God's New Millenium For Your City

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May 6, 2000

The following is a review of excerpts from a prayer guide put out by Michael Pierce of "Christ for Your City". This guide has been used locally as part of a "Strategic Prayer" and "Spiritual Warfare" Campaign.

God’s New Millenium for Your City?*

A Review of the Prayer Guide under the same name published by Michael Pierce (General Editor and Author)

http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/

Contributions by:

Eleanor Mitchell

Sheila Smith

Tom Smith

* Full title is "120 Days of Prayer for Your City - God's New Millennium for Your City"

Page

Statement

Comments

3

Continue to persevere with prevailing united prayer, and God will establish His beach heads that will lead to ultimate breakthroughs in our communities.

God cannot be controlled through a "formula". We are told in scripture that there will be a great apostasy before Jesus returns (2 Thess 2). The belief that the church will take the world is dominionism/Kingdom Now theology, which is at best in error, at worst heretical. (John 18:36 - see also - http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0024a.html)

4

Claim laborers for the harvest

We are to ‘ask’ the Lord of the harvest for laborers rather than ‘claim’. Things are to be done in His way, and His timing. God is sovereign.

4

Ask God to give us power to win the lost

Acts 1:8 - The Holy Spirit gives power to witness not WIN the lost; we are to preach the gospel; winning souls is the Holy Spirit's role, as he gives faith to believe to those who hear the word.

4

Praise God for the miracles that will bring people to Christ

When we look in scripture, we see that rarely were miracles successful in anything other than drawing a crowd, whereas those who were won over to Christ were won through the preaching of the word and the work of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of men.

5

As Christians live their life with the attitude of always needing a fresh importation of grace

2 Cor. 9:8 "God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work." Always needing a fresh importation sounds similar to drug users who need increasing fixes. God is our sufficiency.

10

It is time for the church to rise up in her authority.

It is Jesus who has the authority, not the church. We are to be obedient to his leading and to recognize His authority over our lives individually and over our churches. We are not to take away from God to elevate man, even redeemed man.

11

The spiritual forces came under (Jesus’) authority because he was obedient…Jesus

took spiritual forces captive and disarmed them, because He was obedient to God.

Spiritual forces are under Jesus’ authority because He is God! This is not something that we can work up by manmade theologies or rituals.

11

Christ’s obedience released the power and authority of God…obedience releases His authority

If God’s power was released by Christ’s obedience, it also implies that without our obedience, God’s power is diminished. It is reminiscent of Satan’s ‘I will be like the Most High.’ Is.14:14 because it appears to give us, as men, power over God's plan to one degree or another. God is not limited by our obedience or lack thereof.

12

The way most people come to realize that God exists and to be lived for, is when they

experience a miracle. Let us, like Solomon pray that God will do miracles in our lives but especially those who do not know Him.

Jesus said an evil and adulterous generation seeks after signs and miracles, and the sign to be given them was that of the days of Jonah (Matt12:39). People realize God exists by hearing the Word and through the Holy Spirit bringing them to faith.

As God meets your needs, your faith to pray for others will grow. - Faith is a gift from God.

15

Ask Him to empower you with new life from on high to live a holy life.

New life was a gift at salvation. We do not need another new life after salvation.

16

As we seek the Lord today, I trust that you will lift up your head in such a way that the King of glory will come in and you will have a fresh or perhaps new revelatory

understanding of who Jesus is.

I Cor.4:6 …that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written… Revelation also promises curses on those who add to Scripture (Rev 22:18). There is no new "thing". "Jesus Christ", the same yesterday, today and forever. God has revealed himself in scripture.

21

If any of these events would have been removed from Joseph’s life - Israel may not

have been saved in their hour of need.

God is not limited in His options! God's promises never fail. (Deut 4:31)

24

Over these past few weeks we have chosen to prepare our personal lives to be ‘temples’ or ‘habitations’ for God to dwell…We have looked at the concept of becoming ‘places’ - ‘beings’ for God to dwell….

If we are in Christ, we are already the temple of God. It is He who transforms us.

I Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye ARE the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

28

…regular unity services…Walls are coming down! Pastors and priest are coming together in and for prayer.

Major problems exist where ‘unity’ comes at the expense of doctrine. I Cor. 11:19 "For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you". Man made unity does nothing for anyone but those seeking power. We who are in Christ are priests, we have unity in the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God.

(see also http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

30

I desire to go past the gate and outer court to the place of Your dwelling; the Holy of Holies. Jesus take me there as I desire to live…

He. 4:16 "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace"… God extended the invitation; we don’t have to ask Jesus to take us there.

30

Some are meditative, while others are dancing and exuberant in their style of worship. Some worship as a congregation on Saturday while many worship on Sunday. Some prophesy, while others do not….Father would You give us understanding of the reality that many rivers flow separately underground, but at different points converge as one river.

There is one Spirit, one Word and one Lord. We are given instruction in the Word as to how to conduct ourselves. The unity comes from the Holy Spirit as we live in right relationship with God and in accordance with His Word.

(see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

31

Believe that God will move on all congregations in your town or city with salvation and restoration.

Does our ‘belief’ make God move?? He’s the sovereign God, not our puppet. We cannot manipulate God.

32

As churches live in unity, You will draw many to Yourself.

God draws people to Himself through the preaching of His Word and the work of His Holy Spirit. John 12:32, Unity does not save. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

34

In these days God is calling us to lay the offenses and wounds down, forgive the people responsible for the wounding and then walk toward the healing of our inner man.

I Cor. 4:16 … "the inner man is being renewed day by day", so why would we ‘walk toward the healing of our inner man’? Inner healing is man's attempt to deal with emotional hurts and to keep us focused on ourselves. We don't have to re-live the past to be healed. When we come to Christ "old things are passed away" and we become "new creatures" in Christ.

35

The immensness of God’s creation requires varied expressions of worship and ministry…You will know that you are personally ready for God to move by His sovereign hand in revival, when you can pray for other congregations to be blessed, possibly even more than yours. It is when the hearts of Christians in a community are this open that God can trust them with revival in their city!

Were the great revivals of the past, that started with a handful of people praying not have been revivals of God? He’ll send revival when He sees fit. We will pray for one another when we are in right relationship with God and His word. God calls His church to repentance, to holiness, to obedience, to humility and to commitment. We must not speak in the corporate, for the church. The Bible clearly teaches that the responsibility lies with the individual.

35

Pray for other congregations. Ask God to pour out His anointing, power, blessing and love in their midst…

Where does truth and salvation fit in here? I think God knows what and when to give without us telling Him. We should pray that God will cause the church to fall on it's knees and seek Him (see also previous box above).

36

When believers from a variety of denominational backgrounds come together in fellowship and share in practical ministries, dividing walls will be eliminated and the world will know that Jesus loves everyone!

Ro. 16:17 …mark them who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them.

Ro. 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Walls come down when we are one in Christ. The world will know that Jesus loves everyone when we preach the gospel and teach the word of God.

36

When our hears are knit to one another a beautiful tapestry is created. Many will marvel at this phenomena and as in the book of Acts; be added to their number daily.

In Acts, unbelievers were saved after hearing the gospel, not by unity. Our hearts will be knit together when we are one in the Holy Spirit and in Truth.

37

As each part of the Body functions in it’s gifting, we will see an increase in unity and then an increase in harvest.

Salvation does not depend on church unity. Unity is brought about by the Holy Spirit, who gives the gifts as he wills. We must preach the true gospel.

(see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

39

I want to be one of the mighty army that You are raising up to bring unity within Your body. I pray that the divisions of the past would be replaced with true unity in the Spirit.

Jesus, when said in Mat. 11:34-39 that He came to bring division even between family members. In Gal.4:16 we read "Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" This is reminiscent of those who hold to the Word Faith theology of Joel’s Army, who plan to take over the earth that Christ may return.

The Holy Spirit brings unity not us.

(see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

40

The unity of the Church is the ultimate witness to the presence and divinity of the living Christ.

The word of God which tells of Christ's life, death and resurrection is the ultimate witness, not unity. The Holy Spirit will apply this to the human heart.

(see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

41

Father, forgive me for equating "Your will" with anything but fulfilling and joyful.

This lines up with Word faith doctrine that anything negative is from Satan. Judgment is also in God’s plan.

42

He is not talking about blowing up our ‘buildings’, but rather He is talking about ‘ destruction’ when we slander other Christians for whatever reason, or when we exalt ‘our’ tradition or style above that of others.

This appears to be a smokescreen to try to prevent opposition. We must discern and warn when teaching and doctrine are wrong or God says that the blood of the unwarned is on our heads. (Ez 3:17-21)

42

Go ahead, in these days, and birth a miracle in our midst.

The Laughter movement practices ‘birthing in the Holy Spirit’, complete with squatting, grunting and groaning participants, as well as ‘birthing coaches’. The real miracle is the redemption that God brought to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

God is the author of true miracles and is sovereign.

43

We tend to want to decide based on doctrinal points… Our limited understanding of God’s word cannot be our standard for membership in the Body of Christ. We need to stick with ‘His’ definition - "he who has the Son of God has life" - not he who has the purest doctrines or the perfect practice of Christianity - but he who has the life-giving indwelling Christ. It may well be that you’re going to love a lot more people than you loved before- but remember it’s a whole lot more people to receive love from too!

II Tim. 4:2-5 "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things.

The Holy Spirit's understanding is not limited. What we believe does matter. In this day and age, we must question and discern the context that people put into words. We must test the spirits (is what they teach true according to God's word?). We are to love everyone but that doesn't mean that we have automatically them to the category "Christian". We must pray for them and tell them the Truth. The Bible is the objective standard.

43

" Love does not depend on someone having the same doctrine as I do”

We are to love the sinner, regardless of doctrine, but we are plainly warned about compromising biblical truths. I Cor. 2:12-13 "Now we have received, not from the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual". (see also box immediately above).

44

Unfortunately, in recent times the local church has become autonomous, separating itself from other churches which are not exactly like them…Disunity between churches is not because of their individual identities, but a lack of love and respect, failing to recognize each congregation as being unique.

II Thess. 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us. Titus 2:7 "In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing uncorruptedness, gravity, sincerity". Unity is in the Spirit and in Truth.

44

Unity within the Body of Christ is a key to revival within a city… We must set aside the issues of style or doctrine and begin to join together as a mighty force… Unifying with other congregations is not compromise, but love… We must build a bridge from church to church so that we can build bridges to our lost world…When we are one, the world will be won! Lord Jesus, the world will know that You are who You say You are, when we ‘the Church’ are ‘one’…

This is dominionism. In "christianese" it goes along these lines: when we get the kingdom church together, Christ will show up to rule. Some variations teach that Christ isn’t even needed to rule. The Bible does mention a global church - the Whore of Babylon! Repentance of God's people is key to revival. We must know what we believe and what true, historical, Bible-based Christianity is. We must unify in Truth. Christ's love and finished work on the cross reaches out to the lost world. The word of God tells us who the Lord is. It is those who are in Christ that are one in the Holy Spirit and in Truth.
(see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)

47

(In reference to Acts1:8) We as the Canadian church will do well to take the time to ask of God why the phenomenom of such empowerment is not upon us in our present day ‘Jerusalem.’ …the church for all intents and purposes here in ‘Jerusalem’ has been power-less. Focus your prayers on seeing the Lord release within the Church a walk of holiness and righteousness which produces the power to be His witnesses in our ‘Jerusalem’.

There were 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, which were part of God’s plan too. Furthermore, visualizing God releasing ‘a walk’ is not biblical.

The church needs to seek God, not power. We are powerless because we are not in right relationship with God. We want to be in control, rather than let God be in control. We pray for holiness and righteousness, but this comes from repentance, humility, discipline and the tranmsforming work of the Holy Spirit.

49

…I pray that Your love will bind us together. We will then have understanding how we ought to pray; for then we will know Your mysteries. When we know those mysteries, our prayers can become more specific.

Paul was pretty clear on what the ‘mysteries’ of God were. All the ‘mysteries’ God wants us to know about are in the Bible, which is complete and needs no further revelation. Unity doesn't bring spiritual understanding if we believe wrongly. It was "once delivered to the saints". There is no new thing.

The Holy Spirit parys when we don't know what to pray for (Romans 8:26).

56

Jesus will always shake your present worldview or paradigm so that you can receive what He has already prepared for you….

The Bible presents us with our worldview. Truth does not change. Jesus Christ does not change. (Heb 13:8)

56

To receive something your community has never had, you need to do something you’ve never done… ‘prayer walk’ today! …Watch His miracle take place.

There is no ritual that will make God perform miracles. Jesus did only what he saw the Father doing and was obedient (John 5:19). This approach suggests that if we do things in a certain way, God has to respond. Our rituals will not manipulate God nor take the power from God to give to man.

58

…we praise you now for the miracles that You will perform on their behalf. Increase our faith to believe that You will hear and answer the ‘hard prayers’…

Mat. 12:39 an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.

Are we willing to accept "No" for an answer? The greatest miracle is to be able to see an individual become born again.

63

Give us the courage and persistence to minister Your grace filled with hope and purpose, thus breaking the power of possible generational cursing and releasing Your delight to those in my sphere of influence.

Christianity is not a feel good religion. If we are in Christ, the old is gone, including generational curses. We preach the gospel and God's word. The Holy Spirit ministers grace. We cannot replace God.

God’s New Millenium for Your City?* A Review of the Prayer Guide under the same name published by Michael Pierce (General Editor and Author) http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/ Contributions by: Eleanor Mitchell Sheila Smith Tom Smith * Full title is "120 Days of Prayer for Your City - God's New Millennium for Your City"
Page	Statement	Comments
3	Continue to persevere with prevailing united prayer, and God will establish His beach heads that will lead to ultimate breakthroughs in our communities.	God cannot be controlled through a "formula". We are told in scripture that there will be a great apostasy before Jesus returns (2 Thess 2). The belief that the church will take the world is dominionism/Kingdom Now theology, which is at best in error, at worst heretical. (John 18:36 - see also - http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0024a.html)
4	Claim laborers for the harvest	We are to ‘ask’ the Lord of the harvest for laborers rather than ‘claim’. Things are to be done in His way, and His timing. God is sovereign.
4	Ask God to give us power to win the lost	Acts 1:8 - The Holy Spirit gives power to witness not WIN the lost; we are to preach the gospel; winning souls is the Holy Spirit's role, as he gives faith to believe to those who hear the word.
4	Praise God for the miracles that will bring people to Christ	When we look in scripture, we see that rarely were miracles successful in anything other than drawing a crowd, whereas those who were won over to Christ were won through the preaching of the word and the work of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of men.
5	As Christians live their life with the attitude of always needing a fresh importation of grace	2 Cor. 9:8 "God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work." Always needing a fresh importation sounds similar to drug users who need increasing fixes. God is our sufficiency.
10	It is time for the church to rise up in her authority.	It is Jesus who has the authority, not the church. We are to be obedient to his leading and to recognize His authority over our lives individually and over our churches. We are not to take away from God to elevate man, even redeemed man.
11	The spiritual forces came under (Jesus’) authority because he was obedient…Jesus took spiritual forces captive and disarmed them, because He was obedient to God.	Spiritual forces are under Jesus’ authority because He is God! This is not something that we can work up by manmade theologies or rituals.
11	Christ’s obedience released the power and authority of God…obedience releases His authority	If God’s power was released by Christ’s obedience, it also implies that without our obedience, God’s power is diminished. It is reminiscent of Satan’s ‘I will be like the Most High.’ Is.14:14 because it appears to give us, as men, power over God's plan to one degree or another. God is not limited by our obedience or lack thereof.
12	The way most people come to realize that God exists and to be lived for, is when they experience a miracle. Let us, like Solomon pray that God will do miracles in our lives but especially those who do not know Him.	Jesus said an evil and adulterous generation seeks after signs and miracles, and the sign to be given them was that of the days of Jonah (Matt12:39). People realize God exists by hearing the Word and through the Holy Spirit bringing them to faith. As God meets your needs, your faith to pray for others will grow. - Faith is a gift from God.
15	Ask Him to empower you with new life from on high to live a holy life.	New life was a gift at salvation. We do not need another new life after salvation.
16	As we seek the Lord today, I trust that you will lift up your head in such a way that the King of glory will come in and you will have a fresh or perhaps new revelatory understanding of who Jesus is.	I Cor.4:6 …that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written… Revelation also promises curses on those who add to Scripture (Rev 22:18). There is no new "thing". "Jesus Christ", the same yesterday, today and forever. God has revealed himself in scripture.
21	If any of these events would have been removed from Joseph’s life - Israel may not have been saved in their hour of need.	God is not limited in His options! God's promises never fail. (Deut 4:31)
24	Over these past few weeks we have chosen to prepare our personal lives to be ‘temples’ or ‘habitations’ for God to dwell…We have looked at the concept of becoming ‘places’ - ‘beings’ for God to dwell….	If we are in Christ, we are already the temple of God. It is He who transforms us. I Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye ARE the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
28	…regular unity services…Walls are coming down! Pastors and priest are coming together in and for prayer.	Major problems exist where ‘unity’ comes at the expense of doctrine. I Cor. 11:19 "For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you". Man made unity does nothing for anyone but those seeking power. We who are in Christ are priests, we have unity in the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God. (see also http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
30	I desire to go past the gate and outer court to the place of Your dwelling; the Holy of Holies. Jesus take me there as I desire to live…	He. 4:16 "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace"… God extended the invitation; we don’t have to ask Jesus to take us there.
30	Some are meditative, while others are dancing and exuberant in their style of worship. Some worship as a congregation on Saturday while many worship on Sunday. Some prophesy, while others do not….Father would You give us understanding of the reality that many rivers flow separately underground, but at different points converge as one river.	There is one Spirit, one Word and one Lord. We are given instruction in the Word as to how to conduct ourselves. The unity comes from the Holy Spirit as we live in right relationship with God and in accordance with His Word. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
31	Believe that God will move on all congregations in your town or city with salvation and restoration.	Does our ‘belief’ make God move?? He’s the sovereign God, not our puppet. We cannot manipulate God.
32	As churches live in unity, You will draw many to Yourself.	God draws people to Himself through the preaching of His Word and the work of His Holy Spirit. John 12:32, Unity does not save. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
34	In these days God is calling us to lay the offenses and wounds down, forgive the people responsible for the wounding and then walk toward the healing of our inner man.	I Cor. 4:16 … "the inner man is being renewed day by day", so why would we ‘walk toward the healing of our inner man’? Inner healing is man's attempt to deal with emotional hurts and to keep us focused on ourselves. We don't have to re-live the past to be healed. When we come to Christ "old things are passed away" and we become "new creatures" in Christ.
35	The immensness of God’s creation requires varied expressions of worship and ministry…You will know that you are personally ready for God to move by His sovereign hand in revival, when you can pray for other congregations to be blessed, possibly even more than yours. It is when the hearts of Christians in a community are this open that God can trust them with revival in their city!	Were the great revivals of the past, that started with a handful of people praying not have been revivals of God? He’ll send revival when He sees fit. We will pray for one another when we are in right relationship with God and His word. God calls His church to repentance, to holiness, to obedience, to humility and to commitment. We must not speak in the corporate, for the church. The Bible clearly teaches that the responsibility lies with the individual.
35	Pray for other congregations. Ask God to pour out His anointing, power, blessing and love in their midst…	Where does truth and salvation fit in here? I think God knows what and when to give without us telling Him. We should pray that God will cause the church to fall on it's knees and seek Him (see also previous box above).
36	When believers from a variety of denominational backgrounds come together in fellowship and share in practical ministries, dividing walls will be eliminated and the world will know that Jesus loves everyone!	Ro. 16:17 …mark them who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them. Ro. 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Walls come down when we are one in Christ. The world will know that Jesus loves everyone when we preach the gospel and teach the word of God.
36	When our hears are knit to one another a beautiful tapestry is created. Many will marvel at this phenomena and as in the book of Acts; be added to their number daily.	In Acts, unbelievers were saved after hearing the gospel, not by unity. Our hearts will be knit together when we are one in the Holy Spirit and in Truth.
37	As each part of the Body functions in it’s gifting, we will see an increase in unity and then an increase in harvest.	Salvation does not depend on church unity. Unity is brought about by the Holy Spirit, who gives the gifts as he wills. We must preach the true gospel. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
39	I want to be one of the mighty army that You are raising up to bring unity within Your body. I pray that the divisions of the past would be replaced with true unity in the Spirit.	Jesus, when said in Mat. 11:34-39 that He came to bring division even between family members. In Gal.4:16 we read "Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" This is reminiscent of those who hold to the Word Faith theology of Joel’s Army, who plan to take over the earth that Christ may return. The Holy Spirit brings unity not us. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
40	The unity of the Church is the ultimate witness to the presence and divinity of the living Christ.	The word of God which tells of Christ's life, death and resurrection is the ultimate witness, not unity. The Holy Spirit will apply this to the human heart. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
41	Father, forgive me for equating "Your will" with anything but fulfilling and joyful.	This lines up with Word faith doctrine that anything negative is from Satan. Judgment is also in God’s plan.
42	He is not talking about blowing up our ‘buildings’, but rather He is talking about ‘ destruction’ when we slander other Christians for whatever reason, or when we exalt ‘our’ tradition or style above that of others.	This appears to be a smokescreen to try to prevent opposition. We must discern and warn when teaching and doctrine are wrong or God says that the blood of the unwarned is on our heads. (Ez 3:17-21)
42	Go ahead, in these days, and birth a miracle in our midst.	The Laughter movement practices ‘birthing in the Holy Spirit’, complete with squatting, grunting and groaning participants, as well as ‘birthing coaches’. The real miracle is the redemption that God brought to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. God is the author of true miracles and is sovereign.
43	We tend to want to decide based on doctrinal points… Our limited understanding of God’s word cannot be our standard for membership in the Body of Christ. We need to stick with ‘His’ definition - "he who has the Son of God has life" - not he who has the purest doctrines or the perfect practice of Christianity - but he who has the life-giving indwelling Christ. It may well be that you’re going to love a lot more people than you loved before- but remember it’s a whole lot more people to receive love from too!	II Tim. 4:2-5 "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things. The Holy Spirit's understanding is not limited. What we believe does matter. In this day and age, we must question and discern the context that people put into words. We must test the spirits (is what they teach true according to God's word?). We are to love everyone but that doesn't mean that we have automatically them to the category "Christian". We must pray for them and tell them the Truth. The Bible is the objective standard.
43	" Love does not depend on someone having the same doctrine as I do”	We are to love the sinner, regardless of doctrine, but we are plainly warned about compromising biblical truths. I Cor. 2:12-13 "Now we have received, not from the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual". (see also box immediately above).
44	Unfortunately, in recent times the local church has become autonomous, separating itself from other churches which are not exactly like them…Disunity between churches is not because of their individual identities, but a lack of love and respect, failing to recognize each congregation as being unique.	II Thess. 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us. Titus 2:7 "In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing uncorruptedness, gravity, sincerity". Unity is in the Spirit and in Truth.
44	Unity within the Body of Christ is a key to revival within a city… We must set aside the issues of style or doctrine and begin to join together as a mighty force… Unifying with other congregations is not compromise, but love… We must build a bridge from church to church so that we can build bridges to our lost world…When we are one, the world will be won! Lord Jesus, the world will know that You are who You say You are, when we ‘the Church’ are ‘one’…	This is dominionism. In "christianese" it goes along these lines: when we get the kingdom church together, Christ will show up to rule. Some variations teach that Christ isn’t even needed to rule. The Bible does mention a global church - the Whore of Babylon! Repentance of God's people is key to revival. We must know what we believe and what true, historical, Bible-based Christianity is. We must unify in Truth. Christ's love and finished work on the cross reaches out to the lost world. The word of God tells us who the Lord is. It is those who are in Christ that are one in the Holy Spirit and in Truth. (see also - http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/division.html)
47	(In reference to Acts1:8) We as the Canadian church will do well to take the time to ask of God why the phenomenom of such empowerment is not upon us in our present day ‘Jerusalem.’ …the church for all intents and purposes here in ‘Jerusalem’ has been power-less. Focus your prayers on seeing the Lord release within the Church a walk of holiness and righteousness which produces the power to be His witnesses in our ‘Jerusalem’.	There were 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, which were part of God’s plan too. Furthermore, visualizing God releasing ‘a walk’ is not biblical. The church needs to seek God, not power. We are powerless because we are not in right relationship with God. We want to be in control, rather than let God be in control. We pray for holiness and righteousness, but this comes from repentance, humility, discipline and the tranmsforming work of the Holy Spirit.
49	…I pray that Your love will bind us together. We will then have understanding how we ought to pray; for then we will know Your mysteries. When we know those mysteries, our prayers can become more specific.	Paul was pretty clear on what the ‘mysteries’ of God were. All the ‘mysteries’ God wants us to know about are in the Bible, which is complete and needs no further revelation. Unity doesn't bring spiritual understanding if we believe wrongly. It was "once delivered to the saints". There is no new thing. The Holy Spirit parys when we don't know what to pray for (Romans 8:26).
56	Jesus will always shake your present worldview or paradigm so that you can receive what He has already prepared for you….	The Bible presents us with our worldview. Truth does not change. Jesus Christ does not change. (Heb 13:8)
56	To receive something your community has never had, you need to do something you’ve never done… ‘prayer walk’ today! …Watch His miracle take place.	There is no ritual that will make God perform miracles. Jesus did only what he saw the Father doing and was obedient (John 5:19). This approach suggests that if we do things in a certain way, God has to respond. Our rituals will not manipulate God nor take the power from God to give to man.
58	…we praise you now for the miracles that You will perform on their behalf. Increase our faith to believe that You will hear and answer the ‘hard prayers’…	Mat. 12:39 an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. Are we willing to accept "No" for an answer? The greatest miracle is to be able to see an individual become born again.
63	Give us the courage and persistence to minister Your grace filled with hope and purpose, thus breaking the power of possible generational cursing and releasing Your delight to those in my sphere of influence.	Christianity is not a feel good religion. If we are in Christ, the old is gone, including generational curses. We preach the gospel and God's word. The Holy Spirit ministers grace. We cannot replace God.

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