Intercession

As much as I was looking forward to our ladies trip to Walkertown, NC, I really hated to see our prayer revival end. And just so you'll know, Brother Beckum is planning a Prayer Conference to be held at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenville, SC, September 2008. Lord willing, we will be in attendance there. If you are close to Greenville, you MUST plan on attending and if you're far away, it will be worth the trip. I can promise you that!

Isaiah 59:16 "And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him."

Israel was in a mess, forsaking God. Is He looking at America wondering I see you going through the motions, but when was the last time you interceded? We need to intercede for America. We have alcoholism, abortion, murders in families, Pastors leaving the ministry because of immorality and burn-out. Churches are closing their doors all over America. Pastor's wives feel their spouses should find another profession. We need to intercede for America! If we don't get on our knees, we'll be like Rome and Babylon and we will fall. Our churches need intercession!

Isaiah 58:1-4 "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high." America is a religious nation, and yet we are not right with God. We want good preaching, but we don't want to follow it. The church is living in the verses of Isaiah 58:1&2. We're going through the motions of loving God, but not truly loving Him. We need to get on our knees in our prayer closets and pray.

Isaiah 59:1-3 "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath uttered perverseness." God is still waiting to save. And He can. But we must pray for one another. There has never been a time He hasn't heard His children. God says it is our sin that has His face hidden. His people cry, "Look at us! We're fasting!" But it is not feasting.

Vs 9-11 "Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us." Any nation forgetting God is going to Hell. We can not blame God for our problems. It is our fault because we do not pray. During invitations, the same crowd of people are at the alter, while everyone else is letting America go to Hell. Where are you?

Isaiah 59:16 "And he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him: and his righteousness, it sustained him." Where were the Christians in this day? There was NO man interceding. NOBODY was standing in the gap. Are you an intercessor? Are you guilty of not praying?

II Chronicles 7:14 "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." We need to humble ourselves and swallow our pride. Our sin has deafened God's ears. God said to just forsake your sin and pray. When God walks by you, does He hear your intercession? He hears your heartbeat. Does He hear a heart of prayer? Are you satisfied with fasting, devotions, and attending church? Or are you willing to stand in the gap and intercede?