Why Pray?

 

Monday, October 12, 2015

God’s Power Principle For Today: “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us” (2 Corinthians 2:1-12).   

 Hey Gang: I need to make a confession to you this morning.  I am not a very avid reader.  On my desk, as I write this epistle this morning, are four books with markers that tell me where I am in the book.  In one I am on page 32, the second 18, the third 47 and the last an amazing 123.

 But I have found myself returning to a book by Dr. John DeVries, founder of Mission India, titled, Why Pray. This has been a source of encouragement to me.   I have asked that question many times and, I confess, I have even stopped praying for a season because I did not think God was listening.

 

Yousee, I tended to measure the success of my prayers by what I received from them in short order.  There is an ad on Television advertising ‘Wentworth Finance ‘where the people are shouting, “I want my money and I want it now”.  That was kind of my attitude when I went to the throne room for a specific need.  Have I had victory over that, to a degree, but I must admit the battle goes on.

 But the resurgence of the Village has given me a leg up on the victory-trail over this issue.  I learned, from Dr. John, that when we have a specific need, we should place it in the Father’s hand and move on.  When Cathey, my daughter, became the exulted ruler of the Village, her mom and I felt we needed to build a pyramid of prayer warriors who were willing to pray in a sacrificial way for wisdom and direction and strength and protection for her and the Village. 

 Our challenge to each one, ‘If you are not willing to pray sacrificially and as Paul challenges us ,“without ceasing” please do not sign up to be a prayer warrior.  I believe the prayer warrior ring that surrounds the Village today is the catalyst that has produced the changes and victories that have become a wonderful testimony to God’s grace, mercy and love.  To fail to fulfill your prayer commitment is to leave a hole in the covering.  Satan dearly loves to move into those holes.

 I believe one of the most overused phrases in existence today is “I will pray for you!”  I believe, if everyone, who at one time or another said they would pray for me, did indeed follow through and placed my needs on the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror or the rear-view mirror of their car, I could have been able to walk on water.  (Just joking).

  My dear friends, let me share a piece of advice I received years ago, when I confessed to a friend that I had a hard time remaining focused when I was praying.  He said, “Journal your prayers.”  Not only will you remain focused, but you will have a record of your prayers and can look back and see when they were fulfilled.  So, I have two recommendations to you this morning: one, if you are asking “Why Pray? I recommend you get John’s book, Why Pray; and, if you have a hard times staying focuses, try journaling your prayers for a season and see how God blesses.

 Blessings, Gramps

Hey, Cheer Up - God Is Preparing to Come - Very Soon

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

God’s Power Principle For today:  “Behold the tabernacle of God is among men. And He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be among them” (Revelation 21:3).

 Hey Gang:  In this day, when it seems everything that can be shaken is being shaken so that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain, we need to keep our eyes glued to our Abba Father.  If the words through John from Jesus, in the morning Scripture, do not build a fire in the depths of your innards, you had best check yourself into the nearest emergency ward and see if your thumper is still thumping. 

 Each week the Koenig report, which is a report of current and future events that are based on the prophetic word of God, Claudia Koenig begins each up -date with prayer and a word from Father God.  They are always a challenge and give me a firm foundation to begin the new week. 

 This week she challenged me, and I pray you, with these words: “Many times when a faraway missionary was in a time of despair, the question was asked, “What can we do?’  The answer was always, “Pray, pray, pray!”  Today, many ask, “What can we do when judgment for man’s rebellion against God comes to America and people will be in despair?”  The answer is “Pray, pray, pray!” 

 As I read this, a recollection from my early years surfaced in my brain.  When I was eight years old and in the fourth grade, we began each day with the Pledge of Allegiance, several verses from the Bible and the Lord’s Prayer.  We also had a morning update on what was happening in the war zones. 

 I remember that fateful day when the teacher announced that General McArthur had thrown in the towel and left the Philippines but, on his way out he made a vow to return soon, a promise he fulfilled. 

 Yes, today’s news is filled with woe, woe and more woe.  One wonders if there is any wisdom in any capitals of the world.  We are surely paying the Piper for the decisions to remove God from every facet of our lives. 

 But!  Does it not fill your heart with joy when you read the words of the angels who were there when Jesus ascended back to the Father and took His rightful place at the right hand of God? They said: “Why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).  

 Soooo, my young buckaroos, keep your lamps trimmed and filled with oil, your Armor shined and in place (on your body) and pray, pray, pray!.  For you see, God never said the governments of the man would ever have the wisdom to repair what they break, but 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives us the promise that-“If we humble ourselves before Him, pray from the depths of our souls and seek Him until we find Him, He will heal our land!.

 Blessings, 

Gramps

I Have A Problem

Monday, September 28, 2015

 “They had said. “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.”   For they have conspired together with one mind; against You they make a covenant” (Psalm 83:4-5).

 Hey Gang: In my eighty-two year -tenure on this earth I have heard mucho messages based on Ezekiel’s prophecy of the dry bones.  I confess in my early years I did not have a clue what the significance of that story was all about.  And then a profound thing happened on May 15, 1948, Israel became a nation AGAIN.  Now, I emphasize “AGAIN”. 

 I also confess that for the next seventeen years I did not pay much attention to Israel and the Middle East.  As a matter of fact,  did not pay much attention to anything that was spiritual.  You might say “I had a form of Godliness but denied the power”.  But one cannot be married to the bride-of-my-youth and her witness without feeling the conviction fires snapping at your heels. 

 I will not bore you with the process that took place in my life and changed my attitude from a powerless believer to a warrior-type person for Christ.    I will share -growth in Christ is not an easy process.  At least it was not easy for me.  My flesh fought it all the way and continues to send its barbs frequently today.

 When God called us from California to open what we thought was to be a foster home for four boys which turned into the miracle that the Eagle Village is today, there was a two- year period that was the most frustrating time in my life.  For two years I was the only ‘unemployed director of a non-existent home for boys with problems.’ This was one of the first of that new bred called the ‘stay at home dad’. (Jean was an elementary Teacher.)

 I thought it was a total waste of time but learned, in the years that followed, I could not have handled the constant pressures of building a program, raising the needed monies, and caring for the growing number of boys that God sent our way.  I found, in those early years, that the scar tissue earned during the two-year hiatus of waiting for God to say “Hey, now is the time, let’s go for it” was the glue that gave me the sustaining power to deal with what was to come.

 During the two years of waiting we had a neighbor; she was actually our landlady.  She was not very big physically, did not come up to my shoulders, but her spiritual height was far higher.  We spent many hours together discussing the many questions that kept surfacing in my mind  as I got more involved with God’s Word.    As I look back over that two-year period that I thought was frustration-ville, I  learned very quickly was a time of preparation and the foundation for what was  to come.

 Well, back to the topic of this epistle “I have a problem”.  In that two years I learned to love prophecy.  That is just the way I am, I want to know where I am, where I am going, and how I am going to get there.    It was during the time that Israel began to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy found in Zechariah 12:2-3.  It was also during that time that I gained a great respect and love for Israel.

  During that time tI learned, as a believer in Yeshua, I had been grafted into His vine and one day, as a graftee, I would spend eternity with Yeshua and all the saints who have gone before me, for all eternity in the New Jerusalem. 

 Soooo, friends and family, I did it again.  I started out with a clear path of where I was heading -but lost my focus and ended up down a different path.  I will try again and give you the whys and wherefores of Why I Have a Problem in the next Gramps Morning Message.    

 Blessings  Gramps

 P.S.  During the two year hiatus referred to above, we were blessed to be able to  provide mentorship for a wonderful group of young people who wanted to learned about Christ and become effective witnesses for Him.   It was our sincere belief that without a proper foundation we cannot become effective witnesses for Christ; without knowledge of how to lead others to Christ, we are limited in our effectiveness as witnesses.  So, we developed a curriculum that we have taught many times since was published on August 23, 2015 on grampswhatshappeningman.blogspot.com for your review

 

 

Have You Touched Someone Today?

 Wednesday, September 23, 2015

"For Surely I know the plans I have for you, says he Lord...to give you a future with hope" - (Jerimiah 29:11)

 Barna reports that the Church in America is on a rapid road to the archives of history.  That most of the old-line denominations have seen a serious reduction in their enrollments and an even greater deterioration in attendance.  An old-salt pastor recently remarked, if you want to find some real peace and quiet, step into just about any church in town most of the time.    In North America, the majority of churches don't have as many members as they did ten, twenty and fifty years ago.  There is growing skepticism among many that the church is no longer relevant and will soon pass into oblivion. 

But, let me share another study that was recently completed in a Canada where a follow up question was added to the primary question:  “Are you an active part of a church?”.  The question ask, “Are you involved in a church? And if so, what church?  Those who listed no affiliation were referred to as the “nones”. 

But there was a second question added that showed the questioners the “nones” looked more like ‘somes’.  The bottom line discovered by the questioner was Canadians are still hungry, even when they deny it.  In my experience of working with young bucks, who had no contact with the religious world, I agree with that assessment.  Most had an itch they could not scratch and really had no idea what was causing that itch.

Let me take you down a side road for a moment before getting to the main point of what I want to share with you, there is a concerted movement on the part of our President and those he has appointed as the guru’s of our military; they are going to great lengths to remove Christ from the military.  But how many know, they removed God from our schools years ago and every time there is a test He shows up invited.  In times of conflict there are no such things as Godless fox holes or Godless cockpits of fighter aircraft. 

My bride, who is an avid reader and supplies me with many interesting goodies shared the following goodie:   A pastor of one of those small, and getting smaller churches in the Midwest, who never allowed  reality to discourage him.  One day I, his friend, asked him, " Pastor Bill, how do you stay so positive when your membership keeps shrinking?  Aren't you afraid you'll close?”

Bill smiled, “I don't know what you are talking about! "We're not shrinking.  We're growing - up ten percent from last year."  "Can't be, "His friend said, "I've seen your membership numbers.  Down every year for the last ten." 

"You count members,” Bill said, "but we count touches.  Anytime anyone in our church does something for someone else in the name of Jesus, that's a touch; a card sent, a phone call made, a meal delivered, a donation to the food pantry.  And our goal is to increase touches.  In the five years that we've counted this way, we've grown every year."

Soooo, Getting back to the ‘nones’ who were ‘somes’, let me share a personal opinion based on more than fifty years of experience of coming along side young folks and older folks and all types of folks who have need of someone to “reach out and touch them” I believe that is what Jesus meant when He said “there is no greater love than for someone to be willing to lay down their lives for someone who is hurting”.  He also said “for those who did this for the last of these my brethren I will bless.  (Hillbilly rendition).

You see when you reach out the touch  (in a smile, kind word...) to that person behind the checkout counter at Walmart. It releases a muscle in their face and a smile breaks out and you have planted a wee touch of heaven into their heart.  Do you have a quota of how many touches you will share today?  I have a theory: the discipline of setting a number for it does two things, it focuses your attention of the needs of people you come in contract with and God sends those who have needs across your path for “His touch through you”.

 Blessings, Gramps

 

Do You Feel Like Your Head Is In the Dumpster?

 Wednesday, September 16, 2015

 “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10) “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5:9)  read also Romans 5:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:4 and Revelation 3:10).

 Hey Gang: Confession time!  Do not get me wrong, I do enjoy writing the morning messages but there is a very deep down-side to it – it requires doing a lot of research to keep you up to speed in what is happening in the prophetic world and that can be like a trip through the sewers of the world.  I am finding more and more focus on the stories of persecution, - nearly unbelievable stories of persecutions around the world and increased legal persecu-tion ncrease daily in our once land of the free ,and home of the brave.

 In my 82 years of tenure on this earth I have never seen so many, even Christians who are living in a depressed state of mind.  Never have I heard so many comments comparing what has happened and what is happening daily to our country to a funeral, death, despair and hopelessness.  Do you feel that way this morning?  If you do let me make a suggestion: find someone who has their head screwed on right and who inputs the Word of God on a regular basis.  Someone who has read the final chapters of the Bible and knows “We Win”!!!!

 Such a man is Pastor Vic Batista of Calvary Chapel Aventura in Miami who looks at the world from a biblical, prophetic, perspective, and that energizes him with tremendous hope.  He has a total “lock” on the truth of God’s redemptive plan for each and every believer.  He makes no bones about it, we live in very perilous times, but they are also very wonderful times - for we are living in the very midst of the fulfillment of God’s prophetic word that was given to us thousands of years ago.

 He pounds home the point that, being in the Word continuously and in depth, is the key to mental health and prevention of such things as fear and lack of hope.  When we are continually basking in the fulfilled promises, and keep in mind God has never left us dangling on one of His promises, they are fulfilled precisely and exactly as he said they would be fulfilled. Knowing that God keeps His promises radically helps us trust Him better and gives us hope for the future.

 This we can take to the bank!  In the end Jesus is the winner and evil will be defeated and destroyed!! Satan will be out of here and these amazing events are just around the corner. The ‘out of sight news’-God wants the faithful to live forever in His home with Him – the New Jerusalem.  That’s the very reason why mankind was created, so that we can have fellowship with God forever.

 I believe one of the most amazing verses in the Bible is found in Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear not walk; and they did not repent of their murderers not of their sorceries not of their immorality nor of their thefts.” (NASB)

 Soooo my friends, Jesus said:“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because our redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).  It is time to look up folks!

 Blessings, 

Gramps

But First the Apostasy Must Come

 

Friday, September 18, 2015

"Let no one deceive you in any way, for it (Day of Wrath) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. Who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God" (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

 

"Know this, first of all, that in the Last Days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?  For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation" (2 Peter 3:3-4).

 

Hey Gang:  I was checking out the weather when a program ad came on that got my attention advertising, ‘The Highway to Hell'.  It is the story of a tow-trucking firm in Alaska that answers the call when accidents occur on “The Highway to Hell”.   I haven’t a clue why someone would want to drive a semi load of steel up the side of an icy mountain road in a blinding snowstorm but for the almighty buck! It seems we can find someone to do just about anything. 

 

As I watched the program, and I admit I kind of got caught up in the tug of war that was going on between tow-truck operators and vehicles that had found their way off the mountain roads,  I even got a wee bit excited when I saw the tow-truck being pulled ever closer to an embankment by a huge semi that had gone over the side.

 

As I watched the process I thought of Anne Graham Lotz’s challenge to the church to get serious: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22).

 

So, what is the connection between the ‘Highway to Hell' story and Paul's teaching on what Christian conduct should look like? Is that not a picture of the church today?  Satan seems to be on a roll and one might get the idea that the church has dug its heels in but is slowly being dragged toward the precipice (the world!)

 

The tow-truck tug of War went on for several hours, frustration growing with each failure.   But just as they were ready to throw the towel and await the light of day a savior arrived on the scene, a second huge tow-truck. Within he hour ,they not only had the truck out of the ravine but it was upright.  I found myself rooting with the tow-truck drivers.

Soooo, In our Scriptures we are given clear warning that before the final chapter of man’s governments can begin, there will be a rapid growth in apostasy.  It will be a time when even many of the saints will be led astray.  I believe we are seeing this happen today.  But we need to read on in both of these Scriptures.

 

 

Notice 2 Thessalonians 2:8 “Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” and In Peter we read “Be on your guard so that you are not led astray.  Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (3:17-18). 

 

Blessings,

Gramps

Is Israel the Apple of God's Eye?

 

Friday, September 4, 2015    (Kermit’s Birthday)

"In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me, And He has also made Me a select arrow.     He has hidden Me in His quiver.  He said to Me, "You are My Servant Israel, In Whom I will show My glory."  (Isaiah 49:2b- 3b).

Hey Gang:  The writer of Hebrews tells us that in the latter days we are going to experience a shaking like we have never experienced before, all in preparation of the coming Day of the Lord.   I am eighty two years old today and can attest to the truth of that statement.  As a child I do not recall Jerusalem being a focal point of the world.  As a matter of fact I do not recall any specific event that centered on Israel until 1948 when Israel became a nation once again.

From that day on Jerusalem and Israel have been the focal point of the world press and world governments.  I list them in that order for I learned, while volunteering in Israel on eleven separate occasions, that where the press was, there was conflict.  I also learned, being there and seeing what was happening firsthand, I most often came away with the felling that the press was not seeing the same picture I was seeing. 

In a recent round table discussion involving a number of prophetic gurus, one elderly gentlemen was asked, can you sum up what is happening in the prophetic world in one phrase? He responded yes, I can do it in one word, "Israel."   He then went on to put meat on his statement: "Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around, and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.  It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.  And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against."  (Zechariah 12:2-3). 

When people ask where is the United Sates in prophecy, my question to them is,  “Are you a literalist in interpretation or do you try and make Scriptures fit where you are at spiritually?”   If you are a literalist, then I can answer your question; reread Zechariah 12:2-3 and pay special attention to the "all's". If you are a non-literalist, you may have the same problem President Clinton had with the definition of the word "is".

One of my very favorite verses in the Bible is found in Zachariah 12:8 "In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them."  

 There was an old country preacher who was asked if he would rather die and be taken up to the Lord or to be raptured and.    He said, “Ya know, I have studied that question for many years knowing we are nearing that time when Yeshua is going to come again soon, and I really have mixed emotions. Today, I think I would like to be in the grave and come blasting out of the coffin to be with the Lord, but tomorrow I may choose - some will be taken and some left' route.  But this I know, the bottom line is I just want to be with Him!

 I believe we can all agree that Jerusalem is a cup that causes reeling to the peoples of the world and a very heavy stone around the necks of the peoples of the world.  Keep in mind, dear friends, that Israel is less in size than New Jersey but requires more than seventy five percent of all the time of the UN. 

Now, I want to make a point here, the more you open your mind and heart to the study of prophecy,  the greater the peace in your heart.  If I could have one wish given to me I would choose to stand on the Mount of Olives, where my Lord ascended into the heavenlies and where He will soon return again.  He will shout to the people of Israel: "So I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the House of Judah, Do not fear"   (Zechariah 9:15).

 Well ,my friends, let me warn you, when I put the prophetic word beside the news of what is happening in our world, I get very excited and also very wordy.  So please feel free to tune in or tune out when you find the load is getting to heavy to bare,  but keep focused on the Lord of Glory. Be advised, He will come as a thief in the night – to those who are not expecting Him; BUT, to those who alert and watching and their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, ’He will take them to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  Hey gang, you do not want to miss that! 

Blessings,

Gramps

Paul Harvey's Warning to America, 1965.

Friday, August 21, 2015

Paul Harvey’s Warning To America: If I Were The Devil…

On April 3rd, 1965 legendary radio host Paul Harvey issued a warning to America.  In this warning, he detailed what he thought the devil should do if the devil wanted to keep destroying the United States.  Sadly, the truth is that most of this stuff has come to pass.  What Paul Harvey saw for America’s future back in 1965 if the devil had his way was eerily accurate.  Please share this with as many people as you can….

If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.

I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.”

To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”.

In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa.

And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”

With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons, but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg and the symbol
of Christmas a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those
who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.

In other words, if I were Satan,
I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.