Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, under the direction of the Holy Spirit informs us about this truth here.  He gives a partial "list" of the types of activities that we as humans are engaged in all of our lives.  These are the types of things that make up our existence here upon this earth at this time, but he begins by identifying these things within the framework of "SEASONS."    The word 'season" here is the Hebrew word---zem-awn' which simply means:  "A set time or appointed time."  The dictionary of Bible Themes gives this definition:  "Appropriate or appointed periods of time which are part of the variety and development of human life and experience and which influence human affairs. The times and seasons for individuals and nations are set by God, who works all things together towards the final fulfillment of his purposes."  

With this understanding in mind, these "seasons" are God's appointed times among humanity for the purpose of His Kingdom and will.  Therefore, life is best understood within the content of "seasons" rather than our typical linear understanding of Years, months, days, etc.  That being said, 2012 is a brand new season for the People of God!  While 2010 and 2011 were seasons of hardship, difficulty, and violent attacks from the enemy; 2012 is a New Season of blessing for God's people!

Second, prophetically speaking, 2012 is a brand New Season!  As stated, many of God's Leadership and Laity alike, are saying that they believe the Holy Spirit has reveled to them that 2012 will be a VERY important year in the scheme of God's agenda.  I believe several things are going to begin to happen in 2012 among the people of God.  1)  Even though we will always be in battle with the forces of darkness, we are going to begin to see God begin to bless His People once more, moving into a brand new era of blessing for those who are obedient to God's will.  2)  God is going to begin the "winnowing" process of separating the "wheat from the tares" and the "sheep from the goats."  We will begin to see the beginning of the "Great Falling Away" mentioned in the Word of God.  This will not be a mass exodus from our churches, but will rather be a very recognizable separation between the merely religious and the devout Disciple of Christ. 3)  Of a necessity, churches will begin to have to consolidate and come together, even combining congregations and ministeries together under one roof. Pastor's and Minister's will have to begin to become creative in redefining job descriptions and titles.  Many churches will have to close, and either merge and consolidate with other congregations of Believers, or cease to exist.  WHY?  Because God DOES NOT BLESS DIVISION and if the Body of Christ will NOT voluntarily come together, God will FORCE the issue using the current economic crises! Denominational affiliations that have perpetuated many dividing lines, will cease to be as important to those who are being used by God.  4)  Boldness in preaching and evangelism will increase as more and more Followers of Christ begin to sense both the urgency of the time and new anointing of the Holy Spirit.  5)  Signs and wonders that point to the veracity and validity of Christ will increase and again accompany the preaching of the Gospel, becoming expected and anticipated.  This will NOT be for the "showmen" and the "charlatans" who rip-off and abuse the Body of Christ for personal gain and notoriety, but for the GENUINELY dedicated Followers of Jesus, EVEN the laity!


As we have already begun this "New Season," a sense of anticipation and expectancy seems to permeate the hearts of the People of God who are praying and seeking God to move once again among in His Church!  In the appointed time of God, in this New Season, God is INDEED moving and His People feel it!  SEEK HIM WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, and get ready for God to move in your life, your church, and your country!  WELCOME TO THIS NEW SEASON! 


God Bless You!

The Abuse of Grace!

Recently my Daughter shared a story with me from her 8th. grade Bible class.  She attends a Christian school to which we are so very blessed for her to be a part of.  The discussion she shared with me centered around the topic of suicide but eventually wandered into that "ever-present" topic of the Unconditional Eternal Security of the Believer.  This is a topic I have logged many hours in studying and debating.  Having spent my four High School years in a Christian School, that topic was the fodder of many discussions and debates among the students in our Bible class.  It struck me as ironic that here, some 35 years later, my daughter is debating that same topic in her class as well.  I must say I was very proud of my Daughter and the position she took and defended in her class, not caring that she was a minority in that class or not.  She defended, what I believe to be a very sound exegetical position on the subject.  To her I say...... WELL DONE!

The topic of Unconditional Eternal Security is one that is many faceted.  It is one that I believe is not in keeping with sound Biblical interpretation.  Now while I do believe in the security of the Believer, it is nevertheless not unconditional.  The "condition" for remaining in a secure position with the Lord, is to remain in an obedient faithful relationship with God.  The "KEY" terms here are:  Obedient, faithful, and relationship.  I have chosen to focus on the term relationship for this blog posting.


This "remaining" in relationship with Christ is not a flippant off-the-cuff remark by just another blogger, it is a very Biblical teaching of our Lord in the New Testament.  Let's take a look at this in the Gospel of John chapter 15, verses 1-8:

¹ “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

 ⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. ⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! ⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.  NLT.

Notice that the emphasis of what the Lord is saying here is upon that of our relationship to Him.  He uses the analogy of a grapevine and us, when we become believers, being "grafted" into that grapevine.  The important aspect is that we are in "RELATIONSHIP" with Christ through a type of "GRAFTING" effect that occurs by the Father at the time of our conversion.  Then Jesus goes on to say that we are to "REMAIN" in Him.  Interesting isn't it?  Christ goes into this grafted relationship we have with Him through our faith and belief in Him, and then instructs us to..................... REMAIN IN HIM!  In other words, "Don't leave this relationship that you have been "GRAFTED" into!  Understand, the possibility for relationship in the first place, is based upon the vicarious atonement of Christ!  The One who does the grafting, is the Father!  But the one whose responsibility to remain in that "grafted relationship" with Christ is ........... THE BELIEVERS!  Those who do not "REMAIN" in that "grafted relationship" with Christ are "pruned" away and thrown into the fire for burning!.................. WOW!  Pretty exegetically plain!  

Now the idea that a Believer can "LOOSE" their salvation is a misnomer.   It implies that without the knowledge of the Christian Believer, one can "misplace" their salvation, and hence there is no security. I never get up of a morning and wonder:  "Am I still a Christian Believer today?"  The better terminology is to say that a Believer is secure in their relationship with Christ, so long as they remain in the relationship with Him, to which the Father had grafted them into.  It is a situation of volition!  It is a volitional choice which is manifested in the process of obeying Christ's Words. We then begin to bear fruit as evidence of our relationship of being grafted into Christ.  And, when we do not remain in Him,we cut off the supply of the life-giving relationship that only comes from being "in" Christ!

The argument that was given to my Daughter was that of "preemptive forgiveness."  Let me explain.  It was said to her by another student:  "We are already forgiven for any and all things we could ever do!"  In other words, "preemptive forgiveness."  However, there are two errors with this theory:  First, this theory ignores the Scriptural truth that when we are "in" Christ and Christ is "in" us, indicating to us that of relationship.  Relationship implies a mutuality, not a one-sided "now that I got you, your never leaving this relationship position!"  A relationship is a mutual agreement to enter into intimacy between two-consenting persons.  Any intimate relationship that is NOT mutual and consensual, we refer to as....... RAPE!  We sing and celebrate the fact that as Believers we have a "PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP" with God through Christ.  Yet ANY intimate relationship that says from one person to another:  "Now that you are in an intimate relationship with me, you can NEVER, NEVER, leave!  And, I will make you continue to be intimate with me, whether you like it or not, That type of relationship, we would prosecute the perpetrator who forced their will upon the other person, to the fullest extent of the law!  The second error, is that of viewing our relationship with God through Christ from a Greek way of thinking rather than a Hebraic way of thinking.  The Church of Jesus Christ, here in the West, is often guilty of processing our salvation and faith in Christ through a Greek way of thinking.  A Greek way of thinking is one of reason, a linear-results oriented-thinking.  It is intellectual rather than relational.  A Hebraic way of thinking about our Faith and Salvation is one which focuses upon RELATIONSHIP rather than INTELLECTUAL!  We are NOT in a "linear higher-thinking" relationship with Christ that is centered upon what we know, and once we know that information and enter that relationship, can never leave.  We ARE in a relationship that is just that, a RELATIONSHIP!  A mutual consensual relationship of intimacy based upon the efficacious sacrifice of Christ, and upon our choice to remain IN that relationship!  It's like this:  "The Bridegroom saw His Bride from afar, pursued her, wooed her, and when she agreed to RECEIVE Him as her Bridegroom, entered into an INTIMATE union, based solely upon RELATIONSHIP!  However, as with ANY Bride, that Bride can CHOOSE to DIVORCE the Bridegroom, leave the relationship she has with Him, and be OUT of Relationship, and hence no longer a Bride of the Bridegroom!

I was so proud of my Daughter and the truth she expounded without any fear for being alone in her position!  God has blessed her with a knowledge of His Word and His will, far beyond her years!  To her and to the reader, I say....... Enjoy the RELATIONSHIP you have with Christ, and always REMAIN in Him!

God Bless You!

It's the End of the World!!!

Just think! It's 2012!!!!!! I can hardly believe it! Okay, maybe I'm reminiscing like a man in his late 40's sometimes does, but it seems like just a couple of years ago, many people, including many in the Church, were freaking out about the year 2000! Y2K became synonymous with the apocalypse and many believed that the "end of the world" was upon us. Well, the world didn't end and now were faced with yet ANOTHER prediction. This one comes from the ever credible Mayan pridiction that the world will end December 21, 2012. And the sad thing is, many in the Christian community are swarming to this like some did to the Y2K prediction. Would somebody please answer a question for me? When will the community of the Followers of Jesus learn their lesson concerning the End Times and their predictions? Why do we look to other sources, including pagan sources, at the expensene of ignoring Scripture? Okay, just for the sake of continuity, let me give the reader some Scriptures that should lay this and ALL future predictions to rest (Although I doubt for some it will). Read on... MATTHEW 24:36, & 42-44 NLT. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." For those who don't know yet, these are not just words. These are the very words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He knew that humanity has a propensity to know the future and the times and seasons of God's calendar. However, when the Lord Himself was giving directives to His Disciples to "stay in Jerusalem until they be clothed with power from on high," His Diciples gathered around Him and asked Him the following question, found in Acts 1:6--- “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” And the Lord's response was this in verses 7-8: He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In other words, the Lord was telling them: "You focus your attention on being filled with the Holy Spirit and His power, and proclaim the gospel to the whole world. Let me worry about when I'm coming back, and the end of the world!" Now Brothers and Sisters, I don't know about you, but that seems pretty straight forward to me as to "where" the focus of our lives as Christian's should be. Our focus and our efforts are to be upon propogating the gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth, not on the predictions of destruction, apocalypse, and the end of the world from would be prophets! So, the question then might be asked: "When will the Lord return and when will the end come?" The Lord simply tells us to be "READY" at "ALL" times for ONLY God knows when these things will be? When it is time, the Lord Himself will come and get us and further us along the road to the consumation of all things, ........ NOT UNTIL! And He certainly will NOT announce it to humanity AHEAD of time, hence the importance of being "READY" at "ALL" times! Now while these 'end time" predictions are not true. I can give you a prediction that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt WILL come true! ...................................... Many "CHRISTIAN" books, studies,CD's, and DVD's will be made off of this one pagan prediction, and I predict, MANY other wise good Christian people will make these authors a whole LOT of money! Stop worrying! Just be ready at ALL times!........................ Jesus will come and get us,...................... When and ONLY when, the Father is ready and says "It's TIME!"

What Are YOU Looking At?

Take a look at the image to the left.  Can you discern what your looking at?  While this can be incredibly fun, when your dealing with visual puzzles, it becomes all too important when your talking about what you have "fixed your gaze upon" or what your focused upon.  The seventh point the Lord shared with me in my pursuit to the answer to the question:  "Where is the Power of the Holy Spirit?"  Was simply put.  We must develop Spiritual insight!  The development of Spiritual Insight for the Follower of Jesus includes three very important elements.

First, we must develop "Spiritual Eyes" to see what the heart of an issue is.  Second, we must develop "Spiritual Ears" to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church.  And third, we must have a "Renewed Mind" so that we can think like Jesus thinks.  Let's take a look at these individually.

First, in order to effectively engage the culture around us, and the Church world in desperate need of revival, as Christ's Followers, we have to be able to discern the TRUE nature of the problems we are encountering.  What the "root" problem a person is dealing with.  What is the sin(s) that are hidden and causing the problems.  What demonic strongholds we are encountering, and what territorial spirits are active and at work where we are ministering!  This requires "Spiritual Eyesightt."  Seeing things for what they are, and not necessarily how they appear.  For example, we lock our doors at night because we hear of such horrendous crimes that are committed against innocent people in home break In's.  We may say:  "Wow has the times changed!  I remember when I was a kid, you go leave the house and leave the door not only unlocked, but open, and no one would bother your house!"  Today, a parent of a child would be crazy to let their child go out and "roam" around the neighborhood to a friends house.  However, when I was young and after my chores were done, I headed out to play baseball, basketball, football, and ride my bike all over the place, and there wasn't the level of danger and concern that there is today.  I would NEVER consider that for my children today!  Now, we can look at this and say:  "Wow, has crime increased!"  And that would be true.  But, for the Spirit-Filled Follower of Jesus, the truth of the matter is that we are dealing with a society that is spiritually bankrupt, empty, addicted, and devoid of hope!  Much of the reason this condition exists, is because the current Church of Jesus Christ hasn't OFFERED them much hope!  We have given them RELIGIOUS "Feel-Good" platitudes, that do very little to fill an empty heart!  Spiritual Eyesight sees not a violent degenerate evil filled society, but a society that is DESPERATELY needy and hungry for the Good News of Jesus Christ!  Not the good news of religion!  Not the good news of programs!  Not the good news of denominationalism!  But the live saving, hope-giving, future-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, the ONLY truly "Good-News" that this fallen world has ever had!  THAT'S SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT AND INSIGHT!!!

Second, we desperately need "Spiritual Ears" to be able to hear what the Holy Spirit is telling the Church.  How we should handle a situation.  Who He is wanting us to minister to.  Which direction He, the Holy Spirit, is going.  And the discernment of when He is calling the Church to repentance!  On many occasions, the Lord spoke in terms that could only be understood from the enablement of the Holy Spirit, and upon us having our "EYE" focused upon His agenda and will, and our 'EARS" attuned to the communication of the Lord!  Let's take a look at a few Scriptural examples:

Galatians 5:25 NLT.

"Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."

1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT.

 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lordtold him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lordwas not in the earthquake. ¹² And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Romans 8:14 NLT.

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God."

And Jesus said...

Revelation 2:7 NLT.

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God."

Are we, His Body, listening to what His Spirit is saying to us?  Are YOU listening?

Third, we must have a 'renewed mind."  Listen to the Word of God in Romans 12:2---  "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."  This is done by a "process" of developing intimacy with God.  First, we basically "give" permission to the Holy Spirit to transform our minds.  How does He do that?  Through the study of the Word of God.  Through prayer.  Through meditation upon the Lord and the things that pertain to His Kingdom.  Through worship of the Lord.  And, through obedience and application of what we have learned through all of these!  Then,and only then, will we begin to see our minds and thus our "thinking" transformed to the pattern of how CHRIST thinks!  We will begin to understand things from the Lord's perspective!   And we will begin to "respond' to various scenarios with the same type of love and power of that Jesus would!  We begin to THINK like our Master and Lord!  So, to answer our opening question:  "What are YOU looking at?"  My prayer for you is that your answer is.......... JESUS!

With the posting of this post, we now conclude the topic of "Where is the Power of the Holy Spirit?"  I hope that these have been a blessing to you!  If they have, please leave a COMMENT at the end of this article.  God bless you as you find the promised power of the Holy Spirit that was promised by our Lord for a Body that is doing HIS will!

Mobile Blog Page!

Good Morning to all of you who follow my Blog!  I am very pleased to announce that we have just launched a Mobile version of our Blog!  This will enable those who view our Blog from a mobile device such as a:  Smart-Phone, iPod, Tablet, or E-Reader the ability to have our blog site fit on their device, making it much easier to view!  The web address is the same, simply type in our address in you browser (ReclamationMinistries.blogspot.com) and the page will be able to determine whether you are viewing from a computer or a Mobile device.

Thank you for viewing and for the comments you send me.  We appreciate them all!  God bless you!

Pastor Steve Gardner

What Are You Hungry For?

As I sit down to write this blog entry, I can hear my wife Kelley in the background talking to my Mother-In-Law Marilyn about Thanksgiving dinner which  is next week.  I must admit, the menu I have heard them discussing sounds absolutely wonderful!  It is a more recent tradition of ours that at Thanksgiving, Kelley will make me a "once-a-year" treat that I am completely crazy about.  She got a recipe from the Rachel Ray show that has become one of my favorite holiday traditions!  Here it is:  2-cloves of garlic, a jar of green olives, Ricotta cheese and cream cheese.  Put it all in a Food Processor, blend it together and serve it on Melba Toast!  Oh Yeah!!!  Ok, for some that may not sound like that is something they are hungry for, but for ME,...... I can't wait!

Let me ask you another question:  "How "hungry" are YOU for a genuine move of the Holy Spirit?"  I don't mean some contrived, pumped-up, manipulated THING we generate and then slap the label "REVIVAL" upon.  I mean a genuine "MOVE" of the Holy Spirit that melts peoples hardened hearts, causes people to want to align their will with God's will, and generates an all out renewal of genuine passion for Christ, and compassion for the lost!  THAT type of "MOVE" of the Holy Spirit is rare and few and far between!  Well, to be completely honest with you,........... I am VERY "HUNGRY" for THAT move of the Holy Spirit,  genuine ....... REFORMATION!

I believe another major key in answering the question that this series of blog postings has been addressing entitled:  "Where is the Power?"  Is that the Followers of Jesus have got to begin to pursue a genuine "outpouring" and "move" of the Holy Spirit like were talking about above.  When in our hearts, we become SO tired of the status quo!  So fed up with that which is "PUMPED-UP" and "PRIMED" and absolutely tired of seeing the Church of Jesus Christ completely MISS the point of what we're even here for!  When that kind of hunger is present in a Believers life and we begin to cry out to the Lord to send us genuine renewal and reformation, and "HUNGRILY" pursue it, I believe we WILL see it!  OK, someone may ask:  "Why do we have to "HUNGRILY" pursue the move and power of the Holy Spirit?"  The answer is really quite simple.  When we as the Followers of Jesus begin to pray and cry out to God, and begin to seek an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that changes our hearts and converts unbelievers hearts, we are demonstrating something very needed in the Church today!  We are demonstrating to God that we desire HIM and HIS will more then ANYTHING and EVERYTHING else in this life!

OK, so why would God want to see this type of "hunger" from His people?  Because, when we begin to develop this kind of "hunger" for the move of the Holy Spirit, things begin to happen in our lives.  First, even though we may begin "hungrily" seeking the Lord quite mildly at first, as we are in the process of seeking Him, and over time, our hearts begin to change.  We go from seeking God in a mediocre type of way to "hungrily' pursuing Him!  Passion for Him begins to develop within our hearts, and we begin to change!  Now, we are not just going through a spiritual exercise that we have committed to, but our hearts, which have now changed, begin to cry out to God for genuine renewal and reformation!  Secondly, as we are being transformed through intimacy with Christ, we begin to "SEE" things from His perspective.  His passion becomes our passion!  What He desires we begin to desire!  We, as the Apostle Paul said, are being transformed into the image of God's Son!  Thirdly, as we seek the Lord with this type of hunger, people around us begin to see what God is doing in our hearts and it serves as a type of motivation within the Church.  The Church begins to transform as one person who is visible to the rest of the Fellowship of Believers is transformed!  it has a type of "spreading" effect like fire, but in this case, what is spreading is a "hunger" for God  And Finally, as we begin to "hungrily" seek the Lord like this, we begin to see God move.  The Lord promised us that if we "hungrily' seek Him, He will certainly respond to us, and we will "find" Him.  We will experience Him and know Him in a deeper more intimate way!  Listen to what the Lord said about this in Jeremiah 29:13 --- "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart!"

The change that takes place within our hearts, within our churches, and ultimately within our communities as we "hungrily" seek the Lord and the outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon His Body once again, is so desperately needed RIGHT NOW in our churches, our families, and in this world!  Yes, I can't wait for that special Thanksgiving treat my wife makes, I'm so hungry for it!  However, so much more than that, I am genuinely "HUNGRY" for the move of the Holy Spirit, and His power to be unleashed upon His Church once again!  Dear Reader,........ "WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR?"

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread!

What is it about prayer that is so hard?  Why, when we as the people of God, think about spending time with God in prayer are we suddenly engulfed with the enormity of work that prayer entails?  Why do we have to "schedule" prayer time?  Why are we forever reading about prayer, studying about prayer, attending seminars on prayer but not doing very much praying?  I truly think there are two reasons for this strange enigma that surrounds prayer.  But before we get into these two reasons, let me remind the reader that we are discussing the answer to the question:  "Where is the power of the Holy Spirit?"  This was a series of messages that the Lord gave me we I asked Him that very question in prayer.  Now, I apologize for the delay in getting this next installment of my blog posting out, as it has been a while.  However, I have had a bout with pneumonia and bronchitis which left me very weak and tired.  So, feeling a "surge" of energy today, I am continuing with this series.

The first reason I believe we battle to pray is a spiritual one.  I believe the devil will do absolutely everything he can to keep the people of God  from praying!  We see this in the Gospel's where the enemy had successfully turned the Temple of God from being a House of Prayer into a den of thieves.  Ironic isn't it, that what was attacked and subsequently altered was the element of the Temple that made it a place of prayer?  The devil absolutely knows what could happen if the people of God in America went from passivity to pro-activity concerning prayer!  In fact, one of the elements that has been missing from our church, has been the element of our church being a "House of Prayer."  I am glad to say that we are on the road to correcting that!  My wife Kelley, has started a time of prayer on Thursday Nights at 7:00 pm.  It has become the "focal point" of our weekly services seeing God so powerfully responding to our prayers!  Truly we are seeing the powerful truth in what the Lord said in James 4:2---"You have not because you do not ask God!"  When the people of God begin to truly become people of prayer, and our churches become "houses of prayer," then we will begin to see God moving powerfully and miraculously in our families, churches, and communities!

The second reason we battle to pray is because it IS a DISCIPLINE!  That means it's..... WORK!  And if we will be honest with ourselves, the Church in America is NOT used to Christianity and living out our faith to be issues of work!  We prefer comfortable, soft, mild, "just go to church and I've done my spiritual service to God," Christianity.  But truly, this perversion of the faith, is NOT Christianity at all!  Within Christianity, there are several "DISCIPLINES" that are necessary in maintaining the intimacy and power so many of us are hungry for!  Prayer requires more then what many are willing to take the time for, and that's EXACTLY why we are so devoid of the power of the Holy Spirit in the American Church!  The initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit was preceded by 50-days of prayer by the people of God!  For approximately 2-years, the founders of the Church of God (Cleveland, TN.) prayed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a "movement" was birthed!  Can we ACTUALLY think that we will experience the kind of power that we have all read about in the New Testament Church and in the historical documents of the early Pentecostal movement ANY other way than the way Believers have been seeking His power since Pentecost?.............  ABSOLUTELY NOT!

My prayer for each and everyone of you who read this blog is that you will begin to become praying people.  The people of God who are seeking deeper intimacy and power with Him, to impact this world for Christ, available to us all............. THROUGH PRAYER!