Highmindedness

Bible Questions Answered:

“I've already been in ...Christian School several months now and I am having a realy hard time living with my roommate who is constantly talking about where he has gone, and what he has done, its drivng me crazy. I want to tell him to shut up, but I know that would not be the Christian thing to do. So what do I do?

Jerome/ Tulsa, Oklahoma U.S.A.

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

Highmindedness:

Romans 11:20 KJV

"...because...thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:"

Romans 12:15,16 KJV

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Romans 12:15,16 NLT

15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

I Timothy 6:17 KJV

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in The Living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

II Timothy 3:1-5 KJV

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

God answers prayer! Rebuke the spirit of highmindedness! Pray for those who are highminded, that God will reveal to them the humble example, given to us by our Savior.

Now what is true of men is true of countries of the world as well!

Jeremiah 49:16 KJV

Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith The Lord.

Obadiah 1:4 KJV

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith The Lord.

Humility

Proverbs 3:34 KJV

Surely He scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly.

Proverbs 16:19 KJV

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 22:4 KJV

By humility and the fear of The Lord are riches, and honor, and life.

Isaiah 57:15 KJV

For thus saith The High And Lofty One That Inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Micah 6:8 KJV

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth The Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Zechariah 9:9 NLT

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.

Matthew 11:29 KJV

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 18:2-4 KJV

2 And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 14:7-11 KJV

7 And He put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him;

9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 22:24-27 NLT

24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.

25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’

26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

John 13:4,5 KJV

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.

5 After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.

Romans 11:20 KJV

"...because...thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:"

Romans 12:3 KJV

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Philippians 2:3-5,8 KJV (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

8 And being found in fashion as A Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Hebrews 4: 6 KJV

But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

James 4:10 KJV

Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.

I Peter 5:5 KJV

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

• Salvation Prayer

Blessings And Dedications

Bible Questions Answered:

“Pastor, I saw on a film, a priest blessed a newly purchased house because its occupants believed it to be evil. Is this teachings from the bible, my wife thinks yes, and I am not sure...”

Ondrei/ Sydney, Australia New South Wales

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

Leviticus 27:9-29 MSG

9-13 “If he vowed an animal that is acceptable as an offering to God, the animal is given to God and becomes the property of the Sanctuary. He must not exchange or substitute a good one for a bad one, or a bad one for a good one; if he should dishonestly substitute one animal for another, both the original and the substitute become property of the Sanctuary. If what he vowed is a ritually unclean animal, one that is not acceptable as an offering to God, the animal must be shown to the priest, who will set its value, either high or low. Whatever the priest sets will be its value. If the owner changes his mind and wants to redeem it, he must add twenty percent to its value.

14-15 “If a man dedicates (Sanctify*- KJV) his house to God, into the possession of the Sanctuary, the priest assesses its value, setting it either high or low. Whatever value the priest sets, that’s what it is. If the man wants to buy it back, he must add twenty percent to its price and then it’s his again.

*Sanctify-Hebrew: Qadash (Kaw-dash): To consecrate, dedicate, hallow, keep holy, purify, sanctify.

16-21 “If a man dedicates to God part of his family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed that is needed for it at the rate of fifty shekels of silver to six bushels of barley seed. If he dedicates his field during the year of Jubilee, the set value stays. But if he dedicates it after the Jubilee, the priest will compute the value according to the years left until the next Jubilee, reducing the value proportionately. If the one dedicating it wants to buy it back, he must add twenty percent to its valuation, and then it’s his again. But if he doesn’t redeem it or sells the field to someone else, it can never be bought back. When the field is released in the Jubilee, it becomes holy to God, the possession of the Sanctuary, God’s field. It goes into the hands of the priests.

22-25 “If a man dedicates to God a field he has bought, a field which is not part of the family land, the priest will compute its proportionate value in relation to the next year of Jubilee. The man must pay its value on the spot as something that is now holy to God, belonging to the Sanctuary. In the year of Jubilee it goes back to its original owner, the man from whom he bought it. The valuations will be reckoned by the Sanctuary shekel, at twenty gerahs to the shekel.

26-27 “No one is allowed to dedicate the firstborn of an animal; the firstborn, as firstborn, already belongs to God. No matter if it’s cattle or sheep, it already belongs to God. If it’s one of the ritually unclean animals, he can buy it back at its assessed value by adding twenty percent to it. If he doesn’t redeem it, it is to be sold at its assessed value.

28 “But nothing that a man irrevocably devotes to God from what belongs to him, whether human or animal or family land, may be either sold or bought back. Everything devoted is holy to the highest degree; it’s God’s inalienable property.

29 “No human who has been devoted to destruction can be redeemed. He must be put to death.

Leviticus 27:1,34 MSG

1 God spoke to Moses: He said, “Speak to the People of Israel.

34 These are the commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai for the People of Israel.

Leviticus 27, are God's laws concerning vows (Dedications, and their redemption.) regarding people, animals, houses and lands of Israel.

Thee important thing to note here is that, yes houses and lands could be “dedicated to The Lord,”

that is *Sanctify-Hebrew: Qadash (Kaw-dash): To consecrate, dedicate, hallow, keep holy, purify, sanctify.

It is also interesting to note that our Lord instructed His disciples to pronounce the following blessing over every house that they were invited into.

Luke 10:5 KJV

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

May a house, etc, be prayed over, dedicated and blessed?

Yes!

What would happen, if every Christian would pause in their home and at the vestibule of their church every Sunday, and with all of their heart pray....”Peace be to this house.”

• Salvation Prayer

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: The Levites Of Israel, Interceed For The Peoples Blessings.

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: The Levites Of Israel, Intercede For The Peoples Blessings.

Bible Text:

II Chronicles 30:21-27 NLT

21 So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to The Lord, accompanied by loud instruments.

22 Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served The Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to The Lord, the God of their ancestors.

23 The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week.

24 King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves.

25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah.

26 There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son.

27 Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from His holy dwelling in heaven.

This is a continuation of last Intercessory Prayer Lesson from II Chronicles 30: NLT.

Homily:

This pastor for many years, had the great privilege of being in the church called Souls Harbor (Minneapolis, Minnesota), with its Pastor Gordon K. Peterson.

Memory recalls one of his many sayings, which was “It takes a pretty big preacher to shout at another preachers preaching!

Because of a Godly King, King Hezekiah, even the religious leaders, the priests and Levites

21 sang to The Lord, 25 (and) rejoiced.

And the Priest and Levites, stood, interceding for a blessing for God's people.

27 Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people,

And with what result?

27 “...and God heard their prayer from His holy dwelling in heaven.

Question: Some may then well ask today, do we need a revival in the pulpit?

Answer: We need a revival from the vestibule to the pulpit!

II Chronicles 7:14 KJV

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Someone has once wisely stated, “The up, is the way down,” and how true those words.

 

Psalm 51:16,17 KJV

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Isaiah 57:15 KJV

For thus saith The High And Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Joel 2:12-32 NLT (True for Jew and Gentile.)

(A Call to Repentance.)

12 That is why The Lord says, “Turn to Me now, while there is time. Give Me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to The Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

14 Who knows? Perhaps He will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to The Lord your God as before.

15 Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting.

16 Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room.

17 Let the priests, who minister in The Lord’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has

The God Of Israel left them?’”

(The Lord’s Promise of Restoration.)

18 Then The Lord will pity His people and jealously guard the honor of His land.

19 The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.

20 I will drive away these armies from the north. I will send them into the parched wastelands. Those in the front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean. The stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land.” Surely The Lord has done great things!

21 Don’t be afraid, O land. Be glad now and rejoice, for The Lord has done great things.

22 Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more.

23 Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in The Lord your God! For the rain He sends demonstrates His faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring.

24 The threshing floors will again be piled high with grain and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

25 The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.

26 Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise The Lord your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will My people be disgraced.

27 Then you will know that I am among My people Israel, that I am The Lord your God, and there is no other. Never again will My people be disgraced.

(The Lord’s Promise of His Spirit.)

28 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out My Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

29 In those days I will pour out My Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.

30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of The Lord arrives.

32 But everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as The Lord has said. These will be among the survivors whom The Lord has called.

Matthew 5:3 KJV

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 20:20-28 KJV

20 Then came to Him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshiping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him.

21 And He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto Him, We are able.

23 And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father.

24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25 But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28 Even as The Son Of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Philippians 2:1-11 KJV

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of

The Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as A Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God The Father.

James 4:8-10 KJV

8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.

Had the people of God, really experienced a real heart felt revival?

Matthew 7:20 KJV

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

II Chronicles 31:1 NLT

When the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes.

Yes, others will know if we experience revival, we will not need to tell them.

Selah

• Salvation Prayer

Matthew 6:13 KJV

Bible Questions Answered:

“The Lord's prayer says “lead us not into temptation”. Could God lead us into temptation if he wanted to?...”

Havryil/ Kyiv, Ukraine (Kyiv City)

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

Matthew 6:13 KJV

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Word reminds us in James, God never leads anyone into temptation!

James 1:13 KJV

Let no man say when he is tempted*, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:

*Tempted-Greek: Peirazo (Pi-rad-zo): To entice, tempt.

Other Bible Versions – Matthew 6:13.

Matthew 6:13 NLT

And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:13 MSG

Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.

Matthew 6:13 CEV

Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.

Matthew 6:13 ERV

Don’t let us be tempted, but save us from the Evil One.

Matthew 6:13 GW

Don’t allow us to be tempted. Instead, rescue us from the evil one

Matthew 6:13 Phillips

Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil’

Matthew 6:13 NOG

Don’t allow us to be tempted. Instead, rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:13 NIRV

Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.’

Matthew 6:13 NLV

Do not let us be tempted, but keep us from sin. *Your nation is holy. You have power and shining-greatness forever. Let it be so

Notice the common denominator in all these verses? God does “not,” lead into to temptation, we pray that He “Keep(s) us from being tempted and protect(s) us from evil. CEV

We are to ask The Almighty Father, so as to lead us in a life of sobriety and watchfulness so that the evil ones temptations will have no allurement to us, and that our life may be one of overcoming victory!

John 17:15 KJV
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

II Peter 2:9 KJV
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations..."

Revelation 3:10 KJV
Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation..."
And so then the just doxology: (I Chronicles 29:11)

“ For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

• Salvation Prayer

Church Attendance - 2

Bible Questions Answered:

“ I don't see any new testament command to attend church....”

Rodney/ San Diego, California U.S.A.

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

The question is not, “Why do I have to go to church?” But, “Why wouldn't any Christian, not want to go to church?”

John 13:15 KJV

For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Alright, what was our Lord's example?

Matthew 12:9 KJV

And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue:

Mark 1:21 KJV

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue..."

Luke 4:16 KJV

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day..."

Matthew 18:20 KJV

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

The Apostle Paul:

I Thessalonians 5:11 NLT

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Hebrews 10:25 NLT

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

Other Scriptures:

Psalm 5:7 KJV (King David)

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Psalm 73:17 KJV (Asaph)

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I..."

Acts 2:47 KJV

Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Psalm 11:4 KJV (Habakkuk 2:20)

The Lord is in His holy temple..."

Revelation 1:20 KJV

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels (messengers) of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Revelation 2:1 KJV

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars (Messengers) in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks (Churches);

• Salvation Prayer

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: King Hezekiah Prays For Those Who Had Eaten The Passover, While Ceremonially Unclean.

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: King Hezekiah Prays For Those Who Had Eaten The Passover, While Ceremonially Unclean.

Bible Text:

II Chronicles 30:17-20 NLT (Be sure to read the whole chapter verses 1-27.)

17 Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had to slaughter their Passover Lamb for them, to set them apart for The Lord.

18 Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May The Lord, who is good, pardon those

19 who decide to follow The Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”

20 And The Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. (Leviticus 15/31)

Hezekiah a Godly king, wished to keep Passover, but because of the temple, and its priests were deemed ceremonially unclean, preparation for the celebration was called for in the second month and fourteenth day.

Numbers 9:9-12 NLT

9 This was The Lord’s reply to Moses.

10 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate The Lord’s Passover.

11 They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They must eat the Passover Lamb at that time with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast.

12 They must not leave any of The Lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.

King Hezekiah's Intercession:

II Chronicles 30:

18 “...But King Hezekiah prayed for them... “May The Lord, who is good, pardon those

19 who decide to follow The Lord, The God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”

II Chronicles 30:20 NLT

And The Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.

And what was the result?

II Chronicles 30:21-27 NLT

21 So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to The Lord, accompanied by loud instruments.

22 Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served The Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to The Lord, The God of their ancestors.

23 The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week.

24 King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves.

25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah.

26 There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son.

27 Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from His holy dwelling in heaven.

And what would our God tell us today?

Titus 2:14 KJV

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

James 4:8 KJV

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

II Chronicles 7:14 KJV

If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Does God Hear And Answer Prayer?

I Chronicles 16:11 KJV

Seek The Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.

Psalm 6:9 KJV

The Lord hath heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer.

Psalm 55:17 KJV

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.

Psalm 65:2 KJV

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Psalm 66:19 KJV

But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 91:15 KJV

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

Psalm 102:17 KJV

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

Psalm 122:6 KJV

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Proverbs 15:8,29 KJV

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to The Lord: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but He heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Isaiah 56:7 KJV

"... for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Isaiah 58:9 KJV

Then shalt thou call, and The Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am...:"

Isaiah 65;24 KJV

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Zechariah 13:9 KJV

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Matthew 5:44 KJV

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 7:7,8 KJV

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 18:19,20 KJV

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 21:22 KJV

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Matthew 26:41 KJV

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 11:24 KJV

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Luke 11:9,10 KJV

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Luke 18:1 KJV

And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Luke 21:36 KJV

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before The Son Of Man.

John 15:7 KJV

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 16:24 KJV

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Ephesians 6:18 KJV

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in The Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

Colossians 4:2 NLT

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

Pray without ceasing.

I Timothy 2:8 KJV

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

James 5:13 KJV

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray..."

I Peter 4:7 KJV

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

I John 3:22 KJV

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Revelation 8:3-5 NLT (Prayers heard and kept)

3 Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne.

4 The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.

5 Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar..."

Psalm 141:2 KJV

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

• Salvation Prayer

Prayers Hindered - 2

Bible Questions Answered:

“Why doesn't god answer my prayers?...”

Roxanne/ Brisbane, Australia Queensland

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

Biblical Answers Why Prayers May Be Hindered:

Psalm 66:18 KJV

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:

Proverbs 21:13 KJV

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Proverbs 28:13 KJV

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:9 KJV

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Isaiah 59:1,2 KJV

1 Behold, The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

Ezekiel 14:2-5 NLT

2 this message came to me from The Lord:

3 “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?

4 Tell them, ‘This is what The Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, The Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.

5 I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all My people who have turned from Me to worship their detestable idols.’

Matthew 5:23,24 KJV

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 6:15 KJV (Not a child of God.)

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 7:7,8 KJV

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Mark 11:24-26 KJV

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Philippians 2:5 NLT (Read verses 1-11.)

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

I Thessalonians 5:17,18 NLT

17 Never stop praying.

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

James 1:5-8 KJV

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of The Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 4:2,3 NLT

2 "... Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

I Peter 3:7,12 KJV

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

12 For the eyes of The Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of The Lord is against them that do evil.

I John 3:21-23 KJV

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

I John 5:14,15 KJV

14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:

15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

• Salvation Prayer

Sackcloth

Bible Questions Answered:

“Why do the witnesses in revelation 11:3 where sackcloth?...”

Shirley/ Indianapolis, Indiana  U.S.A.

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

Sackcloth:

Sackcloth (Burlap, used for sacks.) mentioned some 45 times in the Bible, speaks of mourning over sin and repentance to The Lord.

Coarse cloth worn as a sign of mourning or penitence.

Dictionary.Com

A coarse cloth of goat or camel's hair or of flax, hemp, or cotton.

Merriam-Webster

Worn by those who mourned over their sins, and who in repentance and called upon The Lord.

At every motion, the burlap would cause the skin extreme discomfort, reminding the wearer, that their sins were an ever present pain and discomfort to The Living God.

Jonah 3:6-10 KJV

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.

And today, in mourning over sin, we of the church, wear silk suits, and meet at the steak house after service.

Revelation 11:3 AMP

And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days (forty-two months; three and one-half years), dressed in sackcloth.”

During the time of the great tribulation (The day of Jacob's trouble.), how will the Jewish people ever turn to the true Messiah? The church of Jesus Christ is gone, raptured away to The Father's house. They, the Jews, will come to The Lord, to be “saved,” through the witnessing of the two, chosen by The Lord.

During this seven year period, of terrible woes, the two witnesses, will turn the nation of Israel to

The Lord.

They will be in mourning, seriousness, and all gravity with their message of Jesus Christ The Lord, the only True Messiah.

And what will be the result?

Hosea 8:2 KJV (One day truly so.)

Israel shall cry unto Me, My God, we know thee.

Hebrews 8:8-12 KJV

8 "...Behold, the days come, saith The Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith The Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith The Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know The Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

True, the words of Solomon of old.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 KJV

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Psalm 30:5 KJV

For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Salvation Prayer

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: Elisha Prays And The Shunammite's Son Is Restored.

Bible Lesson: Intercessory Prayer: Elisha Prays And The Shunammite's Son Is Restored.

Bible Text:

II Kings 4:8-37 NLT

8 One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to come to her home for a meal. After that, whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for something to eat.

9 She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God.

10 Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.”

11 One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to this upper room to rest.

12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman from Shunem I want to speak to her.” When she appeared,

13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you have shown us. What can we do for you? Can we put in a good word for you to the king or to the commander of the army?” “No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me.”

14 Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can we do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a son, and her husband is an old man.”

15 “Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway,

16 “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” “No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.”

17 But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.

18 One day when her child was older, he went out to help his father, who was working with the harvesters. 19 Suddenly he cried out, “My head hurts! My head hurts!” His father said to one of the servants, “Carry him home to his mother.”

20 So the servant took him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But around noontime he died.

21 She carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and left him there. 22 She sent a message to her husband: “Send one of the servants and a donkey so that I can hurry to the man of God and come right back.”

23 “Why go today?” he asked. “It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath.” But she said, “It will be all right.”

24 So she saddled the donkey and said to the servant, “Hurry! Don’t slow down unless I tell you to.”

25 As she approached the man of God at Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her in the distance. He said to Gehazi, “Look, the woman from Shunem is coming.

26 Run out to meet her and ask her, ‘Is everything all right with you, your husband, and your child?’”

“Yes,” the woman told Gehazi, “everything is fine.”

27 But when she came to the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi began to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone. She is deeply troubled, but The Lord has not told me what it is.”

28 Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?”

29 Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.”

30 But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as The Lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her.

31 Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, “The child is still dead.”

32 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed.

33 He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to The Lord.

34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again!

35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!”

37 She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.

The lady of Shunem, so longed for a son to care for her in her old age, but alas she had none. Elisha the man of God promised her, that even in her old age, within a year, God, with who nothing is impossible, would give her a son, and it was so.

A story reminiscent of Abraham's day.

Genesis 18:9-14 KJV

9 Then they said to him (Abraham), “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

13 And The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’

14 Is anything too hard for The Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Genesis 21:1-3 KJV

1 And The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and The Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken.

2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

Now that dear son, a young man, had gone out at harvest time (the hottest time of the year) to help his father out in the fields.

Was it a stroke, or heat stroke, we are not told, but no matter, the thing that mattered was the fact that the dear young man, was dead.

The Shunammite had great faith, she would not share the fact that her son was dead, so as to become discuoraged, but rather set out quickly to find the man of God.

Elisha could sense something was wrong about her son, for she spoke only of him. Quickly they went off to the young boys body, which was laying on the bed of the prophet.

Alone with God........................................

II Kings 4:33 NLT

He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to The Lord.

Alone With God.

When storms of life are round me beating,

When rough the path that I have trod,

Within my closet door retreating,

I love to be alone with God.

Refrain:

Alone with God, the world forbidde

Alone with God, O blest retreat!

Alone with God, and in Him hidden,

To hold with Him communion sweet.

What though the clouds have gathered o’er me?

What though I’ve passed beneath the rod?

God’s perfect will there lies before me,

When I am thus alone with God.

’Tis there I find new strength for duty,

As o’er the sands of time I plod;

I see the king in all His beauty,

While resting there alone with God.

And when I see the moment nearing

When I shall sleep beneath the sod,

When time with me is disappearing,

I want to be alone with God.

Johnson Oatman, Jr 1904

PDF

Dear friend, you will never have more strength and power in public service for The Lord, than you have received in waiting upon The Lord, in private.

“Wasn't this just simply the first case of CPR?”

Definitely not!

This young man had died at noon, and the Shunammite had to travel by donkey cart some some 20 miles to Mount Carmel to the west, and then return.

At their return it would be late afternoon. Anyone imploring CPR, knows this technique can't help a corpse of some 5, 6 hours.

This was no more CPR than the feeding of the 5,000 was an act of Jerusalem food catering.

II Kings 4:33 NLT (Elisha)

“... prayed to The Lord.”

Matthew 21:21 KJV

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

II Kings 4:34-37

34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again!

35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!”

37 She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.

Matthew 19:26 KJV

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Because of Elisha's intercessory prayer, the Shunammite's son was restored to life.

Matthew 17:20 KJV

And Jesus said unto them...verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Who are you interceding for?

Be a person of faith and power, God hears and answers prayer!

(“Unlocking The Mysteries Of Pray” Amazon.Com. Thank you for all your kind letters, they are so very much appreciated. Remember to tell a friend about “The Bible Prayer Line”. Our Lord bless and keep you.)

Joseph J. Reine

Intercessory Prayer:

Job 16:21 NLT (Job's prayer)

21 I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends.

22 For soon I must go down that road from which I will never return.

Joel 2:17 NLT

Let the priests, who minister in The Lord’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord!.."

Luke 22:32 KJV

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not..."

Acts 12:5-12 NLT (Read the whole story 1-17.)

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an Angel Of The Lord stood before Peter.

The Angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.

8 Then The Angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” The Angel ordered.

9 So Peter left the cell, following The Angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening.

10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then

The Angel suddenly left him.

11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent His Angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.

Ephesians 1:16 NLT (The Apostle Paul to the Ephesian believers.)

I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

Pray in The Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

I Timothy 2:1 KJV

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

James 5:16 NLT

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

• Salvation Prayer