Spark Notes 4/29 - Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus

On Sunday, Mark Vermeer shared about keeping our eyes on Jesus. 

Beginning with 2 Chronicles 20, we read about King Jehoshaphat:

"2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,^[b] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ⁷ Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ⁹ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’

¹⁰ “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

¹³ All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

The people were facing a crisis, so they turned to the Lord. Why is it that crisis brings us back to the Lord? Why aren't we always seeking the Lord? Why do we get distracted when life is going great? 

Philippians 3:13-14 says, 

^"13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Looking back to the 2 Chronicles passage, we learn that the battle is never in our hands, but it is always in God's. How do we hand it off? We need to discover Jesus (OR re-discover Jesus).  We need to turn from all of the other altars that we build that distract us from the Lord. 

In the story of the blind beggar in Luke 18 we read, 

"³⁵As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” ⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God."

We know that Jesus sees us and hears us. He stops for us. In this story we see how the beggar went from a blind beggar to a worship leader because his faith healed him, even when everyone cast him aside. He had the faith to be healed and once he was healed, he was filled with joy and began worshiping and the people watching also began worshiping. 

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Prayer Guide - Healing

Prayer Guide for Healing

I thank you Jesus that you are a healer – Matthew 4:23-24 / 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Just as you came and healed the servant you came and healed me – Matthew 8:5-7 / 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

I believe for my healing – Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Since You Lord Jesus bore my infirmities and sicknesses I don’t have to –  Matthew 8:16-17 / 16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

My healing is according to my faith and I believe I am healed – Matthew 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Jesus heals every sickness and disease – Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Lame, blind, dumb or maimed, Jesus you heal them all and I am no exception – Matthew 15:30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:

I say I touch You Jesus and I am healed – Mark 5:25-29 / 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

My faith makes me whole – Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Thank you Lord for abundant life free from sickness and disease – John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Through the name of Jesus I am healed – Acts 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Thank you Jesus that you heal from all oppressions of the Devil – Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Thank you Lord I was healed at Calvary – 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

I agree with you Lord that healing is your will for me – 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

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Prayer Guide - Apostolic Prayers

Apostolic Prayers

Prayer to know God's will, to be fruitful in ministry and strengthened by intimacy with God.
 
We…do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD, fully pleasing Him, BEING FRUITFUL in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; STRENGTHENED WITH ALL MIGHT, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  (Col. 1:9-12)

Prayer for unity in the church across a city or region.

Now may the God of patience and comfort GRANT YOU TO BE LIKE-MINDED toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, THAT YOU MAY WITH ONE MIND AND ONE MOUTH glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus. (Rom. 15:5-7)

Prayer to be filled with supernatural joy, peace and hope.

Now may the God of hope FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, THAT YOU MAY ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Rom. 15:13)

 Prayer to be equipped and prepared to receive the fulness of God’s destiny for the church.

Therefore we also pray always for you THAT OUR GOD WOULD COUNT YOU WORTHY OF THIS CALLING, AND FULFILL ALL THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS GOODNESS AND THE WORK OF FAITH WITH POWER, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Thes. 1:11-12)

Prayer for the Word to increase by the release of God's power to win unbelievers to Jesus. 

Finally, brethren, pray for us, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY RUN SWIFTLY AND BE GLORIFIED, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. NOW MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD AND INTO THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST. (2 Thes. 3:1-5)
Note Scriptures describing God causing His Word to increase resulting in many being born again.  God glorifies His Word by manifesting His power to confirm it with signs and wonders. Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)

So the Word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 19:20)

The Word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly…(Acts 6:7)

But the Word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:24)

Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the Teaching of the Lord. (Acts 13:12)

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Prayer Guide - Praying For Your Nation

You will need: A national newspaper, a pair of scissors, glue or tape, a window and/or a cell phone screen, a picture of your national leader and a map or drawing of your nation.

What is Your Nation Like?

In every country there are things to thank God for and things to ask for His help with. Look through a recent

Newspaper and cut out words that describe good and bad things about your nation. Stick them to a piece of paper and look at the image they create. Thank God for the good things you read. Ask for His help with the bad.

Praying Through the Newspaper

Now look through the articles in the Newspaper you’ve been using. Choose two things happening in or affecting your nation today. Stick the articles to a window and if there’s daylight ask God to shine His wisdom on these situations. If it’s night use a torch to illuminate the stories to represent God’s truth and wisdom illuminating our world. Ask Jesus to move and for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done.

Praying for Your Nation

Think about the role that government plays in our lives today. Lay the map of your nation on the floor and stand on the place where your government meets. Pray that Jesus’ Kingdom would be the foundation of law and leadership in your nation.

Look around you at the different parts of your country. Consider the different kinds of people that live in each region.

Pray for the ones that jump out at you. Ask the Holy Spirit to move in your nation and speak out His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Pick up the picture of your national leader. If there is a cross in your prayer room bring the image and lay it at its base. Pray that your leader will come to know Jesus better as His Lord and Savior. Ask God to guide your leader in justice and wisdom.

Pray for a Friend and for an Enemy

Every nation has allies and enemies. Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:38) and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44); this can be difficult when war or oppression is at the root of dislike. Choose a nation that is closely allied to your own, and then choose a nation that is historically or currently an adversary. Write their names in your prayer room and pray for God’s kingdom and blessing to come in both. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you pray into their strengths and weaknesses.

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Prayer Guide - Praying For Your City

Praying For Your City

You will need: a pen, paper and your imagination

Jesus at Your Door

It’s morning and the doorbell has woken you, “Was I meant to meet someone?” you think as you get out of bed and walk to the front door. There, standing in the doorway, is a man with a warm smile. You’ve never met Him face to face but somehow you recognize Him: Jesus has come to your home! What breakfast would you share with Him? Think of the smell, how does it taste, what would you drink? As you look across at Him is there something you want to ask Him? Why not take this opportunity…

At the end of the meal Jesus looks up and asks, “I want to see what this place is like, would you show me around?”

Use Your Imagination

Imagine you and Jesus walk out your front door and through your village, town or city. You take the journey slower than normal, every road name sticks in your head and things seem more vivid today. What do you notice about the streets and the people? Jesus knocks on a door and an elderly lady answers. He tells her that He’s heard her prayer and whispers something in her ear. Tears of joy fill her eyes. You continued your journey passing young people hanging out, Moms with their children and people going about their daily jobs. Who do you want to stop and talk to?

Who do you want to introduce to Jesus?

Jesus asks you what you know about your area. He’s particularly interested in employment, homelessness, unwanted children, other religions practiced there and how many Christians there are. Take some time to think about how you would answer Jesus and what His response would be. Pray with Him about these issues as you walk the streets.

You’ve arrived at the local Hospital or Doctor’s clinic. Jesus looks around the waiting area then sits down next to a man in the corner. As they speak color fills the man’s face, he straightens, walks out healed. Who else would Jesus visit here? Pray for the sick with Him, imagine those you know who need healing sitting in that waiting room being prayed for.

Continue your journey to places where people need Jesus’ help. Think of schools, local law enforcement, the oppressed or imprisoned. Where are the significant landmarks of your area? As you imagine taking him to each one how does Jesus respond and whom is He interested in speaking with?

You decide to take Jesus out for the evening, hoping to introduce him to your friends. Who’s out on the street as the day grows dark? You find your favorite place to hang out and introduce him to your friends. Conversation starts quickly everyone has questions and a crowd begins to gather. What would your friends ask Jesus? How would you respond to their questions? People see you sitting with Him, how do you feel about it? Are you behaving the same as you normally would or are you different tonight?

At the end of an amazing evening Jesus gives you a massive hug and thanks you for a lovely day. You wander home and think about what it would be like if He visited every day. What would change in your area and in you? Ask for

Jesus to give you the Holy Spirit and as you leave the Prayer Room ask to be Jesus’ representative bringing God’s

Kingdom with you into all the places you have been thinking about.

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Spark Notes (3/11)

Introduction to the End Times - Session 4

1. Jesus’ Ascension and His Return
1. Jesus’ Return and the believer’s rapture to meet Jesus in the air will be a glorious event.
1. Jesus is coming back on a cloud.  “He (Jesus) was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud hid him…They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going…Suddenly two men in white stood beside them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven,”
2. Jesus appearing in the sky will be a spectacular light show!  “If anyone tells you, ‘There He is, in the desert, or here He is in the inner rooms’, do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man…Immediately after the tribulation of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky’…At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory.”  (Matt. 24:26-30)
3. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and His death outside Jerusalem were both surrounded by glorious events.(angels appearing and singing, bright star, darkness for 3 hours, earthquake, heavens shaken, etc.)  His second coming will be with even more glory and it will be witnessed by all humanity.  “Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess”.  (Philippians 2:10)
2. Jesus is Preparing a Home (Place) for His bride and He is our Great Intercessor in the waiting
1. “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”  (John 14:1-3)  Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, yet He is actively working and preparing for us to be together for all eternity.  
2. Jesus the Great Intercessor.  “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).  Jesus is interceding for us while Satan (whose name means “accuser”) is accusing us, pointing out our sins and frailties before God. But the accusations fall upon deaf ears in heaven, because Jesus’ work on the cross paid our sin debt in full; therefore, God always sees in His children the perfect righteousness of Jesus.  Jesus is the only human mediator between God and man.  “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5)
3. God governs the universe in intimate partnership with His people through intercession.  The governmental center of the universe is the “prayer room”; God chose intercession as the primary means in which we could govern with Him.  “You do not have because you do not ask.”  (James 4:2)  “The Lord longs to be gracious to you…He waits to have compassion on you…He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it.  He will answer you.”  (Is. 30:18-19) See also, Ezek. 22:30; Psalm 149:6-9.
3. Jesus will take the scroll from the Father and break its seals
1. God the Father holds the scroll (the title deed of the earth) and Jesus is the only one worthy to take the scroll and break its seals.  “Then I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll…sealed with seven seals.  I saw a mighty angel proclaim, ‘Who is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals?’ …the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed.  He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.  Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain…He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”  (Revelation 5:1-7)
2. Jesus takes the scroll when the prayer movement has become mature and the bowls of incense are full.  “When He had taken the scroll…the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb.  Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”  (Revelation 5:8-9)
3. Jesus is the One releasing the seals, trumpets, and bowls in partnership with the praying church.  Jesus will come back by way of invitation through prayer and worship.  “You will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’.”  (Matt. 23:39)
4. Jesus Procession
1. Jesus’ Second Coming Procession begins in the sky with the rapture.  The saints and the angels will return with Jesus in glory.  “Behold He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him…and all the tribes will mourn because of Him.”  (Rev. 1:7) “At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints.” (1 Thess. 3:13)  “Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You.”  (Zech. 14:5)  “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him.”  (Matt. 25:31)  Jesus will rapture the saints when the trumpet sounds.  (Matt. 24:31, 1 Thess. 4:16, Is. 27:13)  “We shall all be changed…in a moment…at the Last Trumpet.  For the Trumpet will sound, and the dead (saints) will be raised first, and we all shall be changed.”  (1 Cor. 15:51-52)
2. Jesus Procession ends on the earth with victory over the armies of the Antichrist at Jerusalem.  (Rev. 19:11-21; Zech. 12:1-13:6, 14:1-9) “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice he judges and makes war…The armies of heaven were following him, riding white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean…Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword…the Beast and the False Prophet were thrown alive into the burning fire.  The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse.”  (Rev. 19)
5. Jesus is Returning to Rule and Reign Permanently
1. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully   dressed for her husband…”Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away…’it is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.’”  (Rev. 21)
   

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