And He said to them, "It is written,'My house shall be called a house of prayer,’…”
Matthew 21:13 NKJV

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Voice of the Lord


Pastor Tim Franklin - Freedom Christian Center
April 29, 2010


Ps. 29:9 “The voice of the Lord causes the deer to give birth…”

Awesome is the voice of the Lord! It strikes terror in the heart, like the roar of the lion. It soothes and comforts like a mother over her child. It creates, it destroys, it raises up and brings down. Awesome is the voice of the Lord! Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice and listen and follow.”

In Psalm 29, ‘the voice of the Lord’ expression is used eight different times. The Voice of the Lord is over the waters, is full of majesty, breaks cedars, divides flames of fire, shakes the wilderness and makes deer give birth. Awesome is the voice of the Lord!

I heard the voice of the Lord say today, “there is a slowing down of spiritual birthings.” Upon hearing that, I immediately thought of Ps. 29:9 “that it is the voice of the Lord that causes the deer to give birth.” It is amazing, the things that have come forth in the earth because people have heard the voice of the Lord. Churches get started, ministries come forth, governments shift, people are born again, healed and delivered ― all because of the voice of the Lord.

So when I hear God whispering that there is a slowing down of spiritual birthings, my spirit man immediately begins contending for the hearing of God’s voice in our region. We must hear His voice! He has plans for us! There are blessings and prophetic words hanging over our region. We must hear His voice and bring forth those visions with strength.

Forward movement stops, village life ceases, spiritual climates digress, and corruption of culture, family, and society begins to take place when God’s voice is not heard. When His voice is not heard we lose sight of His vision for us, our community and our nation. Amos said strongly in 8:11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord. (NKJV) That was not good for Israel and it is not good for us.

Would the deer give birth without the hearing of the voice of the Lord? Would the wilderness shake? I want the things of God to accelerate in our region not slow down. I am contending for breakthrough! I am contending for revival! I am contending for ‘God activity’ all over our county. I am contending that His voice be heard in our land! Rise up intercessors! PUSH! Rise up church! PUSH! Rise up and PUSH! Bring forth what God has put inside of you.

Do not back down, let up, turn aside or quit! Rise up and PUSH!


Thursday, April 22, 2010

Have You Found the Secret Place?

Pastor Larry Booth, Our Father's House- April 22, 2010
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Have you found the secret place? I’ve heard that question before and often pondered the meaning of the secret place. One thing is for sure, each of us needs to meet with GOD and receive revelation for our day to day living! Amen!

The psalmist writes, “The secret of the LORD is with those who fear HIM, and HE will show them HIS covenant.” (Ps.25:14)

The very word translated most frequently in the New Testament for prayer "proseuchomai" is a worship word meaning to bow before, which certainly implies the fear of the LORD mentioned by the psalmist.

I believe it is in the place of worship where the secrets of GOD are revealed. Two wonderful examples from the Word of God are found in II Chronicles 20 and Acts 13. King Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the LORD (verse 3) and proclaimed a national level fast. The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God came upon a man who was standing in the midst of the assembly. The word of revelation defined the battle plan and set the worshippers before the army. Wow…what a place to meet GOD!!! Hallelujah!!!

In Acts 13 we see mission strategy unfolding from the place of worship and prayer. The Bible says, as they ministered to the LORD and fasted (Acts 13:2) the Holy Spirit revealed the plan of the hour. Hallelujah!!!

Do you see it? I believe GOD is raising up MyHOP for such a time as this. HE is putting us in the place of worship and prayer where we can corporately minister to the LORD. I believe we shall see revelation coming forth with divine strategies for our region as we gather, worship, pray, fast at certain seasons and minister to the LORD.

Will you become part of this awakening to minister to the LORD? Will you make the place of prayer and the seeking of GOD a priority in your life? May we find this road covered in grace that will enable us to fulfill our destiny as a region in GOD’S kingdom purpose. Hallelujah!!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Looking Toward Heaven

Pastor Gary Stebbins, COTRM- April 15, 2010
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Jesus set out to find some time alone and went off by Himself in a small boat. However people were desperate for a touch from heaven and by the time Jesus arrived at His destination, a great crowd had already assembled. In Matthew 14:14 it says that Jesus “felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”

As the day wore on and evening approached, the disciples, obviously tired from a long day, suggested that Jesus send everybody home. “After all,” they reasoned, “ … this place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves (Mtt 14:15)." Sounds like a reasonable and even responsible thing to do. However, Jesus had other plans. Jesus suggested that the people did not need to go away, and furthermore, He asked the disciples to feed them. “What,” I am sure they must have exclaimed, “We only have five small loaves of bread and two fish, how can we possibly feed a crowd so large?”

Jesus did something very interesting at this point. He took the bread and the fish and, “looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied (Mtt 14:19-20).” I found this very interesting when I read it. There was not enough food to feed the over 5000 people who had gathered, and yet Jesus calmly, “looking up toward heaven” offered them the bread and fish that they had.

How could Jesus feed five over 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish? Immediately following this miracle, Jesus, “went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone (Mtt 14:23).” It was Jesus pattern to regularly get away and spend time in the presence of God the Father and pray. His constant communion with the Father enabled Him to minister to the people. During these times of drawing away from the crowds to be with His heavenly Father, Jesus became increasing aware of the Father’s heart. As a result, in His moment of need, all Jesus had to do was “look up toward heaven” to reassure Himself of God’s purpose and plan for Him at that very moment in time.

It is obvious that prayer and spending time alone in the presence of God was important to Jesus, as it should be for us today as well. Looking back at the beginning of this passage of scripture, there is another benefit of spending regular, consistent, time with God. When Jesus first saw the crowd that had gathered it says that Jesus “felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” When Jesus looked toward heaven, He was not just feeling sorry for the people because they were hungry. Through spending time in prayer He had acquired the heart of the Father for the people around Him. His heart was filled with the compassion of God for the people. Therefore, even after a long day of ministry, Jesus was willing to take time and demonstrate the reality of the Father’s compassion by asking God to feed the people. In faith, without any outward sign, Jesus thanked God for the provision to feed over 5000 people.

Today we want to be able to work the same miracles that Jesus worked, but are we ready to spend the time in communion and prayer with the Father that Jesus spent?

I think we are!

How often do you pause to “look toward heaven?” Do you regularly spend time with God alone? How about gathering together with other believers to pray and worship God?

Friday, April 9, 2010

Knock, Knock


Pastor Tony Hauck, COTRM- April 9, 2010



There are two types of knocking on doors in the New Testament. One is in Revelation 3:20, where Jesus knocks on our door. Let’s call this passive, since all we have to do is open the door when Jesus shows up.

The other is in Luke 11:9-10, where we knock on His door. We’ll call this active for obvious reasons.

Now I love when Jesus initiates spiritual activity, but I think we may be unbalanced. Our default mode seems to be to wait around for Him to do something. And when nothing happens, we spiritualize by playing the “God is sovereign” card. But consider some things He has said.

You don’t have because you don’t ask (James 4:2). Draw near to God (i.e. you go first), and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). You can’t please God unless you believe He rewards diligent seeking (Heb 11:6). Always pray (knock) persistently and don’t give up (Luke 18:1-9).

Seems to me we’re supposed to be doing most of the knocking. We need to realize that we have the power, through prayer, to stir up the activity of God. If our spiritual lives are boring, it’s not His fault.

Have you knocked on the doors of heaven recently?