"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law" (1 Corinthians 14:34).
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:11-12).
In these verses, Paul cannot be addressing women who were in the ministry, but rather those in the congregation who were out of order. How do we know this? We have many such proofs, many from Paul himself. Here is a partial list of women who were all in influential positions of leadership in the early church.
Pheobe (Romans 16:1-2): This woman was a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, who was beloved of Paul and many other Christians for the help she gave to them. She filled an important position of leadership. It would be a difficult stretch of the imagination to say that this woman fulfilled her duties without ever speaking in the church!
Priscilla (Acts 18:26): Priscilla and her husband Aquila are often mentioned with great respect by Paul. Together they were pastors of a church in Ephesus, and were responsible for teaching the full gospel to Apollos. We are informed that they both taught Apollos, and pastored the church together. In fact, Priscilla is sometimes listed ahead of Aquila when their names come up. This has led some to speculate that of the two, she was the primary teacher and her husband oversaw the ministry. At any rate, we see here a woman in a very prominent position of teaching and pastoring. (Other references to Priscilla and Aquila are Acts 18:2, 18; Romans 16:3, and I Corinthians 16:19).
Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3): Here we see reference to two women who were "true yokefellow" and who labored with Paul in the advancement of the gospel.
Junia (Romans 16:7): In this verse we see Paul sending greetings to Andronicus and Junia, his "fellow-prisoners" who are of note among the apostles. Junia is a woman's name. In some modern translations, an "s" has been added (Junias) because the translators were so sure a woman could not be an apostle, that they assumed a copyist has accidentally dropped the "s." However the proper male ending would have been "ius," not "ias." No church commentator earlier than the Middle Ages questioned that Junia was both a woman and an apostle.
Though there were other women throughout the Bible in positions of leadership, such as prophetesses, evangelists, judges, leaders, etc., the above references should be enough to establish that women were indeed a vital and normal part of church leadership. Paul expected women to speak in the church, or else why would he have given the following directive? It would have been useless to give directions for women who were speaking in the church, if they were never allowed to do so.
1 Corinthians 11:5, "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven."
Furthermore, if Paul believed that all women should never teach or speak in church, why does he commend many women who did just that?
With all this in mind, what then do we make of the troubling verses that command women to be silent in the churches?
First of all, we must interpret those verses in light of what we have just established--that there were women in leadership positions of the church. Obviously, Paul is not writing to them. He is must be addressing another issue entirely--the women who were loud and unruly during the service, causing disorder and confusion.
When he wrote the Corinthians, he was dealing with a church that was very disorderly in their services. Much of the letter was spent correcting excesses and abuses. Some of these pertained to women in particular and some were to the entire church. Paul is not being prejudiced against women when he instructs the Corinthian women to keep silence. In the early church the seating arrangement was quite different from our modern day churches. Men were seated on one side of the church while the women and children were seated on the opposite side. This is still practiced in many cultures today.
The women of Christ's day were generally uneducated and usually only the men were privileged with an education. Due to this situation, when the church met the women were tempted to shout across the room and ask their husbands the meaning of whatever was being taught. This disturbed the service. Paul was simply saying during the service, "Women, keep your children quiet and you be quiet, and if you have anything to ask your husbands, wait until you get home." Because of the new equality that Christianity brought to women, it could be that some of them were taking their freedom too far, to the point of being obnoxious.
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he gave him a similar directive. Again, it is important to understand the context in which the letter was written. In I Timothy, a careful reader becomes aware that many severe heresies and false teachings that were being dealt with. We can draw a conclusion here that many of the proponents and victims of the false teachings were women. Timothy pastored in Ephesus, and it has been suggested that goddess worship might have played a large part in Paul dealing so severely with the women. Ephesus was a primary center of the worship of Diana or Artemis. The heresies being taught might have suggested that women were authoritative over men and had higher access to spiritual knowledge than men did.
Regardless of the particulars, in both cases we can see that Paul is dealing with specific incidents in specific churches for very particular reasons.
We must understand that many of Paul's epistles dealt with local problems and his commandments are not meant to be taken as "commandments" across the board for all situations. Rather, we are to seek the Lord for the basic principal that needs to be incorporated in our churches. Because of Old Testament precedents that had already been set, apparently it never occurred to Paul to re-establish the case for women in ministry.
Why would he need to?
The early church took it as a matter of course that Jesus would call and ordain anyone He chose--and that settled it! As a matter of fact, the Bible mentions a prophetess who was in the Temple when Jesus was brought there as a baby. Her name was Anna (Luke 2:25-35), and she was one of two people who recognized Jesus as the Messiah because of her sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
Paul's writings are sometimes misunderstood today because we do not know all the details that led him to write as he did. We must rely on the Holy Spirit, and the rest of the testimony of Scripture to interpret how we are to apply these things to our everyday lives. Scripture should always be compared with other Scripture and the context taken into consideration. Even in Paul's day, there were those who tried to twist the meaning his words.
"...His (Paul's) letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).
It is a fair conclusion that the testimony of the bulk of Scripture, church history and God's anointing upon them, all speak plainly for women being able to fulfill all positions of the five-fold offices of apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist and teacher.
Read God's Word
Monday, April 21, 2008
IF MY PEOPLE
II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
America today is in trouble. Our country has shifted to a vile immoral country. America today has lost touch with the God of their forefathers and continues to spiral downwardly as a nation. I am doing this out of love and compassion for God's people and the country we live in. This is not to anybody or any group specifically, but a warning to your heart and mine. This verse is a promise God gave us, that he will keep, but there are conditions we must meet in this promise.
If my people.
You know the trouble with America today is not the unsaved. Its the Christians. The Bible tells us the lost people's jobs are to be wicked, and indeed they are wicked. Its the Christians who've allowed things to be this way.
That's who God's speaking to in this verse, is God's people. We have given up our role and many things in the worlds and sat down and flat out compromised with the world, allowing our testimonies and position on this earth to be watered down.
If my people.
We are the ones who didn't stand up for ourselves and allowed prayer and God to be taken out of the schools. We are the ones who have allowed this theory of evolution to be brought into our schools. This is where they teach the kids to doubt the Bible before they are even taught it. They are being taught that they started out as the slime of the earth, but are getting better. hat man developed his own rules and they have deemed it right in their eye's to do as they wish, and they are doing just that.
We have given over the government. You know all those who signed the Declaration of Independence, all but two people who signed it was active in their churches. Now a days we can't even get any of our government officials to get to church, much less listen to a church leader. This idea of separation of church and state, was indeed so there would be no church states, nor state churches. Not that anyone who's a Christian can't serve in government. We just turned over the government to the world, and watch as they usher in evolution in our schools, and support abortion, the killing of innocent babies.
We have turned over our court rooms to the world as well. You know before the civil war, you could not be a lawyer without studying the Bible. The reasoning was who could defend the law, without knowing the law giver? Now look at them. We have allowed them to continue to believe that man makes the laws, and man will defend the laws, and they will determine what is right and what is wrong, not God Almighty.
Psalms 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.
We are part of the problem, but we are also part of the solution, as part of the promise God made to us. We must decide that we are God's people and we will not allow nor tolerate our country's downfall to Satan.
If my people, Which are called by My Name
Many people have forgotten that God called us out. He was searching for us before we was looking for Him. Christians, or so called Christians forget that we are representing Christ and God. When people see us, they are to see ambassadors for Christ. The word Christian means Christ-like.
But as a whole, when the world see's the word Christian, what do they see. Enough for them to scoff at us. You don't know how many times, that I've stated I was a Christian, that people would immediately start questioning me on things that other denominations do.
This comes about because people are not taught correctly in the Bible and properly discipled in it. They don't learn to read the Bible for them selves and hide it in their hearts so they will not go astray. The false teachings come from those who have not read the entire word of God, or have decided to pick and chose what they will or will not believe and this is part of our countries problem today.
Believe the Bible is the totally inspired word of God, and God has preserved it as he promises and that is has remained unchanged, as God has wanted it. But there are so called Christians out their who has declared it was their right to change the word of God, as they see fit. They have changed the meaning and came up with their own empty traditions. And they cling to their traditions and false religion like never before. They refuse to let go of those.
If my people, who are called by my name.
It breaks my heart constantly, that there are so many people who are willing to serve God, but they limit themselves by not reading and learning from the Bible what God wants them to do. There are many people who have the right intentions, but are not prepared, and go out in God's name and bring a bad name to Him, and dishonor them because they don't do it with the Father's help, but instead in their own flesh.
If my people, which are called by my name Shall Humble themselves
America today is a land of self pride, and we have forgotten to praise God. God has given this land, and expected this place we live in to give Him continual praise. We are a land of plenty and abundance, but we never given Him the thanks he so richly deserves. You look beyond our boarders and see the poverty and strive, and listen to us complain because we don't have enough.
We have plenty here, yet we are unsatisfied. Because we have put our treasures in the material things, and not put our treasure in heaven, where they will account to something. The problem with America, is we consider our not a needy people, thus we don't need God. And God hates pride, and until we do away with our pride, God will not heal our land. And that's not the world, who its commanded to humble ourselves in this verse. Its us Christians. We need to humble ourselves, and give God the praise he deserves for this great nation He has provided for us.
Now I know this may come as a surprise to some of you, but yes, Texans do sometimes have a pride problem. One Texas farmer was talking with another farmer from Oklahoma, "How big is your farm?" asked the Texan. "oh its big, "claimed the Sooner, "better then a thousand acres." Not to be outdone, the Texan replied, "Let me tell you what. I can get into my pickup at sunup, head west, and by sundown I'm still on my land." The Oklahoman thought for a moment and smiled. "you know, I had a pickup like that once!" WE all need to be humbled. Boastful pride and a self-sufficient attitude that ignores God will undermine our faith in His Word and thwart His blessing.
Everyone who is a Christian needs to humble themselves and do things God's way, not our way. America as a country, have come to the point of belief that we know more then God, and we can get it done without God. We look at ourselves and out past, and boat, what a good job we did. We didn't need God, we did it ourselves without realizing that God did all of it, and we was just allowed to be present when it did happen.
Reminds me of a story on pride. A frog was wondering how he could get away from the cold winter clime. Some wild geese suggested that he migrate with them. The problem, though, was that the frog couldn't fly. "Just leave it to me, " said the frog, "I've got a splendid brain." He thought about it and then asked two geese to help him by picking up a strong reed, each holding one end. The frog planned to hold on to the reed with his mouth. In due time the geese and the frog started on their journey. Soon they were passing over a small town, and the villagers came out to see the unusual sight. Someone cried out, "who could have come up with such a clever idea?" This made the frog so puffed up with a sense of importance that he exclaimed, "I did it." His pride was his undoing, for the moment he opened his mouth, he lost his hold and fell to his death.
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
Before God will heal our land, we must remember our place in this world, and who's in charge. And it ain't us.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, And pray
Prayer is our biggest tool, God gave us. Its our direct line of communication to God. But we don't us it enough. The Bible says we have not, because we ask not. Pray without a doubt is something everyone can do and it does make a difference. But all of our prayer lives are something to be desired.
But you might be surprised how many people don't know how to pray. What is this prayer. Prayer is talking to God. As Shaun described it, "prayer is us getting our minds and hearts in line with the Will of God, so when it comes to pass, we receive the blessing of it, saying I prayed for that." To often people pray amist, and not for the glory of God.
One morning at the breakfast table a father asked God's blessing on the food as usual. In pious and exalting language he thanked the Lord for all His bountiful provisions. But when he started eating, grumbling about the poor quality of the food and complained about the way it was cooked. His teenager interrupted him. "Dad," she began, "Do you think God heard your prayer?" "Certainly," he replied confidently "And did He also hear you when you complained about the coffee and bacon just now?" she asked. "Why, of course!" he bellowed. "Then which of your statements did God believe?"
When we pray, do we just say some words, or do we actually ask and wait for an answer? In public prayer, are we just trying to impress someone else, or are we trying to talk to God? Do we pray like we believe God can and will answer our request?
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Our country fails around us, but we don't use our biggest tool we have. If we are really concerned for our country, we would be willing to pray for it. I think everyone in here would claim to love America. But As much as we love America, are you concerned to spend one night in prayer for America? Are you saying that you don't love America enough to take that time to humble ourselves and pray to God to heal this land?
When God was going to destroy Sodom Abraham had enough concern for those people to beg God not to.
Genesis 18:27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which I am nothing but dust and ashes.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face
Out of all these things God had asked us to do, if we wanted Him to heal our land, this is the one, that Americans are most unwilling to do. Seek God's face? Why? It like a dog chasing a car, what happened when the dog catches the car?
Usually its going to require us doing something for God. My heart is to encourage people to do more for God, but I have learned something. You can not encourage them to do anything, they are not willing to do. Most people are unwilling to do anything for God. And when you seek God, and He answers, its usually go and do something. Because of this, most Americans are unwilling to seek God.
It puzzles me how our country, which boast of its great work ethic, and workaholics reigns supreme, how they are willing to work for themselves and refuse to do anything for God. We'll I would like to and its a noble idea, but I'm too busy. Can't fit God on my schedule. But yet we still want to ask God for things and expect him to do something.
Parents, you might understand this analogy. What would you do and feel like if you told your kids to say, oh, clean up their room. Simple request and not too much to ask. But they soon come up to you and ask for some money. You ask why, and its to go to the mall or the movies. Well is your room clean? I don't have time now, but I'll get to it as soon as I can fit it in my schedule. How do you feel then about giving them money to go out? How far off am I to what we do to God?
This is also the main cause of our country becoming what it is. People not doing what God wants us too. If more people seeked God, when our country was getting rid of prayer in school, would we have gotten rid of it? If more people had sought God how bad would our country be?
John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
God said He will heal our land, IF we seek his face. And then he'll let us know what we can do, to help our country. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not asking everyone to become preachers and missionaries. God will call those people out. But God does have something for everyone to do. Everyone can learn how to witness to people. Everyone can find something to do for their church. Everyone can find something to do to life the pastors hands and his burden. Everyone can dive into their Bibles and leaner something. God will direct you in what place He wants you out and He will use you from there. If we love our country, we will seek out God's face, and see what He has for us to do. But that's up to you. If you would rather wait to work, I'm sure persecution will be coming to America soon enough. Would you rather work for God then, under those conditions, or try to prevent that from coming and work now. Seek God's face.
If my people, which are called bu my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways
America as we know it has always been proud of her freedom. And we are discovering a new freedom as of late. And that's the freedom to flaunt ones sins openly. Oh many talk shows do we have now. "What happens when two women love the same man, and that man is ugly, on the Next..." All kinds of filth on our TV and our lives. I know that in my young years, I'm seeing things I thought I would never see. I can't imagine the thoughts of the elder saints here tonight. I'm sure ya'll have definitely seen things in here you never thought we would come to.
And it goes full circle.
People have decided they have the right to determine what is right and what is wrong. So we have people choosing to kill their babies. We have people who are openly coming our with their lifestyles, and flaunting their evil ways. We had a president who was suppose to be the leader in who to run a home in our country, commit adultery and our country didn't do anything about it but make a joke. You think he turned away from his actions...no.
But as I said earlier, the wicked are doing what they are supposed to be doing. And that's being wicked. But also as I stated earlier, its the Christians who are to blame. WE have successful blended in with the world. That's not supposed to be the case. WE are suppose to be the light of the world and stand out. When people stand next to us, they are to see our lives as white as snow, and God should be able to convict them.
But when the world looks at the average professing Christian out there, they only see them going to church, then back in the world immediately as soon as they hit those doors. We have allowed ourselves to be so tolerant of the sin around us, we don't even notice it any more. We even have gone so far, as to harass those who are living a good live and telling them to make it they got to dip closer to the world. Heaven forbid! We are commanded, that God hates sin and we are to hate sin too, and have compassion on the sinner. How is America going to realize its doing something wrong, if God's people aren't saying or living like there is something wrong?
II Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
We need to turn away from our sins. We need to make sure that when people see us, they an image of Christ. I know we are not perfect, but we are to hate sin and try to get away from it. We need to let go of the sins that's holding us as slaves, and let America take notice that there is something different about the Children of God. Especially if we want America healed.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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
This promise was a simple, if you, then I will, statement. If we love America and truly want it to become better once again, then we must follow these conditions for God's promise to fall. If my people, which 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 and, forgive theirs sins, and heal their land.
That's cut and dry. God said he will here us in Heaven, forgive America and heal our land. But we must meet our end of the bargain. Otherwise the result might be like it was in Jeremiahs day.
Lets look at the possible result: Jeremiah 6: 15-16 (15) "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. (16) Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."
That looks like a close picture of America today. They have no shame in anything they do today. But the Lord has told us to walk in the old ways, walk the old paths and stay within them, then we shall find rest. But that's up to us, weather we walk according to the Bible, or if we can give up in America and continue the path of distruction America is heading for, and taking us with her.
Preacher's note: This message was delivered in several different places and one of my favorite messages, God has allowed me to preach. Unfortunately this message is not as powerful in written form as preached. This is one to look forward to in real audio or some sort media soon.
America today is in trouble. Our country has shifted to a vile immoral country. America today has lost touch with the God of their forefathers and continues to spiral downwardly as a nation. I am doing this out of love and compassion for God's people and the country we live in. This is not to anybody or any group specifically, but a warning to your heart and mine. This verse is a promise God gave us, that he will keep, but there are conditions we must meet in this promise.
If my people.
You know the trouble with America today is not the unsaved. Its the Christians. The Bible tells us the lost people's jobs are to be wicked, and indeed they are wicked. Its the Christians who've allowed things to be this way.
That's who God's speaking to in this verse, is God's people. We have given up our role and many things in the worlds and sat down and flat out compromised with the world, allowing our testimonies and position on this earth to be watered down.
If my people.
We are the ones who didn't stand up for ourselves and allowed prayer and God to be taken out of the schools. We are the ones who have allowed this theory of evolution to be brought into our schools. This is where they teach the kids to doubt the Bible before they are even taught it. They are being taught that they started out as the slime of the earth, but are getting better. hat man developed his own rules and they have deemed it right in their eye's to do as they wish, and they are doing just that.
We have given over the government. You know all those who signed the Declaration of Independence, all but two people who signed it was active in their churches. Now a days we can't even get any of our government officials to get to church, much less listen to a church leader. This idea of separation of church and state, was indeed so there would be no church states, nor state churches. Not that anyone who's a Christian can't serve in government. We just turned over the government to the world, and watch as they usher in evolution in our schools, and support abortion, the killing of innocent babies.
We have turned over our court rooms to the world as well. You know before the civil war, you could not be a lawyer without studying the Bible. The reasoning was who could defend the law, without knowing the law giver? Now look at them. We have allowed them to continue to believe that man makes the laws, and man will defend the laws, and they will determine what is right and what is wrong, not God Almighty.
Psalms 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.
We are part of the problem, but we are also part of the solution, as part of the promise God made to us. We must decide that we are God's people and we will not allow nor tolerate our country's downfall to Satan.
If my people, Which are called by My Name
Many people have forgotten that God called us out. He was searching for us before we was looking for Him. Christians, or so called Christians forget that we are representing Christ and God. When people see us, they are to see ambassadors for Christ. The word Christian means Christ-like.
But as a whole, when the world see's the word Christian, what do they see. Enough for them to scoff at us. You don't know how many times, that I've stated I was a Christian, that people would immediately start questioning me on things that other denominations do.
This comes about because people are not taught correctly in the Bible and properly discipled in it. They don't learn to read the Bible for them selves and hide it in their hearts so they will not go astray. The false teachings come from those who have not read the entire word of God, or have decided to pick and chose what they will or will not believe and this is part of our countries problem today.
Believe the Bible is the totally inspired word of God, and God has preserved it as he promises and that is has remained unchanged, as God has wanted it. But there are so called Christians out their who has declared it was their right to change the word of God, as they see fit. They have changed the meaning and came up with their own empty traditions. And they cling to their traditions and false religion like never before. They refuse to let go of those.
If my people, who are called by my name.
It breaks my heart constantly, that there are so many people who are willing to serve God, but they limit themselves by not reading and learning from the Bible what God wants them to do. There are many people who have the right intentions, but are not prepared, and go out in God's name and bring a bad name to Him, and dishonor them because they don't do it with the Father's help, but instead in their own flesh.
If my people, which are called by my name Shall Humble themselves
America today is a land of self pride, and we have forgotten to praise God. God has given this land, and expected this place we live in to give Him continual praise. We are a land of plenty and abundance, but we never given Him the thanks he so richly deserves. You look beyond our boarders and see the poverty and strive, and listen to us complain because we don't have enough.
We have plenty here, yet we are unsatisfied. Because we have put our treasures in the material things, and not put our treasure in heaven, where they will account to something. The problem with America, is we consider our not a needy people, thus we don't need God. And God hates pride, and until we do away with our pride, God will not heal our land. And that's not the world, who its commanded to humble ourselves in this verse. Its us Christians. We need to humble ourselves, and give God the praise he deserves for this great nation He has provided for us.
Now I know this may come as a surprise to some of you, but yes, Texans do sometimes have a pride problem. One Texas farmer was talking with another farmer from Oklahoma, "How big is your farm?" asked the Texan. "oh its big, "claimed the Sooner, "better then a thousand acres." Not to be outdone, the Texan replied, "Let me tell you what. I can get into my pickup at sunup, head west, and by sundown I'm still on my land." The Oklahoman thought for a moment and smiled. "you know, I had a pickup like that once!" WE all need to be humbled. Boastful pride and a self-sufficient attitude that ignores God will undermine our faith in His Word and thwart His blessing.
Everyone who is a Christian needs to humble themselves and do things God's way, not our way. America as a country, have come to the point of belief that we know more then God, and we can get it done without God. We look at ourselves and out past, and boat, what a good job we did. We didn't need God, we did it ourselves without realizing that God did all of it, and we was just allowed to be present when it did happen.
Reminds me of a story on pride. A frog was wondering how he could get away from the cold winter clime. Some wild geese suggested that he migrate with them. The problem, though, was that the frog couldn't fly. "Just leave it to me, " said the frog, "I've got a splendid brain." He thought about it and then asked two geese to help him by picking up a strong reed, each holding one end. The frog planned to hold on to the reed with his mouth. In due time the geese and the frog started on their journey. Soon they were passing over a small town, and the villagers came out to see the unusual sight. Someone cried out, "who could have come up with such a clever idea?" This made the frog so puffed up with a sense of importance that he exclaimed, "I did it." His pride was his undoing, for the moment he opened his mouth, he lost his hold and fell to his death.
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
Before God will heal our land, we must remember our place in this world, and who's in charge. And it ain't us.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, And pray
Prayer is our biggest tool, God gave us. Its our direct line of communication to God. But we don't us it enough. The Bible says we have not, because we ask not. Pray without a doubt is something everyone can do and it does make a difference. But all of our prayer lives are something to be desired.
But you might be surprised how many people don't know how to pray. What is this prayer. Prayer is talking to God. As Shaun described it, "prayer is us getting our minds and hearts in line with the Will of God, so when it comes to pass, we receive the blessing of it, saying I prayed for that." To often people pray amist, and not for the glory of God.
One morning at the breakfast table a father asked God's blessing on the food as usual. In pious and exalting language he thanked the Lord for all His bountiful provisions. But when he started eating, grumbling about the poor quality of the food and complained about the way it was cooked. His teenager interrupted him. "Dad," she began, "Do you think God heard your prayer?" "Certainly," he replied confidently "And did He also hear you when you complained about the coffee and bacon just now?" she asked. "Why, of course!" he bellowed. "Then which of your statements did God believe?"
When we pray, do we just say some words, or do we actually ask and wait for an answer? In public prayer, are we just trying to impress someone else, or are we trying to talk to God? Do we pray like we believe God can and will answer our request?
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Our country fails around us, but we don't use our biggest tool we have. If we are really concerned for our country, we would be willing to pray for it. I think everyone in here would claim to love America. But As much as we love America, are you concerned to spend one night in prayer for America? Are you saying that you don't love America enough to take that time to humble ourselves and pray to God to heal this land?
When God was going to destroy Sodom Abraham had enough concern for those people to beg God not to.
Genesis 18:27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which I am nothing but dust and ashes.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face
Out of all these things God had asked us to do, if we wanted Him to heal our land, this is the one, that Americans are most unwilling to do. Seek God's face? Why? It like a dog chasing a car, what happened when the dog catches the car?
Usually its going to require us doing something for God. My heart is to encourage people to do more for God, but I have learned something. You can not encourage them to do anything, they are not willing to do. Most people are unwilling to do anything for God. And when you seek God, and He answers, its usually go and do something. Because of this, most Americans are unwilling to seek God.
It puzzles me how our country, which boast of its great work ethic, and workaholics reigns supreme, how they are willing to work for themselves and refuse to do anything for God. We'll I would like to and its a noble idea, but I'm too busy. Can't fit God on my schedule. But yet we still want to ask God for things and expect him to do something.
Parents, you might understand this analogy. What would you do and feel like if you told your kids to say, oh, clean up their room. Simple request and not too much to ask. But they soon come up to you and ask for some money. You ask why, and its to go to the mall or the movies. Well is your room clean? I don't have time now, but I'll get to it as soon as I can fit it in my schedule. How do you feel then about giving them money to go out? How far off am I to what we do to God?
This is also the main cause of our country becoming what it is. People not doing what God wants us too. If more people seeked God, when our country was getting rid of prayer in school, would we have gotten rid of it? If more people had sought God how bad would our country be?
John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
God said He will heal our land, IF we seek his face. And then he'll let us know what we can do, to help our country. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not asking everyone to become preachers and missionaries. God will call those people out. But God does have something for everyone to do. Everyone can learn how to witness to people. Everyone can find something to do for their church. Everyone can find something to do to life the pastors hands and his burden. Everyone can dive into their Bibles and leaner something. God will direct you in what place He wants you out and He will use you from there. If we love our country, we will seek out God's face, and see what He has for us to do. But that's up to you. If you would rather wait to work, I'm sure persecution will be coming to America soon enough. Would you rather work for God then, under those conditions, or try to prevent that from coming and work now. Seek God's face.
If my people, which are called bu my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways
America as we know it has always been proud of her freedom. And we are discovering a new freedom as of late. And that's the freedom to flaunt ones sins openly. Oh many talk shows do we have now. "What happens when two women love the same man, and that man is ugly, on the Next..." All kinds of filth on our TV and our lives. I know that in my young years, I'm seeing things I thought I would never see. I can't imagine the thoughts of the elder saints here tonight. I'm sure ya'll have definitely seen things in here you never thought we would come to.
And it goes full circle.
People have decided they have the right to determine what is right and what is wrong. So we have people choosing to kill their babies. We have people who are openly coming our with their lifestyles, and flaunting their evil ways. We had a president who was suppose to be the leader in who to run a home in our country, commit adultery and our country didn't do anything about it but make a joke. You think he turned away from his actions...no.
But as I said earlier, the wicked are doing what they are supposed to be doing. And that's being wicked. But also as I stated earlier, its the Christians who are to blame. WE have successful blended in with the world. That's not supposed to be the case. WE are suppose to be the light of the world and stand out. When people stand next to us, they are to see our lives as white as snow, and God should be able to convict them.
But when the world looks at the average professing Christian out there, they only see them going to church, then back in the world immediately as soon as they hit those doors. We have allowed ourselves to be so tolerant of the sin around us, we don't even notice it any more. We even have gone so far, as to harass those who are living a good live and telling them to make it they got to dip closer to the world. Heaven forbid! We are commanded, that God hates sin and we are to hate sin too, and have compassion on the sinner. How is America going to realize its doing something wrong, if God's people aren't saying or living like there is something wrong?
II Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
We need to turn away from our sins. We need to make sure that when people see us, they an image of Christ. I know we are not perfect, but we are to hate sin and try to get away from it. We need to let go of the sins that's holding us as slaves, and let America take notice that there is something different about the Children of God. Especially if we want America healed.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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
This promise was a simple, if you, then I will, statement. If we love America and truly want it to become better once again, then we must follow these conditions for God's promise to fall. If my people, which 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 and, forgive theirs sins, and heal their land.
That's cut and dry. God said he will here us in Heaven, forgive America and heal our land. But we must meet our end of the bargain. Otherwise the result might be like it was in Jeremiahs day.
Lets look at the possible result: Jeremiah 6: 15-16 (15) "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. (16) Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."
That looks like a close picture of America today. They have no shame in anything they do today. But the Lord has told us to walk in the old ways, walk the old paths and stay within them, then we shall find rest. But that's up to us, weather we walk according to the Bible, or if we can give up in America and continue the path of distruction America is heading for, and taking us with her.
Preacher's note: This message was delivered in several different places and one of my favorite messages, God has allowed me to preach. Unfortunately this message is not as powerful in written form as preached. This is one to look forward to in real audio or some sort media soon.
A True Patriot
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.
In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.
While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America's biggest cities.
This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, who has been in the news for comments he made over the last three decades.
Since these comments became public we have heard criticisms, condemnations, denouncements and rejections of his comments and him. We've seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound bites of a select few of Rev. Wright's many sermons. Some of the Wright's comments are inexcusable and inappropriate and should be condemned, but in calling This him "unpatriotic," let us not forget that this is a man who gave up six of the most productive years of his life to serve his country.
How many of Wright's detractors, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly to name but a few, volunteered for service, and did so under the often tumultuous circumstances of a newly integrated armed forces and a society in the midst of a civil rights struggle? Not many. While words do count, so do actions. Let us not forget that, for whatever Rev. Wright may have said over the last 30 years, he has demonstrated his patriotism.
Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss are, respectively, Navy and Marine Corps veterans. They work at The Center For American Progress. Korb served as assistant secretary of Defense in the Reagan administration.
This piece ran in the Chicago Tribune on April 3, 2008.
Thank you Brothers Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss for sharing the truth with us all!
In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.
While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America's biggest cities.
This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, who has been in the news for comments he made over the last three decades.
Since these comments became public we have heard criticisms, condemnations, denouncements and rejections of his comments and him. We've seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound bites of a select few of Rev. Wright's many sermons. Some of the Wright's comments are inexcusable and inappropriate and should be condemned, but in calling This him "unpatriotic," let us not forget that this is a man who gave up six of the most productive years of his life to serve his country.
How many of Wright's detractors, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly to name but a few, volunteered for service, and did so under the often tumultuous circumstances of a newly integrated armed forces and a society in the midst of a civil rights struggle? Not many. While words do count, so do actions. Let us not forget that, for whatever Rev. Wright may have said over the last 30 years, he has demonstrated his patriotism.
Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss are, respectively, Navy and Marine Corps veterans. They work at The Center For American Progress. Korb served as assistant secretary of Defense in the Reagan administration.
This piece ran in the Chicago Tribune on April 3, 2008.
Thank you Brothers Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss for sharing the truth with us all!
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About Me
- J.A. Vazquez
- I'm just, a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody who can save anybody. First I want to give love to the Father for giving me the opportunity to be an instrument for him to live in and live through for the glory that belongs to only him and Him alone. I served in the United States Navy for twenty one years and retired September 2003. During the last 3 years of my naval career, I served as co-pastor of Greater New Refuge COGIC in Fallon, Nevada under the tutelage of Pastor Gregory L. Brown. While there, I diligently served my pastor and church with the construction of a new sanctuary, and caring for the needs of all ministries, while simultaneously striving to stay focused on the mandate that the Lord had placed upon my life to preach the Word of God without compromise. I was licensed to preach November 2002 and Ordained June 2003. While stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I proudly served and as constituent of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for seventeen years under the leadership of Bishop Elect W. D. Scott, Sr. and presently serve under the leadership of Bishop B. Courtney McBath at Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, Virginia.