For any who are interested, Times Square Church is keeping a [url=http://www.tscnyc.org/events_Fast_for_Prayer_in_the_Square.php]Three Day Fast[url=http://www.nycprayer.org/]Prayer in the Square
In Christ,
Ron
My notes from tonights service...
Tuesday September 1, 2009
Mal_4:5-6 Lord turn the hearts of fathers and children. Stir faith in our hearts to believe in the power of prayer from the weakest of saints.
Remember the last supper, the eve of Christ's betrayal. Study it, study Christ. Giving thanks, breaking bread, washing feet, instructing and encouraging His disciples.
[b]Bringing Revelation to Reality
We come as the body of Christ before the throne, each one identifies with the whole body as Daniel did when he prayed in Dan 9. But remember this is a good day, we are accepted in the beloved, we submit to the Father every hinderance in our hearts to the flow of the life of Christ in and through us.
Mat_17:1-9,14-21 but by prayer and fasting.
Incredible revelation on the mountain. Incredible need and confusion in the valley, yet the disciples powerless to meet it. This is a picture of the church of our time, religious, we've been with Jesus yet powerless. A distorted image of where the power of God lies.
What is hindering us?
1) Ambition and pride - the disciples ask, "who is the greatest?" Mat_18:1 Lord, deliver us from needing the acceptance of men, the lust for success, reputation. Let my name be forgotten, Christ's name exalted. A signpost.
2) Because of your unbelief - Mat_17:20 - a lack of faith in the heart. Revelation must translate into reality. How can I tell my neighbor what I don't really believe myself? We must deal with this.
3) Lack of a proper motive - Mat_14:14 - our motives must be from a heart of compassion, from the very heart of God in Christ. We must be moved with compassion for those who have no Shepherd.
4) Not seeking God in earnest - Mat_17:20-21 - This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting, this speaks of a depth of seeking God, of vigilance and diligence, whole-heartedness. It's much more than just fasting and praying, it's coming to God in earnest, absolute surrender to his purpose and will. I'm not gonna say it can't be done. For His glory, for the love of God and others.
Wednesday September 2, 2009
[b]When Wells Dry Up and Birds Fly Away
1Ki_17:1 - the rain brought personal prosperity through the crops it produced. This was the religion of Baal, a god of prosperity. God had to withhold the rain to prove the falsehood of this religion that was focused on self.
Elijah as a type of church life. Like Elijah, we will have to go through the drought and trust in God's provision.
1Ki_17:2-3 - a place of cool water and food to eat for Elijah in the midst of drought, supernatural provision. Did Elijah think maybe he was just going to ride out the storm there?
1Ki_17:7 - suddenly the brook dried up. God was taking him deeper. A widow to sustain him? When Elijah arrives she has nothing to sustain him. The sustenance comes from God when we reach out to the widow and her son with the heart of God.
1Ki_17:12-16 - Elijah taught her the true principle of God's supply, you reach out and give to others first. Seek ye first the kingdom of God...Lord fill our hearts with faith and compassion to reach out to the hungry souls around us in the days ahead.
1Ki_17:17-24 - like this widow's son, we have a generation of children who must be raised from the dead, a generation without hope. We must speak life into this death, they need an ancounter with the living God. We must be a church endowed with spiritual authority to speak to this generation. Call out to God, He will come, devils will flee.
1Ki_18:19-40 Mt. Carmel, God confronts a false religious system. Elijah builds an altar only so that the people's hearts might be turned back to God. God's glory falls, people cry out, "the LORD, He is God." We've got to build an altar, we've got to reach this generation for Christ.
This is great, I hope many can tune in tonight.
Thursday September 3, 2009
Psalm 107 - Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Luk_11:5-13 - midnight, a dark time. I'm asking for 3 loaves,
the love of God in my heart,
the salvation of God over sin,
the power of the Holy Spirit to minister life.
And I'm not going to go away until I receive, until I find, and until a door is opened.
Take God at His word, come and ask, believing. Come before the throne in the name of Jesus Christ to receive grace to help in time of need. We've got to simply chose to believe in God. "how much more" will your Father give to those who ask.
Daniel 10 - a man who could have enjoyed the best of the kingdom of Persia chose to humble himself in the sight of the Lord. An angel came and said...
Dan_10:12 - do not fear, when you first began to fast and pray your words were heard.
Dan_10:13 - we are fighting a real war and the prayer of faith gets the attention of the devil because the power of heaven is at work. This humbling and praying makes a huge difference in the war, our prayer is no trivial thing.
Dan_10:19 - oh man greatly beloved, God is with you in this battle. take courage, don't be afraid, don't listen to the lie of the enemy that you can't do this. Don't listen to his lie that you are not worthy to stand in the battle.
Dan_1:1 - God tells us His plan, we have the pattern of Scripture. No matter how deep the battle, hold on to His word.
What a blessed time of prayer and fasting, thank you Lord!
Today's message from Carter Conlon may have been a kind of continuation of the above, but as a standalone message to Christians around the world, as well as to the 'American cultural church', it was very challenging.
I hope it can be posted here, as well as in the Conlon archive. It has dawned on me slowly, that the AoG in the UK has fallen for this version of religion, so please pray for me this week as I begin to work with two of the office-bearers in my local AoG church, to bring them to an understanding of what is going on, and how far it is leading them from truly biblical Christianity. (Apparently, the retired pastor, now an elder, when challenged by a Bible-believing flock member recently, on the departure from previously biblical practice, said, 'Things are different now'. By this, I know how much trouble we're in, because this is a man who preaches truth, is gifted as an evangelist, and healing follows his prayers for it; people receive the Holy Spirit and gifts when he prays - yet 'doctrine' and whether it matters or not, is under continuous pressure from the platform.)
For refreshing context, Paul Washer's interview with Cameron Beutel, is worth hearing (sermonaudio).
Ah! Today's sermon has just been posted on tscnyc.org.
[edit: duplicate]
Yesterday, my meeting with an elder and a pastor - hopefully, only first of several such - went well (from my point of view), but, I don't yet know if there will be the necessary sequels.
Thank you to all who prayed for us.
I do believe God has His hand on the people in this AoG church, for the sake of those there who know Him.
oops.. didn't see this post until now. Didn't mean to split up this topic. Let me know moderators if you want me to post my message within this same thread.
by the way, pray our church can somehow webcast this. We currently don't have internet access at the building but we are looking to get access temporarily. A neighbor in the complex might help us out. We'll see...
UPDATE: At the regularly held, TSC-hosted prayer meeting (every 2nd Wednesday of the month) attended by pastors from NY City and surrounding areas, Pastor Carter announced that about 300 churches have already registered to gather in Times Square on September 20. Students from 100 universities and colleges will join the live webcast which starts at 2PM. And people/churches from at least 30 countries will also join in.
A 2 minute video is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pn3Nb99iyw
The messages during the Fast days (1st, 2nd and 3rd September,2009, interspersed by praying elders), are now available for download on the Sermons page of [url=www.tscnyc.org]www.tscnyc.org
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