When We can't See God’s Work at Hand.

When the king of Edom, and the king of Moab, and the king of Ammon, and the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, and Josiah king of Judah were taken into subjugation under Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon many prophets falsely prophesied the quick restoration and the return of those in exile. But the prophet Jeremiah with a Yoke of wood he wore on his own neck until the prophet Hanniah throw it to the ground and broke it, did not receive this prophecy from God

So God spoke to Jeremiah and said that the yoke that Hanniah broke was of wood, but God had put a yoke of iron around the nations and had given Nebuchadnezzer dominion over all they had, even the beast of the field.

So Jeremiah wrote a letter to those in exile rebuking the false prophecy of the other prophets, and reminding those in exile that even in times of difficulty, God still had a better plan for them. Rather then complain because of their situation, Jeremiah suggested that they should strengthen themselves, in the present, that they may be fully able at the appointed time of God’s deliverance.

• Jeremiah 29:11-14 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Sometimes we feel that God has left us all alone that he has forgotten us or may not know the severity of our problem. But God want us to know that even when we can only see the evil, He has plans for our good. And when we get serious about finding God and want to be in his presence more than life itself. He will hear our prayers and will not forsake us.

Here is my prayer for such an occasion as this.

My Heavenly Father, in Jesus' Name I come to You in Prayer. Oh God sometimes I get confused Heavenly Father, when I’ve done everything I can and trouble and calamity still follows me. Father you said you will make me the head and not the tail in every situation, but sometimes it just don’t seem that way. Your Word says You’ll never leave me, and that Your Spirit dwells in me, but oh Jehovah Shammah, sometimes I feel all alone.

It’s hard dear God, leaning on You when all my life I have had to do things on my own, make my own way, be my own man. But calamity is all about me; and I just can’t fix what’s broken in my life, I’ve got to depend on You, and You alone to bring me out of my exile, to restore all the vessels that the King of Babylon has taken from me.

Help me God to be strong because I just can’t do this by myself. Father, if you don’t save me, I can’t be saved, if you don’t deliver me, I will not be delivered. If You don’t stretch forth Your Omnipotent hand and snatch me from the grasp of the enemies of this world. They will surely devour me like a roaring lion.

So with a sorrowful and contrite heart I call on You in prayer, hearken Your ear to my supplications; and save me; make the evil which was intended for me to be as a blessing, and let my trials and tribulations, be testimony of Your Glory

In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen

Your Brother in Christ.

in season and out of season

2 Timothy 4:1-2
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

God has only required us to give the gospel, at two times; the first is in season, and the second is out of season. But sometimes when it’s out of season we forget the power of the Gospel which makes the time always the right time to reveal Jesus to those that don’t know him.

We think within ourselves, “They don’t want to hear about my Jesus” they will never accept what I have to tell them” But the issue is not does he want to hear about Jesus, it is does he need to hear about Jesus? Moreover Jesus never said to anyone “You good and successful servant” did he?

Psalm 19:7 say “ The Law of the Lord is Perfect is converting souls” what that tells us is that it is not you and I that convert people’s heart to God but God’s law. Therefore we must give God’s word both in season and out of season, taking no responsibility or accolades for getting someone to receive Jesus Christ as their savior. Jesus did not ask us to become “Good and Successful servants, he required us to be good and obedient servants, and that means giving the gospel in season and out season.

Take a moment to look at the video *
(below)of this woman and how she used the word of God to change a life out of season





Also I would appreciate your comments

Looking Away Toward Jesus

Psalm 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

More times then not men and women who truly love God seek Holiness by their own hands. They say to themselves “Because I love God I must stop (whatever sin they have) and give my life totally to God.” And this is a very honorable desire to give your life for God totally. The problem arise in the misconception that we can consecrate ourselves to God.

One example of this self-consecration is called introspective. With introspective we survey all the events of our day keeping what we think is of God and letting go of the things which are not, vowing to repent from the sins of that day.

The problem with this method is that we leave the knowledge of good and bad to be discerned by our own heart and mind. But psalm 19:12 asks “Who can discern his errors” not one of us, because even if it is our will to do the right thing our heart will not allow us to, it will lie to us, and confuse us into believing we are holy in action when in fact we have become hypocrites in our attempt to be close to God.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

More importantly when we seek to judge our actions through introspective we are looking inward toward ourselves for answers. But Hebrews 12:2 says “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” the Amplified Bible give a much better understanding of this simple yet ever so powerful verse it says “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus” Here is the power in this verse looking away from self to Jesus.

Here is a very quick fable that may better illuminate what I'm trying to say.
There was a centipede and a frog talking, when the frog asked “which of your one hundred feet moves first when you walk? How do you know which to move next?” the centipede realized that he did not know which foot moved first and when he tried he could not even move just one foot so he became angry and left. “I’m leaving he said,” but when he tried to leave his mind was on his feet and he was stuck right where he was unable to move forward at all.

The centipede loved to bath in the sunlight on his favorite leaf so when the noon sun came without thinking he ran over to his favorite leaf to rest, completely forgetting to analyze which foot to move first. This is true of us saints when we look toward our situation, circumstances, even try to introspectively analyze the events of the day we get stuck, our mind and heart becomes deceitful beyond cure and we can no longer grow in our walk with Christ.

Oh but when we look away from all that will distract us to Jesus, who is the resurrection, then by his light (understanding from the Holy Spirit) we shall have light .

Psalms 36:9 (KJV) For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

In the Above verse the fountain is God, (Lord Jesus Christ) as an independent self sufficient spring; a spring by which all creatures of life proceeds. By Him alone are they sustained, and through Him alone can it be perfected, nothing of our own hands. Life is in the creature, but the fountain is only in the Creator.

Therefore the knowledge of God sheds a light on all other subjects, and presents to us an understanding that goes beyond all that can humanly be understood. However in the natural we will never see Jesus, nor obtain any measure of holiness by the light of self, but by the light of all things that are within our understanding in the light of Jesus. No inward introspective of ours deeds will bring about holiness; our heart is an evil and deceptive thing which none can cure, so what we think is good, is left up to our heart to measure. However our heart can not be trusted nor our mind, which has been locked shut by and evil and deceitful heart.

Setting our mind to do anything to attain holiness is foolish; it is our vanity, piety, egotism, haughtiness, and hate will deceive us into believing that we are doing what is right, or what we are doing is God’s Will. Even if we could attain holiness by our own hands how would God get the Glory?

It is the Holy Ghost which lights up the darkest recesses of our heart's ungodliness. If we would but fix our eyes on Christ Jesus then we would, (if it pleases God) obtain one ray of light from the throne of God, which is better than the noonday splendor of illumination created by the wisdom of our own deceitful heart and carnal mind.

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Tears of Intercession

by Troy Pearsall

I've never been a person to ask anyone to pray for me, I've always felt if a Christian's faith is truly rooted deep into the soil of scripture, prayer, meditation and fasting that when the burning sun of life's trials and tribulation come up against the believer he will not be moved.

In the last four years I can say without doubt that I have not had 2 days whereby life's situation and circumstances has weighed me down so much that I had to ask someone to pray for me. I can say this because my faith is firmly rooted and my knowledge and understanding of God's Grace and Mercy toward me is able to sustain me. Now this does not mean I don't others to pray for me, it means I am confident that my prayers are sufficient to move God to my salvation. I'm saying this because Jehovah Shalom rest in me.

With all this said you can imagine how surprised I was to have my pastor pray for me last Sunday, not that he does pray for others, its that when he asks "Does anyone need prayer?" I never come for prayer. But last Sunday was different, my mother who is a member of another church decided to visit our church and she witnessed my pastor praying for me.

"When Tony (my pastor) prayed for you Sunday" My mother began, "I could tell he really meant what he was praying, it was as if he was begging God if you would only do this for me God" she continued. "I thought of Tony as a mother eagle wrapping her wing around her chicks to protect them from the pouring rain. I could feel it in his voice, I could see it in his eyes, and I know God heard his prayers also"

When my mother said this I thought of a post I wrote about 2 years ago called "Praying to the Point of Tears" This post highlighted the relationship between tears, and truly contrite and fervent prayer. My thought was if praying for yourself to the point of tears was good, how much greater is the intercessor that could pray to the point of tears for someone else? How perfound was this prayer for me?

Below is an excerpt of the post "Praying to the Point of Tears" dated November 16, 2007. I hope you enjoy this post and I hope this advice given will elevate your prayers to the next level. Follow this link (here) to read the original post.

Not until God sees the hopelessness in our life, and we experience the realization our personal situation is solely dependent on God, It's not until we realize we can do nothing but break down in tears crying out to God, in hopeless, that God can hear our prayers. Therefore if we want God to hear our prayers then when we pray, we need to pray in a state of desperation.

Hebrews 5:5-7 (KJV)
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Ok I'm going to say it. Sometimes prayer is ineffectual just because there are no tears. This does not mean that tears make a prayer effectual. However if your prayer can not move you to sorrow, and you are doing the praying, how much less is it moving God to want to see that prayer fulfilled? Hebrews 5:7-8 tells us that even Jesus Christ prayed to the point of tears, and when he did the bible tells us that God heard him. But not until we read psalms 56:8 do we get any idea as to why.

Psalms 56:8 (TNIV)
Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll are they not in your record? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me

Every one of ancient times cried out in prayer to the Lord. I would go as far as to say that it appears to be those that cried the hardest are the ones that did the greatest works in God. Issac cried unto God in prayer, King Hezikiah cried unto God in prayer, King David cried unto God in prayer, Even our Savior cried unto God in prayer, and their prayers were contrite, and their prayers were sorrowful and God heard them.

We must ask ourselves, can we afford to not pray with the same fervor?

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Troy C Pearsall

Worshipping in Spirit and Truth?

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Defending the Great Name of God through Prayer

These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Psalms 50:21 (KJV)

Maybe because I am a Christian, that I get upset when people speak offensively about Christ my Savior It is these very same people that feel you are invading their space when you tell them about Christ. It is these very same people that have no problem with bragging about their perverted sexual preference, they find it t totally acceptable to boast about how many women they’ve been with last weekend, or how “Pissy Drunk” they were the night before, how many designer drugs they’ve taken before work, and even to some degree, how often they’ve beaten their wives. But Speak against their atrocities in a moral state judged by God and instantly they will have you taken to HR with your job now in jeopardy we Christians, ( I don’t like that moniker “Believer” because even the devil is a believer) are left with no defense against this problem, we are left having our ears blistered with the voice of this world’s perversions, defiled by the words of those that blasphemy the Name of God and Christ Jesus. So what do we do, take them to HR? Maybe, and risk being labeled bible thumper, or Jesus freak, or just plane old trouble maker, moreover we risk being isolated from the rest of the work force. And if your work place is perverted enough ( as the last two places I’ve worked), you, not the offender will lose your job. Some of you may argue that God did not want you there anyway; my argument is maybe God did want you there to make a change, but because of you own discomfort you like Jonah ran from what God had given you to do. (Selah)

The second option is take them to court. To that I simply say no. Paul in 1 Corinthian 6:2 tells us that the whole world will be judge by us and we should not take another brother before an unjust judge. I know your saying but Paul was speaking of one brother against another, and you are correct. But when we the saint of Jesus Christ take any man to court we are saying that the leaders of our church, and the gifting given them by God are not sufficient to judge, we are saying that God himself can not rightly judge the matters of our lives.
There is a solution though it may seem simple to some profound to others it remains the only real solution. What does the bible give us as an example to what we should do?

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high placesEphesians 6:12(KJV)

When Rabshakeh tried to convince the Jews that they had misplaced their confidence in God (2 kings 18:28-35) in silence King Hezekiah dealt with his blasphemy, and placed his letters before God. (2 Kings 19:14) God therefore came into the battle to provide victory a this enemy because he (Rabshakeh) came up against God with his own testimony.

As Christians we MUST use in prayer gainst all the hate spoken by atheist, blasphemers, perverts, hateful people and anyone that will dishonor the Name of God and try to convince us that we have misplaced our faith in God. We can’t simply dismiss their words and actions toward us as “just them”. And those that rise up against Christ, and those that disrespect the son and daughters of the living God, should not have their actions be acceptable. If the prince of England walked into the building where you work right now, even though he has no dominion over you in the United States you would treat him with the honor and respect which is due his title, his heritage. And if you disrespected him, your boss or the government would see to it that you were dealt with. How much more must the son and daughters of the only living God be respected? Who should disrespect or dishonor our heritage? (Selah)

God came to the defense of King Hezekiah because it was God’s will that the Assyrian King would not defeat Judah, and would not take Jerusalem. However God could not come to the aid of Judah until King Hezekiah Prayed (Now get this) THE WILL OF GOD. ……………. Now once King Hezekiah prayed God came to his rescue with vengeance (2 Kings 19:20-34) and God, not King Hezekiah defeated the Assyrians.

This concept of praying for a defeat of the enemy happen all throughout the bible but today man’s morality has made us to believe that it just isn’t right to pray bad on someone. I think in my defense this is not what I’m saying to pray bad on someone for their actions.

But as Christian we must realize that the crimes against Christians, the disrespect and dishonor, the attacks against us because we are Christians are argument toward God for the manifestation of His Will. we must cry with contrite hearts. , "Father see how they reproach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?, They defy You Father, and dishonor Your Son with their hateful words. They speak against Your servants and Your children they detest and subdue. Lift up Your hand and be just toward them according to Your Perfect Will, Make ever mouth which came up against you confess that Jesus is Lord, and every prideful knee bow at the name of Jesus Christ to Your Glory."

My Goal is always Quality and Informative Articles on Prayer and Meditation, If you don't agree with what I write please give your comments, If you do Please tell others. I welcome feedback and comments;to stay up to date join me on Facebook or Myspace

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Firespeaks

When the Spirit Moves You to Prayer

Ever wonder what your pastor was talking about when he ask you to pray in the spirit?  

Immediately we began speaking (praying) in tongues, assuming that this is what is required of  us. But is this the right action? Is this really praying int the spirit? And if so, is this the only way  to pray in the spirit ?

Praying in the Spirit or Holy Ghost is only addressed three times in the bible, Jude 1:20 “Praying in the Holy Ghost”; Ephesians 6:18 “in the Spirit” and 1 Corinthians 14:15 “pray with the Spirit” However, for some people these three verses are clear instructions for praying in tongues.  But,  to say that praying in tongues is the only way of praying in the Spirit is to limit the Omniscience mind of Elohiym 

What then is praying in the spirit?  A very interesting thing comes to light when we read Ephesians 6:18 in the NIV Bible says that we should be praying with “All kinds” of prayer, while the Amplified bible says with “all Manner” though parenthetically.  Why is this so important? I think first because it suggests that there are other manners of praying in the Spirit. And secondly because it makes clear that praying in the spirit is not a type of prayer, but rather how we are praying.

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people). Ephesians 6:18 (Amplified Bible)

 Praying in the Natural

Now history has warned us to be mindful, not  every man that says he is of Christ is of Christ, this is the purpose of the parable of the sower (Matt 13:3-23; Mk 4:2-20; Lk 8:4-15).  Sometimes the actions that we see in men are deceptive, or motivated in their desires. Jesus Said in  speaking of Judas Iscariot one of his own disciples “one of you is a devil” (John 6:70)   Now Jesus was not saying Judas was Satan but rather that the evils of the devil had already taken his heart.  Demas, a first century Christian that who followed the faith, and was even imprisoned with the Apostle Paul in Rome, was one of those seeds sown on rocky ground. The Apostle Paul writes to Timotheos (Timothy) about their mutual friend in his second letter saying “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10) 

For this reason The Apostle Paul warns us to Examine and test and evaluate our own selves to see whether we are holding to our faith (2 Corinthians 13:5a [Amplified Bible])

It is because we can be doing everything that appears to be right as seen from outside, but  what motivates us to do these actions, what is behind our actions, or more importantly, what is behind our prayers, puts value in our actions, put values in our prayers. Examine and test ourselves to be sure that our prayers are not for the natural or in the natural, but for the fullfilling of that for which we were called to do.

 Glazed Covered Prayers

 Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil  heart. Proverbs 26:23 (NIV)

Nothing has bothered me more than the expression pray with fervent prayer, not that it’s not scriptural, Rather because men, even our leaders, sometimes associated eloquence of words, or crying during prayers, gyrations, and even speaking in tongues as fervent prayer.  But as we can see from the previous examples that a man can pretend to be anything he wants to be.  So than can a man say the right words to appear to be fervent, and sometimes he (or she) may even thinks they are fervent in their prayers.

There is no way we can measure the value of a person’s prayers, (how fervent it is) not by what we hear, or what we feel, or even know about that person. What may appears to be fervent to us, what appears to “usher in the Glory” (you choose the terminology) may be backed by personal gains and just hateful ways, only that person and God know what’s on their heart. We must allow the glazed covered prayer to pray right alone side the truly fervent prayers, the wheat alone side the tares, the eleven Apostles right alone side of Judas, because if we try to separate them we will drive away the saints, trying to get rid of the sinners. This is how Jesus dealt with this problem, this is how the bible deals with this problem, this is how we must deal with this problem, because only God can know the hearts of men.

 Praying in the Spirit

So to pray in the spirit is to pray in such a way as to be lead by the Spirit to pray. This can mean praying for something or even praying a certain type of prayer. More importantly I would say that praying in the Spirit is the prayer which was motivated by the divine influence of the Holy Spirit.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (KJV)

The above verse suggest that God is working in us, God is unctioning us to do what God would have us do.  We must realize more importantly, spiritual prayer is as much if not more an action of God as it is of us. Spiritual Prayer finds it origin in God and in our obedience to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit unctions us. As we read the Amplified Bible this simple fact becomes abundantly clear that God is the origin of our spiritual prayer.

[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Philippians 2:13 (Amplified Bible)

I think this is very important to understand that praying in the spirit is not speaking in tongues because that would mean to those that are not given that gift than God does not want your prayers. It would  mean that God has given to only a select few the ability to pray in the spirit, but the bible says that God is no respecter of men. 

So with confidence we can say that Praying in the Spirit is not praying in tongues. One can pray in tongues and pray in the spirit at the same time but one is not inclusive of the other. The foundation of Praying in the Spirit  has to do with your heart being right with God in prayer, and your ear being mindful of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.  Praying in Spirit means that the Spirit of Elohyim has moved you to come to Yehovah in prayer and you are at least sensitive enough to know it to be true.

My Goal is always Quality and Informative Articles on Prayer and Meditation, If you don't agree with what I write please give your comments, If you do Please tell others. I welcome feedback and comments;to stay up to date join me on Facebook or Myspace

Your Brother In Christ

 Firespeaks