WNBS@FBCE

BEGINS

 AUGUST 10th, 2016

Check out the intro video!

COME ON BACK!!!!!!!

A NEW SIX WEEK STUDY

DON’T TAKE A VACATION!

Welcome to Summer— But DON’T TAKE A VACATION!

Dr. Jay Wolf

I have always loved summer. School is closed and the pools are open. Refreshing, ruby-red, ice-cold watermelon! Fishing. Baseball. Family gatherings. Cookouts. Shorts and T-shirts. Excursions to the beach, lake and mountains. Summer is a wonderful time to slow down, relax, and rejuvenate…it is the time for vacations.

However, don’t take a vacation from walking with God and serving His purpose! Don’t take a vacation from personal and corporate worship. Don’t take a vacation from learning and living God’s Word. Don’t take a vacation from interceding for our broken world. Don’t take a vacation from sharing the Gospel. Don’t take a vacation from faithful stewardship and service. After all, these spiritual basics are not a burden but a blessing that creates perennial refreshment.

May God recalibrate you this summer as you take some time out while staying spiritually tuned in. And most importantly, always remember that God never takes a vacation from you. “God is FAITHFUL, through whom you are called into fellowship with His Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Individual Study - May 18, 2016

This begins our first individual study for the summer.

Go through the study and let me know your thoughts and comments.

In this study there are three points of focus, if you wish to break it up into three sessions that is your option. Please use it however you wish.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - ENTERPRISE

       WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

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QUICK STUDY

WALKING WITH GOD

DEUTERONOMY 10:12; MATTHEW 22:34-40

05/18/2016

MAIN POINT

A disciple of Jesus Christ is actively engaged in the God’s redemptive plan and daily transformed into the image of Christ.

INTRODUCTION

What is your favorite form of exercise? Why?

How do you feel about walking? 

Do you do it for exercise or for fun? 

Do you do it voluntarily or only when you

have to?

The benefits of walking regularly abound. From reducing the risk of heart disease to enhanced mental health, doctors rave about how wonderful walking is for all people who are able. With that in mind, it’s especially interesting that when the Bible speaks of the way believers relate to God, it often uses the word “walk” to describe that relationship. Walking is active, intentional and transformational, not at all unlike our walk with Jesus Christ. To walk with Jesus is to be is actively engaged in the God’s redemptive plan and daily transformed into the image of Christ.

UNDERSTANDING

Use the biblical commentary (at the end) to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic.

READ DEUTERONOMY 10:12.

What do you think it means to fear God? 

Is that different than being afraid of God? How?

What, in your own words, does it mean to walk in all of God’s ways?

This passage isn’t a demand from a harsh king; it’s a command from a loving God. Through His past deeds, God had shown Himself to be the great Protector and Deliverer of His people. In light of His loving character, God’s people should wholeheartedly love, worship and fear Him. In other words, they should, walk with Him. As we love, worship and fear the Lord on a regular basis (that is, as we walk with Him), we are daily transformed to be more like Him.

The Gospel of Matthew records an encounter between Jesus and a group of Pharisees in which the Pharisees asked Jesus what he believed the most important commandment to which people should walk. Jesus’ answer has since been labeled as “the Great Commandment.”

READ MATTHEW 22:34-38.

What makes loving God the greatest command?

The Great Commandment emphasizes loving God with all your heart, soul, and might. What do each of those aspects of a person’s being represent?

Love for God rises as a response to His gracious love for people demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Our love for God is to be unconditional and undivided in the way that He and His love for us is unconditional and undivided. This love is actively engaged in God’s redemptive plan and extends from all our heart, soul, and might. The Jews believed human thoughts originate in the heart. From the soul came a person’s will and feelings. The might represented a person’s physical nature. Combined, these words highlight the requirement to love God with all our being—emotion, spirit, and body.

Why do you think loving God comes before loving others? 

What does it look like in practical terms to love God with your heart, soul, and might? 

How does practicing this transform us into the likeness of Christ?

Making God the supreme priority of our lives requires constant attention to Him. As we involve ourselves in day-to-day living, our commitment to God above all else should guide our thoughts and actions. But when asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus added a second commandment to the first one. The two cannot be separated from each other. We can’t love others well if we don’t love God well.

READ MATTHEW 22:39-40.

Jesus took a command from the Old Testament, this time from Leviticus 19:18, “Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.”

Who would Jesus say is your “neighbor”? 

What does it mean to love another person “as yourself”?

“The second is like it” is a profound statement that shows the two commands are intrinsically tied together—if people love God then they will love those whom God loves. The way people interact with God affects how they interact with others. Jesus redefined the Jewish concept of “neighbor.” To the Jews, a neighbor was another Jew to the exclusion of non-Jewish people. Jesus, however, with the parable of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37), expanded on that definition. According to Jesus, a neighbor was anyone who needed help. Jesus added that a believer should love others as themselves. Certainly Jesus never promoted an egocentric self-love. However, people do watch out for themselves. Love for others should equal or exceed concern one has for oneself.

Why is each of these commands foundational to the life of a Christ follower? 

What happens if you choose to obey one but not the other? 

What actions and attitudes make it evident that people love their neighbors as themselves?

APPLICATION

Help identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.

What is one part of your walk with God you would like to be different? 

What are some ways we can make sure we aren’t performing external acts of obedience while forgetting the gospel? 

Why do you think love is such a defining mark of the Christian? 

Do we tend to think of love as the primary mark of the Christian life? If not, what do we think of as that mark? Why?

What most frequently stands in the way of you truly loving others? 

What are some tangible expressions of this kind of love you might practice this week: At your workplace? In your home? With your friends?

PRAY

Close in prayer, asking God to help you fully embrace the heart posture He has given you in Christ. Ask Him to help the rhythms of your life lead you closer to Him. Thank God for the love He’s shown us in sending Jesus to die for us. Pray that He would help us to love well, as we are called to do—to love Him with our whole being, and to love others as ourselves. Pray that we’d see the needs of our neighbors, wherever they are and we’d be moved to act.

COMMENTARY

DEUTERONOMY 10:12-19

10:12–13. The appeal to covenant re-commitment is in the form of a rhetorical question packed with covenant vocabulary. What does the Lord your God ask? He asks for five things specifically, all of which have been addressed over and over in Moses’ pareneses throughout the book (cf. also Mic. 6:8).

He demands first of all that his people fear him. The verb employed is one that speaks of terror, indeed, but more than that. It expresses reverential awe, the kind one shows in the presence of transcendent and awesome power and that motivates one to worship and obedience (cf. Deut. 5:29; 6:2, 13, 24; 31:12–13). Proper fear leads to a godly walk or lifestyle. The language of travel or pilgrimage is a favorite biblical metaphor to express adherence to principles and pathways of obedience (cf. Deut. 5:33; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16).

Love, though most commonly bearing emotive overtones, is much at home in covenant contexts as a synonym of election. That is, God’s choices are a function and expression of his love, a love that must find its response and counterpart in the commitment of the chosen one to love (i.e., choose) God in return (Deut. 5:10; 6:5; 7:9, 13; 11:1, 13, 22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6, 16, 20). Such response, to be meaningful, must be manifest in deeds. Thus, Israel was to serve the Lord with unreserved and unqualified devotion, one that marked them out as God’s peculiar people who had been made his servant nation in achieving his redemptive purposes (Deut. 6:13; 7:4; 11:13; 13:4).

Specifically, this service consists of observing the Lord’s commands and decrees. Service is not abstract or vacuous, then, but in covenant relational terms it speaks of strict conformity to precise stipulations (Deut. 4:6; 6:1; 8:6, 11; 11:8, 22; 12:14; 26:16; 28:45).

10:14–15. The introduction to the horizontal demands of the covenant is couched in an appeal to recognize the absolute uniqueness and dominion of the Lord, he who is Lord of heaven and earth (v. 14) and who, therefore, has the authority to elect whom he will to salvation and service (v. 15). The phrase “highest heavens” does not suggest some cosmological scheme in which there are levels of heavenly realm, but it is merely a Hebrew construction indicating totality. As Creator, the Lord obviously rules over all things and disposes of them as he will.

It is all the more remarkable then that he took notice of the patriarchs. He set his affection on them, that is, he loved them, that is, he chose them. In a powerful and breathtaking sequence of elective terms Moses described the grace of God in choosing only Israel out of all the options at his disposal. All three verbs are essentially synonymous as their usage elsewhere clearly shows.

The condescension of the Lord, Sovereign over all, to choose Israel is a theme expressed at the very beginning of the nation’s covenant history, for in the desert of Sinai the Lord had invited Israel into covenant partnership on the very basis of his elective grace. “Although the whole earth is mine,” he said, “you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod. 19:5–6). This sentiment is echoed in Deuteronomy 7:6–8, where Israel is reminded that they possessed no special qualifications to be God’s people but became such only as he chose them among many options.

10:16. Israel therefore had no claim on God and no right to be arrogant or proud. In fact, Moses said, the people should circumcise their hearts and stop being stiff-necked (v. 16). Circumcision was the sign of outward conformity to the covenant ideal and was not only perfectly acceptable but required (Gen. 17:9–14; cf. Exod. 12:48). However, it was not enough if it was only physical and formal. More important was an inner conformity to the requirements and purposes of God, a circumcision of the inner person (cf. Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:28–29). To be stiff-necked is to be unsubmissive, like an ox that refuses to bow its head to the yoke and to turn at the command of its owner. Throughout the Old Testament “stiff-necked” is a metaphor for stubbornness and recalcitrance (cf. Job 9:4; 2 Chron. 30:8; 36:13; Neh. 9:16–17, 29; Jer. 7:26; 17:23; 19:15). In the present context it denotes a lack of compliance to the covenant requirements.

10:17. Such a spirit of indifference is incomprehensible in light of who God is, the “God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (v. 17). Such a description does not admit to the reality of other gods but simply emphasizes the absolute uniqueness and incomparability of the Lord and his exclusive right to sovereignty over his people (cf. Deut. 3:24; 4:35, 39). As Lord over all he cannot be enticed or coerced into any kind of partiality through influence peddling (v. 17) and, in fact, is the special advocate of defenseless persons who are so often victims of such unscrupulous behavior (v. 18).

10:18–19. What God does in the social realm his people are to imitate (cf. Exod. 22:22–24). They must be especially sensitive to aliens living among them, particularly since they also had been aliens in Egypt (v. 19). The word for alien here is the same as appears in Leviticus 19:34: “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself.” Exactly the same sentiment (but with “neighbor”) is expressed in Leviticus 19:18, the verse Jesus quoted when he was quizzed about the greatest of the commandments (Matt. 19:19). Jesus attached this to the command to “love the Lord” with all one’s being (cf. Deut. 6:5), thus joining love for God with love for others. This is precisely what the present passage is teaching as the enveloping structure makes clear.

MATTHEW 22:34-40

22:34-36. The Pharisees and Sadducees had been assaulting Jesus with a variety of difficult questions (Matt. 22:15-33). They were hoping to trap Him in a point of religious law or to make him give an unpopular answer. When the first two attempts failed, a Pharisee tried again by asking Jesus to name the most important commandment. He hoped Jesus would answer in a way that would provide a reason for destroying Him or His credibility.

22:37. To answer the Pharisee’s question, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, part of the Shema (Deut. 6:4-9) that Jews recited twice a day. Instead of “strength” in Deuteronomy 6:5, Jesus used mind. He probably wanted to emphasize a person’s need to make all life decisions based on love for God. Love translates the Greek verb agapao that refers to God’s unconditional love. God loved us enough to send His Son Jesus to live, teach, minister, die, and rise again for us (John 3:16). Jesus’ answer was not what the Pharisees hoped for and indeed trapped them. Instead of trapping Him, they had to agree with Him.

22:38. Having quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, Jesus announced loving God with one’s entire being constituted the greatest and most important commandment. Recognizing God’s lordship and love and loving Him through worship and action in daily life comprises God’s greatest expectation from His people.

22:39. Jesus then added a second commandment and quoted Leviticus 19:18. He stated the second commandment was like the first, meaning both commandments complemented and completed each other. Both commandments begin with the same call to love directed at individuals. Jesus expected each believer to love God and others with every aspect of their being and life. One cannot love God without also loving others (see 1 John 4:7-12, 20-21). The Jewish religious leaders basically would have agreed with Jesus here, accepting the importance of the commandment to love others (although perhaps not seeing it as equal to the first commandment).

22:40. Jesus stated these two commandments summarize the entire law and the teachings of the prophets. All the law and all the prophetic teaching flow from the commands to love God and others.

God’s Call to Graduates and All Others!

God’s Call to Graduates and All Others! Dr. Jay Wolf  Several years ago I made a memorable trip over to Johnson City, Texas, to check on my father’s sister and brother-in-law who were living in a nursing home. Aunt Ima was a prisoner of Alzheimer's. She spoke in jumbled phrases as she nervously tugged at her dark blue, food-stained warm-ups. In the adjacent room, my Uncle John Lengefeldt spoke with piercing clarity and impressive insight. He was battling prostate cancer, fighting a dangerous infection and he had lost his mobility due to crippling arthritis. His body was shot but his spirit was bullet-proof. As we talked, Uncle John described his puzzlement at God’s apparent insistence that he and Ima remain on earth instead of crossing over to heaven. However, he calculated that as long as his body functioned he would do his best to serve the Lord. John explained, “I have preached every Sunday in the nursing home for the last five years. I try to share about God’s power to bring hope.” Uncle John, a man who operated a gravestone business for years in South Texas further observed, “Just this morning one of the nurses came to me for counseling. Her fiancé broke their engagement. I dried her tears with God’s hope.” Later in the conversation, Uncle John began to weep as he explained, “Little Jay, when I was 18 years old, God clearly called me to preach His Word, but I ran from His call. Then after about twenty years, I told God I was now ready. However, God whispered in reply, ‘Someone else filled your place, John. But it’s okay — keep serving as best as you can.’” As he wiped more tears and removed his thick glasses he reasoned, “I missed the joy of embracing God’s call and doing God’s work; but I am trying to serve now and make up for some of the lost opportunity.” From graduating seniors to senior adults, we can learn from Uncle John’s regrets and example. Be sure to listen. Do not miss God’s call. Please do not cheat yourself out of the joy of serving. Additionally, seek every opportunity to accomplish God’s purpose as long as you possess an earthly address.

Veverly Baird Arrington

You are the type of MOM that every child needs.

I am glad that you are our daughters' MOM because you did an awesome job.

By loving and raising them, you gained an insight on how to be a wonderful Grandmother.

I know all of "our girls" would 

have it no other way!

Again, I stand in amazement and awe, when I see you share your Faith, Compassion, 

and Love to them. 

Happy Mother's Day!

A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO POSSESSIONS

GROUP GUIDE

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - ENTERPRISE

WNBS@FBCE - Wednesday Night Bible Study 

A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO POSSESSIONS

MARK 10:13-31

MAY 4, 2016

MAIN POINT

Those who aren’t ruled by their possessions have a disciplined approach to spending and giving.

INTRODUCTION

Begin by writing down on a piece of paper the first three things you usually tell about yourself when you meet a new person.

What do the things on your list reveal about yourself and about your priorities?

What are some of the top priorities of people living in our community today?

Why do you think our culture connects our career with our identity (i.e., “I am a doctor, I am a teacher …”)?

The story of the rich young ruler is about identity. The young man defined himself by his possessions. He had worked to achieve his status, and he also wanted to work to achieve salvation. But Jesus wanted the young man to define himself only by his faith in God—as a follower of Jesus.

UNDERSTANDING

The biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic is located at the bottom of this study.

READ MARK 10:13-16.

In a time when childhood illness and death was quite common, parents brought infants and children for Jesus to heal. The disciples made themselves the gate keepers to Jesus. Too many adults needed His attention. There were already more than enough children. So the disciples sent the parents away to give Jesus time to do more important things. The children didn’t measure up in the eyes of the disciples. Jesus is challenging who they think will enter the kingdom of God.

What childlike qualities are necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven?

How would you describe a childish faith, and how is that different than a childlike faith?

We must be like a little child to enter the kingdom. Childlikeness isn’t just one choice among others to be part of God’s kingdom. God builds His kingdom on childlike characteristics: trust, love, innocence, lack of power, lack of credentials. Faith is knowing we are helpless, which leads to humility before God, trust in Him, and obedience to Him. As Jesus continued on His journey, a man came to Him with a different request, but one also related to getting into His kingdom.

READ MARK 10:17-22.

What is your impression of the man who came to Jesus?

What makes the man’s question in verse 17 strange?

The rich young ruler was telling Jesus that he viewed himself as having been good, moral, and religious all his life. However, in spite of his best efforts to please God, the man knew that something was missing; he did not have eternal life. He felt so strongly that he humiliated himself in his desperate attempt to find out the answer.

Look again at verse 21. Why did Jesus make such a difficult demand?

Do you find Jesus’ response uncomfortable? Why? How does Jesus’ response compare with your general ideas about salvation?

On the surface, Jesus seemed to be saying the man could earn eternal life by keeping the Commandments. Although we know that salvation is received only by grace through faith, not by works (see Eph. 2:8-9), our works are a lot easier for us to measure, and we all have a tendency to try to impress God. Jesus wasn’t saying that selling his possessions would earn him favor with God. He knew this young ruler’s heart. Jesus knew that what stood between this man and God was the priority of his possessions and his personal identity. He deeply wanted the man to commit himself to God totally.

In verse 21, Mark wrote that Jesus loved the man before He commanded the man to take that drastic step toward following Him. Why is this significant?

Do you believe Jesus loves you even before you follow Him? Do you ever feel He is judging your performance—that He’ll love you more if you do better?

How does your perspective of good works change when you learn that you already have God’s acceptance?

When we put the love of God after the command, we become bitter and frustrated of what we have to give up. But Jesus loves us first, and it makes all the difference. The command to sell everything and follow Jesus is not to gain Jesus’ love, but to respond to it. The command is what love requires. It’s like Jesus was saying, “You will not experience the full joy of trusting in God until you come to me empty handed, ‘poor in spirit,’“ like the little children in Mark 10:13-16.

APPLICATION

Helping you identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to your life.

Think back to our opening question: What are the first three things you usually tell people about yourself? Where does Jesus rank in your life? How do you know?

What do we risk missing out on if we have misplaced priorities?

What does love require you to “Go, sell”? How can our church family support you as you strive to be obedient? Pray for any specific things people mention during your closing prayer time?

PRAYER

Close in prayer, thanking God that He first loved you before you could do anything for Him. Pray that you will have a greater awareness of His love and grace in your life this week, and that in response you will be challenged to give Him top priority in your life.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY

MARK 10:13-31

10:13-14. The children in this incident could have been anywhere from infants to 12-year-olds. The disciples, who were tired and tense with the prospect of going to Jerusalem, were probably trying to protect Jesus’ time. Note Jesus’ anger in this verse. The Greek verb aganakteo implies deep, strong feeling. Jesus’ service, and therefore the service of the disciples, was for such as these children (9:36). This is one more instance where the disciples failed to realize that there are no outcasts or unimportant people in the Kingdom.

10:15-16. Not only were the outcasts as important as others; Jesus also stated that everyone who desires the kingdom must be like these little children. Much has been written about how children act and what Jesus could have been referring to here. We could talk about a child’s total dependence and trust—two qualities needed for the Kingdom. But Jesus’ point was, how do children receive gifts? They receive joyfully and thankfully. They receive without believing they did anything to deserve the gift. This is a picture of how we come to the Father. We know we do not deserve the great gifts He has in store for us, but He loves us and desires to give us good things. The kingdom belongs to such as these. Therefore, not only should disciples receive little children (9:36-37); they are to have childlike qualities themselves.

10:17. This young ruler ran to Jesus and fell at His feet. In the Middle East, it was undignified for men to run. This man with his youthful passion was throwing himself at Jesus’ feet. This section follows the previous section naturally, since the man asked what he could do to earn eternal life. Jesus’ teaching on the children emphasized that there is nothing one can do to earn it. It is given freely and must be received freely.

10:18. The man called Jesus “good.” This word was not used lightly. Had the man made the leap that Jesus was indeed God, who was good? As we see in verse 22, his passion outweighed his commitment.

10:19. Jesus in this verse did not list the commandments dealing with a person’s relationship to God. These were internal commandments, not as easily discernible from observing behavior. Perhaps Jesus also knew that this man could not keep the first commandment—to have no other Gods before Yahweh, the supreme God. Jesus mentioned do not defraud instead of the tenth commandment, “do not covet.” Defrauding someone, however, was listed in the law (cf. Lev. 19:13) and at its heart was jealousy. The young man had never defrauded anyone, but neither had he gone the extra mile and been generous with his money.

10:20. If this list were all the law contained, then it would not be impossible to conform to its demands—difficult, yes, but not impossible. On the commandments that Jesus listed, this man had it made—externally. Apparently, even he knew there had to be more to it because he did not leave immediately, rejoicing at Jesus’ answer. He knew in his heart that he lacked something.

10:21. Jesus was declaring that nothing must come between a person and devotion to God. Some people may have to give up money. Others may have to abandon a cherished dream. Still others may have to surrender family. But one thing is certain: Jesus’ love comes before the command. Whatever He commands us to do is because of His love for us. Jesus’ command to the man to follow Me came at the time when He was headed for Jerusalem and certain death at the hands of the religious leaders. This echoes Jesus’ command to every disciple to take up the cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34).

10:22. This verse is the only instance of someone coming to Jesus with a need and leaving without the need being filled. No matter how much we are loved by God, He will not override our choices.

10:23. The phrase for the rich is translated at times as “those who have riches.” It means more than having money. It encompasses possessions as well. In our day, it might mean everything that goes with money—cars, furs, jewels, real estate. But even if we do not consider ourselves rich, we still have riches and possessions that often come between us and the Lord.

10:24-26. The disciples’ amazement is mentioned twice in this section. In order to understand their amazement, we need to realize the conception they would have had of the wealthy. Money in that day was considered a blessing of God. If a person was righteous, God would bless through wealth and material possessions. This is seen in Genesis with the recounting of the life of Abraham, a man greatly blessed by God. The cause-and-effect relationship between righteousness and wealth is most clearly seen in Job. Job’s friends assumed he had lost righteousness with God because he had lost his riches (family was included in the recounting of wealth).

Jesus compared entering the kingdom of God to a camel going through the eye of a needle. This verse has been discussed at length. Many attempts have been made to soften its teaching. Jesus often used hyperbole (deliberate overstatement) to make His point. This is a good example of such overstatement. Who then can be saved? Jesus had declared to His disciples that the most righteous people of that day could not be saved by their own efforts. If this were true, then how would they—poor fishermen—gain entrance? The disciples asked if the best could not be saved, who could?

10:27. Jesus emphasized that gaining treasure in heaven, eternal life, can be accomplished only by God. We come with empty hands. This is something that Jesus has emphasized throughout Mark’s Gospel. The needy are healed. The outcasts of society gain entrance to Jesus. When we admit our need, when we admit that we are indeed outcasts, then God performs what was impossible for us—He grants us eternal life and heals us of our sin sicknesses.

10:28. It is natural for us to wonder if our sacrifices have been noticed. Peter, the spokesman of the group and most likely the narrative voice behind this Gospel, reminded Jesus of just how much he and the others had given up to follow Him.

10:29-30. If Peter wanted to know that the disciples’ sacrifices had been noticed, Jesus gave Him that reassurance in this verse. There is no material possession that has been left behind that will not be repaid in this life or in the life to come. Many followers of Christ have lost families, but they have found new family members within the body of Christ.

10:31. Jesus had talked much during His journey to Jerusalem about the reversals in the Kingdom. The outcasts are to be sought after and not hindered; the greatest must serve.

A Call to Prayer

Lead by Franklin Graham
Thursday, April 14th , 2016 12:00 to 1:00 PM

Alabama State Capitol

West Front Steps

God gives us instructions on the type of intercession that helps precipitate a Great Awakening: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Franklin Graham is seeking to start a prayer revival in America by traveling to all 50 state capitals to encourage God’s People to activate 2 Chronicles 7:14. Revivals are not conjured up; they are prayed down. An Awakening in America will not occur when Hollywood and Washington DC get right, but when God’s People get right. Leonard Ravenhill, a powerful evangelist of the past, famously said, “If you want to see a revival come then begin by drawing a circle in your prayer room, step into it and ask God to start an awakening within that circle.”

The goal of this call to prayer is to start with your heart. Invite God to tour the chamber of your spirit and root out anything that does not look like Jesus. Remove any ugly weeds that grow in the garden of your soul like anger, bitterness, addiction, competition, doubt, fear, jealousy, worry, lust, pride, and selfishness. Give God permission to weed your spiritual garden and replace destructive flesh-fruits with thefruits of His Spirit. Our goal is to look like Jesus and function as His agents of love, purity and serving. When His love and light shines from the Body of Christ, the lost and seeking people around us will be drawn to the Savior on display in His Children. 

In addition to entering your personal prayer closet and seeking the Lord, join withFranklin Graham at the State Capitol on Thursday, April 14 at noon. This prayer rally is not about a political candidate, it’s all about lifting up Jesus as our Hope. Franklin Graham explained, “We have a responsibility as the Church to be salt and light in this world. We are to speak the truth of God’s Word to a society whose spiritual and moral foundation is crumbling. The only hope for our nation is for us to pray, seek God’s face, and stand firm on His Word. Through the Decision America Tour, we will visit your state capital to pray fervently for our nation. Will you join us in this effort?” 

Let’s make corporate prayer at the State Capitol and with our Church Family a high priority and watch God do something extraordinary as He leverages the prayers of His people into a far-reaching Spiritual Awakening!

      

BUILD YOUR WAR ROOM!!!!

http://www.allcreated.com/build-war-room-prayer-closet-diy

Build Your Own War Room (aka Prayer Closet)

The movie, War Room, was just released and after seeing it 2x…I must say it was AMAZING! And this movie is all about learning how to fight better and letting God do your fighting for you. Yup – and prayer is the key ingredient! I LOVE movies about how to forgive, how to show unconditional love, and how to grow closer to God. These movies always make me cry but they also always make me a better person. Inside and Out.

So, if you’re interested, follow me and let’s learn how to build our own War Room (aka prayer closet) and start softening our hearts today!

The key to creating a war room prayer closet is this…find a place with zero interruptions. Sounds easy…but it’s not. That’s how and why the ‘closet’ has been identified as one of the best spots in our homes. An empty closet, that is. And if an empty closet (or closet-like space) is not available in your home, keep reading. We have a few tips in creating a space that will have the same incredible, heart-warming, God-loving, soul-searching result.

But let’s start with the basics.

WHY have a war room?

1.       Because prayer matters to God and it’s powerful!  James 5:16 says “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

2.       In today’s super-electronically connected world, it’s what we need to really be able to quiet our hearts, to hear God’s voice.

3.        It is eye-opening, the things that God wants to reveal to you through a dedicated prayer time—insights into your life, your relationships, your motivations, and understanding God’s purposes.  Jeremiah 33:2-3 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”

4.        We are commanded to devote ourselves to prayer.  Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

5.       For the future of us, our children, and our land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 says “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

6.        We are told to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:7), and be faithful in prayer.  How often do we actually, currently pray, though?  Probably not as much as we would like or should.  Romans 12:12 “Be hopeful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

7.       Following Jesus’ example of withdrawing to a solitary place to pray.  Luke 22:39-46, we see that Jesus withdrew and knelt to pray.  And Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

8.       We are told to pray in secret (not just to be seen by others).  Matthew 6:5-6  “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

How to find/build/create your War Room – 10 Easy Steps!

1) Consider if there is an actual extra little closet or space in your house where you can comfortably sit and kneel to pray.  It may currently be used as storage and filled with things, but consider emptying it by selling or giving away excess that you don’t really need.  If a little space like this does not exist in your home, try to be creative with an alternative– is there a space on the floor of your bedroom (not your bed!) where you could be alone, leave a Bible, prayer photo album (see description below), etc.?  It just needs to be an electronics free zone (no I Pads, IPhones, Laptops, etc.)

2) Equip your little space with a lamp, if it doesn’t have lighting.  Also, I find it helpful to keep a throw pillow in there, to be a little more comfortable.

3) Print off photos of people in your life that you want to be regularly praying for, and either put them up on a tack board or in a little prayer photo album, that you keep in your prayer closet.  Looking at people’s faces seems to help me remember to pray for them, and then to pray more specifically for what they are going through in their lives.

4) Pray using the “ACTS” acronym.  Spend time on each “letter”

§  Adoration:  Spend some time adoring and worshipping God by declaring things about who He is.  (ie- Altogether good, loving, just, faithful, truth, etc.)  Psalm 145:3 “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

§  Confession:  Spend time confessing your own sins to God.  1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

§  Thanksgiving:  Spend time listing out things you are thankful for—finding things to be thankful for will help you understand God’s purposes in hardship.  Ephesians 5:20, “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Psalm 50:23, “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.  If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

§  Supplication:  This is the part where you bring your different requests to God—for yourself, for fellow Christians, for people who don’t know Jesus, for our country, for different situations around you and around the world, etc.  1 Timothy 2:1 “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

5) Pray with an open Bible.  God uses His Word (the Bible) to speak into our lives and reveal Himself.  I would suggest that this should be an actual hard-copy of the Bible (not electronic), to guard against potential distraction.

6) Keep a journal in your prayer closet.  You will want to be writing down (to remember) the things that God will start revealing to you.  Also, if you journal the things you are praying for, you will be encouraged and praise God when God answers your prayers, in His timing.  Otherwise, you might not even notice when God has moved in response to your prayer.

7) Consider getting devotional guide to keep in your prayer closet, which daily will help you focus in prayer on a specific people group or country, and their spiritual needs/spiritual state.

8) Spend some time praying in a kneeling position.  Something about kneeling to pray really seems to help humble my heart before God and helps me naturally tend towards worshipping Him.  (This does not have to be all your time in your prayer closet—just try it to see if it helps you focus on our glorious God.)  Psalms 95:6 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

9) If the idea of spending more extended time in prayer seems overwhelming, set a kitchen timer (to have in the prayer closet) or a watch (not your smartphone, for distraction reasons). Then set the alarm to go off in a set amount of minutes (maybe start with 10 minutes and then add from there).  I think you’ll be surprised how fast time flies, once you really start praying through different people and situations in your life.

10) Just get yourself into your prayer closet.  If you can make it that far, I think that actually praying will be the easier part.  Tearing ourselves away from the endless house work, TV, Facebook, e-mail, etc., is the hard part. That is often what keeps us from hearing from God– being distracted. Don’t be discouraged if this feels unnatural and hard. Prayer is a spiritual discipline, so that infers it will take time, effort and energy.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  –Hebrews 12:11

The real beauty of having a prayer closet is forcing out all the distractions that keep us from having the kind of prayer life that God desires.

When you feel weak against Satan and his arrows, take on the Full Armor of God for spiritual protection and peace. God’s words carry great strength and power. The Warrior’s Prayer will give you words to recall in troubling times and will carry you through the toughest times. AMEN.

The Warrior’s Prayer

• Heavenly Father, Your warrior prepares for battle. Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on the Full Armor of God!
• I put on the Girdle of Truth! May I stand firm in the church of Your Word so I will not be a victim of Satan’s lies.
• I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness! May it guard my heart from evil so I will remain pure and holy, protected under the blood of Jesus Christ.
• I put on the Shoes of Peace! May I stand firm in the Good News of the Gospel so Your peace will shine through me and be a light to all I encounter.
• I take the Shield of Faith! May I be ready for Satan’s fiery darts of doubt, denial and deceit so I will not be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.
• I put on the Helmet of Salvation! May I keep my mind focused on You so Satan will not have a stronghold on my thoughts.
• I take the Sword of the Spirit! May the two-edged sword of Your Word be ready in my hands so I can expose the tempting words of Satan.
• By faith your warrior has put on the Full Armor of God! I am prepared to live THIS day in spiritual victory!

AMEN.