LORD, Welcome to 2010

Its been a very long time since I've posted anything to our Firelight site, but at this outset of 2010, I felt it important to log Friday night's prayer. You see, Friday night was our first gathering for the year and it was good see our regulars. But the tone of our gathering would prove to be different from others and there are two aspects of where the Holy Spirit took us in prayer that I felt must be conveyed here.

The first thing to note was that the Lord illustrated to us that the previous week or so was filled with His dealings in the affairs of men. Those events included the catastrophic earthquake that suddenly flattened Haiti in general and Port-au-Prince in particular. Suddenly personnel and resources had to be funneled by the nations to that tiny country in response to a shaking in the earth. Another shaking took place within days, but it was in the realm of US political affairs when Massachusetts shattered the hopes and delusions of liberal Democrats nationwide. In only a matter of days, that Senate race was upset by Scott Brown coming seemingly out of no where to seize the seat. The Democratic leadership were suddenly sent running for cover and have been visibly shaken by an event they can't explain.

Meanwhile, a shaking in the heavens over California--the home of drought and wildfires--produced four waves of powerful storms relentlessly dumping the kind of rainfall they haven't seen in years and creating floods and landslides. Finally, there was a mild shaking in the financial realm when the Dow Jones averages dropped 200 points after as the markets reacted to the President's warning he has decided to take aim on big banks.

All of this shows us how the LORD can suddenly and sovereignly create a shaking within the affairs of men and send them scrambling not unlike ants in a stirred anthill. We prayed as the Lord indicated the year ahead would be met with more of the kinds of "suddenlies" as we've found crammed into these brief, few days. We prayed this nation would recognize God's sovereignty and turn TO Him not from Him.

Then there is a second aspect of our evening I wanted to make known (there were many facets to our evening, not just two). It concerned our intercession for the Church in the Baton Rouge region. We implored that the fear of the Lord would manifest itself when various minister's meetings in the area are conducted. These would no longer be times to compare notes as to how many people various churches are running nor opportunities to commiserate over declining tithes and offerings but a time when pulpit ministers would weep over the flock of God and convulse over the tepid condition of the people of God.

We initially cried out for Jeremiah 3:15 shepherds for God's people in the Baton Rouge area. But then we had to backup a verse and realize God providing those kinds of godly men were contingent upon something. So, we prayed according to verses 13 and 14 that we, the Church, would recognize and repent of our own transgressions and discontinue folly. In discussing the scriptures we had been praying over, we noticed planted there was something we all needed to be prepared for. You see verse 14 reveals that God will "take you one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion." Zion is the presence of the Lord. As the Lord draws people into His very presence, it would mean separating people from each other and moving them around to places He was directing them to.

It can be very unsettling for us to see loved ones being moved around even when we know the hand of the Lord is in it all. But we understood this was part of His plan to reorganize His Church for His glory. It could mean redefining congregations and moving saints both out of as well as into our area.

But it was clear from how the Lord directed our prayers that we are to make His presence the goal of both ministers' meetings and congregational worship. It was a great way to step into 2010. Let's all press in to HIM!

The Real Jesus?

I received this in an email recently. Since we are soon to commemorate the death, burial AND resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, I thought this was fitting to pass along to you. Perhaps it will help each of us hold ourselves to a higher standard and greater faith.

Likewise, it might be a good time, say Friday night, to have a family communion service. If you have no family to do that with...why not do it as unto the Lord? I hope each of you have a safe and sacred weekend. Let it be more than eggs, baskets and candy.
God bless each of you!
Jack

There seems to be more than one Jesus to choose from these days.
Which one is the true Jesus and who am I following?

· There’s a ‘seeker friendly’ Jesus, he’s the one who will not
offend anyone in anyway. He loves everyone no mater what they do.
· There’s a ‘sow and reap’ Jesus, he made a covenant with man
so that man could sow his seed and reap wealth and happiness on
earth and then go to heaven when he dies.
· There’s a ‘blend in with the world’ Jesus, he wants us to look
like, act like, and be like the world in order to reach the lost.
· There’s a ‘neverending grace’ Jesus, his ‘grace’ covers us no
matter what we do or how we live.
· There’s a ‘just believe’ Jesus. As long as you truly believe
in your heart, you’re saved.
· There’s a ‘name it claim it’ Jesus. You name it; anything and
it’s yours! If you don’t get it, it’s because you lack faith. It’s your fault.
· There’s a ‘carnal’ Jesus. He doesn’t expect you to overcome
sin, he understands you’re just carnal.
· There’s a ‘heart dwelling’ Jesus. All you have to do is ask
him into your heart and voilà, he’s there. You’re going to heaven!

Truth:

There’s the Jesus who said “Repent and believe the gospel,
the kingdom of God is at hand.” -Mark 1:15
He said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.” -Lk 9:23-25
He said without Him you are already condemned. -John 3:18
He said He came to save the world -John 3:16
He said unless you forsake all you have, you cannot be His disciple.
-Luke 14:33
He said if we love anyone more than Him we are not worthy of Him.
-Matt 10:37-39
He said if you love this life you’ll lose it. -John 12:25-26
He said you cannot serve God and money. -Matt 6:24
He said fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell. -Mt 10:28
He said be extreme in your war against sin. -Matt 18:8-9
He said love God with all your heart, soul and mind and your
neighbour as yourself. -Matt 22:37-39
He said He is the light of the world. –John 8:12
He said the gate is narrow and the way is difficult and few find it.
-Matt 7:13-14
He said those who believe in Him but work iniquity will be
cast out. -Matt 7:21-23
He said you’ll be hated for His name’s sake, but if you endure to
the end, you’ll be saved. -Matt 10:22
He said I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father but by Me. –John 14:6

Which Jesus do you serve?