Christ's Call to Pray (6/16-17)

Hebrews 7:25 KJV, “Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Christ lives in heaven in His Father’s presence. “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heaven” Heb. 8:1 KJV). Christ is interceding for each and every one of His followers according to the Father’s will. The Father’s desires in His heart for us is to be like His Son (Rom. 8:30 NCV).

What is intercession? The dictionary define as the act of interceding. The word, intercede means to act as a go-between for hostile (enemy or unfriendly) parties (or group). 2: to plead in behalf (interest) of another. It’s good to know that the word, inter means between; among; in the midst and sharing by or involving two or more. The word, cession means a giving over (as of territory or rights) to another.

The example of prayer chain is like when we hear one of our brothers or sisters who are in trouble with an enemy who causes the problem, we act as a go-between the enemy and God. We plead to God to give us strength to fight against the enemy. Also, to command Satan to give back what is rightfully ours, and to give back what he stole from us. The two most important tools in intercession are the Word of God and prayer in the spirit against the enemy. 

So Christ is our intercessor and we are to be like Him. We, also, become an intercessor.  When you begin to pray for others, you become a part of the present-day ministry of Jesus Christ, “seeing He ever liveth to make intercession ( Heb.7:25 KJV). Through prayer, you and I become His voice in the earth. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we become workers with our heavenly Father. This is a wonderful plan of God.

                   Song: I Am Praying for You

1. I have a Savior; He’s pleading in glory,

A dear, loving Savior tho’ earthfriends be few;

And now He is watching in tenderness over me,

And oh, that my Savior were your Savior too.

      Chorus:

            For you I am praying, For you I am praying,

            For you I am praying, I’m praying for you.

2. I have a Father; to me He has given

A hope for eternity, blessed and true;

And soon will He call me to meet Him in heaven,

But oh, that He’s let me bring you with me too!

(Then chorus)

3. When Jesus has found you, tell others the story

That my loving Savior in your Savior, too;

Then pray that your Savior may bring them to glory,

And prayers will be answered, ‘twas answered for you!

(Then chorus) by Samuel O’Malley Cluff, Sing His Praise

A Call to Prayer (6/11-15)

Hebrews 7:25 “… He ever lives to make intercession.” KJV

I would like to share how God has first call me to pray when I was a child perhaps around eight-year-old. What I had seen was a warrior demon who dressed like a Roman solder.  I learned its name when I came across reading the book of Howard Pittman many years later. I was a carefree child until that day when I saw how tall he was and his arm folded. He looked very handsome, but he didn’t smile at all.

I felt the coldness of shadow came over me. I started to cry until my heart broke and sobbed. I saw a tree, I held it and I hug it. Little did I know that God had used my first intercessory prayer was for those young deaf children all over U.S. who were taken to the deaf school, separated from family’s love and security. God had cared for those little ones.

Why were the deaf children taken to a deaf school during the year of 1950’s? So they could learn the language and be educated where hearing school did not have access teaching for children who were deaf. Most parents who did not know the sign language were not able to meet the need of deaf children. In Deaf School, they were trained to make their beds, dressed for themselves, brush their teeth and clean their rooms. They had teachers who would help them learn the language and school them as they grew older. Many have become successful with jobs, colleges, careers and the like.

When I came to the age of 12, I was not able to function in the hearing school at all. They were not able to meet my need and neither did my family were able to help me much. So off I went to a Deaf School. To my surprise I discovered how much I had missed those seven years of age 5-12. Anger rose inside of me as to why I didn’t go to deaf school earlier.

I remember Miss Lewis who taught the class how to read.  It was my first time, I could read her sign language and understood what she explained. It was like a new light growing inside of me. I was amazed. I came home on weekend and I cried my heart out to get that darkness out of my mind. My mom who was a prayer warrior began to pray for me and asked God to set me free and to open my mind that I would be able to learn new things. Soon after I was able to learn many things.

I began to pray for other Deaf who have difficulty in learning that God would open their minds to be able to grasp and learn more schooling so they would be able to study or ‘hear’  God’s Word. God had called me to pray since I was a child. The prayer was a heart-cry which I learn later how God used different kind of prayers.

My friend, God does care and He needs you to pray for others so there would be a breakthrough for them. When I encounter the warrior demon once again, I command him to move out and allow God’s Spirit to come upon me with such warmth and love. It was awesome.

         Song: Set My Spirit Free

Set my spirit free that I might worship Thee.

Set my spirit free that I might praise Thy name.

Let all bondage go, and let deliverance flow.

Set my spirit free to worship Thee.

(John Haddock, Sing His Praise)

He is Jehovah, God who Heals 6/1-10)

Exodus 15:26 “… I am the Lord who heals you.”

When God lead the Israelite out of Egypt there was none feeble among His tribes (Psalm 105:37), He had healed every one of them. It was the beginning of their new life with Him. He had already healed them of all the diseases and pains they suffered when they were in bondage in Egypt.

Today, we have hope just as the Israelite were delivered from their bondage in Egypt and from slavery to Pharaoh, we have also been delivered from the bondage of sin and sickness, and from slavery to the devil, by the blood of the Lamb. The Lord who is Jehovah says to you, “I am the Lord who heals you.”

*The word Jehovah means God, the supreme or almighty reality; esp: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness whom people worship as creator and ruler of the universe 2: a Being believed to have more than human powers.  [*Dictionary from Franklin, Merriam-Webster.]

My dear friend, if we hear a bad report from the doctor regarding your health, don’t despair. Look to Jehovah, God’s Son, Jesus who has power to heal for your body. He is still Jehovah, the Lord who heals you! There were testimonies of healings from the Deaf in the month of May and April 2014, you could find them from Deaf Prayer Partners Lifeline if you log in http://deafprayerpartners.blogspot.com/.

                 Song: He Is Jehovah

1. He is Jehovah, God of Creation,

    He is Jehovah, Lord God Almighty,

    the Balm of Gilead, the Rock of Ages,

    He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

2. He is the great, “I AM,” the God of Abraham,

   Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace “I AM,”

   the God of Israel, the everlasting One,

   He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

3. He’s your Provider, Jehovah, Jireh,

   the God of Salvation, God of Messiah;

   the Son He sent to you and testified of Him.

   He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

Chorus:

          Sing hallelujah, sing hallelujah,

          Sing hallelujah, sing hallelujah,

          He is Jehovah, Lord God Almighty;

          He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

          (Betty Jean Robinson, Sing His Praise)

Song: Yesterday, Today, Forever

1. Oh, how sweet the glorious message, Simple faith may claim;
Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.
Still He loves to save the sinful, Heal the sick and lame,
Cheer the mourner, still the tempest; Glory to His name!
chorus:
Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same;
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His name.
Glory to His name, glory to His name;
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His name.

2. Oft on earth He healed the suff'rer By His mighty hand;
Still our sicknesses and sorrows Go at His command.
He who gave His healing virtue, To a woman's touch;
To the faith that claims His fullness, Still will give as much.
chorus:
Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same;
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His name.
Glory to His name, glory to His name;
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His name.
(Albert B. Simpson, Sing His Praise)

Go Tell Your Friends (5/30-31)

Mark 5:19 “… Go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.”

From Mark chapter 4, the story was about Jesus teaching by the lakeshore, the Sea of Galilee, and it was a large crowd so Jesus got on the boat so everyone could see Him. He began teaching the people by telling them many stories to compare earthly things with spiritual or heavenly things. When evening came Jesus called the disciples to go over to the other side of the lake, to the country of the Gadarenes. They got on the boat and Jesus was tired so He slept at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion. Imagine that! The Son of God in a boat? He was so natural in everyday life!

Anyway, the disciples row the big boat and it was a quiet time, but then unexpected storm came up. When the disciples became fearful, they woke Jesus up for help and Jesus calmed the storm. The story began with Mark 5:1-20. What impressed me was Jesus had time to sail all the way from Sea of Galilee to the country of Gadarenes which is located southeast of the Sea of Galilee.  

One of the twelves tribes were Gad and it was a Gentile region or area which later would explains how a herd of pigs could be involved. They had a business with pigs. Why? The Gentile people worship the god of Zeus and they buy pig to sacrifice for idol worship.

When Jesus arrived at the lakeshore, He walked along the way, a severely demon-possessed man cried out from the tombs of a distance region.  Why was that man living among the tombs? No one could control him and when he saw Jesus, he ran to meet Jesus and fell down before Him. Demons recognized the power of Jesus and screamed in fear of being send to hell, too soon. And Jesus told the demons to get out of that man.

But notice something, the demons begged Jesus not to send them away to some distant place because the demons were not comfortable with the “presence of positive people.” The legion means many demons and they are comfortable with “death” atmosphere. So demons saw a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. Demons told Jesus to send them into the pigs so Jesus said, “Go ahead.” The demons left the man and went into the pigs, they became wild and plunged down the steep hillside into the lake, where they drowned.

The man was finally free and he was sitting there fully clothes and perfectly whole. The man wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus said from Mark 5:19 “… Go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.”  Jesus was not welcome in that area so Jesus send the man away with this Good News, Jesus was expanding His ministry to people who were not Jews. This man’s deliverance from demon possesses became a living example of Jesus’ power.  

When you are healed, you became a living example of Jesus’ power. This is where Jesus wants you to share the Good News to others that they have hope in Him because of you. When we read of the testimonies from others, it inspires us to know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. There’s a song for that. God bless you.

Keep on Believing (5/27-29)

On Memorial Day I send out #17 prayer list to the prayer chain partners, and put in the blogger on Deaf Prayer Partners Lifeline. When I was done, suddenly, I ‘heard’ Holy Spirit singing this song and it was very inspiring to me. So I thought I would share with you to “Keep on believing, God will answer prayer.”

Song: Keep On Believing

Keep on believing, God will answer prayer;

Keep on believing, never to despair;

Tho’ you be heavy laden and

burdened down with care,

Remember God still loves you

and He answers prayer.

(Inspiring Choruses)

This song reminds me of a story of a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus who came to Jesus and begged Him to come and lay His hands on his daughter that she may be healed; and she shall live. Jesus went with him, and there were a lot of people followed and crowded Him. Jesus was interrupted by a certain woman and Jesus took the time with her and she was healed. Then she went on her way.

So Jesus went on with Jairus and someone came to Jairus and told him to forget about having Jesus come to his daughter. She’s dead anyway. Why bother Jesus now? It was too late. He can’t do anything about it. Jarius’ heart stank and thought to himself, ‘it’s too late now to save her.’ Do you ever felt that way sometimes? Let’s hear Jesus’ word.

But as soon as Jesus heard the negative words spoken, He immediately spoke to Jairus to look at Him and listened only to His Word, “Be not afraid, only believe.” Here in these part, Jesus is speaking to you, to look at Him and listen only to His Word, “Be not afraid, only believe. Be not afraid, only believe.”  So Jairus believed Jesus!

Jesus went into Jarius’ house and found negative people telling Him that it is no used. They laughed at Him and made fun of Him. On this part, I have to say, “Wow, I didn’t realize there are people who would have the nerves to do that to Jesus.” But that didn’t stop Jesus so what did He do about those people? He told them to get out of Jarius’ house. That was bold, but very necessary to clear the negative atmosphere in the house Jairus.

He brought Peter, James, John and the parents who believed in Jesus to come into the girl’s room. He took her by the hand and spoke to her to rise up and she got up and lived. The people who were negative were shocked that she arose and ate the food. Know this that Jesus’ response was to encourage Jairus’ faith even in this seemingly hopeless situation. The same word that Jesus spoke to Jairus are the same words for you.

Song: Only Believe!

Only believe, only believe

All things are possible

Only believe;

Only believe, only believe

All things are possible

Only believe.

(Inspiring Choruses)

*Reference: Mark 5:21-43

You are the Son of God! (5/23-26)

Mark 3:11-12 NCV, “When the evil spirits saw Jesus, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God! But Jesus strongly warned them not to tell who He was.”

Reading from Mark 3:7-12 NCV, “Jesus left with His followers for the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed Him. 8) Also many people came from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from the lands across the Jordan River, and from the area of Tyre and Sidon. When they heard what Jesus was doing, many people came to Him. 9) When Jesus saw the crowds, He told His followers to get a boat ready for Him to keep people from crowding against Him. 10) He had healed many people, so all the sick were pushing toward Him to touch Him.

11) When the evil spirits saw Jesus, they fell down before Him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12) But Jesus strongly warned them not to tell who He was.” (KJV: And He straitly charged them that they should not make Him known. NLT: But Jesus strictly warned them not to say who He was. Mk.3:12)

Why didn’t Jesus want the demons to reveal who He was? Here are few reasons: 1) Jesus wants His listeners to believe He was the Messiah because of His words, not because of demons’ words. 2) Jesus was going to reveal His identity as the Messiah according to God’s time, and Jesus was not going to be pushed by Satan’s evil plans. 3) Jesus was going to show Himself to be the suffering servant, the suffering Messiah before He became the great King. 4) To reveal His identity (who He really is) as a King too soon would stir up the crowds with the wrong expectations of what He had come to do.

Satan wanted the people to follow Jesus around for what they could get out of Him, not because He was the Son of God who could truly set them free from sin’s guilt and power.  What did the people really expect Christ to do? The huge crowds were looking for a political and military leader who would free them from Rome’s control, and they thought that the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets would be this kind of man.

But Jesus wanted to teach the people about the kind of Messiah He really was—one who was far different from their expectations. Christ’s kingdom is spiritual. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” It begins with people’s heart to overcome their sins, not with the overthrown of governments.

When Jesus commands the demons to be silent, Jesus proved His authority and power over them. Jesus had chosen 12 of His disciples to go out and preach the good news. Jesus gave them authority and the power to heal sicknesses. Jesus also gave them authority to cast out demons. NCV quoted: “… to have authority to force demons out of people.” (Mk 3:13-19)

Before Jesus went back to heaven, He gave authority to the disciples to cast out devils and to lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. These are found in Mark 16:17-20. Jesus’ words was passed down to them and into the Word of God, the Bible.

Today, when we read this, do we believe that it was passed down to us that we have this authority through Jesus’ Word? There is a song to sing that “He is Lord! He is Lord! He has risen from the dead and He is Lord. Every knee shall bow, and every language shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!” (Author, unknown)