Right Handed, Left Handed or Both?

I Chronicles 12 is a description of the mighty men who came to David at Ziklag to be a part of his army. Verse 22 says "For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army like the army of God." (NAS) This chapter describes the strengths and skills of these great warriors. I Chronicles 12:2 " They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow.." (NAS) These men were very valuable warriors because if they were injured in battle in the right arm they could still continue to fight by slinging stones with the left arm. These men had to be highly trained and disciplined to be able to shoot arrows with both hands. I took archery in high school and found it to be a very difficult sport. It took a lot of strength to pull the string back against the resistance of the bow while keeping the bow steady and the arrow staight. Hitting the target was another challenge! These men could not only shoot arrows accurately but with either hand and could sling stones.
When someone injures their right arm and cannot use it, usually they are incapacitated and are somewhat helpless and feel useless. This is the devil's plan when he brings emotional and mental injury to us. He damages us with rejection, hurt feelings, estrangement, and disappointments. Like the physical injury to the right arm, we become helpless, listless and useless to the Kingdom of God and the devil has achieved his purpose.But if we are well trained in prayer and equipped with the Word we can continue to function. We must be able to use our right arm and our left arm spiritually. If we are dealt a setback we must be able to use the "other arm" and fight back. Arming ourselves with the Word, prayer and forgiveness, we can continue to press forward for the Kingdom of God. Too many Christians have stepped out of the battle because they have been dealt a blow from the enemy. We have too many Christians on the injury list sitting on the sidelines. We must be trained, disciplined and strong enough to use the "other arm" when wounded. When the enemy strikes a blow on us we must run to God. We must be quick to forgive our fellow men who may have hurt our feelings. We must pray for the Body of Christ, speak the Word and ask God to strengthen us in our inner man. Then begin to pray and pull down these strongholds that try to incapcitate the believers. We cannot be one armed warriors and be rendered useless.
Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." (NAS) Psalm 18:34 "He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze." (NAS) As I meditated on these scriptures, I noted that hands, fingers, and arms are all plural. We are to be right handed and left handed warriors for God. We must be so skilled in prayer, so skilled in the Word of God, and so skilled in hearing the Spirit that if we are attacked and "injured in the right arm" we can continue to fight with our left arm.
Let us pray for our pastors and leaders to press on to "equipping the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the Body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:12-13 (NAS)

Famine - A Place of Positioning

Famine is lack. Famine is usually thought of in terms of lack of food, but it could also be the lack of anything to sustain quality life. America is in a spiritual famine. We are starving for righteousness, holiness, and godliness in our schools, in our government, in our businesses, in our lives. America is also experiencing a famine in the natural in the area of jobs, finances, home foreclosures, and businesses closing. These can be anxious times that we are living in. During these times we must strive to keep our eyes on God and not on the circumstances around us. We must not get caught up in fear but rather stay relevant to God's kingdom and His purposes. God can use times of crisis to position us so we can accomplish His work. I believe God is preparing us for future assignments and if we co-operate with Him, we can be positioned now for those tasks.
We see in the Bible how God used the impending famine in Egypt to position Joseph in a place of authority. The famine also brought all of Joseph's family to Egypt where they would live together and increase in numbers until God delivered them. During this spiritual and natural famine in America, faithful saints can be placed in positions, both spiritual and natural, to accomplish His will and perhaps to have influence and authority in our land.
The prodigal son also encountered a famine. After he had spent all of his father's inheritance there was a famine in the land and he had to take a job feeding the pigs. He was starving and his boss was not giving him anything to eat. When he came to his senses, he knew that there was provision in his father's house. Even the hired hands would be fed in his father's house. So he decided to return to his father's house in humility and repentance and asked to be hired on as a worker. He knew that even though there was a famine in the land where he was feeding the pigs that there was provision in his father's house. The famine brought him home and positioned him in right standing with his father again. The key factor in his homecoming was his willingness to humble himself and repent and seek his father's face. This of course brings us back to our study of II Chronicles 7:14 " If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (NAS) Forgiveness, healing and positioning are available to us if we will humble ourselves and turn away from worldliness and repent.
We also find in the prodigal son's story that even when there is famine in the land there is always provision in our heavenly Father's house. So do not fear the times that we live in but seek God with all of your heart and allow Him to spiritually position you for the road ahead.

Anointing Fall on Me

I often sing that little song, "Anointing fall on me. Anointing fall on me. Let the power of the Holy Ghost fall on me. Anointing fall on me." I do pray for the anointing to fall on me for prayer and for teaching, but we must remember that we all have an anointing dwelling within us. I have come across too many Christians who do not believe that they have an anointing because they are not in a leadership position. The Bible tells us otherwise. I John 2:20 " But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know." (NAS) John is speaking to everyday believers like you and me. We have an anointing! Let's look at the Amplified Bible for this verse. I John 2:20 "But you hold a sacred appointment, you have been given an unction-you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know (the Truth)." (AMP) Let's also look at verse 27 in the same chapter. "But as for you, (the sacred appointment, the unction) the anointing which you received from Him abides permanently in you.." (AMP) Now just to be sure that you are convinced let's look at II Cor. 1:21-22. "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (NAS) Praise God, we all have an anointing residing within us. The Holy Spirit brings it when He comes to dwell in us.
Now what exactly is an anointing and what do we do with it? First we see that anointing means unction or sacred appointment which means we have a task to perform assigned to us by the Holy Spirit. Vines Expository Dictionary explains the anointing in I John 2:20 & 27 this way: "that believers have an 'anointing from the Holy One' indicates that this anointing renders them holy, separating them to God. The passage teaches that the gift of the Holy Spirit is the all-efficient means of enabling believers to possess a knowledge of the truth." (W.E.Vine) From this definition we see that the anointing brings holiness and we possess knowledge of the truth. When this anointing comes to dwell in us it brings the truth and light of the gospel and a desire to live pure and holy before God. When we pray we are not just sending forth words for God to hear but we are also releasing this great anointing that is within us. We are releasing the holiness of God into the earth to influence all mankind. We are releasing the knowledge of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ into the darkness and deception of this world to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. What a great assignment we have from our Lord, to release this anointing that will help draw all men unto Him. Let us begin to pray fervently and passionately to release this anointing into all the earth.

Prayer For The Body of Christ

We have been praying for the people who are called by God's name to humble themselves and repent from their wicked ways, so God might heal our land and Jesus might have the Bride that He is worthy of. Jeremiah 6 speaks a strong word from the Lord concerning the sin in the church and the leaders. Let's begin at verse 13. "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. And they have healed the brokeness of My people superficially, saying 'Peace, peace', but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush." (NAS) Sadly these same sins are in the Church today. We see greed, lust for money, lust for power, lust for recognition. There are some false prophets and false pastors who are leading the people astray by watering down the gospel and not warning their flock of the consequences of sin. They are lulling the people to sleep with words of assurance that they are OK and all is peaceful. Yet the people of God are indulging in sin. I hear stories of Christians who have live in boyfriends, are dating married men, having abortions, having affairs, looking at pornography and they do not blush about it. They do not try to hide it. They have been lulled into a false sense of security. They have their ticket to heaven and want to live only for their own gratification.
What does the Lord say we must do? In verse 16 " Thus says the Lord, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls.'" (NAS) The NIV Bible says "Stand at the crossroads and look and ask for the ancient paths." We must choose to either walk after the laws of God or to walk after the desires of the flesh. The Body of Christ is standing at a crossroad and we must turn back to holiness and purity and sanctification. We must make the right choice and turn to the Ancient paths, to the well worn paths of those who have gone before us, following the laws and commandments of God. We must walk on the path that the Ancient of Days has laid out for us to follow. A path of holiness and righteousness. Jeremiah 18:15 says, "Yet My people have forgotten Me.... They have been caused to stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, to walk in bypaths, in a way not graded up-not a highway." (AMP) the people of God have become sidetracked and are no longer walking on the highway to Zion but are walking on the bypaths of this world. Being pulled off into worldly thinking and activities and straying from godly principles. The saints of God are plaqued with problems, sickness, heartache and oppression because they have stumbled off the highway of God. Jeremiah 31:21 tells us to "Set up for yourself roadmarks, place for yourself guideposts; direct your mind to the highway, the way by which you went." (NAS) Make markers, reminders, scriptures, prayers that will guide you and direct your steps to stay on the right path. Keep your mind focused on the highway to Zion and not on the path of the world which will lead only to destruction. Seek God's face and study His Word. Pray the scriptures over yourself and your family and your home. Enlist the help of the Holy Spirit to lead you into all holiness. Remember in Jeremiah 6:16 the Lord said that you will find rest if you stay on the ancient paths. Let us pray for the saints and for our spiritual leaders to return to the Ancient paths - the laws of God's Word and cleanse our hands and purify our hearts before Him. Let us show reverence to God by living righteously before Him.

Joel 2:12-17

In my last entry we spoke of the Body of Christ turning away from sin and humbling ourselves before God and crying out to Him for repentance. We also spoke of the much needed prayer for our spiritual leaders that they also would turn from worldliness and sin and would boldly preach holiness to the Church. While praying for our church leaders, the Lord led me to Joel 2:12-17. Verses 12-16 are a call for the people of God to return to Him with all their hearts with fasting, weeping, and mourning. But verse 17 has a word for the priests. Joel 2:17Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say,"Spare Thy people, O Lord and do not make Thine inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations."(NAS)Not only must we ask God for holy and righteous leaders who will boldly speak the truth but we also need to ask for praying leaders. Leaders who will weep and wail for the people of God. Leaders who will be good shepherds and will watch over the flock and be on the lookout for a wolf in sheep's clothing. We need to pray for leaders who will preach hard against sin and who know their sheep and will lay down their lives for them. Leaders who are alert to the evil influence that may be coming against their flock and fight against it and will look to God for direction. Who will not just operate out of programs, plans and intellect, but will operate according to Zechariah 4:6 Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.(NAS)Also pray for false prophets and false pastors to be exposed so the people of God will not be led astray. Pray for the King of Glory to come into our churches and into our services that He might be glorified in all holiness.

II Chronicles 7:14

II Chronicles 7:14
and My people who are called by My Name humble themselves and pray, and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (NAS)

One morning as I was praying II Chronicles 7:14 over the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to something very important in that scripture. It was as if He took a huge highlighter and marked turn from their wicked waysand will heal their land. There is a great promise within that scripture. If we, the Church, will turn from our wicked ways, from our worldliness, from our lustful desires then God will heal our land. The scripture does not say for the wicked to turn from their wicked ways but for the people called by His Name to turn from their wicked ways. That is the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. The future of America lies in the hands of the saints of God. If we will turn and repent and live holy and pure lives before God then He will forgive and heal our land. We must begin to pray for believers to cleanse their hands and to purify their hearts before God. Our churches must not look like the world. We must be a holy and undefiled people.
Then the Lord took me to I Timothy 2:1-2 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. We have all prayed this over our government leaders and prayed the evil to be rooted out of our government, but now the Lord turned it towards our spiritual leaders. He wants prayer for our spiritual leaders and for evil to be rooted out of our spiritual leaders. We must have holy, undefiled leaders who will speak boldly to the congregations concerning sin. We need leaders who will bring forth apostolic preaching with the power of the Holy Spirit. When the power of the Holy Spirit is present, people are able to hear and to obey. They are convicted and willing to repent and to turn to God. The Church of Jesus Christ must turn from worldliness and self indulence and sin and become the Bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle. Then we can look to God to heal our land. America is in our hands.

Come Away With Him

I John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. (NAS)
We know that God is love and that He loves us. He sent His Son because He loves us so much. But those words of love are just that – words – if we don’t allow them to sink deep into our hearts. We must open up our hearts and allow the King of Glory to enter in. He desires to have an intimate relationship with each one of us and desires for us to rest in His love and to be so secure in His love that we do not fear the things of this world. He desires us to draw away from the demands of our lives and meet Him in the secret place. In worship and prayer and quiet meditation, He will reveal Himself to us. But we must make ourselves available to Him. In Song of Solomon, He repeatedly calls to His beloved to arise and come away with Him. He calls her to come with Him to the clefts of the rock, to the secret place where He might hear her voice. In Chapter 5 He comes to her while she is sleeping. She hears His voice, she hears Him knocking but she is tired. She has prepared herself for bed and so she delays coming to Him. When she finally arouses herself, it is too late. He has gone. Isaiah 55:6 (NAS) tells us to Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. We must not let the complacency of our flesh prevent us from seeking Him. We must come away with Him and allow this precious love that He has for us to become so real that we are as the maiden in Song of Solomon who declares to be so in love that she is lovesick. She is so in love that she delights to sit with Him and His Presence is so sweet to her. We must arouse ourselves from sleep and set our affection upon Him.
One morning when I called to my Beloved and desired to sense His Presence in a special way He spoke these words to me.
I am aware. I always know when you draw near. Nothing escapes My notice. Every little cry from your heart is always heard by Me. I miss you when you are preoccupied with other things. Your love is as important to Me as the most famous saint that ever lived. Although you find that hard to believe, you must remember that with Me love is not earned – love-just-is. As it is on earth in human relationships, it is not so in heaven. My manner of love is quite different from human love. My love stems from a Creator’s viewpoint and all that I have created is good. It is the enemy who tries to destroy and distort what I created in order to make it unlovable. That is why My Son came to break the enemy’s power, so My people may be free to receive My Love. Your attention and affection is not lost on Me as it is on humans. I cherish every expression, every moment. Do not ever forget that although I am the God of this universe, I am also the God of the individual. I love you always, God.
So be encouraged to press in and learn what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon you and allow Him to make His love so real to you that you are lovesick.