A Call to Repentance: WEEK EIGHTEEN
May 11, 2008
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32)
| | INTRODUCTION TO WEEK EIGHTEEN | |
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INTRODUCTION TO WEEK EIGHTEEN
This week, we continue to press in during WEEK EIGHTEEN of our 40 Weeks of Prayer and Fasting, to offer prayers of repentance for the sin in the church, the sin in the nation, and the blessing of Israel.
We now address these areas:
1. SIN IN THE CHURCH: FREEMASONRY
2. SIN IN THE NATION: NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES (I)
3. THE BLESSING OF ISRAEL: 60 YEARS OF STATEHOOD!
| | SIN IN THE CHURCH: FREEMASONRY | |
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REPENTANCE FOR SIN IN THE CHURCH:
FREEMASONRY
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not partakers with them . . . for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." (Eph. 6,7, 12)
Today in churches across America, there are Christian men who join in Sunday services, but who participate, too, in Freemasonry during the week.
They have been deceived.
Freemasonry is not a Christian organization, but rather has its roots in Babylonian mysticism.
These men are not alone. Two hundred years ago, one of the leaders of the greatest revivals in American history, Charles Finney, was also so deceived. He started out as a Mason, but as he moved further up into the "degrees" of Freemasonry, Finney grew more and more uncomfortable with the hidden secrets and teachings of this society. Finally, in the early part of the nineteenth century, Charles Finney renounced all ties to Freemasonry and went on to preach the gospel in truth.
About 40 years later (approximately 1860), Finney learned to his horror that this "great evil" had now spread across our land, and that the numbers of Freemasons had continued to increase exponentially.
In an act of public repentance, Finney wrote a book called Freemasonry saying, in part:
"I wish, if possible, to arrest the spread of this great evil, by giving the public, at least, so much information on this subject as to induce them to examine and understand the true character and tendency of the institution.
I wish, if possible, to arouse the young men who are Freemasons, to consider the inevitable consequences of such a horrible trifling with the most solemn oaths, as must and does, as a matter of fact, grieve the Holy Spirit, sear the conscience and harden the heart.
I wish to induce the young men who are not Freemasons to look before they leap,' and not be deceived and committed, as thousands have been, before they were at all aware of the true nature of the institution of Freemasonry."
· Father God, we repent before You that we have allowed not only Freemasonry to flourish in our society, but all other secret organizations as well. We freely admit that the end result of membership in each group is a heart that is hardened before You. We ask You to forgive us, as a people, for this abomination before Your Throne of Grace, and we ask You to help us to lead others out of the dangers of these teachings to the Truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Charles Finney's book, Freemasonry, is still available today and can be ordered in any bookstore. Its ISBN number is 881316890.
OTHER RESOURCES ON FREEMASONRY:
1. Extended notes from Charles Finney's book, Freemasonry, published by Isaiah 54 ministries. To read this article, titled "Charles Finney: Why I Left Freemasonry," go here.
2. FREEMASONRY - by Jack Harris
Learn the truth about Freemasonry from a former member. His experience as a former Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge gives Jack Harris the authority and knowledge to expose the truth about Freemasonry. He explains the origins and history of Freemasonry, its basic doctrines and goals, its secret passwords and oaths, the Supreme Masonic word, its satanic symbolism and rituals.
Discover how you can share the Christ's light with those living in the darkness of one of the most deceptive cults in America today. Whitaker House, softcover, 192 pages, ISBN 0883686694 .
This book can also be ordered from Intercessors for America. Order IFA #B254 $7.95 + shipping.
For more information on how to order this book from IFA, go here.
3. Isaiah 54 Ministries in Middle Island, New York, offers a prayer to break the generational curses of freemasonry off your family line. Go here for details.
4. The preceding prayer is taken from Unmasking Freemasonry - Removing the Hoodwink by Selwyn Stevens. (ISBN 09583417-3-7) published by Jubilee Publishers. PO Box 36-044, Wellington 6330, New Zealand. Copying of this prayer is both permitted and encouraged provided reference is made to where it comes from.
| | SIN IN THE NATION: NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES (I) | |
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REPENTANCE FOR THE SINS OF THE NATION:
NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES (I)
Over the past 18 weeks, we have offered prayers of repentance for a number of acts of iniquity that have involved the shedding of innocent blood:
-- The killing of the unborn through abortions
-- The killing off of the old and feeble through euthanasia
-- The killing of countless slaves -- men, women and children, during this very sad part of our national history; and
-- The killing (even if perhaps not intentional) of hundreds of Chinese laborers as they worked to build the Central Pacific Railroad.
Since the "shedding of innocent blood" is so significant to the Lord (1 Kg 2:31; Jer 7:6), how can we expect Him to bless our land if we ignore the bloodshed (see Num 35:33)? Hence, we are being very careful, week by week, to unveil any act of this nature, so that our repentance might go to the very depths of our Father's heart, reaching His very love for us.
With this understanding, we must now turn our attention to one more, very painful issue in our national history that, once again, involves the shedding of innocent blood: our relationship with the Natives on the land. Because there are MANY ISSUES involved with this complex problem, we will devote several weeks, in prayers of repentance, for our sins against the Native American tribes on our land.
INTRODUCTION: NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY, NATIONAL POLICIES, AND THEIR IMPLICATION FOR THE CHURCH
In the weeks ahead, we will explore a number of issues related to the history of the relationship between Native peoples in America, and the federal government. We will draw our material primarily from tne research done by Ivan and Linda Doxtater, the Directors of the First Nations Counseling Ministries. While their writings reference the church as being responsible for policies detrimental to Native populations, we will cite these iniquities as sins of the nation, for the federal government, too, had a direct role in each of the issues to be cited. We wish to thank Ivan and Linda for their diligent and passionate work on behalf of Native peoples in our land, and for their hearts to see all peoples reconciled to our Savior through the work of the Cross.
* * * * * *
Glorious stories of community transformation are coming in from around the world. The latest documented reports indicate well over 400 communities world-wide are in some stage of transformation. But, here in the United States and Canada - although various groups have been carrying out prayer walks and other initiatives to cleanse the land - we are still waiting to see the breakthroughs indicating we are on the road to community transformation.
Despite all the efforts why the lack of breakthrough? While there are a number of potential answers to this question, we here at FNCM believe it is linked to the North American church's participation with the US and Canadian governments treatment of the indigenous people of the continent. Because the church joined with the state in the early years of our nation's history to dispossess the Native American tribes of their God- given birthright and inheritance, it is today suffering the spiritual consequences of its involvement
Some of the spiritual consequences include: a greatly diminished dimension of spiritual authority over the powers of darkness, especially high level principalities and powers; a lack of conviction to the spoken word of God and a dramatic lack of response to evangelistic messages; minimal manifestations of genuine healing and deliverance; extended corporate intercessory prayers going unanswered; divisions, divorce, and deception running rampant within the body of Christ; and a profound inability to influence governmental legislation, to thwart the invasion of cults and false religions and to turn this nation back to Jesus Christ.
We believe the spiritual impotency and mediocrity within the North American church today is directly related to several things:
-- First, the church joined the government in conspiring to deceive, disrupt, and destroy Indigenous populations as part of a corporate initiative to gain control of the resources in the land and of the land itself.
-- Second, the majority of the church stood by, watched, and allowed politicians and government officials to carry out the dispossession process.
-- Last of all, many within the current church at large refuse to acknowledge and repent for a long history of cooperation with destructive federal policies toward Native people.
[To be continued next week . . .]
| ISRAEL'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY!! | |
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THE BLESSING OF ISRAEL: 60 YEARS OF STATEHOOD
As the nation of ISRAEL prepares to celebrate her 60th year since its founding, we AGREE with these prayers out of Zion, offered by Intercessors for Israel
- We thank and bless You for preserving Israel - for Your glory.
- We confess that You will continue to preserve her - because of Your faithfulness to Your word. "Thus says LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night. If those ordinances depart from before Me, says LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me for ever. Thus says LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says LORD." (Jeremiah 31:35-37)
- Use this birthday to provoke especially the younger generation of Jews to commit their future to this land and nation.
- Let Jews see the rise of anti-Semitism/anti-Zionism worldwide and to flee from the wrath to come on the nations and the Jews who choose to remain there.
- Lift the spirit of apathy and fear from Your people concerning aliyah - immigrating to Israel.
- Thank You for fulfilling this word: "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." (Isaiah 66:8)
- Please continue to fulfill this word: "It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left. He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." (Isaiah 11:11- 12)
| Song of the Week | |
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THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
"The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 6:14)
Words & Music: George Bennard, 1913
"The Old Rugged Cross" was written in Albion, MIchigan. Or Pokagon, Michigan. Or Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. All three towns claim to be the birthplace of this hymn:
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
To read the rest of the words to this hymn, and to listen to its tune, go here.
| A Closing Thought . . . | |
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OUR LOVE FOR GOD
By A. W. Tozer
"Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (1John 3:18)
The taking over of the romantic love ideal into our relation to God has been extremely injurious to our Christian lives. The idea that we should "fall in love" with God is ignoble, unscriptural, unworthy of us and certainly does no honor to the Most High God!
We do not come to love God by a sudden emotional visitation. Love for God results from repentance, amendment of life and a fixed determination to love Him. Then as God moves more perfectly into the focus of our hearts, our love for Him may indeed rise and swell within us till like a flood it sweeps everything before it.
But we should not wait for this intensity of feeling. We are not responsible to feel, but we are responsible to love, and true spiritual love begins in the will. We should set our hearts to love God supremely, however cold or hard they may seem to be, and go on to confirm our love by happy and careful obedience to His Word.
Enjoyable emotions are sure to follow!
