Verse 22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

We have been talking and writing about the ODCC start up of a new ministry called, Impact Prayer Ministry.  It is also in my heart, that which God has impressed upon me, to encourage Christians everywhere to develop an impact prayer life.  In the text this morning we see Jesus Christ returning to the city of Jerusalem.  The day prior He had left the religious leaders very indignant with what He was doing.  They were angry, talking about what to do with Him.  Unafraid Jesus was going to return to continue His ministry.  He became hungry during His travels.  Why, He is God.  I believe it was necessary for Jesus to have real needs so our needs could be understood.  When a need comes begin an impact prayer, face the need head on like a collision and pray.  Now there is so much God has revealed in this scripture.  Today it is about the impact of prayer and what do you expect from your prayers.  Jesus said to His disciples in verse 21, impact prayers never include the word if.  Your faith as described in Hebrews 11:1 is a faith that will not doubt the words of our Lord found in verse 22.  you ask, exercising your belief with faith, anything.  Now many stop there and say ok why does He not give me everything I ask for. 

His answer, first pray, talk to the Father with faith in who He is in your life, next exercise your faith and believe.  The words of my God the Lord Jesus Christ, "you will receive."

Believing is our faith in action.  Believe and you will receive. 

Impact prayer what do you expect, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ the one who works miracles, receive Him into your heart as your God, my God will supply, receive that answer to your impact prayer, in Jesus name.  You see you must be one of His first.

Rjoice in the day and remember to Pray.

Pastor Ron

The words of Jesus.  God Himself tells us if we Christians can agree on anything, having a need for His intervention, my Bible says it will be done.  The question. is there anyone with you when you pray?  Have you ever just taken the hand of your husband or wife and prayed over a matter in agreement.  Maybe with your children.  Try seeking the hand of God in your business, pray with your leadership in agreement what needs to be done.  Today as we will do often here at ODCC, the staff with in the church put ourselves on the altar at church in agreement, asking God to do something great during Vacation Bible School week.  Last night we had 51 children and God was working, praise the Lord.  You see our impact prayers with others started yesterday at the altar on our knees. God did what He knew He was going to do, and in the right time tested this church to see if we were serious about our prayer ministry.  Today I believe those that were here even felt His personal touch as He promised in Matthew 18:20.

So if you desire to have an impact prayer today, call on someone to agree with you, pray over the matter and allow God's presence to be felt through the Holy Spirit in your life.

What an experience we had today at the altar, maybe when you attend church Sunday your circumstances, a conflict, a storm cloud or a crisis in your life, agree that it is a blessing and allow that circumstance to put you on your knees praying to God. A personal God who knows your name, who supplies, who delivers to His children.

Impact prayer ministry often includes a prayer partner to add power to your prayer.  His promise is if you ask and can agree, it will be done.  Have a wonderful prayer today.  Prayer time that will impact your life, and the life of others.  Now watch what God is going to do, blessing you.  

VBS tonight starts a 6:30 come little children come.  Mom's and Dad's let's agree there is absolute value in seeing your children develop a relationship with Jesus Christ, the one who provides for us direction into eternity, heaven. 

Be blessed today and remember to Pray, the impact prayer.

ODCC church wide Impact Prayer Ministry begins September 24, 2010 from 9pm to 11pm join the team and watch what God is going to do in your life, the life of your family, your church and our country.

Want to join, need more details call Pastor Ron or just respond to this blog entry.

Pastor Ron

Luke 18:9-14 

The Bible says, “pray without ceasing.”  First part one of the answer, pray always, and sometimes we are unable to get on our knees.  Some people physically can not get on their knees.  So no it is not a requirement of God for us to pray on our knees for Him to hear us.

Now part two of the answer.  As you read the scripture there are two kinds of people offering prayer.  The first of course is like so many today.  Here is an example of one of my prayers years ago.  God, I am a good person, helping people serving in the fire dept. working hard to care for my family, I go to church at Christmas and Easter, why am I now in jail, Why God?  When I got saved about 5 years later, He gave me the answer, I was just like the Pharisee in the scripture.   Now my prayer life is like the tax collector, God be merciful to me a sinner.  Now here is the second part of the answer, yes we should pray on our knees.  Verse 14 “he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Do you know part of the definition in the dictionary for humble is to be near to the ground, thinking lowly of self, to lower oneself?  Simply put, to humble ourselves is to lower ourselves to the ground, one way, get on our knees.  Here are some related words to humility, broken, to bring down, to be beaten down.  So part 2, if you physically can, pray on your knees.  Jesus said when you come with that humble spirit, as one broken on his knees, He will exalt you.  He the Lord Jesus will lift you up high, put Joy into our lives help us to be jubilant. 

So when we humble ourselves on our knees, before the sovereign God, the Lord Jesus Christ will lift us up to realize we are one of His children, blessed in any situation, crying out Lord God, be merciful to me a sinner.  

Pastor Ron

Be blessed today and remember to Pray.

The Open Door Community Church is going to embark on a revived prayer mission. Very soon we will have a period of time that someone will be available at the church for anyone who wishes to call in for prayer, write an e-mail, maybe someone would desire to just drop in and pray with a prayer partner.  The day and time, well that will be determined when a special light is on in front of the church. So be on the alert for the light. A simple light to alert anyone the Impact Prayer Ministry is on at Open Door Community Church. 

Jesus Christ is praying for believers.  He clearly identifies who He is praying for in verse 20, “for those who will believe in Me through their word;” Have you given your word to the Lord. Yes Lord I give myself to You as my Lord and Savior.  Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Jesus is telling all who simply confess pray and believe in their heart become one with the Father  At this time in our lives we can now have unlimited access to the Father, Romans 8:26-27.  When someone is sick we pray for healing.  Now that is appropriate and is a good thing, however, Listen to what Jesus prayed for each of us who believe, “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”  Jesus prayed that the believers would truly be who we say we are in word, His desire for us to be with Him.  Pray for believers to be secured in Jesus no matter what is going on in your life, for those not walking with the Lord, I beg you find Him, the Lord Jesus, who has a desire that we be with Him in heaven. 

Today confess Jesus Christ as Lord, make it your word, believe in Him, now with confidence live a life, in obedience, knowing His prayer to the Father is for you and I to spend eternity in heaven to see His glory.  Be blessed today and remember to Pray.

The last few days I have spent on my knees talking with God who is enough for me, asking questions and seeking His touch on Dee’s condition while she spent many days in the hospital.  We went from an infection in her leg, to cellulites, blood clots and even the possibility of tumors in her intestines.  It seemed as if everyday the news got worse instead of better.  What was God doing? Blessing me and I did not know it.  When conflicts come, people gossip, troubles surface, that storm forms, consider it as a blessing, a time to get on your knees. James 4:8 draw near to God and He will draw near to you.   What I am about to tell you, could change your life and the life of your family, the church and our country, it did for me.  God had Dee perfectly in His hands.   I realize I needed more then what I call the simple traditional kind of prayer.  Prayer should be our life line.  I began to pray, understanding I was talking to my, personal FATHER, sacred, divine holy creator.  And He knows my name.  When I realized that my prayer life has changed.  I pray seeking the awesome power of God humbly on my knees.  Daily we should spend time on our knees, we are talking to the Holy God, think about that.  He knows our needs before we ask Him.  My prayers on my knees worshiping Him, daily with a sincere heart, one of forgiveness, one aware of the battle with the flesh, temptation, a heart focused on the one who can deliver, my heart felt prayer believing in His supernatural Power.

I did seek His healing touch upon dee and I continue, but God knows exactly what He has planned for her, for me, as well  as for you.  Today begin a new prayer journey, drop on the ground and worship Him the Holy One.  Ask for His intervention in your life daily, to keep us away from the attacks of the world.  Be forgiving of others, when a conflict, or gossip, a crisis comes accept it as a blessing, let it drive you to your knees.  I thank the Lord for allowing me to go through this time, it has enriched my prayer life, my revived life line, how about you? Pastor Ron

After the 4th of July service I began to reflect on the morning and found myself very discouraged.  Attendence was extremely low.  Many Church families busy celebrating the Independence day celebration and rightfully so.  However, we all must understand our independence was the result of a church service when a revival broke out, called the Great Awakening.  Listen to the messge on our website and you will hear more about that. 

Well the period of discouragement continued as Sunday unfolded, families busy not attending church and that affects so many other areas of ministry.  Did you know that it is during these times, the summer months, many pastors leave the ministry.  WOW, the statistics are huge.  So, Pastor Ron was asked the question, is God enough for you?  That got me thinking, even this morning I found myself in tears over church.  And again I heard the question asked, Pastor Ron, is God enough for you?  The answer is yes.  In my devotional this morning, 1 Tim. 1:12, Christ Jesus our Lord who enabled me and put me in this ministry.  And His Grace, verse 14 is exceedingly abundant.  The Lord Jesus who enables us to serve Him, His Grace is sufficient in fact His Grace is exceedingly, that means more then just abundant, His Grace is exceedingly abundant.  You ponder those two words for just a moment and when the times of discouragement settle on our hearts, as it does so often in the heart of a pastor, our God the only true wise one, He gives out His mercy and Grace exceedingly abundant mercy and Grace.  Is God enough?  For this Pastor the answer is absolutely yes.  If you are a pastor thinking about quitting or maybe you are Christian thinking about quitting due to circumstances, the world, the flesh taking you hostage, just say no, my God is enough.

Be blessed and know Jesus loves you.

Pastor Ron

It has been a few days since my last devotion but please be assured I do have a time of devotion everyday.  Today I am encouraged by the Lord to post this to my blog.  A question that is often asked, what should my life as a Christian look like?  The quick easy answer is to be the authentic follower of Christ.

Do you realize that between World War I and World War II there were 50 million causalities.  Two periods of time that were defined by what history reports as the greatest wars of all time.

I believe we are in the greatest war of all time today.  It is not in the Middle East.  The two sides, as all wars have two sides, are Holiness and worldliness.  You say wow Ron a very big thought for a simple daily devotion.  Not really, you see the battle ground is our home. 

The Bible here in 1 John 2:15-17 certainly spells out the two sides and we make a choice of the side we are on.  Verse 17 says for he who does the will of God.  That makes it clear about the individual choice.  When we chose the world it is accepting the organized system of Satan that opposes God.  Love the world is to love the flesh, and Satan can certainly use that to allure us to his side.  What we need to do to know how to live our life as a Christian?  First read Mark chapter 4:1-20 then ask yourself this question, what kind of soil is my heart?  The soil of the heart in the parable needs to be the good ground found in verse 8.  When our hearts are ready, being good soil, the Sower, Jesus Christ, verse 14 puts His seed in our heart then we know how to live our life as Christian.  Now here is the Biblical answer to the question, 1) Accept the Word, Jesus Christ into the soil of your heart, verse 20.  2) Increase who you are spiritually, attend church, get involved, serve, fellowship, and grow, verse 8.  3)  Bear Fruit, produce, share with others by setting the example and watch lives be changed 30, 60 100 times.  Fruit is fragile, yet refreshing, think of entering a fruit stand how refreshing just the smell, it is also good nourishment.  What should my life as a Christian look like?  Like an apple tree, the ground is ready, the seed is planted the tree grows, new fruit appears, the apple falls to the ground.  In my back yard as a boy, mom would say go outside and pick up the good fruit from the ground.  Fruit that is fragile if not cared for quickly, refreshing just to the smell, and like it or not, it is good nourishment.  I pray this answers the question of many Christians today.  Be blessed as we all bear fruit today as we fight in the greatest battle of all times. 

The victory has already been accomplished, that victory is in Jesus.