Dear Jesus,

How badly we need you!

You have been dismissed from so many lives, families and churches.  Or should they be called buildings. After all,they are only churches when you are welcomed and when you dwell there. We have heard of the days when people heard your Word with clarity and boldness. When the love of the Father was shared by preaching the entirety of Your suffering. Something about Blood, a whip, nails, a cross, a crown of thorns and the spit of men. We have heard of those days, Lord. We have heard of the days when there was an answer for the sick in body as they walked into our churches in America. The days when the crippled walked and the blind saw. The days when the expert opinions of man were only the reports of mere man. The days when your Word had final say. We often hear of church services being finished when the Holy Spirit was through ministering to His people. The days when Jesus was glorified and the people died to themselves and even their dreams as they sat in the pews. Where are those days, Jesus? Do you miss the church? I am sure you do. You must be tired of watching from outside the door. Even You were surrendered to the Father in every action and word you spoke. Even you depended on the Holy Spirit to minister. Why do we think that our ideas and methods are better than yours? Sorry, Lord but our “plans” are doing just fine. People enjoy our ideas and they keep coming to church. It fits their schedule and helps them build their “church” lives around their social plans. So, Lord, don’t you see them coming by the thousands? Do you see how successful we are? Look at how well our society is doing. Just one question- are they really meeting You-the Jesus of the Bible? Are the many who pack the seats really finding You. Can they find Your salvation outside the bloody cross of calvary. Are the sick leaving healed or are they being left to suffer? I wonder how our ideas are really working. How is Your view from outside the building, Jesus? Do you want to come in? We’d love to let you in, but that would hurt our reputation. Our methods and plans that we “learned” are supposed to “work”.

Shouldn’t you be allowed in again? After all, You purchased the church with your own blood. You should be in charge. Master, many of us do miss You. We are tired of hearing of the “old days”. We know You’re alive and we want You to meet with us again. Come and wreck every agenda that is outside of Your perfect will. Dear Outcast, sorry for rejecting You and ignoring you. Walk into the doors of our buildings and make them churches again. Walk in our houses and make them homes again. Walk into our Christianity, Oh Christ and ressurrect it! Precious Savior, see and hear the hearts of those who long for you and give us our hearts’ desire; it’s you, Jesus. 

Michael

August 15, 2010

Jesus is so very strong and amazingly powerful. He hung the earth on its perfect axis and all creation went through Him. He calmed a storm with a spoken word. The earth shook and split when He died on the cross. Yet, in Gethsemane, we find Him calling for support and help from those He loved. Nevertheless, they slept and could not stand with Him in His most trying hour. How bruised His heart must have been. Those He lived for, could not pray for a mere hour. So, Jesus was forced to face this time alone, with no friends by His side. The Father sent an angel to minister to His Son. Would this have happened if His disciples would have ministered to Him? We don’t know. However, we do know that it would have meant much to Jesus if His closest disciples would have remained with Him and prayed.

Today, Jesus is still faced with brokeness as He sees a world rejecting Him. A world that hates Him and genuinely wants to forget about Him. Will you pray and be there for Jesus now?

Perhaps you are in a Gethsemane yourself and you don’t know why life is so difficult. Perhaps the Lord is requesting that you give up people and things and trust in His plan of suffering for you. This is what happened to Jesus. Remember, if you are suffering, so is Jesus. Don’t run from the Garden. Only cling to Jesus and you will never be left alone. Better to suffer with Jesus than to celebrate without Him. Let’s pray

Dear Jesus
Help me stay with you when you need a friend. You love me and I know that is why you want me to be close to you. I will stand with you, Jesus. Holy Spirit, please give me the strength to walk the path of suffering with Jesus. With you there is always a resurrection ahead. I am here for you, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name Amen

“My father who was 54 years old and the associate pastor of my church in Montreal, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April 2009. The doctors said they couldn’t operate due to the fact that the tumor had spread over the brain and the risk of brain damage or death was too great. That is when our church began to pray and stand on God’s word, Mark 9:23 “all things are possible to him who believes.”

In the month of September 2009 the doctors finally agreed to perform another brain scan it would be one week after you came to preach at our church. My father also testified that after you prayed for him he felt as though his head was on fire and could actually smell something burning in his head. We believe that was the power of God burning up the rest of that tumor.

The next week when my father went to the hospital for his scheduled brain scan it took the hospital almost 2 weeks before they gave us the results. The reason it took so long was because the tumor was completely gone and the doctor couldn’t believe it so he sent the results to 4 other doctors to get their opinion on the results and they all conclude that the tumor is completely gone. Now the hospital wants to write a story about my father’s situation and his personal doctor told him that it was a miracle.

I thank God for what he has done in my father’s life.”

Thanks, Pastor Daniel DiPaolo

Dear Michael,

Here is our Praise Report

The doctor said that Franklin’s kidneys are now operating like they were 20 years ago, praise God, he was released from hospital today looking healthy and younger than ever (that’s the glory of God). Thank you so very much for standing in prayer for my family. May God in his mercy continue to pour his grace upon you, “May the God of hope fill us with joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13.

Love & blessings
Sherry