PRAYER – HOW TO PRAY ON DAILY BASIS - Minister Kendra Hammond

            Prayer is sharing in fellowship with God. To share interest in fellowship with God. Talking to Him at all times and anything and He also talking to you. Prayer can also be a requesting or pleading with God. It also means to surrender to God and to let His will be done.

THE MODEL PRAYER

            Jesus’ teaching on prayer was not necessarily a routine prayer for each day but it served as a model; a guide on how to pray effectively.

It teaches that effective prayer begins with worship.it puts the glory and interest of the Kingdom before mere personal interests.

It teaches that God is the believer’s father, meaning you can see God from the ‘fatherly’ point of view. A father has a lot characteristics which include love, provision etc. if God is your father, then other believers are your siblings and family. This teaches us love. To love one another and be each other’s keeper. If God is our father, then it pin-point to the fact a believer has a source. The source of provision for our needs.

·         Matthew 6:25-34 (basic needs)

·         Hebrews 2:18 (love)

·         Hebrews 4:15-16 (provision)

·         Proverbs 27:1 (care)

·         2 Timothy 1:7

·         1 Corinthians 3:16-20

The model prayer teaches that we should pray directly to God but not through any medium, person or other gods. God is not a respecter of persons, He does not show favoritism and so anyone that comes to Him, He will answer.

It makes us understand that when we pray, not if you pray. This means that prayer is a necessity and not optional. You need to pray or talk to God at all times whether the times are good or bad.

HOW TO PRAY – LUKE 11:1-4

ü  Pray and praise His name first

Hallowed means “to be counted holy”- to be counted and treated differently. “Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”. This model teaches us to first give praises and adorations to God. Praise God for all that He has done.

ü  Pray for the ruler ship of God

“Thy kingdom come”, meaning He should rule in the hearts of those in authority, He should rule in our lives. He should rule in the lives of all men… Romans 13:1-7.

ü  Pray that the will of God be done

“Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”. This means the will and intentions and rule and plans of God concerning our lives now and beyond should prevail. The ‘earth’ signifies that, His will and plans should reign over the whole earth and not just in the lives of men. He should do with everyone as He pleases…. Ephesians 2:10

TYPES OF WILL THAT INFLUENCES MAN

v  Will of man – Romans 7:15

v  Satan’s will – John 8:44

v  God’s will – Philippians 2:13

v  Other people’s will – 1 Peter 4:2

ü  Pray for provision

“Give us this day our daily bread”. Bread is the symbol for our needs and necessities for a good life. Bread is not just food but the other things we need as well like peace, joy, shelter, clothing etc. This means we need to pray every day. Jesus told his disciples not to worry about tomorrow but to be focused on today (Matthew 6:25). So this prayer focuses on today only. It also teaches us to pray for others as well.

ü  Pray for forgiveness of sins

“Forgive us our sins”.  You need to ask for forgiveness sins and also forgive those who offend you. In this way, you are free from the accuser(satan). It also ensures that your heart is free from bitterness and anger. It then paves way for all your prayers to be answered.

v  Gracefully God forgives us our sins – 1 John 4:9

v  So you have to forgive others – Matthew 6:14-15

v  Understand why the person did so – Proverbs 15:21

v  Forbear, do not retaliate – Col. 3:13, Eph. 4:2

v  Forgive and forget – Philippians 3:13

ü  Pray for protection

“Lead us not into temptation”.  God does not tempt us (James 1:13). Temptation is not a sin but it becomes a sin if you yield to it. So you pray for deliverance or dismiss any thoughts that are unholy or evil (1 Peter 5:8)

ü  End the prayer with praises and worship.

“For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, amen.” The last word is ‘Amen’ meaning let it be so or it is done. The Word of God teaches us that anything we ask in the name of Jesus will be done so it is best to end your prayer “In Jesus Name”.

Follow this guide and pray the right and effective way…………. SHALOM!!!!

HOW COME THE GENTILES ARE ALSO SAVED- Minister Kendra Hammond

                                        

Rev 7:1-9(NKJV)

7 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying,"Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;* 

of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;

6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;

7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;

8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

    The sealed are from the twelve (12) tribes of Israel; 12 thousand from each tribe totaling 144,000 but Bible records that there was a great multitude of Gentiles in the verse 9. These multitude had suffered greatly from the tribulation and had washed their clothes in the lamb’s *(Jesus) blood meaning they have accepted Christ and are now saved (verse 14).

    This is what we mean by Grace. The Gentiles were not part of the picture from the beginning but in the end a multitude of them will be saved. If you are not from any of the 12 tribes of Israel, then you are a Gentile.

     

Matt 15:22-28(NKJV)

22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."

23 But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."

24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"

26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."

27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

This scripture makes it clear that the main reason why Jesus came to earth was for the ‘’lost sheep of the house of Israel’’; the Israelites who were living in unbelief. The Gentiles were not part of the picture and the Canaanite woman was an example. She wanted healing for her daughter but Jesus was not willing. It took the faith of the woman to get healing for her daughter.

    The great news is that she got healing for her daughter out of faith. The Gentiles are not totally lost. We also have hope of getting salvation and from the Word of God in Revelation 7:9; the great multitude of Gentiles. In fact many Gentiles are saved today because of the unbelief of the Israelites. Just like the story of the Canaanite woman, the Gentiles require faith to obtain salvation. Without faith in the finished works of Jesus, it is impossible to get salvation. To the Gentiles, it is not about works or self-efforts or self-righteousness. It is all about our faith in Christ’s work.

    In Matthew 22:1-14, the king got angry when all his invited guests gave excuses and didn’t come to his party. He therefore sent his servants to the streets to invite anyone they see, Hallelujah, these people were the Gentiles.

    The reason for the parable above is this; in Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus rejected some of the cities in Israel because these people rejected Him and did not believe in Him as the Son of God and the way to salvation even upon all the miracles He did. The comparison He made in the verse 21-23 made it clear that the Gentiles can also receive salvation as soon as we believe in Jesus and accept Him into our lives, ‘’washing our clothes in His blood’’. So here the scriptures in Matthew 22 means that the unbelief of the Jews made grace abound to the Gentiles.

    Though Jesus came to the earth to save the Israelites, He couldn’t have done that without dying on the cross. That work has been done but real salvation is to believe in Christ as the Son of God and only way into salvation is to confess Him into your life. This is what the Jews did not do.

    After His resurrection, He left His work in the hands of His disciples (Mark 16:15) to continue to preach to them till they believe. The good news is, when Jesus died on the cross, the Gentiles were also made partakers of the glory of God. So whenever the good news is preached and they believe, they are saved. Therefore, God chose Paul (who was called Saul) as an apostle to the Gentiles because the Gentiles were willing and eager to hear to hear the good news and to believe. All that it takes is faith in Jesus Christ and His finished works.  

        GREATER GRACE!!! SHALOM!!!

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

……. By Kendra Hammond

Sovereignty is described as a government free from external control or the authority of a state to govern another state.

Think about this definition. A government that does not have any external control may mean that government has no advisers. That government one can conclude as autocratic.

The God we serve is holy, an embodiment of wisdom and love. This makes it even more glorious to serve Him.

In the book of Jeremiah 18:1-8 the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying; 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words”

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

7 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 

8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.

(NKJV)

Why did the Lord command Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house? This is because a potter is a perfect example to demonstrate sovereignty. Jeremiah tried to refuse God’s call by saying he was a child but God insisted he was the one He will use. In his call as a prophet, he wondered why God loves Israel and still punishes them for forsaking Him. He could have left them just as they forsake Him but God chooses to punish as a form of correction.

So as a potter chooses to mold a clay and shape it to whatever he wants so is God. He created man out of dust and molded us in our mothers’ womb. He chooses our path and destinies as He wants.

As the potter carefully and lovingly molds the clay so does God mold His children with so much love. Never compare yourself with any other person to feel worthless. You are different and it’s perfectly normal to be different. God created everyone differently.

Things may not go as planned and you may feel really down and depressed in life but be rest assured that our sovereign God created you differently and gave you a purpose and destiny that is different from any other person. Until you accept this truth and live accordingly, you may never live a fulfilled life and the soul that lives in you will never be happy even if you gain the whole world.

Life is like a movie stage. God is the producer and story writer. The Holy Spirit is the director. Man is the actor. We all have different roles in the movie. As such all you have to do is to play your role. Whether you have a good role or not, play your part. It all adds up to the beauty of the movie.

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

(NKJV)

The thought of God are far above ours. Imagine a story writer who is all knowing and full of love. Don’t you think everything will out for your good if this writer is your father?

Do not think so much or worry so much in life if things are not going as planned. Our sovereign God is working things out for your good.

He chose to take the form of a mortal, lived among men, died for our sins on the cross and resurrected for our justification. Is there anything He can’t do for you?

He chose Paul formerly called Saul, a murderous man and turned his life around and used him greatly to save and edify many others.

Always be glad that you have a sovereign God who can do all things. A father who is loving and caring. Surely everything will work out for our good.

   SHALOM!!!

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WANT OTHERS TO DO. ………………. BY Bishop Shin

          It is a common belief that men are hard hearted and mostly unable to feel or show emotions. Right from childhood, little boys have been taught that men don’t cry. It is a sign of weakness for a man to cry. These boys grow up into men and they choose or refuse to show any sign of weakness or emotions. They act like hard core criminals with no feelings.

          Seldom will you see a man crying. Even rarer is a man crying in public or when there are people around unless it’s a funeral. This attitude and way of life in our societies have led many to think men have little or no emotions. Women on the hand are filled with emotions and they can cry and get upset or hurt over the smallest thing.

          This has led to many men being abused and used in many relationships. Most men instead of complaining or speaking out when they find something their partner did offensive, they will not. They will rather bottle up their feelings and act like all is well when they know very well that they are not happy about something. They heard men don’t talk too much or complain. It’s very wrong!

          Men, just like women, also have feelings. In fact, a man has the same level of feelings and emotions as a woman. If man was a rigid, emotionless being, then it would be impossible for him to love. Thus, the Bible would never have told men to love their wives when it knows man can never show feelings. Men have feelings and can love greatly. In truth, a man can love and sacrifice more than a woman can.

          A quick look at the life of Adam and Eve. Eve was deceived by the serpent and as a result she lost her glory. Adam on the other hand was never deceived. He knew exactly what was happening but he chose to eat the fruit and be like Eve because of the great love he had for his wife. He sacrificed everything just to be with his wife. That is the real nature of every man, to love and sacrifice.

          Society and false teachings have corrupted the inner nature of men. It has made men care-less, uncaring, emotionless and unloving. It is seen as a sign of weakness if a man cries. It is seen as a bad thing if a man talks about things that makes him unhappy. Men have been barred from feeling and showing emotions. How then can the men show love to the women?

No wonder we have many men who cannot commit in a relationship. Most men who have been trained that way refuse to show emotions. They refuse to love and show care.

          To the ladies, treat a man the same way you want him to treat you no matter how little it seems. If that smallest thing can hurt your feelings, then be rest assured that the same thing will hurt him as well. Men are not robots with metal hearts. If you would not like it if a particular thing is done to you, then don’t do it to him and expect him to understand you. Yes, the smallest things hurt men too. Most just ignore it but that doesn’t mean he likes them.

          Two people can build a happy relationship if both will respect, love and treat each other the same way they would want to be treated.

          To the men, learn to talk when there’s something you don’t like. If there’s something your partner did which offended you, no matter how small, talk about it. Don’t keep all those hurts and pains in you. Talk about them and free yourself. In that way, you will both enjoy each other’s company.