you know I get a thought and it bounces around in my head and I don't write it for some reason or another, this one bounced around for a couple of days not because I didn't want to write but because I didn't know how.
Once again I wasn't sure if I was capable of giving it the full justice it needed.
But once I started it just started pouring out as I wrote and my mind was going in so many directions my fingers didn't work fast enough.
I am going to ask a question, it is a simple question, but one which after I ask it will leave you saying "I don't know"
Why are men not moved by the Spirit anymore? Where is the pricking of the Spirit that tells you to go to a friend or acquaintance in their moment of need? Where is the Spirit that says someone is in need bless them? Where is the Spirit pricking that says there is someone gives you a name and tells you that they have a need?
Jack Hyles tells of a time that he was going to quit and was writing his resignation letter, when a knock came on the door and there was a deacon at 10 pm, in his nighttime attire, his hair messed up, and he showed up because his preacher was in trouble according to the Spirit.
George Mueller constantly had food provided for his orphanage without begging or telling woe is me stories because people were led of the Spirit to give to him and his orphanage.
Curtis Hutson tells of a time that he was unable to sleep so he went driving, God told Him to stop and get gas in a can, he did and a little further down the road a car was stopped out of gas. He witnessed and souls were saved.
In the Bible. and just for relativity's sake we will stay in the New Testament which is exactly the same rules and guidelines we abide by today, we have several examples of the Spirit leading and guiding.
Act_18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
Act_8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
Act_8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Act_10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
If you will notice in these verses the Spirit spoke to them or pressed them, The same way as Jack Hyles and Curtis Hutson and George Mueller spoke of.
I am not speaking of Tongues or the holy rollers or the slaying in the spirit , or the ones who claim to have visions.
I am talking about the sensitivity to the Spirit and the voice of the Spirit that we do not have today.
We are not in touch with God.
We are not aware of anyone else in this day and age, it is all about me and the tv and radio and internet, we have so much noise going on that we have not the ears to hear the Spirit.
Gary spoke last Sunday night about going through the motions, The Bible speaks of grieving the Spirit. Revelations speaks of the 7 churches and the problems with them. James and Peter and John speak of apostasy creeping in.
Paul speaks of the carnal Christian.
All of these keep the Spirit from moving in people. Which are we? Which is stopping us?
When was the last time you heard of a person going to visit someone because they prayed and God moved them? Just when they needed it most someone showed up in their time of need?
In Iran and Iraq right now on the voice of the martyrs you can hear stories of Muslims who are questioning their faith and God showing up for them. In fact one of the accounts from 2019 tells of a lady who had wire hung to hang herself and she stopped and asked God if He was real to show Himself or she was gonna hang, He did. He showed up.
Why is this not happening right here in (insert your town)?
God is no respecter of persons.
God hears prayers.
God acts and talks to His people.
Why not here in (insert your town)?
The men gather to pray every Sunday Morning and let me tell you I am proud of them. We started with 2 and we now have 5 - 10 every week.
Now with us praying for revival and for our hearts to be turned where are the results?
You say God can take a long time to answer, I say He can but He does not always. God can answer immediately, God can show up in the prayer room. Why hasn't He?
Have we asked ourselves that question?
Have we asked Him that question?
Have we truly reached for God or are we going through the motions?
Jacob at the well wrestled with God all night, He did not let go until he got his blessing.
Have we reached down into the depths of our hearts and wrestled with God?
I used to pray that God would raise up a man, a leader in this nation. Right now Joel Osteen, Kanye West are the face of the Christian in America, thats not a good representation.
So I started praying for God to use me, give me a voice a place to speak, a venue, and He has. I have covered several Wednesday nights and Sunday School classes since I started praying for it.
Where is the moving of the Spirit in our Lives?
In our hearts?
In our prayers?
In our church services?
Christmas Sunday we used to have 90 to 125 now we have 50.
Has God changed?
Has the Spirit changed?
I do not think so, so therefore the answer must be within us.
There are several possible explanations and I can not tell which one for I am not that prescient. But God is. He can tell us.
Is it our unbelief? Is it that we have limited God? God can move in the Spirit but do we not let Him ,because that can not happen today, to us?
Have we so limited God that He can not work among us?
Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Mat 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mat 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Is it because there is sin?
Is it because God wants us to pray and fast and wholly search for Him that there is no Spirit moving?
Is it because we just don't care?
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
What is it that comes out of a mans mouth? Only that which his heart and mind tell him. What comes out of a mans mouth, his true self is what defiles him. The Words, the actions that prove an apostate mind, a carnal mind, a sinful heart.
God says to love Him with all your heart and soul and mind.
How can we do that if our hearts and minds are defiled? For that is where sin originates.
You take someone completely new to a sin they had never seen or heard of and they will not be able to comprehend it. For they had never thought of it, but show it to them, teach it to them and they will learn so fast it will make your head spin.
Do the same with the new christian in the Bible and they will grapple with it, fight with it fail to comprehend it, it will be a struggle.
It's not a natural thing for man to come to God, it is supernatural. Therefore it is a struggle because man is fighting his sin nature and the world to search the things of God.
Do we take the effort that is needed to teach? or do we dismiss and let them go hoping it sticks?
Do we leave the little ones "the new Christians" to fend for themselves all during the week and hope the hour or so of Church on Sunday does the trick?
The ladies meet and have tea and monthly meetings to talk of the church schedule, the men have 10 minute prayer sessions.
The ladies send cards, flowers, plan meals, and constantly talk of what is needed.
The men let them.
Where is the sensitivity to the Spirit?
Where is the leadership of the Men?
Is it sin that has kept us from it?
Is it indifference?
Is it the fact that we are just too busy when we actually are not? It’s not that we are too busy, it’s that we let the things of God slide till last, we might get a second or two for Him.
Why cant we get people out to soul win?
Why cant we have prayer breakfasts?
Because it does not matter to us.
You say it does matter to me, I do care.
But you don't show up, therefore you must not.
Your indifference, my indifference will send people to Hell.
Your inaction, My inaction will send people to Hell.
How do we pray down the spirit? How do we get the blessing of God on all that we do?
How do we stop going through the motions and make it matter?
How do we get results?
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
With fasting, Sacrifice your food that you need to live for the souls of men and women. Sacrifice your time, your pleasures for the God of Heaven to come down and pour out His Spirit upon all the earth that we might have revival again.
With weeping, when was the last time you cried for lost souls. Not just for your family, not just for your friends, but for the souls of those in China that have not heard? those in Africa that have not heard? Those in the next block that have not heard?
With mourning, what is mourning? The expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died.
Have you ever gone into mourning for you. Have you died daily for Christ? Have you moved yourself out of the way and wept, cried sacrificed for God and For His Spirit to move and to work in you?
And rend your heart not your garments. The Jews used to rend their garments.
When Stephen was killed they tore their garments in outrage over his supposed blasphemy, the Pharisees used to rend their garments to show their piety.
God does not care about the show God cares about the heart. When was the last time your heart was rent over the condition of your family, your church, your nation?
God does not care if you tear your clothes or not.
He cares about whether or not your heart is torn.
He cares that you care about what He desires. His Will.
The torn heart over sin.
The torn heart over souls lost and dying.
The torn heart over man's rejection of Him.
How do we achieve sensitivity to the Spirit? How do we pray for and Hear His voice? How do we get Him to move in our Spirit , In my notes here I have capitalized the Spirit for we have the Spirit of God in us, and for us to be responsive and recognize His voice, His prompting?
Purpose as Daniel. Daniel purposed in his heart to stay true to God and not defile himself with kings meat. So must we do, purpose in our hearts to mind the things of God and let go of the things of man. We must live among them but we are not to be of them.
Prayer, what is prayer but a talk with God? Do you daily walk and talk with Him? You don't make plans to do something with someone without consulting them right? Why would you not talk to God about what you are doing? How can you walk in His Ways if you do not know His Ways for you.
Perspicuity. clearness or lucidity as of a statement. As Joshua said me and my house will follow God.
You must have purposed in your heart, you must have prayer and then you must have a clearness of purpose.
The Spirit wants a relationship with you, God wants a full relationship with you.
Now you have to decide if you want that too.
Time to stop going through the motions, decide and then follow through.
Once again I wasn't sure if I was capable of giving it the full justice it needed.
But once I started it just started pouring out as I wrote and my mind was going in so many directions my fingers didn't work fast enough.
I am going to ask a question, it is a simple question, but one which after I ask it will leave you saying "I don't know"
Why are men not moved by the Spirit anymore? Where is the pricking of the Spirit that tells you to go to a friend or acquaintance in their moment of need? Where is the Spirit that says someone is in need bless them? Where is the Spirit pricking that says there is someone gives you a name and tells you that they have a need?
Jack Hyles tells of a time that he was going to quit and was writing his resignation letter, when a knock came on the door and there was a deacon at 10 pm, in his nighttime attire, his hair messed up, and he showed up because his preacher was in trouble according to the Spirit.
George Mueller constantly had food provided for his orphanage without begging or telling woe is me stories because people were led of the Spirit to give to him and his orphanage.
Curtis Hutson tells of a time that he was unable to sleep so he went driving, God told Him to stop and get gas in a can, he did and a little further down the road a car was stopped out of gas. He witnessed and souls were saved.
In the Bible. and just for relativity's sake we will stay in the New Testament which is exactly the same rules and guidelines we abide by today, we have several examples of the Spirit leading and guiding.
Act_18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
Act_8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
Act_8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Act_10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
If you will notice in these verses the Spirit spoke to them or pressed them, The same way as Jack Hyles and Curtis Hutson and George Mueller spoke of.
I am not speaking of Tongues or the holy rollers or the slaying in the spirit , or the ones who claim to have visions.
I am talking about the sensitivity to the Spirit and the voice of the Spirit that we do not have today.
We are not in touch with God.
We are not aware of anyone else in this day and age, it is all about me and the tv and radio and internet, we have so much noise going on that we have not the ears to hear the Spirit.
Gary spoke last Sunday night about going through the motions, The Bible speaks of grieving the Spirit. Revelations speaks of the 7 churches and the problems with them. James and Peter and John speak of apostasy creeping in.
Paul speaks of the carnal Christian.
All of these keep the Spirit from moving in people. Which are we? Which is stopping us?
When was the last time you heard of a person going to visit someone because they prayed and God moved them? Just when they needed it most someone showed up in their time of need?
In Iran and Iraq right now on the voice of the martyrs you can hear stories of Muslims who are questioning their faith and God showing up for them. In fact one of the accounts from 2019 tells of a lady who had wire hung to hang herself and she stopped and asked God if He was real to show Himself or she was gonna hang, He did. He showed up.
Why is this not happening right here in (insert your town)?
God is no respecter of persons.
God hears prayers.
God acts and talks to His people.
Why not here in (insert your town)?
The men gather to pray every Sunday Morning and let me tell you I am proud of them. We started with 2 and we now have 5 - 10 every week.
Now with us praying for revival and for our hearts to be turned where are the results?
You say God can take a long time to answer, I say He can but He does not always. God can answer immediately, God can show up in the prayer room. Why hasn't He?
Have we asked ourselves that question?
Have we asked Him that question?
Have we truly reached for God or are we going through the motions?
Jacob at the well wrestled with God all night, He did not let go until he got his blessing.
Have we reached down into the depths of our hearts and wrestled with God?
I used to pray that God would raise up a man, a leader in this nation. Right now Joel Osteen, Kanye West are the face of the Christian in America, thats not a good representation.
So I started praying for God to use me, give me a voice a place to speak, a venue, and He has. I have covered several Wednesday nights and Sunday School classes since I started praying for it.
Where is the moving of the Spirit in our Lives?
In our hearts?
In our prayers?
In our church services?
Christmas Sunday we used to have 90 to 125 now we have 50.
Has God changed?
Has the Spirit changed?
I do not think so, so therefore the answer must be within us.
There are several possible explanations and I can not tell which one for I am not that prescient. But God is. He can tell us.
Is it our unbelief? Is it that we have limited God? God can move in the Spirit but do we not let Him ,because that can not happen today, to us?
Have we so limited God that He can not work among us?
Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Mat 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mat 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Is it because there is sin?
Is it because God wants us to pray and fast and wholly search for Him that there is no Spirit moving?
Is it because we just don't care?
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
What is it that comes out of a mans mouth? Only that which his heart and mind tell him. What comes out of a mans mouth, his true self is what defiles him. The Words, the actions that prove an apostate mind, a carnal mind, a sinful heart.
God says to love Him with all your heart and soul and mind.
How can we do that if our hearts and minds are defiled? For that is where sin originates.
You take someone completely new to a sin they had never seen or heard of and they will not be able to comprehend it. For they had never thought of it, but show it to them, teach it to them and they will learn so fast it will make your head spin.
Do the same with the new christian in the Bible and they will grapple with it, fight with it fail to comprehend it, it will be a struggle.
It's not a natural thing for man to come to God, it is supernatural. Therefore it is a struggle because man is fighting his sin nature and the world to search the things of God.
Do we take the effort that is needed to teach? or do we dismiss and let them go hoping it sticks?
Do we leave the little ones "the new Christians" to fend for themselves all during the week and hope the hour or so of Church on Sunday does the trick?
The ladies meet and have tea and monthly meetings to talk of the church schedule, the men have 10 minute prayer sessions.
The ladies send cards, flowers, plan meals, and constantly talk of what is needed.
The men let them.
Where is the sensitivity to the Spirit?
Where is the leadership of the Men?
Is it sin that has kept us from it?
Is it indifference?
Is it the fact that we are just too busy when we actually are not? It’s not that we are too busy, it’s that we let the things of God slide till last, we might get a second or two for Him.
Why cant we get people out to soul win?
Why cant we have prayer breakfasts?
Because it does not matter to us.
You say it does matter to me, I do care.
But you don't show up, therefore you must not.
Your indifference, my indifference will send people to Hell.
Your inaction, My inaction will send people to Hell.
How do we pray down the spirit? How do we get the blessing of God on all that we do?
How do we stop going through the motions and make it matter?
How do we get results?
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
With fasting, Sacrifice your food that you need to live for the souls of men and women. Sacrifice your time, your pleasures for the God of Heaven to come down and pour out His Spirit upon all the earth that we might have revival again.
With weeping, when was the last time you cried for lost souls. Not just for your family, not just for your friends, but for the souls of those in China that have not heard? those in Africa that have not heard? Those in the next block that have not heard?
With mourning, what is mourning? The expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died.
Have you ever gone into mourning for you. Have you died daily for Christ? Have you moved yourself out of the way and wept, cried sacrificed for God and For His Spirit to move and to work in you?
And rend your heart not your garments. The Jews used to rend their garments.
When Stephen was killed they tore their garments in outrage over his supposed blasphemy, the Pharisees used to rend their garments to show their piety.
God does not care about the show God cares about the heart. When was the last time your heart was rent over the condition of your family, your church, your nation?
God does not care if you tear your clothes or not.
He cares about whether or not your heart is torn.
He cares that you care about what He desires. His Will.
The torn heart over sin.
The torn heart over souls lost and dying.
The torn heart over man's rejection of Him.
How do we achieve sensitivity to the Spirit? How do we pray for and Hear His voice? How do we get Him to move in our Spirit , In my notes here I have capitalized the Spirit for we have the Spirit of God in us, and for us to be responsive and recognize His voice, His prompting?
Purpose as Daniel. Daniel purposed in his heart to stay true to God and not defile himself with kings meat. So must we do, purpose in our hearts to mind the things of God and let go of the things of man. We must live among them but we are not to be of them.
Prayer, what is prayer but a talk with God? Do you daily walk and talk with Him? You don't make plans to do something with someone without consulting them right? Why would you not talk to God about what you are doing? How can you walk in His Ways if you do not know His Ways for you.
Perspicuity. clearness or lucidity as of a statement. As Joshua said me and my house will follow God.
You must have purposed in your heart, you must have prayer and then you must have a clearness of purpose.
The Spirit wants a relationship with you, God wants a full relationship with you.
Now you have to decide if you want that too.
Time to stop going through the motions, decide and then follow through.
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