What does God care about purity?

Neh 12:30 The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

Why does the ruler and creator of the universe care at all about purity? This is a valid question and one that requires much more thought and reason then my little blog may be able to devote but I will do my best to chip away at such a monumental pondering.

We must understand why we are created to be able to answer this question. In the book of Genesis we see the love and care of God both in the creation and in dealing with Adam. We see God walking in the midst of the garden in perfect fellowship with Adam and Eve before the fall and giving them all they desired...all the significance, security and happiness.

God and man lived in harmony until sin entered the world. God made us as free beings because love to be real must be volitional. It wasn't until Adam and Eve rejected God and His perfect will and desired to be a God that the curse of sin entered the world. We desired to rule and reign in our own lives and rejected the relationship that God had ordained. Now, God had every right to leave us in despair and bring harsh judgment to each and every one of us but God loves mercy over judgment.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

From that dire moment in the garden God has been bringing us back into His fold. God does not need our fellowship but desires us to walk with Him. In Jesus Christ the fullness of God is made known to us and to each, by his or her own free will, will either receive Him or reject Him. Under this dispensation of grace we are given ample opportunity to be like Adam and Eve and to walk in the Spirit of God or to walk in the spirit of this world which is a rejection of the love and mercy of God. We will either rule and reign in our own lives to our own peril or we will allow God to rule and reign in us to the glory of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

The Christian life is as Paul describes it full of:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

It is full of this when we allow the will of God to be made real in our lives. There is no clearer gospel message then what Jesus said in Mark:

Mar 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Repent - turn from sin, self and Satan's rule in our lives and turn to God.

Believe - Have faith in the message of the Bible and in Jesus Christ for giving Himself for you.

This is not a one time thing but a process of living...when Christ shows you something that is impure, as in the sermon on the mount, the repent from the way you were ruling and reigning and believe God. The word believe and obey are synonyms as we see in John.

Joh 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Why does God care about purity? Because He cares for us and desires to have fellowship with us. Even if I was a man of unlimited mercy and you continued committing serious heinous crimes against me we cannot have fellowship. Thank God that one day there will be no sin or strife but perfect peace in Him, for those that have received Him and are His children. But to those who reject His mercy and grace they will give an account for the things they have done in God's creation and dispensation of grace.

Rom 2:5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed.
Rom 2:6 He will repay each one according to his works:
Rom 2:7 eternal life to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
Rom 2:8 but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth, but are obeying unrighteousness;

Judgment and the Love of God

As I was thumbing through a book that I have all but worn out, this passage hit me like a ton of bricks. So many times we get caught up in "getting people saved" and lose our focus on what God truly desires. I hope and pray that this feeds your body, soul and spirit.


The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God . . . —1 Peter 4:17

The Christian servant must never forget that salvation is God’s idea, not man’s; therefore, it has an unfathomable depth. Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience. Experience is simply the door through which salvation comes into the conscious level of our life so that we are aware of what has taken place on a much deeper level. Never preach the experience— preach the great thought of God behind the experience. When we preach, we are not simply proclaiming how people can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying good news about God.
In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgment is always brought out— it is the sign of the love of God. Never sympathize with someone who finds it difficult to get to God; God is not to blame. It is not for us to figure out the reason for the difficulty, but only to present the truth of God so that the Spirit of God will reveal what is wrong. The greatest test of the quality of our preaching is whether or not it brings everyone to judgment. When the truth is preached, the Spirit of God brings each person face to face with God Himself.
If Jesus ever commanded us to do something that He was unable to equip us to accomplish, He would be a liar. And if we make our own inability a stumbling block or an excuse not to be obedient, it means that we are telling God that there is something which He has not yet taken into account. Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power. (Taken from the May 5 devotional My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php

What is it time for?

When the last american idol champion won many people on the stage, in the audience and at home shed tears for such a victory. When Philly beat our the Rays many people were in tears and parades were planned for the victors. When Barack Obama won the presidential race and gave his victory speech with hundreds of thousands watching many were moved to tears. The shortest verse in all the Bible is one of the most profound, it is found in John 11 and states "Jesus wept".

Is it our due time to weep over the things that so moved Jesus? How about sin in all its perverseness? How about so many people living in bondage to the enemy yet not knowing it? How about the church goers that trust in their confession or religious routine? How about family and friends that are bound for an eternity in hell? How about humanities pride against a loving, merciful and holy God? How about those that have embedded pains that have never been examined and healed? How about our own lives in light of what God has called us to be?

Partakers of the divine nature

God created the first man, Adam, to be in relationship and fellowship with Him. God created Adam to be fully reliant upon God and to come and eat freely from the tree of life (Gen 2:7-9) but man desired differently. Adam, through the temptation of satan, disobeyed God's direct command and the entire universe was plunged into sin. This bent or desire to be our own god and run our own lives, apart from God, has been handed down to each person and each person had sinned against a holy and righteous Creator (Rom 5:12). This worldly system is now so ingrained in each of us we can barely see what God first created us to be.


2Pe 1:1...To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
2Pe 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
2Pe 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (emphasis added)

Thank God it did not end in that awful scene of rebellion in the garden but that God loves mercy more than judgment. Since that fatal day in the garden of Eden God has been calling a free willed people back to Him and is still calling those who will receive Him. Christianity is not some sort of ruled based rigid religion whereby you pay homage to God and must do as He says or else...No it is a love relationship with God almighty that we might walk with Him in the midst. That we might escape the corruption of the satanic world system (2Cor 4:4) and become partakers of all that God has for us in the divine nature.

Is the world crucified to you (Gal 6:14) or does it fascinate you? Do you hate sin or embrace sin? Or are you like Asaph the psalmist as he cried out:

Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Hope, perserverence and devotion

Chloe Mary Mildred was born on December 10 at 11:32 a.m. and weighed 9 lbs 2oz. She will start growing immediately in both stature and understanding of the world. She has so much to learn...the rain was falling outside our hospital window and so I thought it an opportune time to explain the complexities earth's ecological system which I think she grasps well. There are things that I want her to know and understand then there are things I want to become a part of her...not knowledge but true wisdom.


Rom 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Out of the 31,103 verses in the Bible this is the one the has spoken to me today. After Paul loads us up with 11 chapters of doctrine he gets to the application part of our faith and our "reasonable service to God (Rom 12:1)". Each continual action in the verse is part of our everyday Christian life. I pray for my new little girl that she will find much joy in the hope of all that is our Triune God. I know that she will face obstacles and trials in her life and I pray that she will be patient and perservere during those times of molding and shaping her more into the image of Christ. And I pray that she will have such a close relationship with God that she will be in prayer continually, devoted to the One who not only created her but that loves her much more then I ever will.

This is also my hope and prayer for the Bride of Christ...in this uncertain period of history where historical changes take place on a daily basis we have the Rock of Ages. It reminds me of one of the great hymns that was written in 1837 and has needed no changes in over 160 years because it is anchored to the Truth which is Jesus Christ. At the time the writer of the hymn had just started it and gave it to a brother in the church whos wife lay dying. It is reported that this little hymn gave her great comfort in the agony of her condition.

My Hope is Built

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Chorus
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

What was Noah's focus?

Sometimes when I read the stories of people in the Bible I like to think of myself in that specific situation. I like to put a little "flesh and blood" on the Bible characters and ponder what it would have been like standing in their shoes.

Noah has always been of utmost interest to me because of one verse in the book of Genesis:

Gen 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.

Now God did not ask Noah to do a small task but to do something that had never been pondered. God asked Noah not only to build an ark but to believe that God would fill it with the animals and sustain all aboard during a great time of judgment. Now what do you think during this time was Noah's focus?

Everyday Noah would get up, eat his cheerios and go out to continue building this ark. Through all the scorns and sneers Noah continued and not only did he continue but warned the people of the coming judgment. He was one of the least successful men in all the Bible having a maximum of 7 people come to Christ through his ministry yet day by day Noah did as God commanded (as it is noted thrice in Gen 6:22 two times and Gen 7:5).

What kept Noah moving forward day by day as the world grew more and more corrupt? How did he handle the ridicule and attacks on both him and his household? Do you think his kids ever doubted what God had said to Noah and if so how did he cope with their doubts? Building an ark is hard work, do you think after hitting his thumb for the fiftieth time and pulling out the sixth splinter of the day he wanted to give up?

Hebrews gives us a glimpse of what kept him going day after day for 120 years:


Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

In reverent fear...What was Noah's focus? Reverence and fear of an unchangeable, all powerful, grace filled God that was worthy of his life and obedience. Today, God is calling like minded people to do the same...the question is do you have a reverent fear of God and if so are you willing to obey?

Jesus is returning the week of March 28, 2009

I don't know how I didn't see it clearly before but after doing the figuring and the exegeting of the major prophetical books it is plain to see eschatologically that Jesus will return in March of 2009 and most likely on the 28th day. He said we wouldn't know the day or hour but that doesn't mean that we cannot know the week or month or year. It seems as if we have about 4 months left to serve Him and to be ready for the trumpet of the Lord to sound and for all those in Christ to be caught up to be with Him.

Most will know that I am being facetious and not setting a date but my point still stands: How would you live if you knew that He was returning in four months. Would your concerns be centered on the here and now or on the eternal? Would you worry about storing up treasures here on earth or would you be diligently seeking the lost that you know would spend eternity in hell and torment? Would you be pleading with friends, family and strangers to come to Christ for forgiveness before they come to Him in judgement. As it is written...every knee shall bow.

I am writing this blog to plead with 3 different types of people

1. Those that are serving Christ so that their flames may be fanned and they may serve with more energy, delight and diligence and so I leave you with this scripture from Paul:
   
   
   1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
   
2. Those that have a religion or even that go to church on a regular basis but do not have a real relationship with the Creator of the Universe and the maker of all that is and will ever be, I leave you with a Word from Jesus Christ
   
   
   Rev 3:16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
   Rev 3:17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
   Rev 3:18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
   
3. And for a few of those that have never really stepped inside the Church of Jesus Christ and have no sense of their danger I leave you two scriptures.
   
   
   Mat 16:26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
   
   Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,
   Heb 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
   

What does God want?

As I was pondering the modern day church , which I have coined "modernachurchology", I was reminded of an exerpt from "The Normal Christian Life" by Watchman Nee written around 1938. I hope and pray that these words touch the hearts of the many people who read my blog.


Luk 11:28 But he (Jesus) said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it

The trouble about many Christians today is that they have an insufficient idea of what God
is asking of them. How glibly they say: `Lord, I am willing for anything.' Do you know that
God is asking of you your very life? There are cherished ideals, strong wills, precious
relationships, much- loved work, that will have to go; so do not give yourself to God unless
you mean it. God will take you seriously, even if you did not mean it seriously.

When the Galilian boy brought his bread to the Lord, what did the Lord do with it? He
broke it. God will always break what is offered to Him. He breaks what He takes, but after
breaking it He blesses and uses it to meet the needs of others. After you give yourself to the
Lord, He begins to break what was offered to Him. Everything seems to go wrong, and you
protest and find fault with the ways of God. But to stay there is to be no more than just a
broken vessel -- no good for the world because you have gone too far for the world to use
you, and no good for God either because you have not gone far enough for Him to use you.
You are out of gear with the world, and you have a controversy with God. This is the tragedy
of many a Christian.

My giving of myself to the Lord must be an initial fundamental act. Then day by day I
must go on giving to Him, not finding fault with His use of me but accepting with praise even
what the flesh revolts against.

I am the Lord's and now no longer reckon myself to be my own but acknowledge in
everything His ownership and authority. That it the attitude God requires, and to maintain it is
true consecration. I do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher; I consecrate
myself to God to do His will where I am, be it in school, office or kitchen, counting whatever
He ordains for me to be the very best, for nothing but good can come to those who are wholly
His.

May we always be possessed by the consciousness that we are not our own...Wathman Nee

Thoughts on the Wednesday class

It seems as if the Lord is bringing more into our Wednesday class and we had a wonderful class today on revival. I am posting a few new items on the blog including the revival hymn. Remember one of the best tools satan uses is to distract us from our high calling. One of the things that got all over me today is what Leonard Ravenhill said:

There is a move of God in America today but not amongst the unsaved...It's amongst the redeemed who are determined by the grace of God to be part of the Bride and to be part of the Bride you have to be divorced from everything in the world.

The other thing that wasn't part of our class but was impressed on my heart was the parable of the soils found in Mark 4, Matthew 13 and Luke 8. When the word is cast out there are four responses:

1. This one satan comes quickly to remove the good word as it falls unto a hardened heart
2. This one is received with joy but because the root of it isn't tapped into Christ it falls away
3. This one receives Word but because of the cares of THIS world it is choked out and bears NO fruit
4. This one is cast into good ground in which the hearer accepts it and it bears fruit some thirty, sixty or hundredfold

Luk 8:18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."

Which of these four represent YOU?

Are you praying?

What a simple but profound question...Oh how the devil hopes for us not to pray but pray we must. We may not all be as John Wesley spending 2 hours daily in prayer but the question still remains...are you praying? Are you prioritizing prayer? Is it your lifes desire to see God work and will in our lives and the people that way heavy on our hearts? If so are you praying?

I leave you with an offering of some of the greatest enemies of satan...these men tore down strong holds and swept many into the kingdom...do you want to do the same? Then are you praying? Don't forget about 6 pm prayer time at Suncoast Baptist, please come and unite together in calling out to our Father.

"God does nothing except in response to believing prayer." John Wesley

"The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray." S.D. Gordon

"Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying. Paul E. Billheimer

"The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it." E.M. Bounds

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.” Charles Spurgeon

The process of prayer

Here is the outline for the up and coming Sunday class and the Wednesday class. Make sure you are there promptly at 9:30 and bring pen and paper as we will be using the white board to illustrate the process of prayer. Take a chance to study the outline and scriptures to familiarize yourself with the class as you will get much more out of it.

Dave

The Process of Prayer V Outline
Nov 16, 2008

1.) How does prayer work? What is the process for prayer? How does prayer fulfill the purposes that God has for His people and for the world?

2.) Prayer is a process whereby God, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, work in man and with man in fulfilling God’s will through his creations free will.
Joshua 24:14-15
Mat 23:37
Even if our Spirit is willing our flesh is still weak Mat 26:41

3.) The Process of prayer begins with the Father revealing His purposes
Works in us to do His will – Heb 13:20-21
God enables us to act - Phil 2:12-13
God reveals to us His will by the Spirit – 1Cor 2:10

4.) The Holy Spirit works in us to reveal God’s purposes
a. The Holy Spirit intercedes to our hearts – Rom 8:26-27
b. Praying in Spirit is essential in Spiritual matters – Eph 6:18
c. Continuous prayer comes from walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the flesh
i. Gal 5:16-17
ii. 1The 5:16-17

5.) We express those purposes as the Holy Spirit reveals, by praying in the Holy Spirit to the Father through the name and authority of Jesus Christ
John 16:24 & John 15:7
1John 5:14-15

6.) Jesus intercedes to God the Father on our behalf
Rev 2:23 – Jesus searches the hearts and minds of His people
Heb 7:25 – Jesus is our High Priest making intercession to God on our behalf

7.) Lets sum it up
Prayer is more then something we do it is something God does through us
When we pray we cooperate in the purpose of our triune God
Our prayers do not change God’s will – they are His way of accomplishing His will

A Timeline of Paul's life

I think it is important to remember God in relation to time. Paul was saved by Jesus Himself and already an old testament scholar and pharisee but God did not use Paul as a missionary until between 10-14 years after his new birth. And Pauls first experience, as Acts records it, was as an assitant to Barnabas. That doesn't mean that Paul was just sitting there waiting but he was yielding himself to God and growing in faith. I will leave you with one verse...

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Year (AD)
Event
30
Jesus’ resurrection
33-35
Paul’s conversion / sojourn in Damascus (Acts 9)
35
Paul’s first post-conversion visit to Jerusalem
35-45
Paul’s years in Cilicia, Syria and Antioch (Gal 1.21-2.1, Acts 9.30 / 11.25)
45
Paul’s second post-conversion visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11.30)
46-48
The First Journey (Acts 13-14)
48
Letter to the Galatians
49
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
49-52
The Second Journey (Acts 16-18)
50
Letters to the Thessalonians
52
Return visit to Jerusalem and Antioch
52-57
The Third Journey (Acts 18-21)
54
First Letter to the Corinthians
56
Second Letter to the Corinthians
57
Letter to the Romans
57-59
Paul’s Judean arrest and trial (Acts 21-26)
59-60
Voyage to Rome and shipwreck (Acts 27-28)
60-62
House arrest in Rome and Early Prison Letters
62
Hearing before the Emperor and acquittal
62-64
Journey to Spain, Corinth, and Ephesus
65
Paul’s re-arrest, Later Prison Letters, and execution in Rome

Knowing God's Will - Insight from George Müller

When it came to knowing God's will, George Müller (1805-1898), an English evangelist and philanthropist, was remarkably and humbly gifted. A man of faith and prayer, Müller established orphanages in Bristol and founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. The following are wonderful excerpts from one of his essays.


Knowing God's Will - How to Ascertain the Will of GodKnowing

God's will is the key to prayer, spiritual growth and fruitfulness in our individual lives. Here's how George Müller set out to ascertain the will of God on a daily basis:

* I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are over come when our hearts are ready to do the Lord's will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

* Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

* I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

* Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God's Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

* I ask God in prayer to reveal His Will to me aright.

* Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. In trivial matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.

Knowing God's Will - The Key to Everything!

Christ taught us that knowing God's will and living in obedience to that will is the key to it all! God is the potter; we are the clay. God keeps us spinning on His potter's wheel, shaping and reshaping us as He bathes our lives in tears to make us more Christ-like so He can use us for His will. Surrender daily. Keep your clay moist through daily prayer - prayer that's in accordance to His will.

Get ready for Christmas

This is not your normal posting for getting ready for Christmas. In these darkening days we need to be ready at all times to share the hope that is in us (1Pet 3:15) and "go" and make disciples of all nations (Mark 16:15). It is our responsibility to put feet to our faith that God has so graciously provided. Here are a few thoughts on putting the emphasis where it should be for Christmas which is Christ.

Here are free gospel quizzes to hand out during the season.

http://www.livingwaters.com/christmas/CHRISTMAS-QUIZ-front.pdf
http://www.livingwaters.com/christmas/CHRISTMAS-QUIZ-back.pdf

Here are some ideas on how you could use these:

1) Have your Sunday School class go to the mall and hand them out with mini-candy canes.
2) Give them out to the people you work with.
3) Enclose them in your Christmas cards to your unsaved friends and family members.
4) Go Christmas caroling and include them in bags of Christmas candy for each house you stop at.
5) Put together a Christmas gift basket (Include cocoa, mugs, candy canes, a Christmas music CD, and/or homemade cookies) and go introduce yourself you one of your neighbors.
6) Go to a place where teens gather, (outside of movie theaters, at local fast-food restaurants, in malls), start a conversation and offer a cash gift to the one who gets the most answers correct.
7) Get a booth at a flea-market or swap meet, and give away giant candy canes to every person who will take the "Christmas Quiz Challenge!"

The ideas are really endless, because Christmas sparks an atmosphere of open friendliness with strangers. At this time of year, when Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior, make it your personal priority to tell as many people as you can about Him. The most important thing you could do this Christmas (or any time) is to get the gospel into the hands and minds of the unsaved!

Oh how the gospel is needed

I came across this story today and it broke my heart. Brother and Sisters the Gospel is so needed in peoples lives. Remember to let your light shine in this dark hour.

http://www.bradenton.com/847/story/989508.html (for complete article)

Sheriff: Boy, 2, dies after 4-hour beating
21-year-old caregiver charged with murder; caregiver’s girlfriend faces abuse charge too

MANATEE — A 21-year-old man faces a murder charge for the beating death of a 2-year-old boy he and his girlfriend were caring for, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Tez’arrion Armour died Tuesday afternoon at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where he had been taken for treatment of a “massive head injury,” the sheriff’s office said. The toddler had his second birthday two weeks ago.

Sheriff’s deputies said Dwight Baldwin admitted to beating the child after the toddler soiled himself. Baldwin had originally been charged with aggravated child abuse, but sheriff’s officials said the charge was upgraded to murder since the child died.

Controlled Surrender

One of the greatest needs of the Church today is surrender to God and His perfect will. Here are some selected scripture that deals directly with it. As taught by Pastor Tillis the seed of it is unbelief.

What...

"Yield yourselves unto God." Romans 6: 13
"Present your bodies...unto God." Romans 12: 1
"They first gave their own selves unto the Lord." 2 Corinthians 8: 5
"That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God." I Peter 4: 2

Why...

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice." Romans 12: 1.
"The Lord hath need of him." Luke 19: 34

Why should we recognize Christ's right: why hear His call: why answer His beseeching for the yielding of our lives? Because surrender is the answer to His love. the supply of His need.

How...

"Be ye steadfast, unmoveable." I. Corinthians 15: 58
"No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9: 62.
"Be not afraid; only believe." Mark 5:36.

Then...

"Behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5: 17.
"Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Acts 9: 6

AFTER the Lord's tender plea for the presentation of our bodies has been heeded: after His mastership has been acknowledged: after conviction and struggle have given place to decision--what then?

These exerpts were taken from an article on the surrendered life and can be found here:

http://www.victoryoversin.com/slife.htm

Prevailing Prayer IV Outline

It may be good to look as a reminder the new covenant versus the old covenant:

Mat 3:11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

2. A Short Recap on prevailing prayer

a. What is prevailing prayer? Simply put prevailing prayer is answered prayer and is prayed by God’s leading, direction and will.

b. Why does God want us to pray – “prevailing prayer”
i. It reveals a part of God’s nature, character or will in a specific situation that He wants to reveal
ii. He gets the glory alone in prevailing prayer when He is lifted up.
1. Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
2. Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
iii. It strengthens our Faith and the Faith of other believers (remember the story of Helen the Missionary from Zaire)

c. Where and when should we pray prevailing prayers…wherever and whenever the Spirit leads you to pray and we should be looking to God for the wisdom to pray in this manner (see James 1:5-6)

d. How do you pray prevailing prayer
i. You must first want and desire God’s character to be revealed in a situation no matter the personal cost. If you are walking in the flesh this is will not happen.

1. So many of us could care less what God wants but we go to him with a list of ours…it is like a fly on the wall saying turn down the lights.
ii. You must learn how to wall according to the Spirit.

1. Too many of us are satisfied with the flesh and use Christ as an add on in their life instead of the center of their very being.

2. Watchman Nee said “To be able to pray with the spirit a Christian must learn first to walk according to the Spirit. No one can pray with his spirit if during the whole day he walks after the flesh.
a. The trichotomy of man

3. The goal is God
a. Are you seeking God as He says to seek Him
i. Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
ii. God truly knows the heart and will not be mocked
iii. TV time versus time with the Maker of the Universe
1. World Series or Bucs Games, Working out
2. Time with family and friends, work

Example 1 of prevailing prayer, Elijah
1Kings 18:1
i. After many days (yet we are so impatient in our immediate gratification mindset)
ii. The Word of the Lord came to Elijah (God revealing His instructions and prevailing prayer)

1Kings 18:36-37
i. Elijah prays what God has revealed to him
1. For the Glory of God and to reveal His supremacy over all other gods
2. To bring the people back to Him, which is His will
a. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

1Kings 19:11-14
i. How does God come to speak to Elijah?
1. In that still small voice, that which Elijah’s ear had been trained to hear
a. Isn’t that what happened to Samuel as a boy
i. 1Sa 3:9 And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
2. This story also give me great confidence in the mercy of God for His patience with Elijah

ii. How do you know it’s Gods will and not your own ways or thoughts?
1. Training yourself in Godliness – 1Cor 9:24-27

Watchman Nee - easiest error Christians can commit at this moment is to follow some irrational feeling or experience rather than the leading in their inner man. Once baptised in the Holy Spirit, they have entered the supernatural realm. Unless believers appreciate their own weakness, that is, know how incompetent they are in themselves to encounter the supernatural, they shall be deceived.

2. Use the resources God gives us: The Word, fellowship, prayer (especially for wisdom) and His Holy Spirit

3. Believe that God is who He says He is (Heb 11:6)

There is no situation where you cannot look up to God and what He want to reveal, unless we are not willing
God respects our free wills and will not make us into robots
i. God can be graceful, merciful, and gentle but still our response can be self-centered or God centered
1. We see both kinds of examples throughout the Bible
a. Saul and David - Goliath
b. Judas versus the other disciples
c. Ananias/Saphira versus Stephen

Stephen is an excellent example
Acts 7:54-60Prevailing prayer is finding out what Gods wants and then moving forward in full obedience, even unto death

Information on prayer

I wanted to give you some additional information on some of the things that I have either mentioned or that were great help to me in putting the lessons together on prayer.

The link below is to the article that Charles Finney wrote on prevailing prayer

http://www.gospeltruth.net/1868_75Independent/740305_prev_pray.htm


This next link is in response to a question...Well then what should we pray for?

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2006/1880_What_to_Pray_For/


And the last link is to a chapter out of Watchman Nee's book called "The Spiritual Man - Volume II" the chapter is on prayer and warfare...

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/nee/sprtmnv2/1969c4p4.htm

The Goal Is God

This 4 word phrase has been upon my heart and mind for some time. In all the things that we do, whether it be prayer, bible study, ministering to others, giving, or anything else we do our goal is the same.

Our goal is God and we shouldn't be satisfied with nothing less. I think of those that pursued God in the flesh even to touch just the hem of His garment and how they were healed. And how the woman at the well ran back to town to bring the people to Jesus. And how Peter said to the lame man in Acts 3 that silver or gold he did not have but just by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth the lame man walked.

As I was watching the earth slowly turn this morning and reveal the most wonderful piece of art, the morning sunrise, it reminded me of how faithful and longsuffering God has been with humanity and even more so with me. Today, this week, this month and for your entire life don't settle for anything less then God Himself. I love how Moses put it in the Law and how David so poetically puts it in Psalm 17

Deu 10:20 "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him..."
Psa 17:15 But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence

The Atheist/Evolutionist POV & The Chrisian POV

Who am I: I evolved from rocks, billions and billions of years ago (used to be million and million of years but they needed a little more time)

Why am I here: No purpose to life because we came from dirt which came from nothing.

What do I do while I am here: Whatever the hell I want because I answer to nobody

What happens when I die: I become worm food and rot in the grave.

The Christians point of view

Who am I: A creation of God, His workmanship created in His image.

Why am I here: To love and fellowship with God and His creation

What do I do while I am here: Walk in the Spirit of God: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

What happens when I die: Spend eternity in heaven with God and His people.

Prevailing Prayer III Outline - Oct 17, 2008

1. Charles Finney (3/5/1874) writes of his experience with church and prayer when he was yet unconverted.

“I do not recollect to have ever attended a prayer-meeting until after I began the study of law. Then, for the first time, I lived in a neighborhood where there was a prayer-meeting weekly. I had neither known, heard, nor seen much of religion; hence I had no settled opinions about it. Partly from curiosity and partly from an uneasiness of mind upon the subject, which I could not well define, I began to attend that prayer-meeting. About the same time I bought the first Bible that I ever owned, and began to read it. I listened to the prayers which I heard offered in those prayer-meetings, with all the attention that I could give to prayers so cold and formal. In every prayer they prayed for the gift and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Both in their prayers and in their remarks, which were occasionally interspersed, they acknowledged that they did not prevail with God. This was most evident, and had almost made me a skeptic.

Seeing me so frequently in their prayer-meeting, the leader, on one occasion, asked me if I did not wish them to pray for me. I replied: "No." I said: "I suppose that I need to be prayed for, but your prayers are not answered. You confess it yourselves." I then expressed my astonishment at this fact, in view of what the Bible said about the prevalence of prayer. Indeed, for some time my mind was much perplexed and in doubt in view of Christ's teaching on the subject of prayer and the manifest facts before me, from week to week, in this prayer-meeting. Was Christ a divine teacher? Did he actually teach what the Gospels attributed to him? Did he mean what he said? Did prayer really avail to secure blessings from God? If so, what was I to make of what I witnessed from week to week and month to month in that prayer-meeting? Were they real Christians? Was that which I heard real prayer, in the Bible sense? Was it such prayer as Christ had promised to answer? Here I found the solution.

I became convinced that they were under a delusion; that they did not prevail because they had no right to prevail. They did not comply with the conditions upon which God had promised to hear prayer. Their prayers were just such as God had promised not to answer. That they were overlooking the fact that they were in danger of praying themselves into skepticism in regard to the value of prayer, was evident”

What scriptures speak of this Prevailing Prayer?

Joh 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

1Jo 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1Jo 5:15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Jam 1:6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.


It may be good to look as a reminder the new covenant:

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.


Dr. Helen Roseveare, missionary to Zaire, told the following story. "A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls responded. 'Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won't feel so lonely.' That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, 'If God sent that, I'm sure He also sent a doll!' And she was right! The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child's sincere requests, and 5 months earlier He had led a ladies' group to include both of those specific articles."

How did the ladies group know it was God’s will to put the doll & the hot water bottle in the care package? How did the little girl know exactly how to pray?

FIRST point – God already has a plan (answer) of deliverance. He fully understands the situation and knows what He wants to do.

The modern church, and I am guilty of this also, has tapped an ending on to most of their prayers which is “if it be your will”
A misunderstanding of Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
i. This is clearly shown in Psalm 67:2-7
ii. Speaking of God’s will being done perfectly…
Doesn’t line up with James 1:6 – doubting
Doesn’t line up with 1Cor 2:15-16 – the spiritual having the mind of Christ


Prevailing prayer is answered prayer and is the kind of prayer that God wants us to pray.

Prevailing prayer is not this name it/ claim it garbage that you see some modern day preachers espousing.
Prevailing prayer is knowing the will of God, which is perfect and right, and praying specifically for such.

i. For many we become God’s counselor instead of the other way around…we like to tell him what we want, need and what to do in situations instead of knowing His will and praying for that.
ii. Eze 36:37 ---Here is an example of the will of God waiting upon our asking.
iii. In any situation God desires us to come to Him for the answer to any and all situations

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said “with all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house.Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He hadn’t seen him since that graduation day.Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Mat 7:11 “And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?”As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL

* How many times do we miss God’s blessing because we can’t see past our own desires?

SECOND point is that we must desire God’s character to be revealed in this situation…NO matter what the cost.

9. The fight of faith is the battle that must be waged

We will either look at God’s fullness and character OR
We will look at the scope of the problem or situation

Why did God part the red sea and drown Pharaoh and the Egyptian army?

Exodus 14:10 – Israel cries out to God

Exo 14:15-18

1Kings 18:36-37

A sweet story of answered prayer

Dr. Helen Roseveare, missionary to Zaire, told the following story. "A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls responded. 'Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won't feel so lonely.' That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, 'If God sent that, I'm sure He also sent a doll!' And she was right! The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child's sincere requests, and 5 months earlier He had led a ladies' group to include both of those specific articles."


1Jo 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jo 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

10 Quotes on Prayer

"The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it." E.M. Bounds

"Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer." John Bunyon

"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties." Oswald Chambers

"Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian." Andrew Murray

"As is the business of tailors to make clothes and cobblers to make shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray." Martin Luther

"The secret of all failure is our failure in secret prayer." The Kneeling Christian

When prayer has become secondary, or incidental, it has lost its power. Those who are conspicuously men of prayer are those who use prayer as they use food, or air, or light, or money." M.E. Andross

“The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” A.W. Tozer

"There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer." A.T. Pierson

"Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying." Paul E. Billheimer

Prayer II Outline for Oct 12, 2008 class

Prayer is essential to a Spirit-controlled life and we are to be devoted to prayer, according to God’s will and bring everything before the Lord in prayer (Psalm 145:18-19, Eph 5:18-20, I John 3:22)

How should we come to God: Heb 11:6
How to seek God. (Prov 8:17, Mat 6:33, Luke 13:24, Son 3:1-4)

Faith demands an object…I have faith in _________. You cannot have faith in faith as the statement contradicts itself:

***. Faith – in its practice not essence (I only say that to be accurate because the essence of Faith is a spiritual gift of God given through the operation of regeneration.) So in “practice” observed to be:

Action – based upon Belief in God’s Word – sustained by Confidence that what God said He would do he will regardless of circumstances or time.

· Action (acting upon the premise or frame of reference that God’s word is final truth/reality) Mat 14:29-31 - For Example – Peter walked on water (action). Faith would not have been faith in the boat.
· Belief in God’s Word – belief in God’s word is not consent. Belief has in its etymology the essence of “hanging one’s self upon.” That is one reason why in some biblical portions is says to “believe in” while in others it says to “believe on.” Belief accepts God’s Word as the Final Reality. For Example – When Peter stepped outside the boat he was, in a sense, believing (literally) “on” Christ to hold him up above the water. Therein Christ became the ultimate reality and not what he knew about the his previous experiences with water.
· Confidence – much of what God requires is not just faith but faithfulness. It is Confidence in God’s ability and willingness to do what He said He would that sustains our “Action.” Here Peter fell short and most of us do likewise. Peter’s confidence in Christ was challenged by the environment surrounding him.

Our works MUST be done in faith
i. Rom 8:8 – Good but meaningless works, “humanism”
ii. Acts 5:1-2 – ½ measure of faith
iii. James 1:6-7 – the double minded man
The promise of God, trust and obey – John 14:23-24

Trust and Obey Hymn (John H. Sammis)
Illustration of feed cattle versus bull riding

Application

Prayer is looking out to God
If you mind wanders, confess it and persist
For me a little walk is where I do my best praying
Warning against rolling out of bed prayer

Get a verse in Psalms as a focal point to come back to and say to God in prayer

Psalm 73:25-26 – Whom do I have in heaven but you? And there is none upon the earth I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever

Psalm 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in your sight – O’ Lord – my strength and my redeemer

Psalm 46:10 – Be still and know that I am God - - - I will be exalted among the nations - - - I will be exalted in the earth

Psalm 119: 73-74 - Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word.

Entire Psalm 103

Some unprofitable practices in prayer (based on 1Peter 4:7)

You do not need to plead hopelessly for the Lord to be with you or with any other believer, because He is with you already and has promised never to leave nor forsake you (Mat 28:20b; Heb 13:5). Instead, thank the Lord for His continual presence with you (Heb 13:6)

You do not need to pray that God will grant you love for another person, because He has already poured out His love within you (Rom 5:5) and has commanded and enabled you to love (I John 4:7-12). Pray instead for His wisdom (James 1:5) and leading (Rom 8:4, Gal 5:16) to show you how to increase and abound in your love to others (1Thes 3:12)

As a true believer, you do not need to pray to be freed from the power of sin because you already have been freed (Rom 6:1-14). However, you are to pray to be delivered from evil/ the evil one (Mat 6:13) and are to thank the Lord that He has provided you freedom from the power of sin as you keep on presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to Him (Rom 6:6-7; 12:1-2)

You do not need to pray for help in either putting off your old self-nature or in putting on the new righteous self, because that was already accomplished at salvation (Rom 6:6-11; Gal 2:20; Eph 4:22-24). Pray instead for His wisdom, grace, and help in putting off the practices of the old self and in putting on the new righteous practices (Heb 4:15-16; James 1:5)

Pray like the model prayer (Matt 6:9)
F - Faith
A – Adoration
C – Confession
T – Thanksgiving
I – Intercession
S – Supplication

Pray through the full armor of God (Eph 6:13-18)
Belt of Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Shoes of the Gospel
Shield of Faith
Helmet of Salvation
Sword of the SpiritPraying at all times in the Spirit

A wonderful illustration of the intellect, emotion & will

Three elements of personality are involved in making a decision to become a Christian, or in making any significant decision for that matter. They are the emotions, the intellect, and the will.
For example, a young man meets a young woman. They are immediately attracted to one another. They both say to themselves, "Now there is someone I'd like to marry." At that point, if the emotions had their way, there would be a wedding. But the intellect intervenes, questioning the impulsive emotional response. Would we be compatible? What is she really like? Can I afford to support her? Both conclude it would be better to take some more time and answer a few questions before they proceed. So the two begin spending more time with each other. He eventually concludes that she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Now his intellect has sided with the emotions on the idea of marriage.
But the final and heaviest vote remains to be cast -- that of the will. It stops the march toward the altar with the questions, "Am I willing to give up this lifestyle for another? What about my freedom -- is it worth the trade? Am I willing to assume the added responsibility?" The marriage will occur only when the will finally agrees with the emotions and the intellect. And so it is in coming to Christ.

Jim Peterson, Living Proof, NavPress, 1989, p. 170.

Outline for Bible Study Prayer 1

The best evidence of salvation is four fold

A Hatred of Sin
A Heart for the Lost
A Hunger for God
A Holiness progressively being worked out

What is happening in Fiji Revival

False conversion says today, I said a prayer, was baptized and now I am saved…True conversion is always known by its faith with works (James 2:17-19)

How is your hunger for God? How is your prayer life?

The ordinary thing for a person to do in any relationship is to spend time with the other person.
Speak to them, get to know them, spend time with them

We have mastered the art of self-deception, separating mind belief with heart belief or belief without obedience.

Generally there are two factors that get in the way: Pride and Controlled Surrender

Pride – God actively resist you in…God resist the proud but gives grace to the humble
Controlled Surrender – Luke 9:23 (talking about the will daily following God)

God’s perspective on the red light prayer
God is not Mocked (Gal 6:7)– He knows the difference when a person wants to know Him or when a person is only professing it to others to persuade himself.

The frustration and unreality of God living and walking with you in many peoples walk, no matter how long you have been in the church comes from a matter of inaction and lack of motivation to love and know God.
How important is He? Is he worth your “first fruits principle”
Does your life show How important He is?
Are you being as regular and faithful to God as you are to your business or boss
What if you had an important appointment…is time with God not important?
i. You either don’t believe that He is who He says He is
ii. Or He isn’t worthy of your time thus making Him out to be your Genie

Prayer and spending time with God is the foundation to a relationship with God, and the fearful thing that many people, who profess Christianity, don’t take into consideration is the importance of that relationship
John 10:14-16, Romans 8:15-16, Matt 7:22-24

Are you as serious about God as He is about you

If you are change will happen immediately OR

If you are not then you will carry on with a lukewarm attitude until God persuades you otherwise.

I think it may be helpful before we go on to the application point that we might just get real with one another
James 5:16 – sins meaning faults or folly’s in this sense
a. Commitment to prayer, public and private
b. Commit to God
c. Commit to Another in this groupCommit to the Pastor