Joel 2:12/13
12 That is why the Lord says,
“Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish."
But tear your hearts instead…
For about 2 years God has been wanting me to grow deeper in intercession… and for 2 years I’ve kept him waiting. Whether it was because I was lazy or whatever reason… I know I wasted a lot of time. Last weekend I went to The Call, where it was 12 straight hours of prayer, fasting and intercession. As “cliché” as it may sound, I know my life was changed… and I know something was imparted into me that ignited a fire for intercession and prayer like never before. The very first thing we did before we entered into intercession was to repent. It wasn’t some “lets all silently ask for forgiveness for those things we know we have fallen short from...” Lou Engle [the leader of The Call] said “how can we expect to change a nation if we cant even change ourselves”… if we are still struggling with the same sin, still dealing with the same bad habits.. etc. ; so imagine thousands of people crying in repentance to God… asking God for clean hands and a pure heart, confessing their sins to one another and tearing their hearts before Him. After that, it was intercession for everyone and everything… and I know now more than ever that it moves the heart of God every time he sees His children stand in the gap for His prodigal sons and daughters. The Bible says to let the priests who minister before the Lord [that’s us… now that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood..] weep between the porch and the altar interceding for their land so that no one can ever say “where is their God??” [joel 2:17]. I realized that the fervent, effective prayers of the righteous do indeed avail much [james 5:16] and that God is waiting for us to stop complaining and start praying. For us to get back to the ministry of reconciliation… declaring and praying for reconciliation of things that have been broken and torn in peoples lives…to be able to feel what others feel, to pray for the needs of others like if we were praying for ourselves [which we know how to do very well] and stand in the gap and prophecy over a generation that is waiting to be led back to God. I know how to complain… but I’m learning how to pray. “For the earnest expectation of creation EAGERLY awaits the revealing of the Sons of God”……. the whole world is waiting for us.
Ezekiel 22:30So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
They see dry bones… but we see an army.
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[thoughts on religion, God, life, and the world around us.]
profound words.
"God is not proud...He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him."
- C.S. Lewis
"We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home."
- Jamie Tworkowski
- C.S. Lewis
"We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home."
- Jamie Tworkowski
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2 comments:
Melissa, first let me remind you that it’s not a cliché to say that the event you attended changed your life. Every experience with God should be life changing! 2 Corinthians 3:18 reads: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, ARE CHANGED into the same image FROM GLORY TO GLORY, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Every time you read the Bible, hear a preacher, meditate, pray, fast, share the Word, or anything that has to do with God, you should experience a positive change and a renewal of your mind.
That said your article is wonderful!
Most Christians aspire to become multi-million dollar worldwide TV evangelists. They want to express themselves from the pulpit inside packed stadiums preaching to thousands. Now while there is nothing wrong with that, if you notice every great man of God in the Bible has first been a mighty prayer warrior. Moses standing in the breach, Abraham pleading over Sodom, David brokenhearted with remorse and grief and the list goes on and on all the way to our Lord Jesus Christ in a sweat of blood. (Ditto for the women; Hannah intoxicated with sorrow, Esther fasting and praying for all Israel, Anna the prophetess ushering in the Messiah, etc.)
You mentioned a seldom used scripture that applies to every believer; male or female, young or old. 2Corinthians 5:18 reminds us that we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Every Christian has this ministry. It’s not a ministry that is seen on TV by millions of households, nor does it collect bundles of tax free dollars. Rather this humble ministry has an audience of One, and when we operate in this ministry it makes us ambassadors for Christ.
Good stuff friend...good stuff.
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