Zechariah 8:23

A SLOW TRAIN COMING BY DAVID SILVERS

I am pleasantly surprised at the constantly growing number of Christians, answering the call to "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem." We want to suggest the following guide to those serious about fulfilling the call to pray.

1. General

By all means continue to pray as you have been in the past
- for the political situation
- for the political leaders of Israel
- for the protection against terrorist attacks
- for the salvation of the Jewish people in Israel and in the nations

However I want to suggest the following is a more effective way to pray for Israel and the Jewish people.

2. The Believers First

I believe that the Messianic Jewish part of the Body of Messiah is a direct fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:9 dry bones who have had the Spirit breathed into them.

a. Unity. The Messianic body is divided over a number of key issues. We need to pray for UNITY for the leadership in Israel and indeed amongst Messianic Jewish leaders around the world.

b. Protection.
The Messianic Body stands as a beacon in today's world. We stand as a beacon to our own Jewish people, declaring that it is possible to believe in Yeshua and still be Jewish. Pray that the Lord will raise up a native born Israeli believer to be a voice crying in the wilderness here within Israel.

c. Church Leadership
There is one other area in which we can pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Let us pray for pastors and church leadership to have a revelation of the relevance of the ongoing physical and spiritual restoration of Israel. Then she will have what it takes to 'provoke the Jewish people to jealousy.'

Luke 17:17

Showing Gratitude - extracts from 'Did You Think to Pray?'

God began to talk to me something like this; I am not meaning an audible voice or anything like that. But the impression on my soul was so deep that an audible voice would not have made me feel much worse. The impression came like this:

'RT, I have been good to you."
"Yes, Lord, I know this."
'Are you thankful?'
"Yes, Lord, you know I'm thankful."
'But you haven't told me.'
"Of course I have, Lord, You know I am thankful"
'Do you remember how you were so fearful of not getting through Oxford University because you were intimidated by the system and the other students around you, in that they were so bright and had been brought up in the British educational system? You, knowing you were from Kentucky, were terrified you would never get through Oxford. I got you through it, didn't I'
"Yes, Lord."
'But you never thanked me.'
"Lord, you know I'm thankful."
'But you never told me.'

I felt horrible. That is not all. It seemed that the Lord began reminding me of dozens and dozens of good things He had done for me - allowing me to be the minister of Westminster Chapel, meeting certain people, having the best friends of my life, giving us such a beautiful place to live in London, writing books - the list seemed endless.
"Lord, you must know I have been thankful."
'But you never told me.'

You may say, as I did, 'But He knows I am thankful'. My reply is:TELL HIM!

On one occasion Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one of them came back to say thank you to Jesus. Instead of praising this leper for his gratitude, Jesus asked,:Where are the other nine?"
God notices ingratitude.

THE 'BLESS AND TEST' PRINCIPLE

Abraham's life is a classic illustration of how God works with us. First, He BLESSES. Next, He stretches us by TESTING. If we pass that test, He BLESSES again. If we fail it, we are TAUGHT SOME MORE, then TESTED again.

Examples:
Test: Will Abraham leave his homeland? PASSES
Test: Will he leave ALL his relatives? FAILS
BLESSED: GIVEN THE LAND

Test: Well he trust during the famine? FAILS
Test: Will he trust God for his safety? FAILS

RETURNS, WORSHIPS GOD. CYCLE STARTS AGAIN......

Test: Will he give up Lot? PASSES
BLESSED: GIVEN ALL THE LAND HE CAN SEE

Test: Will he believe God for a son? FAILS
ETC, ETC .....

Abrahim learned a definition of faith:
FAITH IS BELIEVING IT'S SO
WHEN IT'S NOT SO
BECAUSE YOU KNOW
GOD IS GOING TO MAKE IT SO!

Amazing Grace

John Newton's other hymns

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

T'was He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
That almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favoured hour
At once He'd answer my requests;
And, by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

'Lord, why is this?' I trembling cried,
'Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?'
"Tis in this way'. the Lord replied,
'I answered prayer for grace and faith'.

Isaiah 45:15

Praying without a sense of God from the book entitled 'Did You Think to Pray?'

Richard Bewes preached once at Westminster Chapel, a talk he called "Between the Times." He described how so much of life is just that - 'between the times' - when things aren't apparently 'happening', whether referring to the lives of inventors, composers or any number of creative people. Such people do indeed have their high water marks when a breakthrough comes, but most of the time is about waiting for such a moment.

My best times are when I pray. Yes, that is absolutely true. But I have to tell you also that some of my worst times are when I pray. My prayer life is more 'between the times' than times of breakthrough, discovery, insight, immediate and direct witness of the Spirit and an acute sense of the presence of God. It is when God hides His face. 'Truly you a God who hides himself, O God and Saviour of Israel"

I write this chapter because I need to put you in the picture as fully as possible. I admit to having very wonderful times in prayer, but to be equally candid, I have to tell you I know what it is - so much of the time - to wait before the Lord with my Bible and note pad, and having to give up after an hour or two without any great feeling of joy or fresh insights. Most mornings (my favourite time to pray) are actually like this!

John 1:32 - 33

All Christians have the Holy Spirit, but not all Christians enjoy the presence of the ungrieved Holy Spirit - just like when the Holy Spirit coming down on Jesus as a dove and remaining on Him - it doesn't take a lot to grieve Him, He gets hurt easily - for He is a gentleman and is very sensitive.

This story depicts the picture or scene described above. A British couple, Sandy and Bernice, were sent by their denomination to Israel as missionaries and were placed in a home near Jerusalem. A few weeks later they noticed that a dove had come to live in the eaves of the roof of their home. They were so excited; it was like a seal of God on their being there. But they noticed that every time they slammed a door - or shouted at each other in an argument - the dove would fly away. One day Sandy said to Bernice, knowing how much both of them wanted to keep the dove around them, 'Either the dove adjusts to us - or we adjust to the dove.' It changed their lives, just to keep a bird nearby. And yet the Holy Spirit himself is, a thousand times more sensitive than the dove. (From the book entitled 'Did You Think to Pray?'

Judges 18:9-10

Come on....! We have seen that the land is very good. Aren't you going to do something?Don't hesitate to go there and take it over. God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever.

We need to have appropriating faith when it comes to God's promises and should make His Word our own personal possession. A child was once asked what appropriating faith was, and he answered, "It is taking a pencil and underlining every 'me', 'my', and 'mine' in the Bible."

Pick any word you want that He has spoken and say, "That word is my word." Put your finger on a promise and say, "It is mine." How much of God's Word have you received and endorsed, and of how much have you been able to say, "This has been done in my life'? By how many of His promises have you signed your name and said, "This has been fulfilled to me"?

My son, ..... you are always with me, and everything I have is yours" (Luke 15:31). Do no miss your inheritance through your own neglect.

Acts 12:5 v. Revelations 8:3-4

At present, I am reading a most wonderful book by R.T. Kendall entitled 'Did you think to pray?'

I would love to share some of the things in this book which have encouraged me a lot and taught me much.

There are no doubt two kinds of intercession: (1) perfunctory intercession, and (2) earnest intercession. The first kind is what often happens with so many of us when we are given a prayer list. We have all done this - praying rather perfunctorily - whether in public prayer meetings or at home. By 'perfunctory' I do not mean that one is unconcerned; I am simply pointing out that sometimes we pray through a list, interceding for those in need, but not with a burden of 'life or death' fervency.

But in the case of the earnest intercession of those in the early Church for Peter, their burden was so intense that it could not have been calculated. No adverb or adjective could even come close - 'earnest', 'unremittingly', 'tearfully', 'heartfelt', 'desperately' - to how they truly felt. The possibility of losing Peter was such an awful thought that they all prayed with a burden and concentrated intercession, such that no greater prayer can be imagined. It is the way that you and I would pray for a loved one who was in a critical condition.

And yet do not underestimate the power or effectiveness of what I have called 'perfunctory' intercession. Such prayer may go on for months or even years, and God hears such intercessions. We are told these prayers are bottled up in heaven.

Luke 2:10-11

A number of years ago a remarkable Christmas card was published by the title "If Christ Had Not Come." It was based on our Saviour's own words, "If I had not come." in John 15:22. The card pictured a minister falling asleep in his study on Christmas morning and then dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream, he saw himself walking through his house, but as he looked, he saw no stockings hung on the chimney, no Christmas tree, no wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort and gladden hearts or to save us. He then walked onto the street outside, but there was no church with its spire pointing toward heaven. And when he came back and sat down in his library he realised that every book about our Saviour had disappeared.

The minister dreamed that the doorbell rang and that a messenger asked him to visit a friend's poor dying mother. He reached her home, and as his friend sat and wept, he said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended with Malachi. There was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and all he could do was bow his head and weep with his friend and his mother in bitter despair.

Two days later he stood beside her coffin and conducted her funeral service, but there was no message of comfort, no words of a glorious resurrection, and no thought of a mansion awaiting her in heaven. There was only "dust to dust, and ashes to ashes," and one long, eternal farewell. Finally he realized that Christ had not come, and burst into tears, weeping bitterly in his sorrowful dream.

Then suddenly he awoke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing these words in his church nearby:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

WAKE UP CALL : MATTHEW 25:13

'Rise and shine, it's 6:00 A.M.! He is risen! Maybe you should get up, too!' That's what I hear when I wake up in the morning. My alarm is set to the Christian radio station, and the announcer gives me the same wake-up call every day.

Jesus gave us a wake-up call, too. Many of us travel through life sleepy-eyed and tired, with our eyes half closed and our attention halfhearted. Jesus told us to "stay awake and be prepared".

Are you awake? Do you rise and shine each and every day! Are you giving the world the attention it deserves and making a difference in the lives of others? If you're not, maybe it's time for you to wake up. The buzzer is going off! Get up and get going. Remember, He arose to give you the power to arise to all occasions. Be fully awake through the life Jesus gives you. - Michelle Starkey

Deuteronomy 1:36

Every difficult task that comes across your path-every one that you would rather not do, that will take the most effort, cause the most pain, and be the greatest struggle-brings a blessing with it. And refusing to do it regardless of the personal cost is to miss the blessing.

Every difficult stretch of road on which you see the Master's footprints and along which He calls you to follow Him leads unquestionably to blessings. And they are blessings you will never receive unless you travel the steep and thorny path.

Every battlefield you encounter, where you are required to draw your sword and fight the enemy, has the possibility of victory that will prove to be a rich blessing to your life. And every heavy burden you are called upon to lift hides within itself a miraculous secret of strength. - J R Miller

Genesis 15:12

I cannot do it alone;
The waves surge fast and high,
And the fogs close all around,
The light goes out in the sky;
But I know that we two
Will win in the end,
Jesus and I.

Cowardly, wayward, and weak,
I change with the changing sky;
Today so eager and bright,
Tomorrow too weak to try;
But He never gives in,
So we two will win,
Jesus and I.

I could not guide it myself,
My boat on life's wild sea;
There's One who sits by my side,
Who pulls and steers with me,
And I know that we two
Will safe enter port,
Jesus and I

Give Appropriate Gifts John 3:16

Last Sunday, my church pastor shared this story with us.

His mother bought a dress for the great grand-daughter as a present. After that, the little girl's mummy noticed a change in the girl's character. Little grand daughter used to be an angel - obedient, cheerful, helpful, joyful, loving, good-natured. But now she is very rebellious, full of anger and very disobedient and throws her temper - she is not even 3 !

Her parents and all in the family tried to find out what has happened. I believe the Holy Spirit must have revealed to the mummy that there is something not right with the dress. Upon inspection, they found a label "Barbie" attached to the dress! The parents told the little girl about this dress and asked her permission to discard it. The little girl gave her permission and the granny (pastor's wife) shred it to pieces. And now the little girl is back to her normal self - the little cute and obedient child of God!

When we buy presents for our loved ones, please choose with care.

REVELATION 3:16

"Almost" Carries No Weight By Rhonda Lane Phillips

In our house, it is a ritual to watch A Christmas Carol each December. There's a line the first Spirit says to Scrooge that always awakens my heart: "Almost" carries no weight-especially in matters of the heart.

Scrooge "almost" ran after Belle. Yet, he chose not to do so, thereby clinching his life of misery and loneliness.

How many times have we seen the same in others' hearts? They "almost" get the blessings that are in store for them by living a godly life. They "almost" accept Jesus as their personal Saviour. They "almost" serve Him gladly.

But they choose not to to do so and suffer the consequences. "Almost" means nothing. Being sold out fully to God means everything. Commit your life wholly to Him.

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Jesus seems to have a great impact on tax collectors! One of his disciples, Matthew, was also a tax collector. Zacchaeus was a chief collector and very wealthy. I don't think he is sick or what, because he ran and climbed up a sycamore-fig tree just to look at Jesus.

As I read this, I wondered what attracted him to Jesus? He is a rich and busy man - collecting taxes. So, what does he want from Jesus? He wanted it so badly that he climbed up a tree just to catch look at Jesus. And how does he know of Jesus? Who will dare to approach a chief tax collector to tell him of Jesus?

Reflections: What is that need? I believe deep inside all of us, we need to know God. We are all 'wired' to want to know God for God is the Truth and only He alone can satisfy that deep longing. Until we are reconciled with God, then we find a meaning in life.

THE RICH RULER

LUKE 18:18-24

This is the much loved story of a young man who wants to inherit eternal life and comes to ask Jesus what he must do. I have read this story many times and yesterday when I read it again, another question comes to mind. Notice that Jesus told the young man in v.22 to sell everything he has. I was rather surprised that Jesus asked him to sell everything. I was thinking that it must be very hard for this young man to give up everything all at once to follow Jesus. Would it not be better if Jesus gave him time to do things one at a time? Would it not be easier for the young man to give up his possessions slowly? As I reflect this, I think what Jesus wants is our total (100%) obedience and commitment. We cannot serve 2 masters for we would love one more than the other.

This is a story that has stumbled many too! Many unbelievers find it difficult to give up all that they have for Jesus - already many unbelievers are finding it 'strange' that we give 10% of our earnings for God's kingdom, lest alone ALL. Remember Abraham? He 'gave' his beloved son, Jacob to God too! It's that act of obedience that pleases God. It will always be a struggle to surrender all - but when we are in this situation, think of what God has sacrifice for us. Then all things will pale in comparison to what God has 'surrendered' to us - His only Begotten Son,Jesus.

Hebrews 4:9

A prominent believer once told of his mother, who was a very anxious and troubled Christian. He would often talk with her for hours, trying to convince her of the sinfulness of worrying but to no avail.

Then one morning his mother came to breakfast with a smile adorning her face. He asked her what had happened, and she began describing a dream she had in the night . In her dream, she was walking along a highway with a large crowd of people, all of whom seemed very tired and burdened. The people were all carrying little black bundles, and she noticed that more bundles were being dropped along the way by numerous repulsive-looking creatures that seemed quite demonic in nature. As the bundles were dropped, the people stooped down to pick them up and carry them.

Like everyone else in her dream, she also carried her needless load, being weighted down with the Devil's bundles. After a while, she looked up and saw a Man whose face was loving and bright as He moved through the crowd, comforting the people. Finally He came to her, and she realised it was her Saviour. She looked at Him, telling Him how tired she was, and He smiled sadly and said, "My dear child, these bundles you carrying are not from me, and you have no need of them. They are the Devil's burdens, and they are wearing out your life. You need to drop them and simply refuse to touch them. Then you will find your path easy, and you will feel as if'I carried you on eagles' wings.

The Saviour touched her hand, and peace and joy quickly filled her soul. As she saw herself in her dream casting her burdens to the ground and ready to throw herself at His feet in joyful thanksgiving, she awoke, finding that all her worries were gone.

From that day forward to the end of her life, she was the most cheerful and happy member of her family.