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October 29, 2008

Word for Today.........Get Some Reinforcement

Scripture: Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  Matt 18:18,19


If any two of you shall agree…


Two is better than one, is a saying I have always heard when growing up with a Southern Black mother.  As a young child I was always very independent.  I wanted to do things by myself and for myself.  I didn’t want help with making my sandwiches.  I didn’t want help with tying my shoes.  I didn’t even want help when learning to ride a bike, although I was forced to learning on my older sister’s bike; which didn’t have training wheels.  I remember my mother telling me that she could help me learn to ride the bike after seeing me fall numerous times trying to learn on my own.  I finally learned to ride that bike ALL BY MYSELF, all the while getting many scars that I still have today!!  But unlike my tenacity to learn to ride that bike alone our spiritual life is VERY different.   WE NEED EACH OTHER!


In the scriptures, Christ being teaching the disciples what to do if their brother somehow gets lost along the way of righteousness. (my paraphrasing)  He talked to them about if their brother should to trespass against them and how to handle those types of situations.  But in the middle of this teaching he says to them that whatever you (ye) bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven.  This indicates to the reader that this is a spiritual law about whatever personally you tie down firmly in prayer or release in prayer, God will also do the same in the heavens.  But then he turns a corner, or changes the ideas of the text and says but two is better than one.  Not literally but it does say that if you get someone to agree in prayer with you God is not only going to do whatever YOU need but will also get busy for the reinforcement.  It moves from two agreeing for one person’s situations to God moving for THEM.


Sometimes you need somebody to agree with you in prayer not because you can’t do it alone but because God has people in place that can pray and stand in faith when you can’t.  God has people who know how to stand on God’s Word and intercede for YOU and in the process they receive a release.  The bible says in Job 42:10 – “and the Lord turned the captivity (trouble) of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”  God has it so designed that we are dependent on one another in prayer and faith.  Not that you shouldn’t or can’t stand in faith for yourself or pray for yourself, but how much more we could get done if we call in the reinforcements.  Reinforcement means simply to strengthen.  Who would want your prayers, your faith, or your requests going before God with as much strength as possible?


James had been executed and Herod was planning to kill Peter in the morning.  Now you would think that Peter would have been up night praying or worrying which is what most of us would have done.  But he wasn’t.  The bible says that he went to sleep and in essence rested in the fact that he had already prayed the will of God and the saints praying for him as well.  (See Acts 12:5, 6)  The bible says "prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him."  Any time you can sleep in the face of danger and experience grace in the midst of chaos, it is either you know God VERY well, you’re standing on His promises without wavering and have handed the situation over to Him OR somebody is praying for you and with you; somebody with “clout” in the heavenly realm. 


Notice, the church didn’t say, “If Peter was really in God’s will, he wouldn’t be in the mess or could get all his answers himself.”  No, while they were praying in faith and agreeing for a breakthrough, God was at work on the other side of the city dispatching angels to set Peter free.   That’s how prayer works. John Wesley said, “We can do great things when we pray, but we can do nothing great until we pray!”  Do you feel like YOUR prayers aren’t getting the job done?  Bring in reinforcements!!!  Find somebody who’ll agree with you!!  Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “And if ONE prevail against him, TWO shall withstand him, and a THREEFOLD cord is not quickly broken.”  In other words, if you can’t get it done alone, find somebody to fight with you and God will step in and get the job done.  WE ALL NEED SOMEBODY AND TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE!!!
 

Be Blessed!


© 2008 (L.O.W) Lifestyle of Worship Ministries.  All right reserved

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October 17, 2008

Word for Today.............Nothing But Some Oil

Scripture: And Eli'sha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.  2 Kings 4:2


Not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.


This story begins with the desperate cry of a widow to Elisha, the prophet.  The desperation is not only that her sons could be sold into slavery to pay off her debts, but that she has no other support if this action is carried out.  She has already suffered a devastating event with the death of her husband and is now deep in debt with creditors beating on her door for payment.  This is definitely the strategy of the devil to always follow one tragic situation with another with an attempt to break us down.  Ask Job how he felt when he lost his wealth, his children AND his health.  Not to mention, he wasn’t on very good terms with his wife, who constantly nagged him about his personal and spiritual beliefs.  Now this woman is faced with the possibility of loosing her sons as well, because if they are sold into slavery, they too might as well be dead.  Though this woman is not identified in the text, it doesn’t mean that God didn’t know her.  The bible says in 2 Timothy 2:19a, “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, the Lord knows those who are His.”   We need to remember that though our names are not in lights across America, God is still concerned about our well being. 


After telling Elisha her problems, he asked, “what do you have of value in your house?”  She thought and thought…NOTHING…nothing because she was poor, a widow and in danger of losing everything already.  She didn’t have anything….EXCEPT some oil.  “Nothing except a pot of OIL” was her reply when asked what she has in her house.  Because it wasn’t overflowing she didn’t figure it was worth anything.  It is amazing that we can have everything we need right in front of us, but because it isn’t special enough or overflowing or like others, we say it is NOTHING!   Oil was a very valuable commodity in that day; it was like money or gold.  It was used in lamps for light; it was used in cooking food and anointing (both ceremonially and for healing).  If you had a lot of it, it would be worth a lot of money. But she didn’t have a lot --- only a pot!  But when we are at our least, God is getting ready to be glorified and show His best.  Remember the 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread that Jesus blessed, and used to feed the multitude.  We have to take the things that God has already given us and use them for His glory and He will multiply it.  Many times, especially in this economy we are constantly reminded of what we don’t have or how far we should be in our lives.  Instead of dwelling on what we don’t have, we need to bear in mind that we DO HAVE God.  The bible says that the earth is the Lord’s and the FULLNESS therefore and they that dwell therein.  HE also told us that He owns cattle on a thousand hills.  And we are His children and have a right to own some too.  In this trying time of our American history we need need to take time to focus on what God has already given us and believe that He will multiply it, like He did for this widow woman!

 

Be Blessed! 

© 2008 (L.O.W) Lifestyle of Worship Ministries.  All right reserved

 

 

 

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October 07, 2008

Word For Today.....The Long Way?!?!?!?

Scritpure:   And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.  Ex. 13:17,18

 

BUT GOD LED THE PEOPLE ABOUT...

 

Here we have the most notable act of God's deliverance ever recorded in the bible or in history.  The children of Israel had been delivered from the hands of their oppressor, Pharaoh, which had held them in bondage for 400 years.  God had shown the people that He was Great, Powerful and Almighty.  But now is the time for them to go into their promise.  They had already left Egypt and were being guided by Moses who was being led by God.   But here is a glitch in the system of thinking for most people today.  God didn't allow them to take the short cut to the promise, but instead led them the long way. 

 

In the day and time that we live in we are surrounded by attitudes of immediate gratification.  We live in a microwave, fast food generation.  The thought of waiting or taking the longer route to any destination is unheard of during these times.  We have been taught by society that the quickest way to your destination is the best way.  Don't take the scenic route anywhere but get there as fast as you can.  The Children of Israel were being led the long way because they had 400 years of servitude established in their minds and hearts.  They were raised to be TOLD what to do instead of making choices for themselves.  Isn't it funny that people who have never been in authority can always tell those in authorities what they should do or shouldn't do?  But that is an entirely different lesson.  Nonetheless, there were two ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was a short cut from the north of Egypt to the south of Canaan, perhaps about four or five days’ journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way in which God chose to lead his people Israel.  There were many possible reasons why God led them through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.  1) The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red Sea. 2) The Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness, (Deu. 8:2). 3) God had given it to Moses for a sign (ch. 3:12), You shall serve God in this mountain. They had again and again told Pharaoh that they must go three days’ journey into the wilderness to do sacrifice. 

 

God’s way is the right way, though it seems about or long.  We must rely totally on God's leading.  He had gotten the Israelites out of Egypt but now He had to get Egypt out of them.  God spent 1 day of development and reconstruction for every 10 years they had been in bondage.  Many times we today are ready for the promises of God to happen in our life but it seems that God is taking His time.  You have been given a prophetic word or a direct word but it seems that nothing has happened.  Maybe God is preparing you to be able to handle the promises.  I look back when I was in my early 20's and some of the choices I made I wouldn't make those being in my 30's.  But what got me to this point is all of the experiences I had up to this point.  If God has given you a word concerning YOUR promise, the bible says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."  We must wait patiently for the manifestation of the promise.

 

 

 

Be Blessed

© 2008 (L.O.W) Lifestyle of Worship Ministries.  All right reserved

 

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