Morning Chapel Prayer Playlist
Morning Chapel Prayer Today
Pastor Ken…
The bigness of God’s heart…
I sense this morning that the Lord wants to remind us of the bigness of His heart… Just the overwhelming abundance of love and grace and goodness that is swelling forth from His heart. And I sense also that it’s not like you think or what we have assumed in our intellect… His grace, His love, His intent, His ability to do is so much greater. And He just wants to absorb, He just wants to enfold us into the heart of who He is as our Heavenly Father. He’s just giving grace upon grace. The Bible says that He does just that. He gives grace upon grace, wave upon wave of grace and kindness and goodness, and forgiveness, and mercy on every level.
Let not your heart be troubled…
I just encourage you this morning. Don’t let your heart be troubled. Don’t let fear grip you. Don’t let the future sour your perspective or control and dominate your day. But just know that the Spirit of the living God is among us and He’s moving in this house. He’s moving in your house. If you’re online, He’s moving in your soul this morning. The God of heaven! Who came once and will come again. Our loving, dotting all-encompassing Heavenly Father is smiling down upon us this morning, this day upon your heart, upon your situation.
He’s going to do what He said He would do in your situation…
Just know that this morning He’s not the religious icon that maybe we’ve made Him out to be or we believe He is because we saw Him in a picture in our once-upon-a-time denominational church or something. He’s so much happier, first of all, and joyful, and peaceful, and kind. He’s much more of a Father and He’s going to do what He said He would do in your situation and in our church.
He’s still the head of my life. How about yours?
The last time I checked in my Bible anyway, if we’re going to bring the Bible into this conversation here this morning, He’s still the head of the church. He’s still the head of my life. How about yours? So I give Him place. I choose to yield to Him. I choose to open my heart to Him. I choose, as Jesus said, to not live by seeing but by believing. To walk by faith and not by what I perceive through my five physical senses. We can do that. Isn’t that a beloved and beautiful opportunity and choice? We can choose to go by faith today. We can choose to open our mouths, make decisions, have interactions with people, do what we do on a daily basis in the ministry, in culture, in the marketplace, by faith, because the Spirit of God and the attributes of God are in us. We just need to yield to them and give place to them and give voice to them.
We are here by God’s divine appointment…
We’re here in this hour, in this time as a church, as individuals… not by coincidence or happenstance, but we are here by God’s divine appointment. It was Lance Wallnau from this weekend that said… I heard what he said and I’m like, “Whoa, that’s so epic. I need to get that in my notepad and my phone.” And he said, “Recognize that you are in the greatest assignment moment of your life.” And he went on to say that America has unfinished assignments in the earth. Living Word has unfinished assignments. There’s a new season as our pastor was casting vision in some different ways yesterday. We’re in transition. We’re in recreation. We’re in redeployment for a new season… a new generation… a new time.
And we’re all a part of that…
We’re not biding time. We’re not just looking at our clock or our watch. We are here by divine appointment with a divine assignment. And God is intent. He is passionate more than you or me that His plan would go forth, that it would prosper, that the Gospel would run speedily throughout the earth through every generation, through every ministry, throughout our nation, throughout our city, through your family, through your life.
We are to be conduits for God to pour Himself through…
We’re here by assignment and appointment, that we would be conduits or channels for God to pour Himself through. The answer is not out there. The answer is in you and me… for our departments, as a staff, for your family. We ought not look outward and chase shiny objects, but instead look inside and draw as the Psalmist of old declared and taught “Draw from the well and the cistern that is within us that is perpetually replenished by the hand of God.”
We are solutions sent to this generation…
Jesus reminded us and summed it up by saying, “Out of your belly would flow rivers of living water…” Rivers! Multiple rivers, streams of life and strategy and wisdom and healing power, and the prophetic, and gifts and creativity and answers and solutions were sent here to be, as one person said in recent days, solutionists. We are solutions sent to this generation, to this time, to perhaps a situation today that you will encounter or something you observe or witness. We’re not to be spectators. We’re to be engagers, interceders. That’s what an intercessor is. We engage. We get in the messy-ness of what’s going on in culture and in our day-to-day life and situation and relationships and stand up for what’s right and take a strong stance by faith on what God intends and what God has said.
I’m glad you agree!
Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you that in Me, you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
So I just encourage you in that this morning, whatever you’re facing, whatever dread, or maybe there’s a touch of anxiety or fear or whatever the case is, Jesus reminds us over and over: Don’t let your heart be troubled. That’s something we have to cultivate and choose to do. Whether it’s something we’re anxious about that is just internal in our own world and realm or something that we see ominous out in the future.
We’re sent here, as I said, by appointment and we’re sent not to just get by as a people, as leaders, as pray-ers, as believers, but in fact, God intends and envisions… and this is one reason why He’s smiling for us to thrive and multiply and be prolific in a multitude of ways spiritually in anointings and giftings and callings creatively and solutions.
We’re here sent to do the work of Jesus, right? I know this is not new to any of us probably, but we’re sent here to overcome evil with the goodness of God in us. And the direction He brings through us and the prayers that we offer up, if there ever was an hour, this is that hour when heaven is looking to earth to know what to do. That’s how God set it up. Like, “What? Let me go check my Bible.” Heaven looks to earth for what it is to do. That’s how Jesus set it up.
In fact, that’s how God set it up. In John 16:24, Jesus Himself stated, “And in that day…” That would be this day. “You will ask me nothing. Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full.”
I love that! In other words, God is reminding us right now more than ever, that He wants to use us to inquire of the Lord. He wants to use us to request, to supplicate, to ask.
I think it was the great John Wesley in the 19th century who had the observation, “It seems that God can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him.” So what are you asking for today?
Psalms 23…
Let me read something. I love Psalm 23. Perhaps you do too. I want to read just because. It just ministers to me and I believe it’s a prayer.
The Psalmist writes 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides the still waters. He restores my soul.”
I think this really conveys the heart of the Father by the way.
“He leads me the paths of righteousness for His namesake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff…” You could interpret that as your Word and your Spirit. “They comfort me.” So you sense His comforting this morning? He’s comforting us.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days.” And I would suggest even in the end time days. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us… shall follow Living Word… shall follow my household… shall follow my children and my children’s children all the days of their lives. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen.
Pastor Mark Batterson, author of “The Circle Maker”…
Let me read something to you here too this morning before we pray. I don’t know if you’ve read “The Circle Maker” by Pastor Mark Batterson. But he shares a story out of the Book of Legends, which is a story of history from the Jewish tradition. And he writes about a man by the name of Honi. He would carry the moniker, the name Honi, the Circle Maker. And he became famous because during a severe drought in the land of Israel, a generation before Jesus was to appear on the scene, Israel suffered greatly during this drought. It looked like almost the extinction of them as a nation because the land was so parched and they were literally starving to death.
Yet onto the scene comes this man by the name Honi, who had this different spirit about him. Much like I think Caleb and Joshua. We go back and reread the account of Caleb and Joshua, and it said that they had a different spirit about them.
And every time I read that in the Old Testament, I’m reminded that that’s our generation. We are that Benjamin generation. We’re the generation of Caleb and Joshua. And perhaps that’s because we’re going to wrap up the age, and perhaps that’s why we’re here because we have a different spirit. Living Word has a different spirit. You and I have a different spirit. And that is a spirit of faith that God wants to rise within us, in a spirit of faith and a spirit of prayer that we wouldn’t just be a blip on the radar screen of God’s timeline of time and space, but rather we would be a people that would be like Honi, projecting ourselves through prayer, through faith decrees, through taking up a strong stance where there’s injustice and wrongdoing and evil. Not just being a spectator. But projecting ourselves through prayer, projecting ourselves into atmospheres and into communities and into regions of the Twin Cities through our campuses and our church-planting efforts.
And this was Honi…
He saw that the enemy was trying to take out Israel, a generation before Jesus was to come upon the scene. And he took a strong stance of faith and decided to get in the middle of what was going on. And Mark Batterson writes, “It will forever be remembered as the day… the day thunder claps applauded the Almighty. The day puddle jumping became an act of praise. The day the legend of the circle maker was born.
“It was the first century BC and a devastating drought threatened a generation, the generation before Jesus. The last of the Jewish prophets had died off nearly four centuries before. And miracles were a distant memory that they seemed like a false memory almost. And God was nowhere to be heard.
“But there was one man, an eccentric sage who lived outside the walls of Jerusalem, who dared to pray anyway. His name was Honi. And even if the people no longer hear God, he believed that God could still hear them.”
So do you believe God still hears us today? You better believe He hears us today! He’s on the edge of His seat looking down, anticipating the prayers of the saints. Because after all Jesus said, “When I return, will I find faith?” And if you read that passage in context in the Gospel, faith being released through prayer. He’s anticipating your prayers today. Ooh, that’s good!
“When rain is plentiful, it’s an afterthought. During a drought, it’s the only thought. And Honi was their only hope. Famous for his ability to pray for rain, it was on this day, the day that Honi earned his name. With a six-foot staff in his hand, Honi began to turn like a math compass. His circular movement was rhythmical and methodical, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, 360 degrees. He never looked up as the crowd looked on. After what seemed to be like hours, but had only been seconds, Honi stood in the middle of the circle he had drawn. Then he dropped to his knees and raised his hands to heaven with the authority of the prophet Elijah, who called down fire from heaven. Honi called down rain. Quote: ‘Lord of the universe, I swear before your great name that I will not move from this circle until you have shown mercy upon your children.’ The word sent a shudder down through the spines of all who were within earshot that day. It wasn’t just the volume of his voice. It was the authority of his tone. Not a hint of doubt. This prayer didn’t originate in his vocal chords. Like water from an artesian well, the words flowed from the depths of his soul.”
And right there I would suggest is the definition of true, authentic life-giving faith-inspired prayer that we would pray from our gut, from our heart, from the well that’s in us.
He says…
“His prayer was resolute, yet humble, confident, yet meek, expectant yet unassuming. Then it happened. As his prayer ascended to the heavens, raindrops descended to the earth.”
Notice something went up from earth before something came down from heaven. Let that just sink in. Brother Hagin used to say that the Lord kind of dealt with him on a number of occasions, and he understood that there was way more that we’re responsible for that God looks to us, the church, for what He does in the earth than we realize. Way more authority that’s been invested in us than what we have first thought. And in you as well.
But he goes on to say…
“An audible gasp swept across the thousands of congregants who had encircled Honi. Every head turned to heavenward as the first rain drops parachuted from the sky. But Honi’s head remained bowed. The people rejoiced over every drop, but Hony was not satisfied with a sprinkle.” In other words, he was exhibiting “praying through” as the old-time pray-ers used to say.
“Still kneeling within the circle, Honi lifted his voice over the sounds of the celebration. He said, ‘Not for such a rain have I prayed, but for a rain that will fill cisterns, pits, and caverns.’” In other words a rain of replenishment.
“The sprinkle turned into a torrential downpour that eyewitnesses said no drop was smaller than an egg in size. It rained so heavily and so steadily that the people fled to the temple mount to escape the flash floods. Honi stayed and prayed inside his protracted circle. Once more, he refined his bold request. He said, ‘Not for such a rain have I prayed, but for a rain of your favor, blessing, and graciousness.’ Then like a well-proportioned sun shower on a hot and humid August afternoon, it began to rain calmly and peacefully. Each raindrop was a tangible token of God’s grace, that didn’t just soak the skin. They soaked the spirits with faith. It had been difficult to believe the day before. The day after the day, it was impossible not to believe.
“Eventually the dirt turned into mud and back into dirt again. Quenching their thirst, the crowd dispersed and the rainmaker returned to his humble hovel on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Life returned to normal and the legend of the circle maker was born.”
He goes on to say that Honi was threatened with excommunication because of the religious leaders of the time, because of what he did.
But he went on to say…
“But because the circle maker could not be repudiated. Honi was ultimately honored for his prayerful act of bravado. The prayer that saved a generation was deemed one of the most significant prayers in the history of Israel. The circle he drew in the sand became a sacred symbol. And the legend of Honi, the Circle Maker, stands forever as a testament to the power of a single prayer to change the course of history.”
