God's Glory - Reflected In His Goodness!

2 Chron 5:13-14

13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
NKJV

My Comments:

We're living in a time that gets faster with every day that passes us by. I strongly believe, looking at recent events that we're in the End Times, and that we're pressing in closer to the day that Jesus will come back. 

The Bible says that Christ gave Himself for the Church, that He might present her to Himself as a Glorious Church (Ephesians 5:27). Just before He comes back, we're going to see an outburst of the manifestation of the Glory of God on the face of this earth. 

When He comes down in His Glory and His power, we'll see things happen like never before. Everything written about in the Bible; all the healings, miracles, signs and wonders; are just the warm-up to what we'll see. Even what the Church has experienced from 0 A.D to 2013 AD is nothing compared to what will take place. It's not time to look back at the past, it's time to look forward to the full manifestation of His glory!

God promised us that the earth would be filled with the knowledge of His Glory, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14)

Note in the above text that the Glory of the Lord came, after Israel stood together as one and praised Him, saying; "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever". This is significant as we can see that God's Glory will always be reflected in His goodness!

Even in Exodus, God revealed His nature as that being good; not only that, He tied His very nature of being good to His Glory! Consider the following:

Exodus 33:18-20

18 And he (Moses) said, "Please, show me Your glory."

19 Then He (God) said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

When Moses asked the Lord to show His glory, God immediately responded by saying that All His goodness will pass before Moses!

Note also in the next chapter,

Exodus 34:5-6

5 Now the LORD descended in the cloud (the Glory) and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,

When the Glory of God hits this earth, we're gonna see more than just the signs and wonders, There will be an abundance of His Goodness being poured out on the earth!

When that happens, We'll declare like Israel:

"For He is good,

For His mercy endures forever,"

Prayer Habits #2

The awesome part about God is this: you may have prepared something but He can turn it around to fit His Plan, His Purpose. I actually prepared to share on another few habits I practice with regards to developing a strong prayer life, but He turned last night's prayer meeting into a Spirit-Led prayer meeting...how awesome is that :)

In any case, I thought I'd publish my notes so as to keep updating like I promised on my habits concerning prayer, so here's the next set of habits I have regarding my prayer life!

It's in point form again, easier reading! :)

Some of it may have more scripture references, I strongly encourage you to just read them, meditate on them, chew on them until you get the revelation of it.

Habit #4: Treat and rely on the Word of God as your fuel for prayer

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

- God's Word stands eternal -> it's forever established (Ps 119:89)

- He's always ready to perform according to His Word (Jer 1:12)

- God's Word is the same as His Will

- Praying using the Word isn't like you just skim over it in passing and just speak it out, hoping that something will happen. You have to go deep into it, meditate on it

- It's like petrol that keeps the car going. Too many times we start praying enthusiastically, but we run short of what we wanted to pray about.

- You find that when you just pray whatever comes to your head, you start to wonder whether you have that prayer answered. If you prayed using God's Word, you know you have something to base your faith on, because the Word is eternally there

- Reinhard Bonnke's revelation from God: God's Word in our mouths is exactly the same as God's Word in His mouth

- The Word was spoken (by God) that it could be written; and it was written so that it can be spoken: by us!

- Kenneth E. Hagin: when his daughter had a growth in her eye at an early age, all he did was spend time meditating on the Word for a few days before he spoke to that growth, commanding it to leave.

- Get the Word on the inside, and you'll find that it gives you the staying power to hold fast to what you prayed

- Kenneth E. Hagin: Find a scripture that covers whatever it is that you're believing God for. Meditate on it, then use it as your fuel to keep you going on.

Habit #5: When you pray using God's Word, mix faith with your prayer, believing that what you prayed using the Word works!

Heb 4:2

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them,not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

- Just because you pray/speak the Word does not mean you don't need faith!

- You need faith for everything (Heb 11:6) "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God)..."

- When you pray using the Word of God as your basis, believe that you have it! (Matt 21:22) Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive

- Don't doubt that the Word works, believe it! (Ja 1:6-8) 

James 1:6-8

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Strengthening Yourself - With A Song

1 Sam 30:6

6 David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
AMP

My Comments:

We all go through storms at some point in our lives. We can see that King David of Israel certainly did in the above passage. While they were out, a group of people called the Amalekites invaded where the city where they stayed and took all their families captive. When David and his men came back, David saw that the people intended to stone him, and the Bible says that he was "greatly distressed"

Notice however what he did. It is written "But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God." Thank God that for every adverse situation we have in our lives, we can always rely on a 'But' to see how to go!

It is understood that David would have strengthened himself and encouraged himself through singing out psalms about the goodness of God and how God has continually been with him and for him. By doing this, he strengthened himself to the point that he could be able to rise up and reverse that adverse situation.

Likewise we also can do the same when we have situations that seem to rise up against us. Notice what Paul encouraged the church in Ephesus:

Eph 5:18-19

18 ...but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

In the Greek, the phrase "be filled" implies a sense of being continually filled again and again, not so much of having been filled once. Paul encouraged the church to always be "being" filled with the Spirit, by speaking to each other in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. 

If David could strengthen himself in the Old Testament through singing out psalms about the goodness of God, how much more should we, being in the New Testament be able to strengthen ourselves through giving out psalms, hymns and spiritual songs that are inspired by the Holy Spirit!

Whenever I face a situation that seems to be heading down south, I always look to the Greater One who lives inside of me. I trust Him for a song that I can sing, a poem that I can give out that can strengthen myself!

I'll close with a psalm, or a poem that the Lord gave me a few days ago. I gave it the title of "Praise" as it strengthened me in the knowledge of how praise that is inspired of God and directed to God brings us the victory!

Praise

Praising Him in the morning

Praising Him in the night

Praising Him everyday

As we live in His sight

To be strong in Him

And in the power of His might

To dwell in His glory

And to walk in His Light

We will watch and see

As our enemy is put to flight!

Prayer Habits

In our weekly Tuesday prayer meeting, I had intended to share some habits I have regarding prayer and being led by the Spirit in prayer. However, we were led into praying for some things and I wasn't able to share everything I had.

Here's some of it, there's more coming.... eventually! Might as well avoid giving spiritual indigestion if I can help it! :P

It may be pretty basic, but I like what Charles Cowan, a pastor had to say:

"The secret of a strong faith is hidden in my daily routine"

Likewise, as I practiced these habits that I have, I found that my prayer life improved, tremendously

It's in point form, as if I wrote it out in blog form... it'll be like an essay :P

Habit #1: Keep a prayer notebook

Hab 2:2
Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

- It helps you keep track of things you were led to pray out through the Spirit
- When you see things come to pass that you prayed about, you have a physical reminder that you prayed about it. It gives you the reassurance and confidence that you're hearing accurately from God
- If you know that you prayed things out that are yet to come to pass, you can remind yourself of what you prayed and remind steadfast and immovable on the promise that what you prayed WILL come to pass
- By observing the things you were led to pray about, you may find a specific pattern that God directs you in praying like you continually praying for the Church, Israel, businesses, etc

Habit #2: Expect to hear from God

John 10:2-3
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his (God's) voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

- Prayer isn't just a monologue (you just rattling out words and talking non-stop to God), it's a dialogue!
- Having a notebook ready at your side is an indicator that you're expecting to hear from God, and that you're ready to write down whatever it is that you get from Him

Habit #3: When praying in other tongues, always keep your faith active for the interpretation

1 Cor 14:13-16
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

- Paul wrote to the church in Corinth encouraging them to believe and trust God for the interpretation to what  they prayed in tongues
- This is different from 1 Cor 12:10 in its function. 1 Cor 12:10 refers to a specific manifestation or operation of the Spirit for that particular moment. We see this from time to time in our prayer meetings. I can't turn this on  or off at my own will, it is as He wills!
- However, when I talk to God and I pray in other tongues, I can ask Him for the interpretation to what I prayed  out in tongues. It may come at that moment, it may come later, but I can trust that I will get the  interpretation to what I prayed out.

The above three habits can be best seen in the life of John G. Lake, possibly one of the greatest healing evangelists ever seen in the early 1900's. Quoting him directly as below:

I want to talk with the utmost frankness, and say to you that tongues have been to me the making of my ministry. It is that peculiar communication with God when God reveals to my soul the truth that I utter to you day by day in my ministry.

But that time of communication with me is mostly in the night. Many a time I climb out of bed, take my pencil and pad [Habit #1] and jot down the beautiful things of God, the wonderful things of God, that He talks out in my spirit and reveals to my heart. [Habit #2, Habit #3]