Ms. Peg led us singing Glory to the Lamb
Pastor Ray…
Hallelujah. Holy, worthy of all honor. Thank you, Lord.
Scripture focus…
17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels] and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances), and your old men shall dream [divinely suggested] dreams.
18) Yes, and on My menservants also and on My maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels and [predicting future events pertaining especially to God’s kingdom].
19) And I will show wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and smoking vapor;
20) The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the obvious day of the Lord comes—that great and notable and conspicuous and renowned [day].
21) And it shall be that whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord—Christ] shall be saved.
Saved. If we keep looking up, keep adoring, keep worshipping the Lord, keep our eyes on Him. I’ll give you these points here. Acts 2:17–21 (AMPC)
The following excerpt was taken from LAST DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE ACTION STEPS to Protect Your Heart, Eyes, Ears, and Family by Rick Renner:
- Be careful not to allow floating ethics into your life.
We’ve discussed what the Bible says about the widespread tendency in the last days to hurl away fixed ethics, or moral absolutes, and move to a “floating ethic” mode that is easily adapted as one deems it necessary. So, I want you to ask you to ask yourself these questions and prepare yourself to receive God’s answers:
- Am I sticking with the Word of God and refusing to go the “floating ethics” way of the world in every arena of life, regardless of the consequences?
Doing so may put you on a collision course with people you know who have gone astray or with a culture in decline. But God calls on you to be unmoving in your commitment to biblical truth. So, ask yourself:
- Am I staying rooted in the Bible?
- Or have we allowed ourselves to “float” regarding certain basic principles of the Bible that should be fixed forever in our heart and in our mind?
- Be careful not to be duped by a deceived world in these last days.
Since the Bible says there will be a “falling away” at the end of the age and we are living in those times, we can know that we will see this degenerating process displayed all around us. (Media, every area.) It is this generation that is witnessing the effects of seducing spirits attempting to cause society to disconnect from most moral standards once held to be the common rule and view of society.
- Is there any stance I have taken on a subject that may not agree with Scripture?
- Have any thoughts begun to creep in that cause us to wonder if the Bible is out of date or if I should perhaps be more “progressive” in the way I view certain subjects?
- Be careful not to be contaminated by the spirit of this age.
Those who live without a biblical foundation have chosen an unstable and unreliable path that floats on trends rather than on faith that is fixed in absolute truth. But those of us who stick with the Bible have a solid foundation.
- Am I adhering to the fixed standard of God’s Word in every area of my life?
- Have I made a rock-solid commitment to that standard – one that I will never budge from?
If your answer is yes to these questions, prepare yourself for the possibility of being misunderstood in this life. The world may accuse you of being antisocial, contrary, noncompliant, intolerant, narrow-minded, nonconformist, inflexible, obstinate, and uncompromising. Regardless, stick with your commitment. Refuse to be contaminated by the spirit of the age.
- Be careful about what you allow in through you ears.
In this chapter, I noted that scientific studies reveal that the use of profanity produces profane behaviors. Society today is inundated with foul language. Unfortunately, people hear so much of it that what was once shocking no longer has the same shock effect. Whether we realize it or not, we have become desensitized.
Evaluate yourself honestly:
- What do I do when I hear foul language?
- Do I diminish its significance and pass it off, almost as unnoticed? Or does it grieve me to hear offensive words and nasty speech that should not be tolerated?
- Am I able to sit through foul language in a movie or television program without being deeply disturbed by it? Or do I get up and leave or change the channel to avoid letting that filth into my ears?
- Be careful what you allow in through your eyes.
As we discussed, Lot saw so much wickedness that transpired around him on a regular basis that he became numb and hardened to the evil that his eyes continually beheld. In fact, he became so calloused in his heart that he was able to live in the midst of it for an extended period of time. But the Bible says that by persistently hearing and seeing wrong images, he eventually vexed his righteous soul.
This word “vexed” is a translation of the Greek word basanidzo, which is the Greek word for torture. By constantly seeing sin all around him—and accommodating what he knew to be wrong—Lot subjected his mind and soul to unrelenting torment, which eventually reached the point of inner torture.
Especially in these last days, we must be careful what we allow in through your eyes. The devil wants to wage warfare against you—and if you allow evil images into your head through your eyes, you will open the gates for the enemy to attack you in your mind. What you look at has consequences, so be careful about what you allow in through your eyes.
- What do the films and the TV programs I’ve been watching say about my commitment to God and His Word?
- Be careful to spiritually lead your family and children.
The Bible clearly forecasts that the home will come under assault in the last days. It even forecasts an unusual period when children will become unpersuadable, uncontrollable, inconvincible, or unable to be led. Parents will feel the loss of ability to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over their own children. But that doesn’t have to be true of you!
Since we know a day is coming when children will deny their parents’ right to lead them and will even assert their rights to make decisions for themselves without parental influence or intervention, we must take steps now to safeguard our homes to make sure this does not affect us.
The Bible categorically tells us that an assault on the home will occur in the last days.
Peg singing Jesus We Love You, You Are the One Our Heart Adore
Pastor Ray…
Something that caused me to make a change even before I even knew about being born again. Being raised in a denomination, I never even heard about being born again. But I knew right from wrong. I was listening to the wrong music on the radio, not even thinking about what they were saying. I just thought, “that’s just a nice melody.” But one song that just made me turn the channel was, I’m on the Highway to Hell by AC/DC! I mean, I’d hear that and think, “I’m not on the Highway to Hell, and I don’t want to be!”
But if you will listen to the Holy Spirit, He’ll steer you and your family clear of those things that are designed to steal, kill, and destroy so you and your loved ones can be whole, healthy, and happy in this critical hour. As you make God’s Word your priority and the Lord your refuge, you and your family will be safeguarded, even in the midst of these tumultuous times.
- How often do I read the Bible to my children or with my family?
- How often do I pray with my family?
- How often do I take time to help family members think through difficult subjects and see what the Scriptures say on important topics?
- Be careful not to give way to a spirit of fear.
As noted above, shrinking in fear in the face of all that is happening in the culture around you is not the correct response. Instead of running for cover, you need to realize that this may be your greatest hour to help people around you who are in need.
Pastor Ray interjected: You can see that even when people are all masked up, cleansed up, they are still in fear. When I walk down the isles at the store you can see they are in fear. We do what we need to do but if you are driving alone in your car with a mask on? Sometimes when it’s really cold outside the mask feels good on and then I get in the car and forget to take it off. I go, “get that thing off of me!” (Laughing)
As part of a healthy self-examination, ask yourself:
- Am I being proactive in sharing God’s truth and light, or am I afraid to step out because of possible retribution?
- Do I find myself cowering in fear from what is happening in the world, or am I taking the posture that I can shine light into the darkness to help others find truth and freedom?
Pastor Ray interjected: No, we do not cower in fear. Pastor Mac said it, “keep looking up,” and “Know who are you in Christ?”
I know some people have misinterpreted what he said, “Well, Pastor Mac said it doesn’t matter who is the President.” He didn’t say it doesn’t matter. He said it doesn’t matter if you’re looking up, from where all of your help comes from. There is no man or woman that will bring America to a great awakening. It’s only the presence of God… Period. So, let’s be careful not to misinterpret. The point was, we’re not looking to man.
Wherever we are, we can lift people up out of the doldrums. We see things. We know things. You can sense in your spirit what somebody might be going through if fear is operating. So, let’s take the posture that we can shine light right into the darkness and help others find the truth and freedom.
- What am I doing to help others? How am I becoming an instrument that brings healing and restoration to those who have been hurt by our times?
Pastor Ray…
Thank You, Lord. We praise, worship, and honor You.
He doesn’t want us to just barely survive. He wants us up, moving higher all the time; one degree of glory to another. Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord. We worship and honor You. We magnify You.
Peg led us singing in tongues…
Pastor Ray…
While you were singing, I saw the plans of the enemy were laid out in the open for all the world to see— not cowering or hiding or trying to deceive but just flat out in the face of the world, in the face of the Church.
I saw it just like a flash. It was those plans, they were stuck down into a drain and it happened to be hooked up to a garbage disposal. And by the Spirit, we flipped that switch on and those things were ground up and disappeared down the drain! Over!
And many of the accusing words: we’re going to do this or we’re going to do that or we’re coming against you—they will come to nothing!
Many of the things that look like all H.E.L.L. is breaking out… We declare today, “All Heaven is breaking out!”
And the glory of God will manifest. Especially, in our own nation, The United States of America! In our country. This is our land. These are our states! In Jesus’ name!
We’re not going down. We’re not going the opposite that we should go. But we by the power of the Holy Ghost, as the Church rises up, and it is rising up and I believe in Jesus’ name it will rise up much, much further and greater and faster in these days. So, what the enemy meant for evil, will be turned right around and God will use it for His own good!
Open, open, open. (tongues) Thank You, Father! Thank You, Lord! No, the Church is not winding down. It’s winding up. The Church is not stepping away, the Church is stepping in. And there’s more glory as we read right at the beginning, the glory of God shall be poured out on all flesh in the last days—in the times, the days, the weeks, and the months we’re living in. Hallelujah!
Peg led us singing We Lift Our Eyes to You
Pastor Ray…
We do look up. We lift our hands. We trust in you. We rely on You, Lord. You’re our help today. You’re our help tomorrow. It’s working. You’re working. Your Word is working.
Changes and turns, rearranging, opening doors of opportunity and closing doors the enemy tried to bring toward you and toward me. No! No! No! in Jesus’ name! No weapon formed against us shall prosper but we prosper in what we put our hands as members of the body. As children of the King of kings, what we put our hands to, we prosper! We prosper! Hallelujah!
Prayer Petition for Revival:
Lord, the heathen peoples, those outside of covenant with You, have thronged tumultuously together. They have plotted a vain and empty thing against You, Lord, and against Your Anointed. But You, Lord, have said that the plots and plans of the wicked shall come to nothing. We believe Your Word, Lord, so we do not fear them, for by Your power and Anointing they are bread for us. Their defense and shadow of protection has departed from them; but You, our God, are with us, and we are well able to go up and take the Promised Land, which You have destined for Your blessing. You, Lord, have covered our heads in the day of battle, and you do not grant the desires of the wicked. You allow the evil of their own lips to cover them, and You do not allow a slanderer to be established in the earth. Our eyes are upon You, oh God the Lord, and in You we take refuge. You keep us from the snares they have laid for us, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity. You let the wicked fall into their own nets, while Your people escape safely. You set a guard, Oh Lord, over our mouths and keep us from practicing wicked works with men who work iniquity. We refuse to eat of their so-called “delicacies” or to take part in their counsel.
We make no friendships with angry men, and we do not learn their ways. We do not envy the violent, and we choose none of their ways. For the way of the wicked is as deep darkness, and they do not know at what they stumble. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that grows brighter and brighter; and by Your Word our path is well-lit, plain, and straight before us. We will set nothing wicked before our eyes. We hate the work of those who fall away from Your ways and Your Word, and it shall not cling to us. A perverse heart will depart from us, and we refuse to know or be acquainted with wickedness. We choose to behave wisely in a perfect way, in Your perfect way, oh God. When will You come to us?
Pastor Ray…
Thank you for filling us. Thank you for a renewal today, a refilling in Jesus’ name. We pull right in. We expect! We pull in like we pull our car into a gas station. We pull into You! We receive from You another filling and another filling and a refueling! Hallelujah! More fire and greater desire for what You want.
The King of kings and the Lord of all lords! Mighty God! Mighty Father! Our friend.
Oh, we love You! We honor You! We magnify You! We stand upon Your Word! We stand on it strong. When we’ve done all, we’ll still stand and stand and stand. We’re strong in You and in the power of Your Might! We’re not going to back off, turn around, or go back! But we’re contending and we will keep on contending and we will keep on moving and pursuing what You’ve called us to do. Hallelujah!
In You we can do all things! In You it’ll work out right! It’ll turn out right! Hallelujah!
Meg singing Waymaker…
Pastor Ray…
Thank You, Lord. Whatever the situations might be, this Wednesday you’re working. You’re working on the left. You’re working on the right. The blood of Jesus causes us to overcome. We use that blood. We are covered in that blood. Made righteous by that blood. And today we overcome through that precious, precious, holy blood of the Lamb.
We thank you, Lord. We’re blessed in this day. Wherever we go, whatever we put out hands onto, there’s prosperity there. We thank You in advance for it in Jesus’ name. Amen.
