Preparing an Atmosphere of Prayer

  Preparing an Atmosphere

            Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host Dayla Smith. As you know we are doing a series on Prayer. We are discussing the Lord’s prayer. The Lord wants us to know how to pray. He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him. 

              The message today is about preparing an atmosphere of Prayer. I’ve often wondered about this. How do I prepare an

atmosphere of prayer? There are a few ways to prepare the atmosphere for prayer. Thanksgiving, praise and worship. Also, doing a soul check to repent and ask forgiveness for the sins in your life that day. I am always doing a soul check. Not because I want to be better than everyone else, or I am deceiving myself thinking I no longer have sin in my life. But, because I don’t want any sin to come between me and my Savior. Sin breaks His heart. It also hurts my heart when I hurt Him. 

                  Let’s look at Matthew 6:1-8  6 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

                               I find it interesting that in verses 1-2, He talks about our tithes and offerings. Yes, this does welcome in the presence of the Lord. For two reasons. Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And, I also think of when the widow dropped her mite in the basket. Everyone around her was giving also. So, with all the noise, how did Jesus hear the sound of her 1 little coin? Because she was worshiping the giver of the gift. He heard her heart. Which makes me think about the scripture, Matthew 10:9-10  9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. Also, Acts 2:44-45  44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. I know that we are talking about an atmosphere of worship. But, tithing and offering are a form of worship. Jesus and the Father neither slumber nor sleep. They are constantly working and providing for us. 24/7. Don’t you think that He is a workman who is worthy of His hire. Well He has Christian churches, Christians and ministries that are on call 24/7. That is how you give to the Lord His hire or wage. You give your tithes and offerings to His workers.  What is His hire? He works 24/7 and only asks for 10% of everything you have. When someone is hungry and you give them some of your food, that is a tithe or offering. You know, I am a part of a church group I love, who will not ask for your tithe and offerings. They depend totally on the Lord. Most of the ministers I am friends with depend totally on the Lord for everything. Their food, electricity, clothing, water, etc… This is why the Lord said in Malachi 3:8-18 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. I know that we skim through this very quickly. We have heard it so very much. But, let’s let the words really sink in. Because everything, including this ministry, for example, is His. I just get to be a part of a really great plan, He has provided for me going and coming. Maybe not as quickly as I would have liked. But, He is never late or early. 

                            If you notice, another part of our soul check is to check the motives behind our actions. Pride is the sneakiest of all to come in. Are you trying to draw people’s attention to Jesus or yourself? Check your motives. Remember, the book of James says, James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. So, we have to check our motives. Am I drawing people to the Lord or myself? I need to be drawing people to the Lord. So, if I am constantly trying to be heard or seen, I am profitable for nothing. I can’t redeem mankind. Only Jesus can. Salvation can’t be bought. The Lord can’t be bought. He is not for sale. He is not deaf either. He can hear you even if it’s a whisper. He also understands exactly what we are saying. You don’t have to beg. If you are His child, He wants only the best for you. He wants you to prosper even as your soul prospers. 

                     Which brings me back to creating an atmosphere for prayer in our thanksgiving, praise and worship. Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be  thankful unto him, and bless his name. So, here in this verse of psalm, David tells us that in order to create an atmosphere of prayer, we are to enter the gates of His tabernacle, this is just symbolic, remember the original text was in word pictures. We must enter His gates with thanksgiving. Thanking Him for what He has done for us. Giving Him the glory due His precious name. In the Strong’s exhaustive Concordance, thanksgiving is pronounced in Hebrew  tawda or toda - Properly an extension of hand, i.e. avowal, or adoration; specifically a choir of worshippers; confession, praise, sacrifice of praise, thanks, thanksgiving, thank offering. Notice the definition starts out with properly meaning an extension of hand. Which means lifted hands. When we thank Him for what He has done for us, we can also demonstrate this with the lifting of our hands to him. Or, even the clapping of our hands to Him. Remember, demonstrations are very powerful to God. 

                   Then, David says we are to enter the courts of his tabernacle with praise. That praise also creates an atmosphere of prayer. Again, according to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, praise in Hebrew is pronounced tayhiya, or tehilla meaning laudation; specifically a hymn, praise. We praise Him for what He has done and worship Him for who He is. Just like thanksgiving, we praise Him for what He has done. Here is an example. The Song of Moses, Exodus15 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord,

For He has triumphed gloriously!

The horse and its rider

He has thrown into the sea!

2 The Lord is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation;

He is my God, and I will praise Him;

My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

3 The Lord is a man of war;

The Lord is His name.

4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;

His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The depths have covered them;

They sank to the bottom like a stone.

6 “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;

Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

7 And in the greatness of Your excellence

You have overthrown those who rose against You;

You sent forth Your wrath;

It consumed them like stubble.

8 And with the blast of Your nostrils

The waters were gathered together;

The floods stood upright like a heap;

The depths [a]congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,

I will overtake,

I will divide the spoil;

My desire shall be satisfied on them.

I will draw my sword,

My hand shall destroy them.’

10 You blew with Your wind,

The sea covered them;

They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 “Who is like You, O Lord, among the [b]gods?

Who is like You, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 You stretched out Your right hand;

The earth swallowed them.

13 You in Your mercy have led forth

The people whom You have redeemed;

You have guided them in Your strength

To Your holy habitation.

14 “The people will hear and be afraid;

Sorrow[c] will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed;

The mighty men of Moab,

Trembling will take hold of them;

All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.

16 Fear and dread will fall on them;

By the greatness of Your arm

They will be as still as a stone,

Till Your people pass over, O Lord,

Till the people pass over

Whom You have purchased.

17 You will bring them in and plant them

In the mountain of Your inheritance,

In the place, O Lord, which You have made

For Your own dwelling,

The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

The Song of Miriam

20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them:

“Sing to the Lord,

For He has triumphed gloriously!

The horse and its rider

He has thrown into the sea!”

               This is just one of many examples of songs of praise.

                     Remember we worship Him for who He is. Who is He to you? Don’t tell me. Tell him. Why? Because there are two spiritual sides to this action. You edify yourself by reminding yourself who He is. Then, you are letting all of Heaven and Hell know what you know about your Lord, Savior, and King. In the book of Psalms David did this often. 

                              Psalm 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. In the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, worship here in Hebrew is pronounced sayha or saha -To depress, i.e. probstrate, bow, bow down, bow self down, bow self, crouch, fall down, fall flat, humbly beseech, make obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship. He says we are to worship in the beauty of holiness. There is only one who is holy. That is the Lord. So, we are to worship Him in His beauty.  And, in  Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. This is just one of the many examples of David’s worship. David knew who the Lord was to Him. We each have our very own unique relationship with the Lord. Because of this, I will ask you this question again. Who is He to you? Don’t tell me. Tell Him. 

                            If you do not have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and would like to get to know this Jesus who's been loving you. That you are tired of living a defeated life of sin. Come truly broken before Him. Repent of your life of sin. Ask Jesus to forgive you. And to be Lord over your life. Forgive the others who have sinned against you. So that He can hear your prayers. For those who say they cannot. Would you go to the cross to redeem those who sinned against you? Jesus did. He even did it before He knew you. Forgiveness determines your salvation. Find a bible translation that you will read. I prefer the King James version. Read it. The new testament tells you who Jesus is. The old testament tells you what He expects of you. Also, find a church that preaches the uncompromising truth of God’s word. Sit under that pastor for at least a year. So that you can learn and grow. 

                         Now, let me pray with you. Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

               I want to thank you so very much for joining me at My Little House of Prayer. I enjoyed this lesson so very much. I hope you did, also. Please join me again next week. May you have a very blessed week.  Remember, I love you with the love of the Lord. But, Jesus will always love you more.   

                       

 

 

 

The Lord, He is God

  The Lord, He Is God 

                   Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host Dayla Smith. The Lord and I had a conversation concerning the month of October and what is being observed in that month according to the Jewish calendar. He had me google Jewish traditions for the month of October. 

                       Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. Falling in the month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar), it marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. The holiday is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.” Yom Kippur 2022 begins on the evening of Tuesday, October 4 and ends on the evening of Wednesday, October 5.

History and Significance of Yom Kippur

According to tradition, the first Yom Kippur took place after the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Descending from the mountain,

Moses caught his people worshipping a golden calf and shattered the sacred tablets in anger. Because the Israelites atoned for their idolatry, God forgave their sins and offered Moses a second set of tablets.

  *https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/yom-kippur-history

                          Notice what was taking place. The children of Israel were busy worshiping a man made creature. A golden calf. Let’s look at Exodus 32 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

                Then, let’s look at how the Lord handled the situation in Exodus 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

                         Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and make you pay way more than you want to pay. Now, does the Lord like this? No! That is why He says in Deuteronomy 30:15-20  15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. 

                 So, during the month of September and October we are to take a long hard look at our lives and how we have lived them. Our lives are filled with trials and temptations. But in Deuteronomy, He gives us a clear idea of how our lives are going to go. If we choose His path of life and blessing, this is what we will walk in. His blessings. His divine instruction in order to pass the many tests. Psalm 37:23-25

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 

                             This is just one of many examples. There are promises and answers to every problem, dilemma, or crisis. But, the requirement is to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Matthew 14:22-33  22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

                    The storms of life will always appear. Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. But, it is how we handle them that decides whether we rise or sink. Whether the temptations that arise will swallow us up in its death, hate and darkness, or we allow ourselves to put our eyes on Christ and allow Him to swallow it up with His love, Light and life.

                 Or, we can choose the path of curses and live a completely defeated lifestyle. The children of Isreal chose the path of curses by allowing doubt and unbelief to rule over them. They decided in their doubt in the LORD, who had just delivered them miraculously from the hand of the evil Egyptian king and the people of Egypt, to erect a golden calf. An idol. A dead idol. And, began to worship and devote themselves to it.  And in turn, it swallowed them up. It became their ultimate defeat. 

                I have been thinking about the month of October. Remember, there is a constant spiritual battle for the Name. Who is Lord? 2 Corinthians 6:14-17  14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

                   During the two most holiest days of the year according to the Jewish calendar for the Lord, we are to put our total focus and worship on Him. So, why would we fellowship with darkness? 

                          Belial (Hebrew: בְּלִיַּעַל‎, Bəlīyyaʿal) is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament which later became personified as the devil[1] in Christian texts of the New Testament.[2] Alternate spellings include Baalial, Balial, Belhor, Beliall, Beliar, Berial, Bylyl and Beliya'al. In the Secret Book of John, an early Gnostic text, the ruler of the underworld is referred to as Belias.[3]

                 Belial is a Hebrew word "used to characterize the wicked or worthless". The etymology of the word is often understood as "lacking worth",[4] from two common words: beli- (בְּלִי "without-") and ya'al (יָעַל "to be of value").

Some scholars translate it from Hebrew as "worthless" (Beli yo'il), while others translate it as "yokeless" (Beli ol), "may he have no rising" or "never to rise" (Beli ya'al). Only a few etymologists have believed it to be an invented name from the start.[5]

The word occurs twenty-seven times in the Masoretic Text, in verses such as the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 6:12), where the King James Version (KJV) translates the Hebrew phrase adam beli-yaal as "a naughty person".[6]

In the Hebrew text, the phrase is either "sons of Belial" or simply "sons of worthlessness".[7][8] Phrases beginning with "sons of" are a common Semitic idiom, such as "sons of destruction" or "sons of lawlessness".[9]

Of these 27 occurrences, the idiom "sons of Belial" (בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל beni beliyaal) appears 15 times to indicate worthless people, including idolaters (Deuteronomy 13:13), the men of Gibeah (Judges 19:22, 20:13), the sons of Eli (1 Samuel 2:12), Nabal, and Shimei. The Geneva Bible (1560) uses "wicked", and at the Book of Judges 19:22 has the marginal note "Ebr [Hebrew] men of Belial: that is, given to all wickednes." In the KJV these occurrences are rendered with "Belial" capitalised:

"the sons of Eli were sons of Belial" (KJV)

In modern versions these are usually read as a phrase:

"the sons of Eli were worthless men" (1 Samuel 2:12, NRSV and NIV)

"the wicked men of the city" (Judges 19:22, NIV)

"Belial" is applied to ideas, words, and counsel,[10] to calamitous circumstances,[11] and most frequently, to worthless men of the lowest sort, such as men who would induce worship of other gods;[12] those of Benjamin who committed the sex crime at Gibeah;[13] the wicked sons of Eli;[14] insolent Nabal;[15] opposers of God's anointed, David;[16] Rehoboam's unsteady associates;[17] Jezebel's conspirators against Naboth;[18] and men in general who stir up contention.[19] Indicating that the enemy power would no longer interfere with the carrying out of true worship by his people in their land, YHWH declared through his prophet: "No more will any worthless person pass again through you. In his entirety he will certainly be cut off."[20]

                       My heart is devoted to Christ Jesus of Nazareth. My worship and adoration is to Him alone. If you don’t believe me, listen to the news. Witches and Warlocks call it their most holy day to their lord satan. Don’t believe me, google it. 

                        We as true Christians are called to live a holy lifestyle. Leviticus 11:44-45  44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

1 Peter 1:15-17  15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

                  Halloween is just one example. There are so many other ways the enemy distracts us and causes us to compromise the truth. Ask yourself this question. Who is truly Lord over your life?

                       If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is really simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior according to the mirror of the law of the Lord. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just an outline. The real work begins after I pray with you because it is a very personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

                    Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                    I know I was a bit long winded today. But, it was a message the Lord impressed upon my heart. He wants us all to know what the battle is about, where it is coming from, and what is at stake. Joshua 24:14-15  14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

1 Kings 18:30-39  30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

                 I hope that this message has blessed you. Remember, I love you with the love of the Lord, but Jesus Christ loves you more.

Are Your Vessels Filled With Oil?

                              Are Your Vessels Filled with Oil?

                         

                            Hello. Welcome to My Little House of Prayer Ministry. I am your host Dayla Smith. I am so very glad that you could join me today. It is a day the LORD hath made to rejoice and be glad and rejoice in. Today’s topic  is Are Your Vessels Filled with Oil? I can’t wait for us to dive into this message. Oh, you’ll definitely want to tune into next week's message. It is a message from the Lord for all of His people. It will encourage all of us in these last days. I am working very hard and diligently on it. So, pray for me as I prepare next week’s message for all of us. I say all of us because I include myself also. I get to learn also. So, I thank all of you and especially my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth for this opportunity. So, without further adieu, let’s begin.

                          Are your vessels filled with oil? This  is a funny question to ask these days. Thanks to technology. But, in the Spirit realm we walk this Christian walk by the light of His Torah truth. Psalms 119: 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. And Matthew 25: 1-13 says, 25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

                               Let’s look at the word lamp in psalms and Matthew. In Hebrew in the Strong’s exhaustive concordance it is nir or ner.  In Greek it is lampas or lampo. Both Hebrew and Greek have the same meaning. To glisten, to light, to beam, to radiate brilliancy, give light, or shine. (From the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.)  The torah truth lights up, glistens, shines, beams, radiates brilliancy, or gives light. Light shows us the direction we are headed in. If we are headed the wrong way in a lighted path, because of the light, we can turn around. So, in Psalms we have a promise that as we read and meditate on God’s word, the light of the Torah truth will guide us in the right direction. Sounds awfully familiar to what happened with the urim and thummim. The Priest would ask for direction and the stones would light up. We have a spiritual urim and thummim. Don’t think for one minute that things have changed that much. It is our spiritual heart that lights up. How powerful is this? It is our witness from the Holy Spirit. When truth is spoken, the Holy spirit lights up in our hearts. What happens when it lights up in our hearts? It convicts us. It directs us.  It bears witness to the truth when it is spoken. Look at Ephesians 1:17-18 says, 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 

                    In verse 18, enlightened in the Greek is photizo, meaning to shed rays, to shine, to brighten up, to illuminate, or to make to see. Funny. This is where we get the word photo from. Cameras take control of the amount of light and it’s rays to create a picture. So you see, it is the same in the old testament as the new testament. In the tabernacle, there is the menorah. It has 7 lamps. Isn’t that interesting.  Each post is called a lamp. What do they use for fuel? Pure Olive Oil.  The oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. How are you enjoying this so far? The number 7 in scripture represents the completeness of Christ. The Priests were instructed to place new oil twice a day. This was so that the light of the Torah truth never went out. So, in other words, we are supposed to meditate on God’s word day and night. Allowing the Holy Spirit to instruct us, to be a light for our path, to convict us when we are headed in the wrong direction. 

                           Jesus spoke of 10 virgins. The number 10 speaks of the completeness of the law, judgments, and the covenant. When Jesus shared this parable, He chose the number 10 because he wanted to establish that He was talking about our covenant with the LORD and His laws. The Lord wants His people to walk in a covenant with Him. Remember, The marriage supper of the Lamb is the rehearsal dinner. And, in the rehearsal dinner, you have the groom, the bride, the bridesmaids, and the groomsmen, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the ring bearer, the flower girl, the Father of the bride and groom, the Mother of the Bride and groom, and any other family member who participating in any way in the wedding.  Let’s look at the Diagram that is set up Matthew 13:8, when Jesus speaks about seeds and where they fall.

Ephesians 4: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

                      So you see, He wants us to make heaven our home more than we do. He is giving us every opportunity to make heaven our home. He wants us to not only make heaven our home, but also to grow and mature in Him. The only way to grow and mature is to read His love letter/road map. To Pray and seek His face not His hand. Remember, His hand is connected to His face. Hahahahahaha 

                  Next He divides them into 2 groups. Five wise. And, Five foolish. The number 5 speaks of Grace. His grace reached out to both groups. But, the choice was still in their hands as to how they chose to respond to it. The 5 foolish could have chosen to keep their lamps filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit. The 5 wise remained ready. They were watchfull. Prayerful. They kept the Torah truth of God’s word constantly before them. They depended on the truth of God’s word to lead and guide them into a deeper relationship with Him. They stayed repentant before Him. 

                The five foolish only took lamps with them. While the five wise also took vessels. In the Greek, vessels is pronounced angeion, which means a pail or a receptacle. So, they brought a pail also with them that was filled with oil. Remember I said oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. That He lights up the Torah truth of God’s word and convicts and directs us. He teaches us the perfect will of God in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! They made sure that they constantly were ready spiritually for the call for the marriage supper of the lamb. 

               A wonderful friend of mine shared with me a little nugget she obtained. According to Jewish tradition, Only the Father of the groom knew when the bride and groom would be married. He would call out at midnight on the day He decided it was time. This was handed to them in the old testament laws. In this parable, Jesus says that a cry went out for the marriage supper of the Lamb, when? At midnight. Hallelujah! How powerful is this to you? 

                 In verse 5, the bridegroom tarries. He waits. He waits for His father to tell him it is time to go get his bride. So, if Jesus is our example, and He is waiting. We are called to follow that same example, and wait also. Psalm 46: 10 says,  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. How do we wait? By staying in God’s word. Read it daily. Meditate on it. Chew on it mentally and spiritually. Allow the Holy Spirit to light up His Torah truths in you. And, pray. Seek His face. Reach out to others with the message of hope He has placed in you. And expect His promises, and His soon coming. His coming back to call us back to Him. 

                   So, the cry goes out and how does each group respond?

The first group, the wise virgins, were ready. They had plenty of oil for their journey. Are you ready? Do you have plenty of oil for your journey? Yes, they all slept. But the 5 wise were ready in their hearts. They kept their hearts alert for His promise to come get them. They walked in His anointing. The anointing of the Holy Spirit. They stayed repentant before Him. They sought His face. They read and meditated on the Torah truth of God’s word. They constantly let the Holy Spirit shine the light on His torah truth. Are you doing this? 

                          You see, when we get to heaven, or the kingdom of God, we will not be walking in. We won’t walk in high and mighty, like we are all that and a bag of chips. No. We will be crawling in. We will  be bowed down and coming low into His presence. In Matthew 19:16-24 says 16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

So, the rich man had to cast all of his worldly riches, his old life, away before he could enter the kingdom of God. That means we have to do the same. To stay ready and not fall asleep.

              Now let’s look at the five foolish virgins. What happened to them. They looked at the 5 wise and said give us some of your oil.  We are not prepared. We fell asleep thinking surely he wouldn’t be coming today. “I will receive His gift  of salvation tomorrow. “
“ I will pray tomorrow.” “ I can repent and quit this sin tomorrow.” Just like the rich young ruler, they were not ready to get rid of those worldly cares or sins that the Lord was dealing with them to get rid of. Hebrews 12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us .  So, the oil they once had was used up. There was no longer the light of the Torah truth of God’s word to light their way. They were wanting to rely on someone else's anointing. To depend on someone else’s prayers. To depend on someone going to church in their place. I’m sure we can all put ourselves in that place at some point and time. 

                     When they cry was made, they left to go find and buy oil for their lamps. But it was too late. He comes as a thief in the night.

They were left behind. I don’t want to be left behind. You can be too late in any part of God’s plan for life. No, you won’t miss the kingdom of God right now. Because we all have this moment to repent. He has given each and everyone of us gifts and talents. When you are walking in those gifts and talents, you are good. You are making heaven your home Matthew 6:20-21says, 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is what the five wise virgins did. They laid up their treasure in heaven. Their cares were for the kingdom of God. The 5 foolish virgins laid their treasure in the world.  Their cares were for the things of this world. 

                           What happened when the 5 foolish virgins returned? The door was closed. Let me say this, there is a prophecy going out at this time. It has been prophesied. But, now the stage is being set. There is a great revival coming and now is. Don’t despise the small beginnings. It is coming. People will be flocking to the churches. There will be signs and wonders. Not just in the church. But in the earth and the heavens. And,  even now, are. Be ready! There will be a cry. And, even now, it is. There will be a great revival and then the cry will go forth, and the sky will split open. We will be raptured out of here. 

                       You see now is the time to repent. To receive the gift of God which is eternal life according to Romans 6:23. To walk out their salvation with fear and trembling  according to Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. To know our very lives are in His hand . To do good to us. Not evil or harm. Will you please answer this call? If you don’t know Jesus, as your savior, please pray with me. Please repeat after me. If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is really simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior according to the mirror of the law of the Lord. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just an outline. The real work begins after I pray with you because it is a very personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

                    Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Let me say welcome to the family of God. So happy for you in this decision. It is the most important decision you will ever make.

                 Now, are your vessels filled with oil? Are you walking with the Lord? Are you seeking His face? Meditating on His word? And, letting the Holy Spirit light up the Torah truth of God’s word in your heart? Let’s pray. Lord, I repent of the times I held back from you. The times I hesitated to walk with you. The times I was lax when your Spirit came to convict my heart. Thank you for forgiving me. I commit today to get in your word. To seek your face. And, anticipatingly waiting for your soon coming. In Jesus Name, amen.

                  Once again, thank you for joining me at My Little House of Prayer. Remember, I love you, but Jesus Christ of Nazareth will always love you more. Until next week, may your week be blessed.