Today's Teachings

"Return to Bethel" part 3 by Charles Simpson

7/1/2020

Return to Bethel

MY BETHEL
Early in this year, I believe that the Lord said to me, “go back to Bethel.” It led me to study Jacob again and to meditate upon what that meant to me. I decided to meet with some of my local friends and pray. I also decided to go back to a place where God had met me in a powerful way in 1964, my first pastorate, the Bay View Heights Baptist Church, in Mobile.

I often recall the days and nights of prayer in my office and upon the altar in the sanctuary. I had not been there in years. Unsure of why and perhaps uneasy, I went to the door, someone let me in and showed me around. A lot had changed but the memories were still fresh. My old office was now a “cry room” for babies, and I had shed tears there too. Many people had met the Lord there.

I didn’t stay long, but long enough to sense the Lord’s presence and encouragement at my feeble effort to obey. The thought occurred that I might pray there again with friends. When I asked, the leaders of that church agreed to allow me to use their facilities for prayer meetings. And so, we settled on three sessions to seek God.

It is not my purpose here to fully describe the prayer meetings. They were informal and simply designed to seek and wait upon the Lord in humility and repentance. I took seriously the putting away of gods, purification, changing garments, and what those issues meant to me. The altar was a special issue not just a place but a sacrifice. What do we place there? Everything. But specifically, I sensed that if new things were ahead, my agenda needed to go to the altar.

Another thing that went on the altar was my lengthy prayer list. This is hard to explain, but the burden had become too heavy. I felt like Elijah who, after the great Mt. Carmel victory, ran from the evil Queen Jezebel. He was hated, forsaken by his servant, and exhausted after an 80 mile journey and fell asleep. An angel awoke him, fed him food and drink, and said, “Arise and eat; the journey is too great for you” (see First Kings 19). Sometimes the responsibility to pray through or resolve all of the issues is just too much for us. We need angelic and Divine food.

THE CHURCH
Can the Church go back to Bethel? Can it be brought back and reminded of its covenant purpose? Can it find peace amidst those who are bitter towards it? Is God calling it back to a place of simplicity, seeking Him and waiting on Him? I believe so.

But, the Church will not “return to Bethel” in some massive pilgrimage, to some place of idealism, or someplace where some exciting personality is on display. The Church’s return to Bethel is a call to individuals who have had a “Bethel Experience” to begin with, who have heard the Sovereign God and have built a real altar on some rock and made their own vows. When those people return to Bethel, others will go to Bethel for the first time.

Bear in mind, Bethel was not about an experience, it was about a purpose – God’s purpose. It was about His choice, to do His will, and about His declaration that He would see it through. Jacob didn’t always keep his vows – but God always does. A return reminds us that while we have often been unfaithful, God is faithful still. The vision is still there. One more thing: a return to Bethel reminds us that there is more journey ahead – it prepares us.

I pray that you have been to and remember – your Bethel. If so, is God saying for you to return or at least remember it? If you have never had a Bethel visitation from God, get ready! The Lord speaks to us in Jeremiah 33:3 and says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

In Christ,

Charles Simpson

"Return to Bethel" part 2 by Charles Simpson

6/30/2020

Return to Bethel

LABAN

The journey is a process, and those who are called are the ones being processed! Soon Jacob met beautiful Rachael and it was love at first sight. She brought Jacob home to daddy – Laban, the wealthy rancher. Jacob had nothing to offer, so Laban made an offer: “Work for me for seven years and you can marry Rachael.” Jacob accepted; he really loved Rachael. But Jacob was only a young amateur deceiver, Laban was a pro!

After seven years of hard work the wedding night came. When Jacob awoke in the morning, he had Leah, Rachael’s older sister. Laban had “forgotten to mention” the older sister had to marry first. Laban offered seven more years of work for Rachael, Jacob accepted. After many years of hard work, Jacob had two wives, concubines, eleven sons and one daughter. And…he was a lot smarter.

Jacob was ready to leave Laban, but Laban like Jacob’s work and naiveté so he offered another deal: “Stay with me and I’ll give you all the brown, speckled, and spotted livestock.” Jacob agreed. What a partnership: “Deceiver-Conniver, Inc.” To ensure that he would get the best end of the deal, Laban went through his flocks and took out all the brown, speckled and spotted livestock and gave them to his sons, then sent them to distant pastures. But after a while, there began to be a lot brown, speckled and spotted livestock among Laban’s flock and they seemed to be the healthiest. Jacob got them as per the deal. Soon Laban and his sons had enough of Jacob, so the Lord said, “It’s time to go.” Without telling Laban, Jacob took all that he had gained and left.

Laban pursued Jacob but was warned by God not to harm him. When he caught up with Jacob, he took back his gods that his daughters had stolen and made a covenant with Jacob: “May the Lord watch between you and me while we are absent from one another.”

ESAU

Jacob was headed home and Esau was headed toward him with 400 men. Needless to say, Jacob was terrified. He had to face his bitter brother. He devised a plan. He sent all he had over to meet Esau with instructions: When you meet Esau tell him, “We belong to your servant Jacob; it’s a present sent to my lord Esau, and behold, Jacob is behind us.”

Everything was gone and Jacob was alone and began a desperate prayer that lasted all night. He wrestled with God. As dawn came, the Lord asked, “What is your name?” He knew but He wanted Jacob to say it. “My name is Jacob” (heel-grabber).

The Lord replied, “You will no longer be called Jacob, you will be called ‘Israel’ (Prince) because you have struggled with men and God, and you have prevailed.” From then on, Jacob walked with a limp – and limped toward his brother. Miraculously, Esau was pacified, at least for then, though the bitterness never left him nor many of his descendants (the Edomites). Herod,who slaughtered the babies of Bethlehem, was one such descendant.

RETURN TO BETHEL (GENESIS 35:3)

It was after these and other troubling events that the Lord told Jacob to return to Bethel. He instructed Jacob to remove foreign gods from his people, to purify himself, put on new clothes, and build an alter at Bethel. Each of these instructions implies a renewal, or revival of awareness of God’s original purpose and Jacob’s original vision.

The journey is sometimes long and difficult. On the way, we can accumulate “other gods,” develop and manifest impure motives, and see the garments of our righteousness become unclean and filthy. We need to prepare in those areas before going back to Bethel. Bethel is a very serious place – the place of an altar. Jacob obeyed, remembered the covenant, renewed his vows, and the Lord gave him peace with his enemies (see Proverbs 16:7).

"Return to Bethel" part 1 by Charles Simpson

6/29/2020

Return to Bethel

Dear Friend in Christ:
This letter expresses what I believe that the Lord is saying to me, and what I have done to try to obey. Recently, the Lord has been using the story of Jacob to speak to me, and I hope it will speak to you as well. Jacob’s amazing life story can be found in Genesis 25-35.
I cannot tell Jacob’s entire story in detail here in this letter, but I want to give some highlights and lessons that I believe are current. He was born to Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and Rebecca. He was the youngest of twins. Esau was first born and therefore entitled to “birthright” portions of his father’s estate and to be the future leader of the family.
The problem was, Esau took his role lightly and traded it away to Jacob, who wanted it to the point of deceiving his father in order to get the birthright blessing. His mother joined him in that deception. The amazing point in the story is that God had chosen Jacob from the beginning.
“Jacob” means “heel-grabber” because when Jacob and Esau were born, the baby Jacob was clutching Esau’s heel. That seems to have been the story of the brothers from the very beginning. Jacob wrestled for a better place; Esau was careless with his blessings. Esau was a hunter, an outdoorsman, loved by his father. Jacob was closer to his mother. So, when the time came to receive Isaac’s blessing, the sons were grown.
Rebecca and Jacob managed to convince Isaac, who was now blind, that Jacob was really Esau; in his blindness, Isaac blessed Jacob with the covenant blessing – the birthright. When Esau discovered Jacob’s deception, he was enraged, and Jacob had to flee – appropriately to his mother’s people in Haran. To spite his parents, Esau married a Canaanite woman, further proving his unworthiness. Marrying someone to spite someone else is a very bad decision.
BETHEL
Jacob fled east, and when evening came, he stopped to sleep outdoors at a place called “Luz.” Weary, he laid his head upon a rock, and there had a life-changing dream. He saw a ladder from earth extending upward into heaven; angels ascended and descended upon the ladder. Above it all the Lord stood and made a covenant declaration to Jacob – the same one He had made to Abraham and Isaac: He promised the land, a multitude of descendants, a seed that would bless all people groups, and that He would be with Jacob on his journey until He had brought Jacob back home and accomplished His Word.
When Jacob awoke, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and the gate of heaven!” He called the place Bethel, House of God.
Then Jacob made a vow: “If you will be with me and keep me in the way that I am going, and give me bread and clothes, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then You will be my God…and of all that You give me, I will give You one tenth.” Jacob was still trying to make deals – even with God.
Bethel is the place where God revealed Himself to Jacob in a Sovereign, covenant encounter. From then on, Jacob’s journey would be different. But it was just the beginning. On the way, Jacob would come to know himself, the “heel grabbing deceiver,” but eventually, he would come to know the God who had called him.

The Last Day by Gene Norman

6/28/2020

LAST DAY
I present these verses before you and leave it to you to decide what they are saying.
May Holy Spirit reveal to you the whole truth.
Joel 2:11 The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?
Malachi 3:1-2 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.
"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap.
John 6:39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
Verse 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and
believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Verse 44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Verse 54 "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 12:48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
1Corinthians 5:5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Corinthians 1:8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
1Peter 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
John 11:24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at
the last day."
May your eyes be opened and your heart receptive as you read.
Many things that we think we know may not be what is being said.
What is the meaning of LAST?

Tracking the Last Week of Jesus on Earth by Gene Norman

6/27/2020

Tracking the last week of the Lord Jesus on the earth
The Book of Mark makes it easy to track the events of the last week of Jesus' life.
Chapter 11, on Sunday He came into Bethany and told two disciples to go find a colt that had never been sat on. Then the people layed their cloaks and palm branches on the road as he came. Then they began to shout, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! They were acknowledging him as Messiah. After this, he left the city on his way back to Bethany.
The next day being Monday he came out of Bethany and as he approached a fig tree he was feeling hungry but it had no fruit on it, so, he cursed the tree. From there he went into Jerusalem and entered the temple where he began to drive out the changers of money, saying, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves, after that he went out of the city again.
On Tuesday morning they passed the fig tree that He had cursed the day before. The disciples saw that it was dried up from the roots dead and were amazed. Jesus said, 'Have faith in God'. Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Also, he spoke of forgiveness.
Wednesday began, and they came again into Jerusalem where the priests, scribes and elders asked him, by what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority? So He answered them with a question. Was the baptism of John from heaven or of men? For fear they said, we do not know. Then He told them, I will not tell where my authority come from. The next several verses speaks of the chief corner stone, the coin with the image of Caesar that He used to tell them to give to Caesar what is his and to give to God what is His. He said that we should love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. He prophesied that the temple would be totally destroyed which actually happened, done by the Roman General Titus in 70AD. He also spoke of the Great Tribulation that was to come.
Then came Thursday, when he was at the house of Simon the leper, who must have been healed by the Lord because it was unlawful to come close to lepers. This was the time that Mary came and anointed him from the Alabaster box of fragrant oil. This was when Judas went to betray him for 30 pieces of silver. It was when they found the upper room where they ate the Passover supper, and He instituted the Lord's supper by breaking the bread and saying this is my body which was broken for you, and the cup which he said was the cup of the new covenant shed for many. Then they went out to the garden of Gethsemane where He spoke the words were, 'not my will but thine'. Shortly after that he was arrested and taken to the Sanhedrin for interrogation. That night, Peter denied him three times just as Jesus had told him he would.
Finally, Friday began as they took him to Pilate the Roman Governor who asked if he is king of the Jews. These events bring about the exchange and releasing of Barabbas an imprisoned murder and Jesus taking his place. There is something interesting in this exchange. The first part of his name 'Bar' means 'son of', while 'abbas' means 'father'. So, what we see here is the true 'Son of the Father' was sacrificed so that we might become 'sons of Father'.
Next, he is beaten and tortured by the soldiers. After that he is paraded toward Calvary with the cross on his back. But, along the way after falling the third time, a man is pulled out of the crowd and made to carry the cross. Finally, he is nailed to the cross and six hours later he gives up his spirit after saying, 'It is finished'. He is then taken down by Joseph of Arimathea and placed in his tomb and sealed.
Saturday, all the disciples observe the Sabbath by resting at home.
But, Hallelujah, Sunday morning comes when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome came with spices intending to prepare the body and anoint Him.
But, the stone was not over the entrance of the tomb, and and angel asks them why they were seeking the living among the dead. He told them He has risen, not here. Then He made himself known to Mary and sent her to tell the others that he has risen. Following this He spends forty days appearing to His disciples and then meets them at the mount.
His last words were, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
These signs will follow those who believe, in My Name they will cast out demons, speak with new tongues......lay hands on the sick and they will recover.

"Understanding the Names of Our Creator" by Gene Norman

6/26/2020

UNDERSTANDING THE NAME OF OUR CREATOR
As the Bible opens, in most versions we find the term and names
of the Creator, explaining and describing Him by their definitions.
The word God is actually a generic term such as mister or sir.
This language underlies Modern English in which both the KJV and Shakespeare’s plays are written and which in our day, we are still modifying, and it is akin to German and Dutch.
In the original Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek, the writers were using the Creator's names, such as Elohim which means the Almighty One or El Shaddai mening the nouisher. In our day, He is commonly defined by the term 'God'; but, as to the word itself...it is pure Anglo-Saxon.
Among our ancestors it signified not only the DIVINE BEING but also...in their writings, it carried the meaning of 'good'...it appeared that both words, good and God were correlative terms. It also seems that, when they thought or spoke of Him, they had the understanding of Him as the 'GOOD BEING'.
He was deemed as the Fountain of infinite benebolence towards His creatures.
The Hebrews were careful to address Him in a proper manner, for fear of using His name in vain as the third commandment warned.
The term God did not come into use until the 6th century.
This word was derived from the Proto-Germanic peoples of northen Europe. Their word was 'gudan' = god. It later became common among the Anglo-Saxon peoples after the Norman conquest of England and Wales in 1066.
Folks were translating from the Vulgate in the late fourth and early fifth century from Latin into Anglo-Saxon english. Then as early as the 7thcentury AD, one of the words they translated was the Latin word Domine or Dominus into the word that we understand as Lord.
You can see in this word, the root of 'dominate'.
The word these ancient Anglo-Saxons used to translate it was generally 'Driht or Dryht or Drihten', which meant the leader of a people or an army. This word didn’t survive the Norman invasion and modifications of the language into Old English and Middle English.
In the passage of Exodus chapter three, where Moses met the Angel who Elohim Himself, in the burning bush, Moses knew that the Children of Israel had been in bondage in Egypt for some 430 years. During that time they lost all comprehension of who the true God was. They were overwhelmed by all the idols that the Egyptians worshipped... such as the god of the Nile, the sun god, frogs, bulls and etc.
This is why Moses asked the question of this Awesome Being in the Fire,
'Who will I say sent me, what is His name?'
The answer was, “I AM WHO I AM', tell them, 'I AM has sent me to you'.
Then in chapter six Elohim spoke to Moses saying,
'I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, Elohim,
but by My name Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah, I was not known.
The Hebrew word translated “lord” or “the one who is” was (Yahweh); the ruler or master adonai; ruler, superintendent, proprietor, husband, owner.
The Greek word is primarily “owner, master, supreme being, controller, decider” (kyrios).
In the KJV and many subsequent translations, 'YHWH' Yahweh is translated as LORD, all caps.
YHWH is the one who causes to be, who is the mover and shaker, etc....the ONE who makes things happen."
The word 'lord' was a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon word = bread, it included the idea of two words....loaf and ford. They both carried the meaning: to supply or to give out.
The word, therefore implies the 'giver of bread'. He who deals out the loaf or affords all the neccessities of life.
The custom of the English noblemen was to keep an open house, where both vassals and strangers had full liberty to enter and to eat as much as they would; and so...those noblemen obtained the honorable title of 'lords' the despensers of bread. These were the ancient nobility who kept up this honorable custom, from which the very name of their nobility derived.
Now, considering what we shared from Genesis 1:1, Our Saxon ancestors expressed , DEUS, THE SUPREME BEING by the term God. They also used the term 'Lord' to express the word DOMINUS which is used in the Vulgate version, (that was the version they used at the time).
Elohim and Jehovah, both have been translated 'LORD GOD', in the newer versions of Scripture.
The definition of 'Good' means to give itself away.
So, 'GOD' IS BOTH 'THE GOOD BEING', AND HE IS LORD, THE DISPENSER OF BREAD, 'the giver of every good and perfect gift, James 1:7, and the One who liberally affords or dispenses both the natural bread that perishes, John 6:27, to every man for human sustenance...and also provides the spiritual bread that endures unto eternal life for every believer.
From this we can see how the word applies to the Lord Jesus...who is emphatically called, the bread of life, the bread of God, the living bread..which come down from heaven...and which gives life to every man...John 6:33,48,51.
As you travel through the books of the Prophets you will encounter, this phrase...
'the burden of the Lord' or 'the Lord came to me saying,' ….. but, not God said.
His Hebrew name is: 'Yahweh' with it's Greek companion 'Jehovah'
both meaning Lord.
His discriptive names are Jehovah Raha – the Lord my shepherd or overseer;
Jehovah Jirah – the Lord will supply;
Jehovah Rapha – the Lord my healer;
Jehovah Nissi – the Lord my banner;
Jehovah Shalom – the Lord my peace;
Jehovah Tsidkenu – the Lord my righteousness;
Jehovah Shamma – the Lord is Present;
Jehovah Sabaoath – Captain or Lord of Hosts
Kyrios also means Lord.
Adonai means Lords,.... being plural which indicates the Trinity;
as well as the Holy Name.
Har Ha Elohim means.. The Living God or the Living One
Ha Shem means.. The Divine Name or Word (as found in John one,.....
….In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God),
El Ohei is The Strong One and El Elyon is The Most High God...
remember when Abraham came back from rescuing Lot he met Melchizedek,
priest of the Most High.
Shekinah / means... His Divine Presence; a settling; His dwelling;... .
The root of the word Glory is... to glow, a strong shining, great light
This was seen when Solomon dedicated the Temple; and also when Jesus went up on the Mount of Transfiguration; it was also seen when Peter walked along the street with the shadow (not a sun shadow) but the Shekinah of the Lord was around him, ...many were healed when they came in contact with it.
Ruach Hakodesh is Holy Spirit. (The breath of Yahweh and it carries His force, but not necessarily the Presence of His Person.
Ruach Hakodesh is an individual, He is the Third Person of the Godhead)
Ben Ha Elohim is Son of the DIVINE BEING. Who became the human, Jesus.
The Greek word for God is Theos

"Ready for Anything, Anywhere" from Rev. Gary Lively

6/25/2020

Ready for Anything, Anywhere
June 17, 2020
Whatever else we observe about the life of Jesus, we know this to be true: at every moment, Jesus modeled what it looks like to live as God’s Son. It was the bedrock of his life that allowed him to become the cornerstone of restoration for all of mankind. It’s amazing to think that even Jesus needed to receive the validation of his Father before he launched into his life’s mission. I wonder what it was like for him to hear those words from his Father: “Son, you are the real deal. You have what it takes. I delight in you” (Matt. 3:17, my paraphrase). His Father’s constant validation was a holy reservoir from which Jesus drew strength for the rest of his days.
What might it be like, deep in our masculine soul, to live in an atmosphere of abundance? To live with an abiding expectation of goodness now and goodness around the corner? To know a profound sense of robust well-being, a sense of being provided for, protected, and fed? To experience a union with God that nothing could dissolve? What would it be like to be so restored as a son that we could become our true self? To become the kind of king, like Paul, who over time was able to live energetically rooted in God, even in the midst of hunger, shipwreck, and torture?
Now that I have been so immersed in the true nature of God and his kingdom,
now that I have thoroughly put to death the self-sufficiency and self- preservation of the false self,
now that I have been resurrected and restored to my true self,
now that I have become in my essence what God meant when he meant man,
now that I have become uniquely who God meant, when he meant me,
now that I have trained and become practiced in living a life in experiential union with God himself,
now that it is no longer the separate-I who lives but the very breath, strength,
and life of God-with-me who lives in me, I am ready for anything, anywhere.
Imagine what it would be like to receive that validation from the Father, to have that reservoir from which to drink daily. To be integrated in our masculine soul. To live in ever-increasing union with the Father.
We would become unstoppable.

"The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!" part 3 by Charles Simpson

6/23/2020

The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!

RIDE THE DONKEY
I am reminded that Mary rode a donkey to the lowly stable in Bethlehem where she travailed to give birth to our Savior. And thirty-three years later, He rode a donkey to Jerusalem, where he travailed in prayer to the point of sweating blood, and was crucified to save us.

The donkey is a lowly beast of burden and humility. Perhaps it is time for the Church to “ride the donkey” to its place of travail in order to see real revival. We must humble ourselves and get off our high horse. If we can do what 2 Chronicles 7:14 says and what Jeremiah 33:3 says, we can see another real wave of God’s grace.

God is calling us to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways…ways of self-interest. The possibilities are beyond what we could ask or even imagine, if we obey.

The task is to confront the enemy who would devour our land and our children. The opposition is not flesh and blood, but spiritual forces in high places. To capitulate or simply go on as though nothing has changed is unacceptable and disastrous.

We must remember that if we do obey, those who are for us are more than those who are against us. We can pray effectively and see great victories in heaven and on earth; infinite and eternal results.

The loss of my dear Carolyn, plus my own age, and the times in which we live have moved me to look for the “donkey” that I must ride to the place of travail. Like Samson I ask, “Lord, can I do it one more time?” Like Simeon and Anna, can I endure to see the Lord’s salvation? Or, will I drift into some “spiritual veterans” club while current battles rage? By God’s grace, I will once again answer the call. I pray that you will re-enlist with me.

In Christ,

Charles Simpson

"The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!" part 2 by Charles Simpson

6/21/2020

The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!

EFFECTIVE PRAYING
In 1963, I was given Charles G. Finney’s autobiography. Finney told of his pre-Christian skepticism and legal training; he told of his conversion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the revivals that followed. While I differ on some theological points, Finney understood the power of prayer. His book changed my life.

Finney offers several characteristics of effective praying:
(1) Must be definite – specific.
(2) Must be in accordance with the revealed will of God.
(3) Must be in submission to the will of God.
(4) Must be intense commensurate to its importance.
(5) Must be born of righteous (unselfish) motives.
(6) Must be in the Holy Spirit who knows the mind of God.
(7) Must be persistent.

Serious, effective prayer has changed history. In 1966, I had the privilege of conversing with Dr. John Abernathy who was a leader in the Shantung revival that occurred in the 1930s in China. He gave me a copy of a book, personally signed, that told the amazing story of salvation, healing, deliverance, and even raising the dead. Hundreds of thousands were affected by that outpouring that began in a difficult, dangerous, and spiritually dry season.

I asked Dr. Abernathy if any believers had been baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. He replied that thousands of people had that experience.

The seeds of that experience are multiplied in China today – and in the 1930s, they blew across the ocean as the church in New Orleans where my father was a member heard of the revival, and entered into many months of prayer with similar results. Revival came to the bayous of Louisiana. And no doubt, my father’s experience affected me years later. In many ways, this has indirectly affected some of you.
The surge that began in China met waves that began in the United States in Topeka, Kansas, and Houston, Texas. The ripples of those revivals still resonate in history and are touching all of the continents. Effective prayer opens limitless possibilities. It has been said that when we organize, we get what organization can do, but when we pray, we get what God can do.

When Dr. Abernathy signed the book that he gave to me, he added Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things that you know not.” Indeed, God did, and He will again.

THE PROP 8 STORY
Last year, Proposition 8 was placed on the California ballot. It was a voter’s initiative signed by Californians to prevent gay marriage, which had been approved by the California Supreme Court. California often leads the nation in cultural influence. Millions of dollars were poured into the campaigns on both sides. The attacks against proponents of Prop 8 and people of faith were often vicious and sometimes violent. Most of Hollywood, the “mainstream media,” and many large corporations were behind the supporters of gay marriage.

Christians and churches came together across the state to pray, organize, and vote. The proposition to defeat gay marriage prevailed handily. California believers won a great victory for all of us…but the battle continues. (For continuing updates on this issue, visit our CSM website’s News and Discussion Forum in the “Current Events” topic section.)

Gay marriage is but one issue in the battle for hearts and minds. The emerging social agenda is anti-Christian, anti-God, and anti-tradition. The response of believers must be more than to react in carnal warfare. While we need to awaken and activate people, we must do more. We must confess our own sins, seek God, and obey Him. Then we need to get out into the fields where the harvest is.

"The Greatest Privilege and Possibilities" part 1 by Charles Simpson

6/18/2020

The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!

Dear Friend in Christ:
The old hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.” What a privilege to speak to the Living, Sovereign God! And what possibilities it offers mortals. Tragically, privilege and possibility are often missed. I am writing to you so that we will not miss them in this serious season.

If all things are predetermined, why does God say to pray? Has prayer a power? Does God actually listen? Is He moved by prayer? Is God simply looking for “seekers” who will become instruments of His purpose and power? I believe so, but I candidly confess that prayer remains a mystery to me, a mystery that I too often neglect or exercise with too little faith.

GOD IS CALLING
God is calling us to pray then act not the reverse. He is calling us not so much to comprehend the incomprehensible, but to practice the possible. He is calling us to penetrate the clouds of circumstance with powerful, purposeful, and penitent prayers of faith to see His power and purpose.

When God looks at the Church, what does He see? Does He see prayer warriors and volunteers, or does He see spiritual spectators and retired veterans of past wars? No doubt the scene varies from place to place. But I care what He sees when He looks at our house.

Our current blessings are due to former victories, but future victories and blessings will only come as we rise in prayer to meet current challenges. Past exploits will not defeat present enemies.

When God looked upon the Ephesian church (see Revelation 2-3), He saw a church that had lost its first love. When He looked at the Laodicean church, He saw a self-satisfied, lukewarm church. When He looked at the church at Pergamum, He saw a fruitful church prepared to die for His name.

Only God can show us what He sees; when He does, it may break our hearts, but His purpose is to shape our hearts to seek His face and become instruments of His purpose. We believe in Him and His Kingdom, but His Kingdom comes through prayer and obedience. It comes as we pray for it to come and seek it first (see Matthew 6 and Jeremiah 29:13).

In 1964, I had a vision: our church was gathered on Sunday morning, I in my suit, the choir in their robes, and the congregation in their Sunday best. Then the Lord said, “That’s how you see it. Do you want to know how I see it?” With some trepidation, I said, “Yes.” I will not describe what I saw, but it greatly disturbed me, and I began to seek God. Along with other men, I spent many weeks of Spirit-led prayer, waiting and seeking God for hours – often upon my face. Since those days and nights, many good things have followed – unimaginable blessings. But now in many cases, the barn is no longer full, workers are few, and some fields lie wasted by the wild beasts. What shall we do? Should we seek better methods or seek the Lord?

The Scripture tells us that no man can come to Jesus, except the Father draws him (see John 6:44) .Is the Father drawing us? Is the “breeze blowing in the mulberry trees”(see 2 Samuel 5:26)? Is He saying, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden”(see Matthew 11:26)? Can we find rest for our souls in turbulent times? I believe so. Can we penetrate the clouds of circumstance and come to the Throne of God? I believe so. Are there abundant reasons to seek God now? Yes, I believe so!

THE TASK
The task, as I see it, is three-fold:
(1) Seek God until we hear from heaven_clearly.
(2) Speak what God is saying – clearly.
(3) Obey and demonstrate the message.

I freely confess that I have often failed in all three areas. Even when I was successful in all three areas, it was not always met with acclaim. But the task remains.

Andrew Murray wrote the Nineteenth Century classic With Christ in the School of Prayer. He pointed out that we are kings and priests to God. He says that kings have power downward, and priests have power upward prevailing with God. It is through our priestly prayer ministry that we reign with Christ. Without a powerful priestly ministry, ruling is mere ambition. The priority is to reach God, then people – not the reverse.

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