Some people are driven to create a better world for their fellow men. It’s like they have an internal mechanism that propels them into activities that make the world better for the recipients of their vision and work. They see desperate needs and set about seeking practical solutions to change the circumstances crushing the lives of others. David Bornstein in his book How to Change the World calls these individuals social entrepreneurs.
Past examples of social entrepreneurs include people like Florence Nightingale who changed nursing practices and founded the Red Cross. Ghandi embodies a world changer whose philosophy of passive resistance freed India of colonial rule and inspired Martin Luther King in his passionate pursuit of civil rights in America.
Rather than rely on government to implement effective change in the challenges of poverty, crime, drugs, mental health and other social ills, Bornstein has documented the growth of private citizens and organizations that are responding to these crisis with innovative ideas and solutions.
Grassroots Social Changers
Bornstein met one such citizen, Bill Drayton. Bill Drayton created the Ashoka Foundation that searches for today’s grassroots social changers, for those persons who were making a difference in the world with their vision and ideas. Drayton and his team began interviewing people in many countries who were demonstrating new approaches to social ills.
Drayton wanted to find out how these unusual social entrepreneurs developed a strategy for change; how did they develop institutions, and how did they market their ideas for the greater good?
Social Entrepreneurs
Examples of today’s social innovators includes a Bangladesh economics professor who began extending small, collateral free loans for self-employment to some of the world’s poorest people. Extending “micro-credit” enabled poor families to overcome poverty. The Grameen bank founded in 1976 pioneered the “microfinance” model that by 2005 had inspired 3100 “micro-credit” programs in the world reaching 81 million of the world’s poorest inhabitants.
Childline connects children to emergency services
Childline is a 24-hour helpline and emergency response system for children in distress. Childline was begun by a young woman in Bombay where street children lived in abject conditions. Childline rescues children and is the vision sprung from the needs seen by one social worker. It has spread to 42 cities in India and had fielded 2,700,000 calls. Its founder is working to make Childline an international organization with a global help desk for children in distress.
This book is a chronicle of hope in a world often overshadowed by social ills. Social change is not the venue of government alone. The power of change rests in individual hands as well. One can change the world. Be encouraged and inspired by Bornstein’s book, How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, available on Amazon.
Married in 1969, my husband and I had three young children and lived from paycheck to paycheck on less than $1000 a month. As young adults we had drifted away from our Christian heritage. Our family was headed for disaster before we reversed our life and pointed our feet in the direction of prosperity and abundant living
50th anniversary
Celebrating 52 years of marriage, I marvel at the financial blessing and abundant life we enjoy and want to share the secret we discovered of how to prosper and create an abundant life.
Our finances were under a curse.
In 1982, my husband and I, newly baptized in the Holy Spirit, found our way to Christ for the Nations Institute summer session. Freda Lindsay, co-founder of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, instructed new students at CFNI on giving tithes and offerings. Mrs. Lindsay taught on how to prosper and lift the curse from one’s finances by tithing. In Malachi 3:8-9 scripture says,
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me….” Her teaching was a revelation to us.
In Malachi God said to put Him to the test about this scripture.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Though Dennis was unemployed at the time, and I had only a modest teaching salary, we committed to tithing a tenth to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10
By mid-summer we had fallen in love with the vision at CFNI. We decided to return to Colorado in the Fall, sell our home and possessions, and get to Dallas as soon as possible to begin full-time studies and preparation for the ministry. Anticipating the sale of our house, we made our first pledge of $1000 that summer. God immediately responded by doubling our income! The new superintendent of the school district where I taught, called and hired Dennis over the phone as an art teacher that Fall! Now we had two teaching incomes to provide for our family.
Promises of Abundant Life Fulfilled
Two years later in God’s perfect timing, our house sold. This income permitted us to pursue our hearts’ desire, and in 1985, we were blessed and returned with our three children to Dallas and enrolled at CFNI. Meanwhile, we had made two more pledges; and God blessed us abundantly! While Dennis took courses at CFNI and the children attended Life Christian school, I found a job at Southern Methodist University. One of the job benefits was a tuition waiver for employees; so, I enrolled in a Master’s program at SMU for the next two years. Consider—at that point, there were five of us attending private schools on the salaries of 1 ½ jobs!
Business Supplied to Prosper
In our second year we pledged for a Native Church and for a Bible school in Jamaica. God blessed us again. This time we found ourselves encouraged to begin our own sign business. The sign business was portable and would create an abundant income to support our family for the next 20 years.
As our two years were coming to an end, Dennis felt a pull on his heart to go on the CFNI summer outreach to Israel. God again opened up the windows of heaven and poured out His blessing. We had $20 to contribute to the needed funds of $2000 for the outreach. By summer God poured out His blessing and all the funds needed for the trip were supplied. That’s a 100 fold increase to what we could contribute.
What Next?
Courses ended and diplomas granted to Dennis from CFNI and to me from SMU, our hearts questioned, “What next, Lord?” And with His abundant blessing, He proved that if you give to the poor, you lend to God and that He is a debtor to no man.
God gave us back the house we sold to follow Him. The buyer was unable to sell the house in a depressed real estate market and desired a larger home. He wanted to return the house that we had owner-financed. In answer to prayer God led us beautifully through the Ezekiel 36:11,”….and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So, we journeyed back to the area where we are well-known and began ministering to friends, family, and neighbors.
Abundantly, Exceedingly, More than Enough
You can’t out give God! This testimony only acknowledges a fraction of the financial blessings He has poured out on us. The miracles He performed in the restoration of our marriage; the deliverance from drugs, alcohol and nicotine, the physical healings, and a renewed call to the ministry are other testimonies for another time.
Break the financial curse from your life and watch God prove Himself on your behalf and open up the windows of heaven to pour out blessings on your family.
Enjoy more insights into God’s plan and provision for you. I wrote a book focusing on the words of Jesus. What does Jesus say about our lives? Click on the link to order it from Amazon and be blessed.
Declare God’s word over your city to see transformation.
In the Lord’s Prayer we ask, “Let Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We become the mouthpieces of God to declare His will as expressed in scripture into the atmosphere when we pray. The universe is “voice-activated,” as expressed in Genesis with creation as, “God said,” and whatever He spoke was created. As we are made in His image, our prayers are seeds dispersed through the atmosphere to manifest in the earth. We plant God’s word, and His promise is that whatsoever we ask in His name according to His word shall be done.
In the New Living Translation Romans 4:17 is expressed as, “That
is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of
many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the
dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Even as Abraham, you have spiritual authority over your city or
community. Romans 4:17 encourages you to declare a thing
as though it were real today. The following declarations reflect a biblical
vision of your community. Pray these out loud until you see them manifest in
daily life around you. Sow and believe
and watch for transformation for the glory of God.
OWNERSHIP: I declare that ownership of my city is now deeded to the one True God and His Church.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. Psalms 89:11
COMFORT: I declare that my city’s days of mourning are over and that the people now reflect the joy of the Lord,
“The Spirit of
the Lord GOD [is] upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim
liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those who are]
bound; To proclaim the acceptable year
of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give
them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for
the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The
planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV
ATMOSPHERE: I declare that the
spiritual climate of my community now reflects Heaven’s tune and flows out to
the rest of the state.
For the LORD will comfort
Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. Isaiah 51:3
IDENTITY: I declare that my city
is now restored to the name and identity given by the one True God Almighty.
Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall
be saved! Psalms 80:3
Pray over the entrances to your city: government, schools, roads, courts and churches.
AUTHORITY: I declare Psalm 24 over my city – that my city now lifts up its head as the King of Glory comes in – admitting seekers of God’s word and keeping out all evil.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He [is] the King of glory. Selah Psalms 24:8-10 NKJV
LORDSHIP: I declare that the
people of my city are now in full submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ!
That men may know that thou,
whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth Psalms 83:18
REVERENCE: I declare that the people of my city and the county now fear God Almighty rather than man.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall
I be afraid? Psalms 27:1
JOB DESCRIPTION: I declare that the
people of my city now walk in their authority as sons and daughters of the Most
High God.
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye
shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life… Philippians
2:15-16 KJV
UNITY: I declare that the
people of my city now honor one another in John 17 spiritual unity.
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:21 #mailmunch-pop-817684
HOPE: I declare that the
people of my city now put their hope and faith in Jesus eliminating all
despair.
For thou art my hope,
O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. Ps. 71:5
Speak to the mountains your city faces.
FAITH: I declare that the
people of my city now have a deep faith in God above all else as they
stubbornly pursue God and His righteousness.
Jesus answered and said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only
do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. Matthew
21:21
REPUTATION: I declare that my city
is now a spiritual city known as God’s holy place.
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, [there is] shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 11:10-11 KJV
REVIVAL: I declare that God’s
glory now pervades my city and county reviving the people, the land and the
weather.
They that dwell under his shadow
shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent
thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Hosea 14:7
PROVISION: I declare that my city
now reflects God’s glory, mercy and bounty in every aspect of life.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3John 1:2
HEALTH: I declare that my city
is an addiction-free, disease-free cancer-free, healthy community basking in
God’s glory.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals
all your diseases, Psalms 103:2-3 NKJV
Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly.
REFUGE: I declare that my city
is now a place of refuge blessed with provision for those in need.
Deliver the poor and
needy;
Free them from the hand
of the wicked. Psalms 82:4
GOVERNMENT: I declare that the government of my city now rests on Jesus
Christ.
Of the increase of His
government and peace There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David
and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justiceFrom that time
forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7
DESTINY: I declare that all that God has written on His scroll for my
city is now brought forth for His glory.
“Whatever city you enter,
and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The
kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Luke 10:8-9 NKJV
With 149 individual chapters the book makes a very good daily devotional, but can also be picked up and read anytime. I like the fact that it’s content is based exclusively on the words of Jesus. The question format is a classic one and something I enjoy. It is thought provoking and scholarly, yet easy to read. I would definitely recommend it to all!
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive. What a
great promise we have in Matthew 21:22 for our communities. Intercessors can get a heads up on the
spiritual climate of their city and target spiritual darkness with prayer.
Recently, our local paper’s headlines read, Cops Uncover
Grisly Sights which was a clarion call for needed prayer. Police had discovered multiple mutilated animal
carcasses in one outlying farm building and an apparent suicide in another. Churches and intercessors are called to
confront this kind of spiritual darkness in their communities so that
righteousness rather than evil inhabit our atmosphere.
What defiles the Land?
Actions of people in our communities affect the entire
population and therefore are a call for prayer.
Isaiah 24:5-6 states, The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants
for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.
Scripture reveals four ways that our land is defiled by its
inhabitant’s actions. The four areas concern
sexual immorality, idolatry, the shedding of innocent blood and broken
covenants
Leviticus 18:25 states, and the land became unclean, so
that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. This spewing can take many forms such as: famine,
war, storms, earthquakes, fires, natural disasters, unstable governments,
poverty, plagues, etc.
Cleansing the Land
Prayer warriors are called to cleanse
the land through prayer and intercession for our communities. The
headline of our local newspaper often reveals where to target our prayer
efforts. This particular incident in our
community seemed to involve idolatry as evidenced by animal mutilation which is
often connected to occultic rituals. Animal
mutilation is also often a precursor to demonic oppression that escalates to murder.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 gives fighting
instructions, though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds; and
again in Ephesians 6:12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. One of our primary
weapons is believing prayer.
His [God’s] intent was that
now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the
rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, Ephesians 3:10. With that understanding the church needs to
declare God’s word over the defilements in our communities. We can proclaim over our city, The earth is
the Lord’s and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it….Lift up ye
heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may
come in! Psalm 24: 1,9.
Declare the Victory
The kingdom of God is voice-activated.
Prayer activates God’s will in the earth as it is in heaven. As intercessors our vital role is to help
enforce the victory of Calvary that God’s will might be done on the earth. We can begin with praise to His wonderful
mercy, forgiveness, lovingkindness and power.
Christ has already won the victory
at Calvary. We need to proclaim His
victory to set the captives free, to cleanse the land, to declare freedom to
our neighbors.
As we pray, the headlines will
declare our earthly victories. I especially
love the headline from our local newspaper No SOB’s Allowed. As I read
further, I found that SOB’s referred to Sexually Oriented Businesses. The city attorney had crafted an ordinance
that prohibited adult sexually oriented businesses in our environs. What a blessing for the inhabitants of our
community to prohibit that kind of sexual immorality that would defile our land.
War Tactics
We have a team of intercessors
from various churches in our communities that gather to pray for our government,
churches, schools, youth, families, and community concerns once a week.
On this particular prayer assignment
a team will actually go to the site of the concern to pray. First and foremost, like Daniel when praying
for his people’s release from captivity, we will pray a prayer of repentance for
the iniquities of ourselves and others.
For if we confess our sins. He is faithful to forgive us.
2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people, which are
called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and
turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.
Give thanks and praise for the blood of Jesus that
takes away the sin of the world and ask that His blood would cover and protect
the intercessors and their families. The
team will take communion to declare our remembrance of Him and that it is in Him
and through Him that we have the victory over sin and death.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:19. As we have been given the authority of the name of Jesus, we
will bind the powers of darkness of idolatry and murder and loose God’s truth
and life and light in this place. For Jesus came that we might have life and
have it more abundantly.
Declare The earth is the Lord’s and all it
contains, the world and those who dwell in it….Lift up ye heads, O gates, and
lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Psalm 24: 1,9.
Agree with God. For You are great and do wondrous things; You
alone are God. Ps 86:10 Tell and bring
forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this
from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And
there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none
besides Me. Isaiah 25:41.
The victory is already won. The end is sure. Intercessors, take heart and declare the glory of the Lord.
Are you a watchman for your family, city, or nation?
Why bother with Prayer?
In this world of worsening nightly news, it is easy to be overcome with a sense of helplessness in the light of such gigantic world problems. However, the Bible tells us that the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. If we truly believed that whatsoever we ask in prayer believing, we would attain, we would never leave our knees.
The importance of the Watch of the Lord, or of watching in prayer, is very important to the plans and order of God. Jesus commanded us to “watch” with Him in several gospel accounts, particularly in the time called “the last days.” He described how we should respond when we see earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars, and so on.
Discern Deception
The spiritual enemies of a prayer warrior are subtle. They come to deceive with intimidation, unbelief, anxiety, and helplessness in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems when intercessors set themselves to pray.
Matthew 24 :“Watch out that no one deceive you” (verse 4); “See to it that you are not alarmed” (verse 6); “Stand firm to the end” (verse 13); “Keep watch” (verse 42).
In Mark 13: “Watch out that no one deceives you” (verse 5); “Do not be alarmed” (verse 7); “Be on your guard” (verse 9); “Do not worry” (verse 11); “Stand firm” (verse 13); “Be on your guard” (verse 23); “Be on your guard. Be alert” (verse 33); “Keep watch” (verse 35); “Watch out” (verse 37).
And in Luke 21: “Watch out that you are not deceived” (verse 8); “Do not be frightened” (verse 9); “Stand firm” (verse 19); “Stand up and lift up your heads” (verse 28); “Be careful” (verse 34).; “Be always on the watch and pray” (verse 36).
Keys of the Kingdom
Keys open locked doors. Injustice, poverty, disease, and calamity imprison lives. But Jesus gave us the keys of the kingdom, and they have to do with prayer:
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. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst (Matthew 18:19-20).
Jesus wants groups of two or three people to gather in His name and ask in symphony or harmony. (The Greek word translated “agree” is sumphoneo, or “harmonious.”) This is the heart of the “watch of the Lord.”
We are to watch for the good things and good messengers God sends to His people. We are to watch for the gifted ones and the coming of the Lord’s Presence. We are to alert the people to roll out the welcome mat, saying, “Come, come, come, come! Angels of healing, you are welcome here. Spirit of the Lord, You are welcome here. Gifts of the Spirit, you are welcome here. Spirit of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment come; you are welcome here. Come, come, come, come!” We are to roll out the red carpet in the name and the blood of Jesus, and say, “Come!”
Be encouraged with this study of the words in red.
Created in His Image
Prayer moves the hands of God. Even as He spoke the universe into creation, God created us in His image. Our spoken words and prayers carry the power of creation within them. As intercessors and God’s watchmen on the walls of our families, cities and nations, we are called to watch over our assignments to see approaching danger and warn those endangered. (2Kings 9:17,18)
We are to watch not only for the enemy’s activity but also for the Lord’s plans. If we watch for the enemy and announce his activity, we can avert the thief’s plans to steal, kill and destroy. As Jesus states in Matt. 24:43, “But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” Today, more than ever, it is imperative that intercessors watch and pray, seek the Lord’s direction, and pray, “His will be done in the earth as it is in heaven.”
Eight Watches of the Lord
Studying God’s word reveals a model for prayer that is divided into eight watches covering 24 hours. Based on God’s creation, the days are counted from evening to evening as a day. “God called the Light Day, and the darkness He called Night, so the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Gen. 1:5) Accordingly, the Israelites ordered their prayer times beginning with the First (Evening) Watch from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. which is a time of quiet reflection.
Evening Watch
Prayer is a two-way communication. Be sure to listen.
Jesus used the evening watch to go aside and pray. (Matt. 14:15-23) In the early church, this watch at sundown was a time of corporate prayer (Vespers) where candles were lit, Psalms sung, thanksgiving offered, prayers said, and blessings invoked. After the business of the day, it is a time to release anxieties to the Lord before sleep. During this watch, ask God to give you clear directions for the day ahead and about His call on your life.
Second Watch
The Second Watch is from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. Ps. 119:62 says, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous judgments.” It was at the midnight hour that God struck down the first-born of Egypt, and, consequently, His people were released from captivity and set free to worship Him.
This watch is a time when God deals with the enemies that are trying to keep us from entering into His perfect plan for our lives. In the natural, this time is characterized by deep darkness. In the spiritual realm, the Second Watch is when diabolical assignments and sabotage are set in motion as supernatural creatures, including witches and demons and practices like black magic, collaborate to effect change and transformation for the evil one.
It is important for intercessors at this watch to give thanks for the protection of the shadow of God’s wing and pray for a visitation from the Lord. “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.”
Third Watch
The Third Watch from midnight to 3:00 a.m. is a period of much spiritual activity. It was the hour that caught Peter denying his Lord. Often we are awakened during this time with dreams God has given to us. God uses dreams and visions to bring instruction and counsel to us as we sleep and reveals areas where we need to concentrate our prayers and intercession. “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instructions.” (Job 33:15)
It is a time to pray to fortify yourself against doubt and unbelief and even the direction of your path. Be vigilant during this time and watch for God’s revelation for breakthrough for His plans and purposes for your life and territory.
Fourth Watch
The Fourth Watch is the morning watch from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. The spirit realm takes every word uttered from man as a command and mandate. Command your morning! Consecrate all the work for the day and pray for protection for God’s people throughout the day. “You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will also declare a thing and it will be established for you: so light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:27-28)
Firth Watch
The Fifth Watch is from 6am – 9am. To watch is to set yourself to see what God will say to you. (Hab. 2:1) Practicing hearing the voice of God is essential to all the watches. One intercessor shared this insight, “I find the main focus of a watch is found this way: the Word and an event in time intersect. That’s it! That is the target. It is like the scope on a gun. The point of the vertical Word and the horizontal time intersect (whether it is a sound, an event, a song). That point is the starting point of the watch.”
Sixth Watch
Daytime prayer watches include The Six Watch from 9:00 a.m. to noon. It is generally accepted that this time period marked both Christ’s sentencing by Pilate and crucifixion, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Israelites also observed this period as a time for corporate prayer. It was at this daily time of prayer and instruction at the temple that Peter and John were attending when they healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. (Acts 2: 1-8)
The watchman guards and watches for the word of the Lord to be fulfilled. Pray for God’s redemptive purposes in your life and region and watch how He answers your prayer during this time.
Seventh Watch
The Seventh Watch from noon to 3:00 p.m. at mid-day gives an hour of rest and a time to seek the Lord. Historically, we find Christ on the cross atoning for our sins. Redemption and restoration for mankind manifest through God’s Son. Peter received the vision of the clean and unclean animals which heralded the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan. It was during this watch that Daniel always went home to pray and consequently was thrown into a den of lions. Daniel was delivered from the lions’ den, and Daniel’s accusers became the lions’ dinner instead.
Eighth Watch
The Eighth Watch of the day from 3:00-6:00 p.m. sees the close of the business day. It gives an opportunity for prayer. The Lord tells us to pray without ceasing. The Bible records a pattern and plan for daily prayer that marshals his army’s forces. Beloved, it’s time to watch and pray.
The Bible is a bloody book. We are told “the life is in the blood”
(Lev. 17:11). Throughout the Bible the blood of men and animal sacrifices are
spilled for war and redemption. The purposes of God and man clash with
incessant violence and bloody results. There’s blood on men’s hands, and blood
on the horns of the altar. There’s blood on the ground, and blood on the
lintels and door posts. Blood is everywhere, from Genesis to Revelation. Why is
that?
Life and death. Those are the reasons. God gave man life. Man
chose death over life by choosing sin over obedience. (Romans 5:12) God is
just, requiring payment for every life that has become forfeit through sin. And
that life is found in the blood. So God gave the law, and by His mercy He
accepted the blood of animals rather than the blood of man. (Heb. 9:22;13:11)
But the sin nature was stronger than the intent of the law. No matter how many
sacrifices were made, the heart of man was as rebellious as ever. (Heb. 10:4)
We know the story. God knew the law would never be enough. He knew
the sacrifices would never be enough. He knew it from the beginning. The law
was just a step in His ultimate plan, stating plainly what He considers right
and wrong, removing all excuses (Rom. 7:7). Have you ever heard the
conversation: “Why does he do that?” “It just seems to be in his blood.” What
does that mean?
Here’s an interesting bit of information from ”The Life Is In
the Blood,” by Martin R. DeHaan, M.D.
“In the
human body there are many different kinds of tissues. We define them as muscle,
nerve, fat, gland, bone connective tissues, etc. All these tissues have one
thing in common, they are fixed cells, microscopically small and having a
specific and limited function. Unlike these fixed tissues, the blood is fluid
and mobile, that is, it is not limited to one part of the body but is free to
move throughout the entire body and touch every other fixed cell as it supplies
it with nourishment and carries off waste products and the ashes of cell
activity which we call metabolism.”
We need a
transfusion.
What does the blood carry along? Bits and pieces of dead cells
from all over our bodies are carried along as waste. And in the waste and white
blood cells of blood is DNA, which is produced in the nuclei and carries that
cell’s traits, in fact all our traits. Science continues to discover more and
more about the traits carried by DNA. They are discovering that man’s blood is
tainted with sinful tendencies and earthly diseases. Every cell is touched with
this contamination. In short, we need a transfusion.
But if all of humanity’s blood is tainted, how could we ever find
blood healthy enough to make us whole? God had to bring Holy Blood into the
earth. So the blood of humanity was mixed with the Blood of a holy God in the
Son—Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah. (Gal. 4:3-5) But how is this blood mixed with
ours? And how could doing this pay the price for the death of every man’s soul?
First of all by sacrificing the perfect Blood. (Romans 5:17, Heb. 9:12, 14) In
heaven, the perfect Blood of Christ is eternal. (2 Cor. 3:6, Matt. 26:28, Rom.
5:9, Eph. 2:13) It cannot truly die as the blood of animals and people.
Jesus’ blood acts as a living, healing, eternal payment and cure
for our sins. (Heb13:20). The blood of Christ satisfies the earthly demands of
the law and the heavenly justice of God. (Rev. 5:10) It’s the perfect solution.
Of course it is. It’s God. Our Loving Heavenly Father sent the perfect blood
donor to earth to infuse us with life.
The Blood of the Vine.
John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Here is a concept which is metaphorically both simple and complex.
Do plants even have blood? Many scientists say yes, and though it certainly
differs from our blood in many ways, in some ways it is the same. And plants
also have a circulatory system to distribute that blood to every part from
roots to leaves.
Instead of veins and arteries, plants have xylem and phloem, cells
attached end to end to form tubes for transporting necessary nutrients up and
down the plant. Just like in people, if you cut part of a plant off, it dies.
Plants cannot live without that vital link to the core of the plant anymore
than any of our body parts could live apart from the body itself.
What did the Lord mean when He said to “abide”? To abide is
“to remain as one, not to become another or different.” We are called to become
and remain as inseparable from the Lord as the branches of the vine, or the
appendages of our bodies.
What is this substance which is so essential to our spiritual
existence that we cannot survive without it?
It is apparent we are not speaking of a literal, physical
transfusion. So what essential, life-sustaining substance is the Lord referring
to?
Blood. The Blood of our Savior is the living catalyst by which we
become a branch of the heavenly Vine. Only by His blood circulating through us
can we be compatible with the Vine, and able to receive the life-sustaining
flow of the Spirit into our being.
John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells [same Greek
word, abide] with you and will be in you.
The blood of aliens—Transfused into Glory.
As a homeschooling mom, when introducing the Periodic Table of
Elements, I would tell my sons, “Here is a list of all the known elements
which make up everything in the physical universe. However, there is an element
not listed here. It is not included because it is not a physical element. But
it is all-important, because it is what God is made of. It is called Spirit.
God is Spirit (John 4:24)…”
Without God’s Spirit in us, we will never be able to effectively
serve or worship Him. And the only way we can be transfused and transformed by
Spirit is by the Blood. When we are received into the Vine by the blood, and
receive the life-flow of Spirit in us, we become new creatures, bearing fruit
to His glory.
The Blood is the life-giving transfusion, available to us by Holy
Spirit’s total invasion of our being. The life is in the Blood. New creatures,
brought back from the brink of death by a transfusion of life. Now we can
choose not just life, but life eternal! How great is our God!
The future is in the hearts and minds of our children. With youngsters like Gabe and Livvy Feinn the world will be a caring and compassionate place in the future. Gabe and LIvvy were inspired by a Samaritan’s Purse catalog which outlined some of the projects underwritten by Franklin Graham’s ministry. The brother and sister accepted the challenge to raise enough money to renovate a missionary hospital deep in the jungles of the Congo that had been destroyed by a brutal civil war. Wanting to stretch their faith, they committed to raising $35,000 for the project.
Their plan revolved around cupcakes. They baked cakes by the hundred and cupcakes by the thousands to sell to friends, neighbors, and family. They covered all their efforts with prayer and faith.
Remember how when we were doing our project we would ask people to just do 1%? In our case, we wanted to have a team of 100 people that would each raise $350. But how it actually worked out was we had about 160 people donate and some were able to do 1% and some could only do a little bit.
We saw children who were only 3 & 4 step up and do a whole lot for the hospital project. Campers at elementary camp gave up snack tokens and middle school students shoveled snow or went without birthday presents or Christmas presents so the money could be donated instead.
When we at least do the 1%, we make a difference! But as you know, God raised all the money!” In a little over a year they met their goal, and the maternity hospital at Nyankunde was rebuilt.
Graham’s ministries flew Gabe and Livvy to Africa for the opening of the hospital. They were there to witness the first birth, a C-section, and were able to hold the first baby of their faithfulness in their arms. The baby, a little girl, was named Gabriella in honor of Gabe. Because of the hospital, the baby’s life was saved. Her future was made possible by two young people who desired to have their faith stretched to see what God could do through them. The future is in good hands with models like Gabe and Livvy who know in whom they have believed.
Welcome to Country Parson's Wife, I'm Dr. Mary Ellen, author, teacher and wife of a country pastor for 50 years. My blog is dedicated to a lifestyle built on faith, family, simplicity and self-sufficiency that enhances the health, peace, beauty and industry of our homes and gardens.
My prayer is that you be encouraged and propelled into the abundant life God has prepared for you.
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