If yesterday’s Honey Lake Church service is any indication of what is going to transpire over the next two days at the Renewal of America Prayer Summit a glorious time will be had by all. The service began with some worship songs and then I introduced some Scripture whereby Jesus Christ Himself taught His disciples how to pray.
He taught that we should begin by honoring and glorifying His name:
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name – (“Hallowed” means: Holy, Blessed, Sacred, Revered)
Next He instructed that we should ask for His kingdom here and now and not restrict it to heaven alone!
Your kingdom come
He alone knows what is perfect and best for us and we should petition that it be done instead of what we believe the solution should be
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Pray that we simply rely on Him to supply our needs each day and not worry about tomorrow
Give us each day our daily bread.
Pray for forgiveness of sins and that we do likewise
And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who sins against us.
Pray for intercession – that we will remain strong
And lead us not into temptation
After reading that Scripture I asked the entire congregation to pray for our nation, our families, ourselves, and those who are suffering as we listened to “Our Father” – recorded by Bethel services: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FCel-VnX6k
Pastor Kenny Munds then gave a stirring sermon on prayer accompanied by several original songs. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the entire congregation was deeply moved as we petitioned God to forgive us our sins, lead us into repentance, and stir us into action to follow Him and not the world.
The service ended with the elders of the church coming forward to the front of the church and gathering together and laying hands on and praying for a beloved church member who faces a serious heart procedure today. We asked that he be healed today in the name of God.
I’ve tried about everything there is to try and nothing comes close to the feeling that one derives when the Holy Spirit surges through a room at breakneck speed touching and changing lives, healing broken bodies and spirits as He goes. Some don’t believe it; some don’t understand it; some seem embarrassed to even try it. All I can say is that they are not living their spiritual lives as God intended. Make no mistake prayer is the most powerful force on earth and it can unlock a tsunami of mercy from almighty God.
“Okay”, you say, “sounds good – sounds good. How can I get in on the action?” Our approach to God must be one of a spirit of humbleness and contrition and we must be earnest in our desire for God, (Creator of everything we know) to hear us and bless us as never before.
Prayer should never be rehearsed or formal, but offered sincerely from the heart in a spirit of faith. It is a conversation between you and your Father who loves you more than you can even comprehend. It should never be a polished speech that you have put to memory to impress others with your religiosity. Matt. 6:7 – “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
More than anything I think God desires our hearts to be like His. He grieves for the lost and He grieves for this nation. In that light I’ve never heard any sermon that better describes this approach than the video “A call to anguish” by David Wilkerson. Please take the few minutes that it will require to watch it; you will not regret it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMG_PVaJoI
I wish you could all be here for the next two days to be a part of the glorious blessings that God has in store for us. The opening session begins in Honey Lake Church at 9:00 this morning and I expect the Holy Spirit to begin crackling through the room like lightning shortly thereafter. I can’t wait! Pray for us as we pray that God will heal America and all her inhabitants.
Matt. 18:20
“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
June 30, 2014 – Click here to listen