Morning Prayer Summary for Thursday, May 24, 2018

Mary led group in worship…

Pastor Ray prayed and shared…

Lord, we want more of Your presence… we open ourselves up for greater… for more of Your presence… lest we settle for status quo and slide back… no! more of You is what we yearn for… we open up our hearts for more… Thank You, Lord…

Yesterday, Sandy and I were talking about being hungry for more of Him. It’s easy to get complacent. Before Sandy was baptized with the Holy Spirit, I remember her saying, “There’s got to be more.” We were attending a denominational church at the time. We were both born again, but she had dissatisfaction with what she had. She kept hungering and thirsting for more of God. Sandy’s mother brought her to a meeting in the basement of a house where Pastor Mac and Lynne were teaching a Bible study. She realized, “This is what I’ve been missing. I want it. I need it.” She was baptized in the Holy Spirit after that. That changed everything… it changed our lives. It took me a year to follow. Now, we’re born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, but we can still get complacent and be satisfied with the status quo. “We got what we need. Jesus is coming soon.” But there’s more! That’s the point I’m trying to make. We hunger for more. We open ourselves up for more. Let’s yield to Him until we are truly yearning for more of Him. Right?

Erika shared…

This goes along with that. I want to read an excerpt from the book, “There Is More” by Brian Houston.

In our quest to discover more of who we are and more of who God is, it is natural that we will come up against the unknown—the mysterious and often unanswerable. Even the apostle Paul referred to the mystery of Christ 21 times in his epistles. But perhaps it was Job who said it best when he wrote:

Do you think you can explain the mystery of God? Do you think you can diagram God almighty? God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, stretching farther than earth’s horizons, far wider than the endless ocean. (Job 11:7–9 MSG)

Jesus often used parables to peel back the great mysteries of the kingdom of God. He started almost all His stories with “The kingdom of God is like…” or “The kingdom of heaven is like…” and then went on to expound truth to listening crowds. These parables are simple, enabling us to relate the gospel to our everyday lives, even today, by talking of farming and fishing, vineyards, and seed sowing. Yet they are also profound and layered with wonderful mysteries. We can find varying interpretations for every single one online at the click of a button.

Life with Jesus is filled with possibilities, and when we enter into relationship with Him, we enter into a world of wonderful secrets and revealed truth, especially when it comes to things beyond human understanding.

The statement “There is more” could not be truer about anything than that which we experience in the Christian life. There is more to know, there is more to understand, and there is more to come. The more we know about God and His Word, the more we realize we don’t yet know. Layer after layer, mystery after mystery, treasure after treasure, indeed, more after more is revealed to us when seeking Him is our prize.

Pastor Ray continued…

That’s why we keep doing this. Because there is more! Are you satisfied? I know we’re to be content, and we are content and blessed. But I’ve always felt that He has instilled within us a drive to keep yearning for more of Him.

I found an article about Israel that I wanted you to hear. It’s the difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. This is how it starts out. There’s a picture of different brands and logos. The writer starts out saying, “This is what branding looks like.”

ANTI-ZIONISM IS THE NEW ANTI-SEMITISM
By Forest Rain Marcia

This is what branding looks like.

You have a product to sell. You must convince the market to buy. The problem is that the product is old. It’s been seen before and has been rejected by many as faulty. The average person will not buy the product, as is. What do you do? Rebrand. Package the product with new language, a new backstory, a new look and feel and many, probably enough, customers will be convinced they are seeing a new product and buy.

This is how anti-Semitism became anti-Zionism.

The “product” is Jew hate. The “customers” are anyone, anywhere and many are eager to buy. Some are less enthusiastic but, with successful marketing campaigns, can over time, be convinced as well.

Before the re-establishment of the Jewish state, when Zion was still a dream, it would not have made much sense to declare oneself an anti-Zionist.

In today’s political climate, it is socially unacceptable to discriminate against any minority, much less declare outright hatred or revulsion of a certain social group. This, however, does not mean that there is no hatred, it only means that those who hate must find a form of expression that is considered socially acceptable.

Israel hate is nothing more than Jew hate, rebranded:

The language has changed, “Jew” is replaced with the term “Zionist” or “colonialist.”

The backstory has changed, now it is Israel the aggressor, Israel who does to the Palestinians what the Nazis did to the Jews (which suddenly makes it possible and even acceptable to compare Jews to Nazis).

The imagery has changed from that of the Shylock type Jew to the cruel IDF soldier who abuses Palestinian children
Looking beyond the pyrotechnics of marketing, it is easy to recognize that the content has remained the same, the only difference is the packaging. Most of all, the goal is the same.

Anti-Semitism demonizes Jews for the ills of the world, to the point of denying Jews the right to life (pogroms, Holocaust).
Anti-Zionism denies Jews the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, Zion. It is a denial of the right to have a home and to self-defense in that home. This is a denial of the right to life.

To clarify, criticism of one or even many of Israel’s policies is not illegitimate. That cannot be considered anti-Zionism whereas blanket criticism of Israel’s existence or the insistence on policies that would cause Israel to cease to exist is both anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic.

The most common stance of the modern anti-Semite is “I don’t have anything against Jews, I just hate Israel.” It is interesting to note that this paradigm is not accepted in regard to any other nation. “I don’t hate Americans, I just hate America,” “I don’t hate the French I just think France shouldn’t exist” are statements that would not even be considered by the average person. Why is the same sentiment acceptable when the focus is on Israel?

The hot topics of today are social justice, women’s rights, minority rights. It has become “cool” to be a “social justice warrior.” At the same time, Jew hatred in the form of anti-Zionism is becoming normalized.

The Women’s March Movement, for example, was supposed to be about feminism, about women’s rights. It was Linda Sarsour who took away the rights of Jewish women when she declared that it is impossible to be both a Zionist and a feminist. She created a new paradigm that her followers had to either accept or be rejected by their peers. She further normalized Jew hatred with additional declarations, comparing Zionists to white supremacists and racists.

If Zionists belong in the same group as white supremacists and racists, the Zionist no longer belongs to a protected minority group and instead belongs to a group that must be rejected and ejected from society.

To further exacerbate the problem, socially influential institutions are lauding Sarsour, making her anti-Zionist (read, anti-Semitic) statements even more acceptable. Glamour Magazine chose Sarsour as one of their 2017 women of the year. New York’s famous New School, chose Sarsour to chair a panel on anti-Semitism (scheduled for November 28).

But the problem is not Linda Sarsour, or her ilk. Freedom includes the freedom to hate.

The problem is everyone who does not recognize anti-Semitism when they see anti-Zionism. The problem is everyone who has swallowed the marketing campaign and forgotten what Zionism means.

History has taught us that the dehumanization of Jews is not done in one day. It is a slow process of delegitimization. We’ve seen this show before. The costumes and the scenery are different but the content is exactly the same, the old horror, rebranded.

Pastor Ray continued…

Somebody asked me what the difference between those two, and I wasn’t sure. So I wanted to read this article to you because we need to be aware of these things. There’s been a slow process of moving our country in the wrong direction. That’s why we, the Church, are rising up and declaring “This President is anointed to do the job he’s to do by God.” And what has to happen in America is a move of God.

The governor of Texas said the problem in the schools is not guns. It’s the absence of God. He said it, and of course, it stirred up a mess.

Let’s close our eyes and imagine in our minds the United States flag and the flag of Israel. We see there is no weapon formed against these nations that can prosper. We’ll see that we stand together in one accord. We’re united together as nations on this earth. We’re united with them and they’re united with us. And that relationship will not be broken. We will not be divided, but we declare this morning that we will continually stand strong with Israel. We believe it goes the other way too.

Prayed…

We thank You, Father, that our President moved the embassy to Jerusalem, a move that declared that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem shall not be divided in Jesus’ name.

Mary led group in worship…

Pastor Ray led group in taking communion…

Erika prayed and then shared…

Father, we know that it is irrefutable that this nation was formed on the basis of the blood of Jesus, that the flag was planted in this ground, the United States of America, because of the blood, because of the men and women who believed in the power of the cross to save and redeem their lives, that they sought You, they sought freedom to worship and honor You the way You intended it to be, Father. We thank You that, that blood lives and speaks today. That blood keeps the destroyer back. That precious blood brings light and life to us today. We make much of the blood. Hallelujah!

I like what Pastor Ray shared about anti-Zionism. Rebranding. And that’s where we, as the Church, are wise as serpents, have the Holy Ghost on the inside. If you know the Word, you’ll know the difference.

I believe this excerpt goes along with where we’ve been today because we’re making much of the blood. We’re seeking more of the Lord. Are you just almost “done, done” hungry for more of Him? I was telling Pastor Ray this morning about the old revival fire tapes: “There’s got to be more!” There is more. And we’re having the more. More for us, more for the church, more for this nation and for the nation of Israel. I’m going to stir us up a little bit more about America. Some things got me stirred up last week. It was news events that just made me want to shout “hidey ho!” It was unconscionable the news. I’m like, “Ahhh!” I believe the Lord directed me to, once again, just settle in on where we’re going, what we’re doing as a nation. And I believe this is going to help us all the while we’re praying about this. I’m going to read again from the book by Eddie L. Hyatt, “Pilgrims and Patriots.” If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to read it because it’s foundational to who we are as believers in this nation. It’s the reason we exist. It’s the backstory.

Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other –John Adams, Second President of the U.S.A.

At the closing banquet celebrating the Constitutional Convention, a Philadelphia matron rushed toward its most senior member, Benjamin Franklin, and gushed, “O Mister Franklin, what have you gentlemen wrought?” Franklin is said to have paused, adjusted his glasses and solemnly replied, “A republic, madam. If you can keep it.”

Franklin was solemn because in a “republic,” freedoms are guaranteed to the people by a Constitution and Bill of Rights. Franklin knew that those same freedoms they had just enshrined could be turned into anarchy by a populace that did not have the capacity to govern itself according to internal moral principles.

He and all the Founders knew that the success of the nation they had formed hinged on the moral character of its citizens and their ability to govern themselves according to biblical principles. This is why John Adams in a 1798 address to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia, declared: “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion … Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

James Madison also recognized that the freedoms they had instituted hinged on the American populace governing themselves according to Judeo/Christian principles. This is the context of his statement: “We have staked the whole future of the American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future … upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments.”

Prayed…

We’re thankful and grateful for the anointing that’s upon our President for such a time as this. That anointing that is working, and bringing about, cleaning up, that’s changing, rearranging, that’s allowing things to come in and taking some things out that is connecting us to Israel and to the people we need to be connected with, that’s making deals that nobody else has made.

Faith & Freedom Go Hand-in-Hand

This recognition of the vital role of Christianity for the success of the Republic was pervasive in the founding generation. Two weeks before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to his cousin, Zabdiel, a minister of the Gospel, and exhorted him in this regard:

Statesman, my dear sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. …

The Founders were unanimous in their belief that only a virtuous and moral people could maintain the liberties enshrined in the founding documents. They were also unanimous in the belief that such a morality and virtue could only be derived from a revived and vibrant Christianity. As Novak says, “Far from having a hostility toward religion, the founders counted on religion [Christianity] for the underlying philosophy of the republic, its supporting ethic, and its reliable source of rejuvenation.”

Erika interjected…

That’s what we’re looking for when we’re praying about this nation. We’re going to the very foundation, to the very core of this nation for rejuvenation. Right?

The Unique Challenge Today

Today, however, the America of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, our parents, and grandparents is rapidly fading into oblivion. While the modern church has been enamored with finding acceptance and approval in modern society, historical revisionists have been quietly at work severing the nation from its Christian roots. For the secularist, this is a major achievement, for to fundamentally transform a nation, its history must first be transformed. This is what Alexander Solzhenitsyn was referring to when he said, “To destroy a people, you must first sever their roots.”

Severed from its Christian past, America seems defenseless against the moral relativism and subjective political correctness that is permeating the culture. With the loss of its Christian heritage, America’s populace is now vulnerable, in a way it has never been, to being shaped into an amoral, secularist society. American culture has now reached the point, spoken of by Karl Marx when he said, “A people without a heritage are easily persuaded.”

Recovering Our Heritage

America must regain its true heritage if it is to survive, and in this regard, we can take a lesson from the Jewish people. The Hebrews have survived because no enemy has been able to sever them from their historical roots. No enemy has been able to re-write their history. Through wars, dispersions, pogroms, and holocausts, they have maintained their identify as the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Even in times of distress, each generation has been diligent to teach its children their true heritage, not only in words, but through the festivals that are faithfully observed every year. The importance of maintaining their history was highlighted by the Psalmist who wrote:

“For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God… (Ps. 78:1–7)

Erika prayed…

Father, that is our prayer in this day and hour. We do repent if we’ve been negligent of not communicating, teaching our children regarding the history of this nation, regarding our godly heritage, regarding the very principles and foundations upon which this nation was formed. We ask You to forgive us. Father, we are counting on the blood to be working and to make a way where there is no way. That, once again, by the power of that cross, once again, by the power of the blood, once again by the power of the Holy Ghost, this nation will again know, recognize, awaken to her spiritual heritage, to the foundation of this nation. And that we, those leaders, those who have been given and granted and know this would communicate it in a fashion and manner where the young generations would wake up and know and recognize this is part of who we are. This is our spiritual heritage. We will not recant against it. We will not be refused and we will stand boldly and declare, “One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” That’s what we’re looking for. We’re looking for a move of God, a great awakening, not only throughout the church but all across the educational system in this nation. That once again those that are filled and full of boldness and courage would boldly stand up for the right and privilege to have truth printed in the educational materials, that go across this land. Father, we refuse to abdicate. We thank You that by the power of the blood, more and more and more, You are speaking and raising up individuals for such a time as this to stand up and take their place, to speak and declare. To lead a movement, to lead an action of God. That we would not be hearers only but believers in demonstration and truth and power, taking hold of them saying, “Our children need to know this…” We will not be silenced but, Father, because we hunger and seek You, for the righting of this nation, for the awakening of this nation, to the spiritual foundation and heritage.

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