Calvary Temple

Intercessory prayer is when we approach God on behalf of another person or a group of people, to present their needs to Him.  Today’s focus is on taking the time to pray corporately (together, as one body) for the loved ones in our household, and for our federal, state and local governments. We confidently bring our petitions to Him today for our loved ones and our country, based on two outstanding characteristics of God: His faithfulness and His justice.  Revelation 19:11 says And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  Yes, friend, He will be the victor, and praise God, we are on His side.  

Being thankful has far more benefit for the thank-er than for the thank-ee!  Leviticus 7 tells us that the voluntary Thanksgiving offering, after being sacrificed to God and cooked, is returned to the thankful Israelite to consume!  It’s a beautiful picture of the love of God, sacrificing his Son and giving Him to us as Savior and Friend. Paul told the church in his letter in Colossians 3:15-17, to be thankful and sing songs of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs because doing so will keep us on the right path spiritually, maintain our faith in God, and keep us accountable to love one another.  Yes, being thankful has far more benefit to us than to God! 

In Exodus 3:1-5, God told Moses to remove his shoes because the ground that he was standing on was Holy Ground. Moses was about to receive a very important assignment and this ‘holy ground moment’ was preparing Moses to accept it. In Joshua 5:13-15, God told Joshua the same thing; he was also about to receive an important assignment - to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land.  The presence of a Holy God changes everything; it even makes the very ground we stand upon, holy.  Both Moses and Joshua worshipped when they became aware of His presence.  It is the only thing we can do when the presence of our  Supernatural God comes into our natural space.

In this morning's service, we are blessed to remotely host our friend and long time missionary to the Mexico and Central American regions, Melvin "Skip" Kincaid.

Waiting on the Lord. It’s so difficult. But Psalm 27 is an encouraging word for today, especially if you find yourself struggling through a long waiting period, or you find yourself on a different path than you ever expected. King David said, teach me your way Lord, and make the paths plain. It’s during these times that God can perfect our likeness and image of Him.

In Mark 10:27 Jesus said these words of his Father, God:  “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God, all things are possible.” It was impossible for Joshua to lead the Israelites across the flooded, raging Jordan River, but not for God!  It was impossible for Sarah and Abraham to have a baby at 100 years old, but not for God!  Are you facing some impossibilities? The chorus of a song says, “Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?  Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?  God specializes in things thought impossible. And He can do what no other power can do.”  Bring your impossibilities to God and see what He can do for you!! His track record shows no losses.

There is no place in God’s Kingdom for cheaters. In II Timothy 2:5, Paul says that a gamesman, an athlete, or a minister, must each pursue the prized crown for the mastery of his craft honestly and legally, or he would be exposed and publicly ridiculed.II Timothy 3:8-9 tells us of men in these last days who are apostate, who resist truth, who - just like Pharoah’s magicians Jannes and Jambres - will come to the end of their abilities, and their folly will be made public and they will acknowledge God. This is a strong prophetic word for today.

In II Kings 6, as a result of carefully following God’s leading, Elisha accomplished great miracles and was used by God in the operation of several gifts of the Holy Spirit, including Word of Knowledge and Prophecy.  One of the most important things that we can do as a follower of Jesus Christ is make sure that we actually follow Him!  other influences, such as the constant drone of the outside world, the daily cares of life, and the hectic pace and heavy decisions we face, can certainly drown out or at least slow us down in our quest to carefully follow Our Leader.  We must carefully guard against this so that God can use us in any ways he chooses, which will always be for our benefit, as well as the benefit of others - just as it was with Elisha.

Some don’t believe that the Old Testament story about Jonah being swallowed by a whale really happened.  But, in Matthew 12:38-42, Jesus Himself references this story. In addition, He draws comparisons to the unbelieving Jewish Elite (the scribes and Pharisees) about how Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights, just like He, the Son of Man, was in an earthly grave for three days and three nights - until He was resurrected by the power of the Holy Ghost! The comparisons between these earthly men, Jonah and Solomon, and the Divine Son of God, the Greater One than either of these men, pale in that Jesus has the power to save the whole world, if they will only believe.