Prayer and Fasting

PRAYER

 Genesis 17
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply the exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him...

Being A Witness

Take The Exit

Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Come Home

When Jesus died on the cross, He didn't just die for the sins we committed before we were saved. He died for the sins we've committed period (past, present, and future). All of our sins have been put on His cross. There is no such thing as the Heavenly Father un-adopting a child He has adopted. Either you're His or you or you're not. Now, when you are His it does not mean you are going to live right all the time. There are many prodigal sons and daughters running around out there.

Who's Holding Who?

Suppose you have a child. Your only child... and you love your child more and more each day. Your love for your child grows to where you love him/her more than life itself. Now around the time that your child turns ten years old, that child is murdered. The murderer is found and detained by the law. Suppose the law of the region allowed you to do whatever you like to this murderer. The murderer's life is in your hands at that point.What would you do?  If you kill this murderer, doing so would be vengeance. The murderer being left in the hands of the law to be tried in a court in front of a jury, and sentenced by a judge...that would be justice. If you were to forgive this murderer, but warn that you never want to see them anywhere even remotely near the region again... that would be mercy.

Vines, Branches, and Fruit

Ephesians 2
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.


Not of works... Why are we so drawn to works? In ancient times the message of faith was preached and accepted. Later denominations showed up and added works to the message. You have to pray X amount of times a day, or confess this, or do that or you won't make it to Heaven. If you read the Old Covenant you will see one thing continually.

The Law came by Moses and God by Moses said if you want a blessing, work for it. While grace says I give it to you freely. The Law demands that your blessings be earned, while grace says you don't have to earn it...you just accept it! And we as human beings have within us something that cries... No, No, No, there is something I must do! There is something I must do!! And God says I'VE DONE IT! It takes some of us almost a lifetime to come to the realization that there is nothing good in the flesh...nothing of the flesh that God wants.

Here is a little illustration to show where many, many Christians are today.