Tuesday, November 17, 2020

#73 God Needs You to Prepare His Way

   Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- "A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

   And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken' " (Isa. 40:3-5). 

(Google image, The weighty glory of God,  ["To deny God is to deny reality and to live in a world of illusion, a world of one’s own making."]

Our Greatest Need

   Our nation needs a great spiritual awakening to sweep across our land. Our people have largely forgotten God. Sin, violence, and crime are destroying the potential of our civilization. Our literature, our language, and our media have been polluted.

   Our youth are growing up with very little awareness or knowledge of God. For at least a generation or two, many families have been almost godless.

   While thousands of us call ourselves "born-again evangelicals," we are making far too little impact on our educational system, our government, and our society. We as a people need to return to God. 

   When will God send new reformation, new spiritual awakening, and such a movement of God's Spirit that multitudes turn to God? When? Only when we prepare the way of the Lord.

   During past decades, nation after nation across our world has been taken over by militant atheism in the form of communism. Then when communism has consolidated its power, it begins to restrict the church and to attack religion, evangelism, and mission work.

   In many Islamic nations, alarmed by the spread of secularism and materialism, Islam and other ancient religions are awakening, and religious fanaticism is increasing. The church is often subject to pressure and sometimes to attack and terror.

   Given these conditions, how is the church to advance across our world, reaching our generation for God? How are the unreached peoples of the world to hear the gospel when necessary visais for Christian workers and missionaries are so difficult to obtain? 

   How are small groups of believers to be established in hostile environments? There must be an adequate team of prayer warriors preparing the way, covering the gospel workers, believers, and ministry.

   If we want to see closed areas open, the absolutely essential preparation is massed, militant prayer. If we want to see great harvest and spiritual revival, our greatest need is for great praying. This is the message of Isaiah for today: "Prepare the way of the Lord!" 

  (Chapter 21, pp. 159-160, italics added for emphasis)



Used by permission 
of the Duewel Literature Trust, Inc,
Greenwood, Indiana
Available by phone
317-881-6755, ext, 361

Let's pray- 

     "Father, thank You for loving me. Please help me walk in obedience to Your commands and live my life in a way that pleases You. I really do want to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and a prayer warrior. Right now, I surrender all that I am to You and ask for Your blessings in my life.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen"

"Prayer is communication with God, a heart-to-heart conversation with Him. Prayer is our source of power and strength. And we need to stay plugged into that source.

When we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and seek to obey His commands, we can come before God in confidence, knowing He wants to pour out His blessings on our life. He is waiting. We just need to ask." 

Mary Southerland


Today's Bible verses-

        1 John 3:21-23 (NIV) “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” 

        John 14:13 (NCV) "And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son."


Quote for today-

 Sharon Jaynes- "You will not become more courageous and learn to live boldly by avoiding your fears. Courage based on the faithfulness and love of God is strengthened with every step of faith, no matter how small. Write the letter. Start the conversation. Sign up to volunteer. Create the blog. Make the donation. Mend a relationship. Each step of obedience creates momentum that breaks through the stronghold of fear."


Words of wisdom-

~ When something ails you, do you ask for a friend to pray with you? That is what church is for. When we lose our grip on life, let's ask Jesus to help bring things together, and then reach out to someone to pray with/for us.


Today's guest post-

No Concerns




Valorie Fant- "The sun had barely peeked over the clouds when I woke to the sound of my cell phone pinging.

My son had just sent a text with an attached photo of his two-year-old daughter. She was sleeping peacefully in her bed, completely unaware of the world surrounding her—oblivious her father lovingly looked over her and took her picture."


Today's question-


            When do folks not appreciate some actions of Christians?


   When the Apostle Paul cast out the demon from the girl who was following them, claiming that they were messengers from God for several days, is one instance. (Acts 16). Those who benefited financially from her ability to discern spirits were upset, as they lost their income from Paul's action.

   When Christians call on the Lord to deliver someone from demonic control today, there will be some folks who'll become upset about the changes in folks from their bad behavior, as it brings conviction on those who knew them. Others will be delighted, and even be drawn to Christ through it.

   Paul saw darkness and confronted it. We will also see darkness to confront. Will we be faithful to speak out against it in the power and name of Jesus? That's what we're given authority to do. Prayer and praise follows the activities of born-again believers, just as Paul and those who were with him did in the jailhouse. Their actions of faith and praise even led others to faith in Christ. 

   May we follow their example to react to darkness, and to confront it in Jesus' name, to see folks set free and to allow Him to minister to them and those watching. Our part is to be obedient to the call on our lives to do what we see needs done, leaving the consequences up to Jesus, trusting that He'll use our efforts to further His kingdom in the midst of apparent darkness.

   Do you have a ministry that glorifies Jesus? Dedicate it to Him to make advancements in the darkness, claiming souls for Him. Praise the Lord for opportunities to confront the darkness, and trust Him to deliver those who're bound in Satan's lies and control.



The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15.

Our pastors' recorded daily devotions are available too. 

Check out the livestream with this link: https://www.cfconline.org/

You can view past services too.


Upcoming posts-

       #74 Our Greatest Hope

19th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

           All-Sufficient, All the Time

21st- Saturday's post by Arthur Jackson

     #75 Why Is Preparation Necessary?

24th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

      #76 How You Can Prepare the Way of the Lord

26th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel


     

     

     





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