Are You a Surface Dweller or
A Friend of God?
I pray this finds you well and prospering! This past week our Jewish brothers and sister celebrated their New Year feast of Rosh Hashanah. Called the Feast of Trumpets, it begins with the blowing of the shofar to call all to a time of renewal and repentance. The High Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashanah and end at the culmination of Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. This is a time of reflection to look over the past year and repent. The primary repentance is of course to the Lord. Second, this is a time to apologize to anyone you may have wronged over the last year.
The Day of Atonement begins this Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening. This is a good time for each of us to fast and seek the Lord’s forgiveness for any wrongs committed. It is a time to really search your heart and determine if there is a portion you are withholding from Him. Are you “all in” or just in part?
How Do You Handle Distractions?
It is very easy to become distracted from the things of God. We live in very tumultuous times with wars and rumors of wars, famines, disease, earthquakes, nation rising against nation, offences and hatred abounding, deception, and lawlessness. Many are being brutally killed for allegiance to Jesus. It is during this season that we must decide to be “all in.”
Distractions will arise on a daily basis. To navigate in the storms of this time requires a complete and firm commitment to follow the Lord minute by minute. Much will take place to disrupt your walk. Daily seek the Lord for wisdom and discernment to readily identify the difference between a distraction and a God appointed situation to mature your heart and bring you closer to His holiness in your life.
Continually pray a mighty hedge of protection around your home and family. As you all venture into the world each day pray that you will remain in the world but never of the world. Pray for Godly people to share your journey. Particularly now, wise counsel is vital. It is often difficult to see clearly into your own situation. Someone who walks closely with the Lord and genuinely cares can readily see what is clouded to you.
I recently had a situation in my own life where unrelenting distractions were troublesome and impeding my focus. God had been showing me the state of things but it was not until I sought counsel that all was clearly defined. In one sentence from one of our prayer warriors, He shifted everything back into right order in my spirit. Seek wise counsel. If you do not have that now, pray that God will send you His best to walk your journey with you.
Now is the Perfect Time to Recommit!
During this week repent of whatever has kept you from being “all in.” Commit to fully serve the Lord and follow His lead. He will direct your steps. Look forward, never back at the negative. Remember the good the Lord has done in your life. Reflect on all He has brought you through and know He stands with you today and always. Trust in Him. He will lead you step by step though you do not know the way! L’shanah Tova! (Have a good New Year!)
Quotes to Ponder This Week
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” ~Jesus, Matthew 24:6-13
“…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ~Jesus, Matthew 28:20
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ~Jesus, John 14:6
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” ~Jesus, John 15:15-16
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ~Jesus, John 16:33
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” ~Psalm 37:5
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” ~Proverbs 3:6
“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” ~Proverbs 16:3
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” ~1Peter 2:9-10
“You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way.” ~John Michael Talbot, “Be Not Afraid,” from the album titled, Table of Plenty
A Prayer Request
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray. Please keep all who serve our country, our diplomatic corps, our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety. They are our front-line on the battlefield, let us be their front-line in the spirit. Also, let us cover all who have come home wounded that they and their families will receive the kindness, help and support they need to go forward in their lives. May the Lord bless them and keep them safe.
Pray for all throughout the world for hedges of protection against radical Muslim extremists and all forms of terrorism. We have long prayed for spiritual victory over radical Islam in Esther’s Warriors Ministry. We now see the reality of this threat come to the forefront in this time in world history.
Please pray for all in authority over us, for the full truth to come forth concerning Benghazi. We as Americans and the families of those murdered in Benghazi deserve to be told the truth. Pray that God will open doors to let the truth on all that has been hidden flow for all of us in this United States of America! The truth shall keep us free.
Pray for peace in Israel. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for Christians throughout the world who face violence and death for their faith.
May God richly bless the United States of America, bring to light every single crooked place and keep her safe. May we arise united once again as One Nation Under God in this auspicious season in our country’s history. We continue to pray for truth to prevail as we saturate this country in prayer and stand for all that is right in America and for all of us who call ourselves American. These are treacherous times and now more than ever we must maintain our walk. Fail not in this hour. #Pray for America.
Please Join Me in Prayer
Father God, We thank You that You have placed us here in this season. We repent of any thought, word or action that is not pleasing to You. We commit this day to be “all in” and to follow You with our whole heart, mind and soul. Surround each of us with mighty hedges of protection that no weapon, not one, formed against us shall prosper! Draw us to Your Word. Plant it deep in our heart. Grant us Your wisdom and discernment to walk victorious in this season. Unite each of us with other prayer warriors raised up ‘for such a time as this!’ We thank You that You keep Your hand on this United States of America and that we will remain One Nation Under God. We pray this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen and Amen.