CHRISTIAN PRAYER CENTER IMPERATIVES
As is our constant theme at IUMI’s Christian Prayer Center we believe prayer lined up with the Word of God is the most powerful thing we can do. When we pray according to God’s Will we have His attention and when we have God‘s attention we get results. The most important thing that can happen in the world is for His Will to be done. This is so clearly seen when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He proceeded to teach them by saying to His Father, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 (NIV)
I have often told people that marriage is the second greatest transaction this side of heaven. Coming into relationship with our Creator is the first. Not knowing Jesus is like plugging a refrigerator into a piece of bread. Although it may go in easy enough there will be no power to turn the fridge on. Even though the person without Christ may be able to hold down a decent job and be able to provide for his family he is still powerless over sin. But if that same person receives Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior he will experience a new power to resist sin and to witness to a dieing world for God. This is just what Christ said would happen. “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.” (Acts 1:8 NIV).
Living in this current world without a personal relationship with the Divine Creator can be quite overwhelming at times. With drugs, violent crimes, wars, corruption, sexual innuendoes everywhere you turn, and many other things happening throughout the world, multitudes of people are living in fear as they face uncertainties. In order to live above the circumstances one would have to put on God goggles, as it were, and be able to see from His perspective. In order to see from God’s point of view we need to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus walked in the world in human form He could not be everywhere at once. However, before He ascended back to heaven He assured His followers that He would not leave them alone. He told them, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) Now, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus can be everywhere at once and having the Holy Spirit dwelling in the hearts of believers gives us boldness. As a result, although in the world at large chaos may be all around us, on the inside of each believer, we can still have, “Joy unspeakable and full of glory,” (1 Peter 1:8 (KJV) and we have “God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. Philippians 4:7 (KJV) So the ‘born again believer,’ who operates in his or her rights given to them by the Lord, does not worry like people of the world. I have often said to folks, “Oh the joys of living life with no enemies of your own making.” In other words some people may disagree with your stance on certain issues, and that’s okay, as long as you know that your intention was to make every situation better that when you first entered. The Bible says, “ The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.” Proverbs 28:1 (NLT) In other words evil people, because of the many wrongs they have done to others must always be on the lookout because they realize that people are looking to pay them back and it may be when they least expect it. This is not karma. It is simply one of the many laws which God has put in place. For example the law of gravity says that if you throw a rock up into the air if will come down. But not only is it that what goes up must come down but also what goes around comes around. Or as Jesus, the Master Himself, when they came to arrest Him, told Peter, “Put your sword away. Anyone who lives by fighting will die by fighting.” Matthew 26:52 (CEV) While in anti-God fashion the world’s approach is to do it to others before they do it to you the Godly way is to, “Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31 (NIV)
In closing, God’ s Word says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) It is imperative to not only include God in all that we do but we should put Him first. There is a popular vanity plate that says, “God is my co-pilot.” It should be, “God is my pilot.” We don’t need to help God steer our lives but we should be driven by Him to do great exploits for the Kingdom of God. Please know that I love you beyond words. I want the best for each of you. I want what God wants for you. As His word says, “ Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 2 (NIV).
And finally, let me leave you for now with this thought. When people say things like, “If Jesus was really coming back he would have come by now.” Or regarding the events taking place in the world today, “Things have always been this way. There is no God.” Listen to me real good. Don’t you believe them. Please know that things have never happened as they are occurring today and be assured that God is real and Jesus really is coming back for His people, those who have put their trust in Him. Hell is real and God doesn’t want anyone to go there. So He’s waiting until that final moment when it is certain that all who will come to Jesus or reject Him have made their decisions. As the scriptures say, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. “2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) This is truly the patience of a loving God who waits for each individual. Please make your decision today. God is waiting for you. Accept Jesus into your heart and you will know the joy and peace that only a personal relationship with God can give you.
“AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLD AS A TESTIMONY TO ALL NATIONS, AND THEN THE END WILL COME. “ Matthew 24:14 NIV
Jesus loves you.