Follow Jesus

To the Mountain

This week there were three known attacks by ISIS terrorists.  There was a double suicide bomb attack in Beirut.  A busy urban area was targeted.  43 died, over 200 were injured.  At a Shiite funeral in Bagdad a funeral bomb left 19 dead and 41 wounded.  ISIS claimed responsibility.  In Paris there were at least three teams who carried out strategic and timed attacks killing 129 and wounding over 350, many critically.  ISIS again claims responsibility and calls the Paris attacks “the first of the storm.”  The pattern is becoming more clear with each passing terrorist attack by ISIS.

They hardly represent a ‘religion of peace’ as some would try to convince you to believe.  Their vision is to take over the world, establish Sharia law under an Islamic Caliphate.  All infidels who do not convert are to be killed.  Period.  There is no gray area here.  We have watched in horror as believers are beheaded and bombs kill innocent people.  Part of the ISIS goal beyond complete takeover is to instill fear and stop people from living their daily lives in peace.

In today’s climate, you cannot live with your head in the sand.  In early 2008 I wrote often in my prayer journal what the Lord was showing me.  I would like to share one such entry with you.  At the time I had no understanding of the fullness of the meaning of this.  Sadly, I do now.  “The black hooded ones grow in numbers, united, moving and adding more as they go forward.  My people die for lack of knowledge.  Pray without ceasing.  Their numbers increase day by day; their prayers increase day by day.  Wake up, wake up My people.  Turn to Me.  Join others and pray.”

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear!

We do live in treacherous times.  However, there is much you can do in your own life, in your own household to walk through this season.  Remember, what you do in your heart (and it is always a heart issue) will go out with each heartbeat to others.  Each healing heartbeat will then go forth to restore the atmosphere.  It truly starts one heartbeat at a time.

So, how does this tie into following Jesus to the mountain?  Glad you asked.  Quite often during His earthly ministry, Jesus went alone to the mountain to pray.  He went to commune with His Father.  It was surely sacred time to pour out His heart to the Father and connect with the Father’s heart.  Jesus went often.  He knew the absolute importance of having a close relationship with the Father.  He gave us the pattern.  He gave us the example of how to keep going in a life full of challenge and potential fear.

Find Your Mountain and Go There

It is up to you to walk out that same pattern in your life.  Perhaps your mountain is your prayer closet.  Perhaps you actually go to a physical mountain.  Whatever and wherever you set aside to meet with God, be consistent.   Be faithful.  Be strategic in your prayers.  Be ever open to hear what the Lord would be sharing with you.  Relationship is not a one way conversation of all you want God to do in your life.  It is never a one way review of what you just know is the best way to solve all your issues.  Let God be God.  Listen.  He has much to share with you.

If your prayer life is stale, recommit today.  If you are unsure what to pray, pray the Our Father as Jesus taught us.  Recite the 23^rd Psalm.  Get strategic.  Write down your three major concerns.  Pray for this world as terrorism threatens.  Be strategic.  ISIS is certainly strategic.  As believers, we need to be strategic and consistent.  Pray in your church, your home group, with your family, with friends.  Expand the circle of prayer.

Be Part of the Solution!

Only if there is a turning to the Lord will we see a shift in this world.  We need to rise up from the safety of our church walls.  Our very freedoms and lives are at stake.  ISIS is within our borders.   Much has been said to deceive and lull us to be asleep.  Wake up America.  Wake up believers.  You are here ‘for such a time as this!’ There is no doubt.  Your prayers are critical.  Pray without ceasing.  Through prayer and a close relationship with Jesus you will walk daily in peace.  Led by Him you will have wisdom and discernment to know how to proceed.  Go to the mountain and pray.  Now is certainly the time and we are certainly the people!

It Is Never Too Late!

If you have not yet made the decision to accept Jesus into your heart, do it now.  Do not wait another minute.  Speak to Him from your heart (for it is always a heart issue).  Tell Him you have fallen short in your life.  Sincerely apologize for your sins.  Ask Him to cleanse you and come into your heart and be Lord over your life.  From this moment forward let His Spirit guide you along the narrow road that leads to everlasting life.

Quotes to Ponder This Week

“For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.  In this manner, therefore, pray:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done.  On earth as it is in heaven.  give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”  ~Jesus, Matthew 6:8-13

 “Take heed that no one deceives you.” ~ Jesus, Matthew 24:4

“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 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

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel.”  ~Mark 1:15

“…that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” ~2Timothy 2:25-26

 “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

“If My people who 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.”   ~2 Chronicles 7:14

“You are Lord and You are mighty and You are merciful.  Raise up all who would call upon Your name.  Raise up those that love You and seek You and trust You.  Lord, we need an army of believers that would stand on Your Word above all else.  Raise up warriors, Lord, who will fight on their knees; who will worship You with their whole hearts, Lord.  Lord, call us to battle that we may proclaim the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  Raise them up, Lord.  Raise them up!”  ~Miss Clara, War Room the Movie

 “I’ve said this before, and many people criticized me for saying it. We must reform our immigration policies in the United States. We cannot allow Muslim immigrants to come across our borders unchecked while we are fighting this war on terror. If we continue to allow Muslim immigration, we’ll see much more of what happened in Paris—it’s on our doorstep. France and Europe are being overrun by young Muslim men from the Middle East, and they do not know their backgrounds or their motives and intentions. Islam is not a peaceful religion as George W. Bush told us and as President Barack Obama has said—that is just not true. Our president and our politicians in Washington need to wake up before it’s too late. This is not the time to be politically correct. Our nation’s security is at stake. The future of our children and grandchildren is at stake. We should not allow any political or religious group who want to destroy us and our way of life to immigrate to this country. Right now let us continue to pray for the victims and family members of the ‪#‎parisattacks.”    ~Franklin Graham  11/15/15  Facebook post

“It is an act of war that was committed by a terrorist army, a jihadist army, Daesh, [Arabic acronym for the Islamic State] against France.  It is an act of war that was prepared, organized and planned from abroad, with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish.”  ~ French President Francois Hollande Daily Times of Israel 11/14/15

A Prayer Request

Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray.  Please keep all who serve our country, 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.  God bless all our diplomatic and military personnel and their families.  May the Lord keep them safe.

Pray for all throughout the world for hedges of protection against radical Islamic extremists and all forms of terrorism.   Pray for Christians who face violence and death for their faith.  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.  As Islamic extremists are shouting ‘Death to America,’ let us speak life, hope and a return to God in America!  Pray for salvation for all who have yet to know Jesus Christ as Lord.

Please pray for all in authority over us.  Pray for the full truth to come forth concerning #Benghazi.  Pray for Representative Trey Gowdy as he leads the House Select Committee on Benghazi.  May God richly bless the United States of America and keep her safe.  Bring to light every single crooked place in our government  We continue to pray for truth to prevail. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones, for those relentlessly targeted and for all of us who are proud to call ourselves American.

May we may arise united once again as One Nation Under God in this auspicious season in our country’s history. These are treacherous times and now more than ever we must maintain our walk with the Lord, saturate this country in prayer and stand for all that is right in America.  Fail not in this hour.

Pray for peace in Israel.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for all affected by this week’s natural disasters.

Pray for American Pastor Saeed Abedini who has been held, tortured and denied medical care in Iran for being a Christian.  He was captured in 2012.  Let us join our prayers with others across the globe for his release and safe return to his wife and children.

#PrayforAmerica,  #AmericaLoveitorLeave it;   #GodblessAmerica; #WakeupAmerica

Please Join Me In Prayer

Father God, we thank You for the ultimate price that Jesus paid to set us free.  Let each of us walk in that freedom and experience that freedom deep in our hearts.  I bind any plan of the enemy over every one praying this prayer in Jesus’ name!  No weapon, not one formed against you shall prosper.  I plead the blood of Jesus over you and pray mighty hedges of protection around you in the name of Jesus.  May you arise in this season to the fullness of God’s destiny for you.  Father, use each of us to bring Your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.   Let Your love be first and foremost in each heart and cast out any fear from the enemy.

Place deep in our hearts the love of God and love of country that has guided this Nation from its inception.  Place deep in our hearts Your compassion for our fellow men and women.    Lead us to pray without ceasing for our brothers and sisters who suffer at the hands of Islamic terrorists. Open the eyes of our leaders to arise in this season to defend the very belief in You upon which our Nation is founded.  Thank You for keeping Your hand on America.  We humbly pray this in Jesus’ mighty name.  Amen and Amen.

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