Today we continue our series Revival Praying and today we are talking about the power of a thankful heart.

Philippians 4:4-6 (NKJV) “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” With thanksgiving…The Apostle Paul was exhorting us to not be afraid but to pray. How many of you know it is easy with what is going on in our world to be afraid? Paul had learned to be thankful because he knew Jesus could be trusted in all circumstances. 

1. The Lord’s will be done. I have actually heard people say that praying that prayer is a lack of faith and a sign of weakness. What about Jesus? Didn’t He pray that prayer three times in the garden? Matthew 26:42 (NKJV) “He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." I personally do not believe it is a lack of faith but an act of submission. Jesus asked the Father, if it was possible, for Him to be delivered but when He understood it was not to be so…Your will be done. When God’s will is done we can be thankful for sure.

2. Pray in the Spirit (Holy Spirit). Romans 8:26 (NIV) “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” What was Paul saying here. Holy Spirit is available to help us in our weakness, sickness, or adversity. Holy Spirit is available to help us when we do not know what to pray. He intercedes for us. Holy Spirit knows what is in our hearts and will work on our behalf. Holy Spirit prays through us in accordance with God’s will. God, your will be done. Holy Spirit is working with the Father to make sure things turn out for our good. Holy Spirit gives us much to be thankful for in our lives.

3. Prayer with thanksgiving. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV) “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. These verses tie everything together. Your will be done. What’s His will? Rejoicing, praying continuously, giving thanks, and not quenching Holy Spirit. These are keys to bringing God glory. In everything not for everything, give thanks. I didn’t feel led to thank God for being in the hospital, but in my situation, in the hospital, in the harvest field, I felt the need to thank Him. To worship Him. Psalm 105:1(NKJV) “Oh, give thanks to the LORD!” 

Today we continue the series Revival Praying.

 In Isaiah 64:1&7 (NKJV) “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence--And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.” Let’s face it, America cannot fall because she has already fallen. She cannot go into slavery because she is already chained to self-chosen moral anarchy. Sadly there are millions who are diseased morally with no desire for healing and many of them sit on pews or chairs every Sunday filling an obligation but hearts void of Who their Substance is. The Church must stir herself.

1. We must stir ourselves and resist the desire to be lovers of pleasure. The Apostle Paul gives us a stern warning to Timothy that in the last day’s people will turn away from God to go after the things of this life. Leonard Ravenhill (1959) – Since in their freedom men will not heed God, will He have to enslave to Communism the mighty millions of America that they might have time to remember His day, His way, and His Son? Better to die bound in body and free in spirit than free in body and bound in soul! May this never happen to us because we are willing to do Revival Praying and we are willing to stir ourselves to take hold of the One Who has taken hold of us. 

2. We need to stir ourselves to have hearts ablaze. It is time for the church to have burning hearts, anointed lips, and eyes that are full of the glory of God. We have to shake ourselves so that the scales fall off our eyes.    2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV) “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” What gift was Paul speaking about to Timothy? He was talking to Timothy and telling him to be stirred by Holy Spirit Who is dwelling inside of him. Pray in the Spirit.

3. How can we not stir ourselves when we survey His wonderful cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV) “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” We need to, as a church, once again climb up Calvary’s Hill on our knees and survey the wondrous cross in great humility and adoration. How can you consider the cross and not stir yourselves?

In Galatians 6:14&17 (NKJV) “But God forbid that I should boast...

... except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Saul of Tarsus, later to become Paul, was a marked or branded man. As we look into his life and see the total transformation, we can learn much from his words…I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Whatever you think Paul meant by these words, one thing is very clear, he was acknowledging that Christ had ownership of him—body, soul, and spirit. He was branded for Christ from this day forward. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

1. Branded for Christ – I have been crucified with Christ. Other than Jesus, has there ever been a man more branded to a task than the Apostle Paul. Jesus came with singleness of mind to fulfill God’s plan for His life, so did Paul after his conversion. Paul never claimed that what he was preaching was easy but he did declare his love for Christ was a process. Paul said…I die daily. I die to myself every day. 

2. Belonging to Christ – Look at my scars (marks). Notice the word marks in our text. Paul is saying, "I bear in my body the 'marks'" -- the Greek word is stigmata -- meaning 'scar marks.' If you want to see the handwriting of Jesus, look upon Paul's body. 2 Corinthians 11:23-25 (NKJV) “Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep.” A marked man!

3. Burning for Christ – Nothing could put out passion’s flame. Think about how easily people walk away from Christ today but not so with Paul. Oh, that the wondrous flame Paul had might burn within us. Let’s look at this marked little body of Paul and ask what could put out the flame of Holy Spirit? Nothing could!      Romans 8:18 (KJV) “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Paul was looking forward to eternity. God, help us!

I purposely wrote this article (Oct. 28) before the election...

 ...not knowing whether President Trump was re-elected or that former vice-president Joe Biden was voted in because the Word of God is truth and relevant whoever is in office. Romans 13:1-5 (NLT2) “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.” Sometimes these verses are hard to understand and accept as believers because we know the consequences of whichever party gets in. Let’s take God’s Word just for what it says.

1. Those placed in authority have been placed there by God. Therefore, we submit to them. This includes government and church. Don’t forget, even though you voted, God placed them in authority.

2. Those who rebel against the ones God has placed there, will be punished. No one is or will get away with their rebellion or anarchy. Pastor, they are getting away with it. Only temporarily.  

3. Maybe the most difficult to understand whichever camp you are in: The authorities placed in positions of leadership are God’s servants. These verses say they are God’s servants twice. Listen to your pastor, if God can use a donkey, if God can put hooks in the jaws of nations to get them where he wants them to be, then, He can surely use a Republican or Democrat to do His bidding. Yes, even if they are godless. 

Finally, 1 Timothy 2:1-5 (NIV) “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…”  Life Church, this is the Word of God and the Will of God!

Election Day 2020 is this Tuesday November 3...

... and we must pray. Daniel 9 is probably the greatest prayer of repentance in the Old Testament and a good model for us. Please read the whole chapter. Hear Daniel’s confession of sin and repentance. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear! O Lord, act! 

Daniel 9:13-19 (NIV) ¹³  Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.
¹⁴  The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him. ¹⁵  "Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.
¹⁶  O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us. ¹⁷  "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸  Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹  O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name." 

1. The standard of judgment for the people was God’s Word. 

2. The path back to God was repentance. 

3. He prayed and confessed. We have sinned, done wrong, been wicked, rebelled, turned away from your Word, not listened to your prophets, been unfaithful, transgressed, refused to obey, not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 

4. The Lord is righteous in His judgment. We have curses and judgment because of our sin. 

5. The Lord was the One Who brought the disaster. Why? We have not obeyed Him. 

6. We ask God to forgive us, not because we are righteous, but because of His great mercy. 

7. The cry of our hearts today…O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear! O Lord, act! Let’s pray!