The Passing of My Brother

Thy Word, O God, is a swift sword

You shall fight against your enemies

with the double edged sword proceeding from your mouth

Your Name, O God, is exalted above all

You are Redeemer, Creator, Lord of all

To thee shall I go in time of need

Thee only shall I seek in distress

Thou hidest my soul in the cleft of the Rock

Thou dost cover me in the shelter of thy wings

You, O God, shall I worship

Your name, O God, do I praise

I received the news yesterday of my brother's passing. I stood stunned. I thought, "To whom shall I go? Who will care?"

I have tried to tell him the Gospel, though he did not seem to receive it. I certainly prayed for him, nearly 32 years. But there is that great, precious promise, "Whatsoever ye shall ask, in my name, that will I do for you, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

I've asked for his salvation. You gave the promise. It is your will that all men come to repentance and be saved. I lift mine eyes unto Thee, O God.

Before sleep sank me into unconsciousness, I was praying for those ministries and saints who benefit from this post. I had previously been meditating on Moses' ministry. English scholars would have referred to him as a Christ type because he was as God to the people.

We consider Moses to be a super prophet. The fact is, we are to be as Moses to the people we know. We are called to draw nigh unto God into the thick darkness where God is. We are called to bring the Word of God to the people we have about us. We are called to be as Moses unto the God of Heaven and He will be God unto us.

He has called us out of darkness into His glorious light. He has called us out from among defiling spirits; out of religion; out from the world.

Ask Much

Thou, O Lord, our dwelling place

We, in prayer, do seek thy face

unworthy servants we humbly be

Yet with thy blood thou has redeemed

Laws demands we could not meet

But Jesus' blood thou didst esteem

Into the holiest thou dost invite

Sinless we thou dost now deem.

You have promised, O Lord, you will do for us whatever we ask, in thy name,

that you may bring glory to the Father.

Amazing! You bring glory to the Father when you do whatever we ask (Jn. 14.13). We ask in your name, according to your will so your kingdom will come because we have your mind (1 Co. 2.16).

Your Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, causing us to have the mind of Christ (Jn. 16.13).

May we ask much, in prayer, for you, Jesus, to bring much glory to the Father.

God is Infinitely Forgiving

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him (Ha. 2.20).

We shall never take lightly the presence of the Lord. The building we designate as His house should never be considered something as common. Neither should the true temple of the Lord be lightly considered. God's name represents who He is. His name represents His presence.

"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain (Ex. 20.7)."

I must ask myself, "Do I have respect for the temple of the Living God? Do I recognize the full power of God rests within? Do I despise the work of God if the appearance of His temple does not meet my specifications?"

Beloved, I find myself not only halting to consider the blood of Jesus and His work at Calvary and myself as one "scarcely saved (1 Pe. 4.18)," I also agree with His Spirit I must repent for considering less of His presence that I ought.

His presence is found within every believer. Almighty God has made His dwelling within men. Should we not afford Him the respect of His ark, temple, dwelling place He deserves. Do the heathen have greater respect for the shrines of their idols?

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own (1 Co. 6.19)?

Folks, the Bible insists the full power of God is in His inheritance, the saints.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places (Ep. 1.18-20).

Please read the passage carefully. Compare with other versions. The importance here is astounding. I took this to prayer. Now I must say to you, "Consider the greatness of His power in you, that power which was wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead."

There is no greater power than that which lies within you and within other believers. The tragic thing is, we are either ignorant of that, being taught by those who don't believe or we simply trust more in academic bile of the last century. Even the seminaries have fallen prey to the same anti Christ spirit.

The fact is, I need to repent for I have considered His great power in the saints as something to be scoffed. Does the whole Church need to repent or am I the only one to whom this revelation is given. Is it something only I have overlooked? I know the mocking I have received of many churches in this area. I am aware of the scoffing of others. I come before our Holy God and ask, "Is what I have sensed an area I need to repent of and is my sensitivity in this simply a thorn to cause me not to be exalted but to draw nigh unto thee? Thy grace shall be sufficient in my weakness."

The Altar of Prayer

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand (Re. 8.3-4).

On the Day of Atonement the Golden Altar of Incense was moved from the Holy Place to the Holy of Holies. This signifies the transition from our having to worship afar off to the veil being rent and our freedom to boldly approach the Throne of Grace.

The shedding of blood was a necessity for us to be redeemed and become able to enter the Holy of Holies. Our response is to come before Him with fear and trembling (cf.: Ph. 2.5-13). As I've written before, if we fear God, we will not fear man. I halt here, for the blood of Jesus has paid our price. Thank Yeshua and praise Him forever.

The time is perilous. Notice current events. The world is forever changed and increasingly dangerous. Don't think for a moment the efforts of unredeemed man exist for your good. The Bible declares, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2. Ti. 3.13)." The remaining things for us is to be used of God for men's salvation. That is why Jesus told us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done."

There is some talk about transitioning to the next dimension in God in order to impact the earth. I know what you're thinking. "MY church don't never say nuthin' about impacting no earth." Okay, Connecticut is the uttermost end of the earth and hasn't learned about the will of Christ (which is why we must be about the Father's work of putting burning prayer upon the altar). Other parts of the Church are asking the question of transition to the next dimension that His Kingdom come.

The incense is offered with our prayers which ascend as a sweet smelling savor before God. Any work to be done in the name of Christ without that burning prayer as the foundation will be work of the flesh and a stench before Almighty God. I minister to senior citizens who either can't get out at all or, if they can, have little physical impact in society. The thing they can do is pray. That is much more effective than the work of skilled architects, builders, machine operators or the strongest laborers. We too, must take the position as those confined to a chamber before the Lord of lords to just be with Him.

The Golden Altar of Incense has transitioned to the place before the Throne of the Almighty. Our part in this next dimension in God is first, to offer much prayer, which burns in the Father's heart, upon the Golden Altar, the Altar of Prayer.

The Lord's Promise to Answer Prayer

In seeking the face of Almighty God in prayer, I find myself interceding for a group of neighbors I meet with monthly. Some in this group believe in New Age spirituality, some are Catholic, some agnostic and others atheistic.

I believe those people are my neighbors in order to have their names written in Heaven. Two people, speaking for this group, insist I speak no longer in the name of Jesus. I must be tolerant of other religions (though that doesn't stop the most foul talk from proceeding out of the mouths of those seated near me). In short, Jesus is not allowed.

When asked to give the invocation, I imagine many think I'm indicating they are going to hell.

If I were to insist they are going to hell, I'd not be believing in my intercession and the Lord's promise to answer my prayer. I have asked the Father to cause each person to draw near to Jesus and be saved safe within Him. I've asked the Father to ensure their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. I've stood before the Father and stand now with chutzpah, brazenly stating Jesus' promise, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you (Jn. 16.23).

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Mt. 7.7,8).

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven (Mt. 18.19).

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Mt. 21.22).

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you (Mk. 11.24).

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Lk. 11.9).

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (Jn. 14.13).

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you (Jn. 15.7,16).

"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you (Jn. 16.23).

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (1 Jn. 5.14,15)."

My case has been made, O Lord. Your promises are cast in the framework of eternity. Yeshua came to seek and to save that which was lost (LK. 19.10). I'm asking you now, O Father, to save those people for whom I have been interceding. You have stated, it is not your will any should perish but all come to repentance (2 Pe. 3.9).

I stand before you, Father, washed in the blood of Jesus with Jesus as my advocate (1 Jn. 2.1) who is seated at thy right hand ever living to make intercession for me and is completely able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him (He. 7.25). He is at your right hand, O God, interceding for me (Ro. 8.34). What is more, the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for me in groanings that cannot be uttered (Ro. 8.26).

I have the perfect case for the fact the names of those for whom I intercede must be in Heaven: Your Word and Your Promises, O God.

No one comes to the You but by Jesus (J. 14.6) and no one can come to Jesus except You draw him (Jn. 6.44). You will draw those for whom I have interceded and you must draw them for you will never go against your Word.

Now unto Him who liveth forever and ever with no beginning of days nor end of years,

The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End

In whom time is but a drop in the ocean of eternity

and eternity is but a wisp of vapor within God's permission,

Be all praise and worship. Amen.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

- Walter C. Smith (1867)

Today's Burden

Does anyone, in today's church, talk about the wonders of our Lord or do we say, "Hush! We must not

make mention of name of the LORD (Am. 6.10)."

O, Living God, help me to fear thee. Help me to know thy fear. I will fear no other.

Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread

(Is. 8.13).

In these perilous times, I find myself drawing ever so much nearer our LORD. Indeed, I should tremble, as I see so many simply getting used to the noose the Prince of the Air draws about our necks (that metaphor comes from a fellow truck driver who knows not the LORD). There are so man Christians and non Christians alike, who are engrossed in the world, are getting used to the loss of freedoms and the trampling of the Constitution.

Our Constitution, nation and freedom therein is from God and for the proclamation of the Gospel. Check the quotes of the founding fathers. That is what the United States became a nation for. The enemy took liberty to slip in with his chief spirit, Greed and cause all manner of perversion (that's just a side note).

Let me ask, are you aware of the perilousness of the times? Do you realize we have an enemy or are you just waiting for the rapture and trust God will keep you?

What about that truck driver and others like him? I will witness to him and spend significant time in intercession for him.

Surely, there are people in your sphere of influence I trust you are interceding for and when they least suspect it, you will give them a word which will burn in their hearts leading them to repentance and belief in the Gospel.

O saint reading this post, the last statement refers to you who know and are aware of the time. I'm, in effect, preaching to the choir. Maybe more correctly, I'm one of the congregation preaching to the preacher.

I just started writing a word to encourage those who are lukewarm, yet I know such a word goes unheeded, at least in Connecticut.

So I encourage you, beloved, keep seeking God, let Him be your fear, let Him be your dread. As such, you will have no fear of man nor the perilousness of the times. Pray for me to be instant, in season, out of season when those unsaved men complain about the noose tightening. Then I can be there with a word from heaven, when they least suspect. Faith will come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. They simply need Almighty God.

Here's a quote I find appropriate to today's burden:

The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we should see all the power of our enemies restrained. The Lord, who will be a Sanctuary to those who trust in him, will be a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an offence to us, they will undo us.

- Matthew Henry

Ultimate Reality

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Pa. 103. 1,2)

Today, we're almost past the holidays. We head into the time when the worldliness of day to day living can become wearisome: Work, bills, auto repairs, those things reminding us we are on the earth, more bills, etc. We can say, "it is the dead of winter and I sense the pressure of a world against me."

I make no escape from reality or responsibility. I prefer to look to whom is the ultimate reality. To do otherwise is idolatry. Dare I be consumed in the mundane when God commands us to seek His face (Ps. 27.8)? God declares He is God, "beside me I know no other Savior (Is. 43.11)."

The Psalms is a book rich, among other things, in theology. We read of His might:

For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD (Ps. 89.6)?

He is a God to be feared and revered:

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him (Ps. 89.7).

He is immutable:

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth (Ps. 119. 89,90).

He is holy:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel (Ps. 22.3).

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever (Ps. 93.5).

With such a wonderful God, we must say:

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118.24).

The Altar of Incense

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (Ja. 5.16).

As I read passages on prayer, I recognize what great power we have therein. Yet I find it quite difficult to get to the place of fervent prayer. It makes so much sense (difficulty in prayer). Prayer deals utter defeat to the devil. If he can keep us from effectual, fervent prayer, we are diminished in damaging his efforts. When I pray diligently in secret, those seasons of prayer shared with such mundane activities as jogging, walking the dog, processing firewood, making breakfast, etc. are so much more meaningful. Quite simply, also, diligent, fervent prayer in private is underscored by the most powerful prayer I have with Linda.

Prayer in a believer's life is offered on a heavenly altar. That prayer ascends as incense to our Lord. Shouldn't we keep much incense continually ascending before Him?

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

⁴And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

⁵And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake (Re. 8.3-5).

I would like to be responsible for an appreciable amount of incense in that golden censer.

I've noticed a few things about most houses of worship, lately. There are neither altar nor encouragement to pray. I believe the altar is symbolic of the furniture in the holy place where our prayers are offered as incense, a sweet smelling savor to our Lord. Prayer is not effectively encouraged nor taught by those whose lives are not immersed therein. Should time with our Lord be not compromised, indeed, recognized and practiced as the most important activity in life? Sadly, I find few who share that belief. Truly, what better thing can there be than an audience with the Most High God? Hence, we no longer see the altar existent in many churches. Neither do we hear messages burning from the heart concerning prayer.

There is, however, an altar our Lord put in your heart. That altar is in the holiest place and in heaven too.

Beloved, walk in the Spirit (stay on the mercy seat, underneath the protection of His wings) and ye will not do the deeds of the flesh.

Thorn in the Flesh

In 1993, I was gathering firewood, in the rough, off the edge of my lawn. Eventually, in reaching down, I would get a pricker in my finger. Tough as I am, a few of those by the end of the day caused me to not ignore them. After extracting them, I thought, so small a piece of wood, lodged where it ought not, caused so great a discomfort.

I knew God had a prophetic message concerning this beyond the wisdom of wearing gloves though I was unable to articulate it.

²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

⁶For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

"Of such an one I will glory . . .(v. 5a)"

This is where I run into problems: Thinking too much of myself, even glorying in the work God has done in me leaves me open for the attack of the enemy. I must quickly catch my error and focus on the Mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul catches himself and writes, ". . . yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities (5b)."

Paul was caught up into the third heaven and, no doubt, saw glory, perhaps his own. Consider how unthinkable it is for a man in Christ to utter such things. The glory of Christians to come belongeth not to us now. What belongs to us now is life on this terrestrial plane while seeking Him who is Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes.

Should I seek after my own glory, comfort and gratification, I should, in God's infinite mercy, become more aware of the weakness of the flesh as the discomfort of something of the world lodged therein.

Things of the world have no place in my flesh. Seeking the glory, gratification, and comfort of the world have no place in the life of the spiritual man.

We will be glorified. That is a promise. We are to seek not our glorification but the glory of God. In seeking God's glory, we begin to see His goodness. We begin to see His mercy and everlasting kindness.

Though the flesh desires to glory, we are always brought back to the weakness of it in comparison to the goodness and mercy of God. That is our place as we learn to reign with Him. We are with Christ in the School of Prayer (I refer you to the work of Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, 1887) as long as we stay on the mercy seat.

The cross! The place the Prince of Glory died. 'Twas there my sins were crucified. Then buried He with all my sin. From the grave He arose leaving thence my sin. The cross and mercy seat are the place where I receive mercy and grace to help in a time of need. Over the mercy seat, with wings out stretched are the cherubim that cover.

Should I depart from the mercy seat, it would be to glory in my flesh. Yet I am purchased by God and will be brought back to the mercy seat, if indeed, by the messenger of Satan. The lesson is painful, a thorn in the flesh, yet because of God's grace I may return to the mercy seat and abide under the covering of His wings.

He Attends our Prayer

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me (Ps. 66. 19, 20).

God does not turn the prayer away of those who pray according to His will. We have the promise of having the mind of Christ. Our thoughts will be as His very own thoughts as we seek His face, behold and draw nigh unto Him. Our affections will be as the affections of Christ and thus, we will pray for those things He would pray for.

The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit maketh intercession for us in groanings which cannot be uttered. We are further told Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us. So as we attempt to draw close to God, He is perfecting our prayer by the Holy Spirit, interceding for us and transfiguring us into His likeness and glory.

Thus, He attends to our prayer in mercy. He will not turn our prayer away for we have become unified with Him.

The Cross be Gain

All I owe

to Him who died

who saved my soul

Christ crucified

No Saviour known

but Jesus Christ

I'll take the cross

for He's my life

the world be loss

the cross be gain

Jesus my Lord

who bore my pain

And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and [in his] Father's, and of the holy angels. (Lk. 9.23-26)?

Let my motivation, O Lord, be correct. May I be crucified with you and truly live. I take up not my cross to obtain heaven, but because thou has written my name in glory, I take up my cross. You lead me, O Lord, to serve you for I, of myself, know not how to serve you. In me, I have no good thing. Thus, service of my own contrivance is fleshly work and certainly dead.

Since what is in me is no good, I need the cross and must die daily. As I crucify the flesh, you, O Lord, take over causing me to become more like you.

Thank you, Lord, for your Word and your Holy Ghost who dwells in me.

We Must Bless the Lord

Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (Mt. 21.9).

I was greatly blessed, one day, to pray with Pastor David Davis. What a man of prayer! The Lord works mightily through those vessels who allow Him.

Of the things he said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near (Mk. 13.28)"

The fact is the tree, Israel, has put forth leaves, her branch is tender and there is fruit thereon. In Israel and all over the Mideast, men are shouting, "Hosanna to the King!"

That is a fulfillment of prophecy in particular. Now the Lord tarries only that more may be saved and enter into His Kingdom. We, therefore, must do all He will lead us to do, yea, even plead with Him, the Almighty King to cause us to do His will for His Kingdom to come. My prayer is for the salvation of those around me. "Help me, O God, to intercede for all those I see and speak to. It is your business, O Lord, to answer prayer and see to it the angels are dispatched to minister to those for whom I pray. Father, you are the One who draws all men to Jesus, so I ask you to draw those whom I have prayed for unto the Lord Christ. It is your will, Heavenly Father, none should perish but all come to righteousness. I have prayed for them and you promised to give me whatsoever I ask in prayer. I believe you have given them as my inheritance for you said, 'Ask of me and I shall give unto thee the heathen for thine inheritance.' Thou, Almighty God, will work all things together for the good of them that love you and are called according to your purpose. Use my voice, words, and acts to win the lost for thee. May all those I pray for proclaim, 'Hosanna, in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

C.T. Studd wrote, "I met with a track written by an atheist. It read as follows: "Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labour in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of Eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand nor seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its grief's, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone, and on the Immortal Souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season and my text would be, "WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOOSE HIS SOUL?"

I asked the question of a church, “How can I be a blessing?” I pray, “Lord, help me be a blessing to your Church?” This morning, as I awoke singing, “Glory to the Lord God Almighty, the earth is filled with your glory,” I thought, “We are to bless the Lord. How can we be blessing to the Lord?” We are to sing, “Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord.” Yet that statement comes from Jesus’ prophecy about Israel, which is now being fulfilled. That thought brings me to the scourging tract above.

Once again, my question, “How shall I bless the Lord?”

The most perilous journey

The most perilous journey is that which is embarked upon from a neglected or non existent prayer closet.

The enemy will stop at nothing short of keeping men from the prayer closet.

The enemy may suggest you should depart for a time and approach such an important matter with a fresh mind.

He may convince you that prayer is best approached later in the day. Certainly, when that time arrives, there are too many matters that must be attended. Prayer is best done when all is quiet and relaxed. When bed time arises, tiredness will do prayer no justice. Prayer would be better accomplished with a fresh mind in the morning.

The enemy had successfully convinced me to stay away from the prayer closet for 14 years.

That was the most perilous journey.

It was God's grace and mercy I had not been killed in that time. Indeed, I had several brushes with death. I nearly lost my family and everything I owned. Certainly, I lost my integrity.

God, who loved me, in spite of me, humbled me.

In humility and contrition, I may now frequent His presence. That is the most important thing to me . . . His presence.

Don't neglect the prayer closet. Doing so sets one on the most perilous journey.

Thy Precious Blood

Thy precious blood

that crimson flood

cleansed me within

of vilest sin

Nailed to the tree

Thou cursed of me

And there crucified

Thy blood applied

Praise Jesus' name

His matchless name

Lamb on the throne

whose blood atoned

We can draw nigh

His pierced side

Fire Upon the Altar

The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out (Le. 6. 13).

I was studying Leviticus and came to the above Scripture. Verse 13 struck me. A solemn duty of those in leadership is to keep the fire fed. The fuel is wood. What relation that has to fear of God, prayer and worship, I don't yet understand. To be sure, those are choices; disciplines in which intellectual understanding and agreement, first, must be made. Perhaps academic intellect is as wood.

The important thing, here, is the fire's existence in our lives and Church. It is the responsibility of every believer to keep the Holy Ghost burning in his life. The only way to provide the correct fuel is our constantly praying, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." Seeking of the face of Christ and being transfigured from glory to glory as by the Holy Ghost. We must know His Word, we must do His will (to seek and to save the lost). We must believe we have the mind of Christ and let Him fill our minds with His.

As we keep focused on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, we are changed into His glory and image. The continuation of this discipline causes the fire to continually be fed with the wood of intellect (study), prayerful agreement with Christ, and godly determination.

Should we decide to resort to good music, skillful musicians, much academic teaching and good works without staying before Christ in prayer, fasting and repentance, the fire will go out. All programs, activities and services, no matter how loud we sing, no matter how we try to work it up will simply be dead. It will be our kindling with our own fire (recall Nadab and Abihu used strange fire before the LORD and were destroyed in the anger of the Almighty) which is not authorized. The fire must be started by God Himself.

Here is how to have the fire rekindled:

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
			Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
			Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where [is] their God? - Joel 2. 12, 15-17 God, have mercy on me, as I write this message. I tremble before thee for this seems to hit those who are in leadership, those who I tried to submit myself to yet I have been frankly ignored and cast off as some annoying pest. I know your intentions for me, O God, that I am not a pest but one to exhort the Church and move your hand on the behalf of the Church and the lost. My prayer is for those in leadership to have that unhindered, uninterrupted, solitary time with you, in which they can gaze upon your face and be with you, obtaining that glow as Moses who dwelt in your presence. Right now, as I write, O God, post your angels about those saints I know and love who are in leadership of your bride, the Church, enabling them to be in your awesome presence. Please, O God, bless and provide for those ministries who are doing your work, esp. House of Life Ministry, The Smallest Seed, Times Square Church, Heinrich and family, Scott and family, Petra and her disciples and the pastors and ministers of the Church.

Thy face, O Lord shall I seek

With great urgency, I seek thy face, O God, for the sake of the Church who focuses not on thee but on things terrestrial. We, O God, must set our eyes on Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith. It is no crime that we should be consumed with thee all day.

When thou saidst unto me, "Seek ye my face." Thy face, O Lord shall I seek. Lord, what greater thing is there we can put our focus on? There is none. Thou art God.

Thou, O God art the blessed and only potentate. The King of kings and Lord of lords.

Thou only hast immortality, dwelling in inapproachable light. Man cannot approach unto thee save by the blood of Jesus and the Mercy Seat.

To thee, O God, be honor and glory and power everlasting, amen.

I thank you, O God, for those in House of Life Ministry who are praying for my family and me. Post your angels about them. Abundantly bless them. Draw them into your presence and endue them with your power and grace.

I pray also for the Smallest Seed, Inc. O Lord, bless that ministry and all involved. Help them to draw nigh unto thee. Provide them with every good thing to do your will, I pray, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

O God, I Exult in Thee

In the last two weeks, I have been so thoroughly blessed in fellowship with saints and missionaries from Times Square Church. I am pleased, also for the presence of my son at Pastors' Prayer at Times Square Church and my ability to introduce him as my disciple. Lord, help me equip others to cause thy Kingdom to come.

This weekend I am visited by a precious sister who is in the U.S. for a brief time before returning to Durban, South Africa. To my wife and me, she is as having Jesus Christ, Himself, in bodily form, in our home. Little wonder, as she is the temple of the Living God.

How can I contain such blessing?

My prayer, O God, is to help your work in South Africa and around the world to the extent I am able.

For those who have been redeemed by those ministries I pray your complete blessing of grace and peace. O Lord, thank you for them as they pray for us.

For the most part, it seems, O God, we are rejected by the church in Connecticut. You give me a word yet that word you give me, O God, is arrogantly despised. I am not too surprised, Jesus, as you told me I will receive from men the treatment you receive. The saints in NYC and Africa receive me as if I am you, in person. Bless your holy name, O God.

O God, I exult in thee.

Thou hast revealed thy glory.

In vessels of clay shalt thou be.

How wonderful thou art to me.

Lord, my God and King,

you set my heart to praise and sing

I wait on you who art most holy

Be still, my soul, for the Lord of Glory

I bow in worship, most righteous Lord

who for me, thy blood outpoured

my ransom bought upon that tree

there, you became sin for me.

Where you died, I died with thee

Sin has now no hold on me.

The mind of Christ given me

To walk in thy Spirit, truly free.

Not by flesh nor man's devise

But by the Spirit of the Lord

The Shadow of the Almighty

Four and twenty elders fall down before Him

He that sat on the throne

They worship Him that liveth forever and ever

Cast they their crowns before Him

Say they, "Holy,

"Holy, holy, art thou Lord God Almighty

"Which was and is and is to come."

Yehovah doth reveal His glory to those who frequent His secret place,

yea, those who abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Worthy is the Lamb

Who bled and died

Enduring the cross

Who bore our shame

Worthy is He who is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.