Prayer For 2011

We have reached the end of our Chronological Bible, and I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have! It has been wonderful to learn so much about the order of the stories I have always heard. I also chose to purchase a Message/NIV Parallel Bible this year which has helped me a lot to study. It helps me to compare the two versions and to reconcile them in my mind. Along with the Chronological Bible, I feel I now have a deeper understanding of the Word. However, I look forward to starting over this year in some form because there is so much more to learn. I can't say my memory has retained everything that I have read, but rest assured that our hearts have. When you read the Bible, a seed is planted in your heart, and when you need it most, then the Holy Spirit will remind you of these things.

I have also enjoyed being one of the contributors on this blog and have enjoyed reading what the other writers had to say even more. I hope you have found some useful thoughts while reading them.

Last night, we had our first New Year's Eve celebration at 3trees Church, and it was a joyous time indeed! I could think of no better place to be while bringing in the New Year! We had a great time in the Lord as we heard the Word from Pastor Eric and Matt Wade, sang praises to Him, and finished with a moving prayer time. It was during this prayer time that God laid on my heart a specific prayer to pray over our church and our community. After praying about it, I felt it would be a good way to finalize this blog for 2010 and enter 2011. I hope you will agree with me in this prayer as we move forward into what I believe will be an exciting year for 3trees Church!

"Father, on this first day of the New Year, we refuse to continue to accept what the devil says that we can not do. Instead, we proclaim that, through You, all things are possible, and because of that, we are capable of all things. Father, it is easy to feel like there is evil all around us. With the ease of communication today, we hear more than we want to at times about the threats that are or could be. Today, we proclaim that we will stop looking at evil as a threat and instead look at it as an opportunity. We rebuke the spirit of fear because it does not come from You. We accept the boldness that you have made available to us through your Holy Spirit. We will go where You say go, speak when You say speak, and do what You say do. In doing so, we declare "not in our families, not our children, not our schools, and not our region!" We claim these things for Your glory and give them to You for Your purposes. In 2011, we state "not here, not now, not ever" as we seek to follow your Spirit and continue the business of kingdom agenda within the Lake Cumberland Region and our own households. In Jesus Name- Amen"

A Glorious Day

^"1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."   
(Revelation 22: 1-5, NIV)

As Pastor Eric said last night during the New Year's celebration, "There is an hour coming when darkness will overtake light." But, Revelation tells us that there is also a time coming when darkness will be no more! When the Lord comes back to establish His kingdom on Earth, Christians have wondrous things awaiting them! There will be no more darkness, no more sadness, no more death, no more sickness, no more heartache, no more addictions, no more evil!  It is a time that I can not even imagine at this point, but something I look forward to greatly!

He is coming.  We can not dispute that. We will not know the hour, but we can remain expectant. If you are not a Christian, this statement probably brings you more fear than it does joy. Now is the time to repent and serve Him. For none of us know the hour of our death nor the hour of His coming, but all of us know that both are imminent and the time to make choices is today.

If you have not accepted Him as your Savior, please consider doing so today. If you have already done so, praise God because a glorious day awaits you!

He Is

^"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
Revelations 17: 14 NIV

There are many theories about the interpretation of Revelation and when Christians might be raptured out. Regardless of who is right about the timing, no one disagrees about certain things.  We will be with God at some point in the process, we will remain with God for all eternity, and God wins!

As this verse says, He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings! Without any other explanation, it prophetically proclaims that He will triumph and the reason is just because "He is!"

When you begin to question what is going on in the world, never fear that God will triumph! Do not be concerned where Christians will end up. Do not worry about what others say. God can and God will always be the victor in any situation simply because "He is!"

Rejoice in knowing that God simply "is" and that is more than enough!

Now Boarding . . .

“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”   

 (Revelation 16: 15,  NIV)

 

If we knew someone was going to break into our home or business on a certain night, wouldn't we stay awake in order to protect ourselves or our property?  Because, after all, a thief will not send a written notice stating he's on his way.  Scripture tells us that Jesus will return to this Earth like a thief in the night.  Jesus won't get on a loudspeaker days in advance and warn us to be ready.  His Word has already done that.  The Bible has already told us that He will return, but we just don't know when. 

 

If you have ever traveled via airlines, you know there can be problems and delays.  Over the Christmas holidays, this happened to many travelers in the northeast.  When this happens, you may be placed on standby, which means you must be available to "stand by" for when the plane is ready to take off.  You can't be gone to the shopping mall when the call comes to board the plane. You have to be there at the airport gate, ready to go.  

 

So it is with our spiritual journey.  Christ has died, giving us a ticket into Heaven.  We can either choose to accept or reject it.  No time or date are printed on the ticket.  We must be on standby if we want to board a "one-way" trip to Heaven.  We can't fall asleep in the terminal when the delay seems longer than expected.  We may not hear the call.  Be alert---be ready.  Christ will one day return!   

 

"You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be a surprise, like a thief. So we should not be like other people who are sleeping, but we should be alert and have self-control."

 (1 Thessalonians 5: 2, 6, New Century Version)

It's Your Choice!

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”    

(Revelation 14: 9-11, NIV)

Heaven is real.  Hell is real.  There are some religions that choose to believe that a loving God would not have created such a place of torment.  But, according to the scriptures above, such a place exists.

The following footnote was taken from the Life Application Bible:

"The ultimate result of sin is unending separation from God.  Because human beings are created in God's image with an inborn thirst for fellowship with him, separation from God will be the ultimate torment and misery.  Sin always brings misery, but in this life, we can choose to repent and restore our relationship with God.  In eternity, there will no longer be opportunity for repentance.  If in this life we choose to be independent of God, in the next life, we will be separated from him forever.  Nobody is forced to choose eternal separation from God, and nobody suffers this fate by accident.  Jesus invites all of us to open the door of our hearts to him.  If we do this, we will enjoy everlasting fellowship with him."

Just as Heaven is forever, so is Hell.  For those who have chosen to accept Jesus Christ and have a relationship with him, will get to spend eternity in Heaven.  For those who reject Christ's invitation and choose to follow Satan, an eternal damnation is awaiting in Hell.  Seems a harsh reality, but we have a choice.  Heaven or Hell?  Jesus Christ or Satan?   I choose Christ!