Exodus: Journey Of Promise

Jonathan told us the story of the Gospel. This Christmas we should dwell on the Gospel. We took communion so that we can REMEMBER what Jesus has done for us. God has set us free. Philippians 3:7-8. Everything else is garbage when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Jesus, knowing the Gospel.

We received a very clear word from God. Almost everyone sensed that He wanted us to rest before Him, to take a retreat with Him, to be still before Him. In the midst of such turmoil and chaos, He wants us to focus on Jesus, to seek Him first! Mary and Joseph had to look from place to place to find a place to have Jesus. Let’s make room in our lives and in our hearts for Jesus. If we are not at the feet of Jesus during this season, what then are we celebrating?! Let’s retreat and meet Him.

We also felt that He is asking us to stop and retreat with Him so that He can speak about the season that is about to end and the season that is about to begin. Let’s give God space to speak into our lives!

God is holy. We are so sinful. God is faithful. We are fickle and unfaithful. The world is completely depraved.

Isaiah 60:1-3
“Arise, Jerusalem! let your light shine for all the nations to see! for the glory of the LORD is shining upon you. Darkness as black as night will cover all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD will shine over you. All nations will come to your light…”

We prayed that God’s glory will shine upon us in the midst of our darkness, our depravity. We want God to be glorified in our midst so that many will come to Him!

We were also very thankful of His faithfulness in our midst. He has perfect timing. He has given gifts and different parts to different members of our church. We believe that He will raise up these gifts in His perfect timing. We are to care for each other, honoring the parts that are not as visible. Philippians 2:3-11. Let’s put others above ourselves as Christ made Himself nothing for our sakes.

The Lord is Gracious and Compassionate

The Lord is gracious and compassionate
Slow to anger and rich in love
The Lord is gracious and compassionate
Slow to anger and rich in love

And the Lord is good to all
He has compassion in all that he has made
As far as the east is from the west
Thats how far he has removed our transgressions from us

Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord

God has removed our transgressions. He has given us new names in place of our old, wretched ones. Song of Songs 1:5 says, “I am dark but beautiful…” 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” God has given to us Jesus and it is Jesus that He sees in us. What a wonderful exchange! What a wonderful God!

We spent the first part of prayer meeting just thanking God for who He is and what He has done for us. At the end of prayer meeting we read aloud Psalm 136: His faithful love endures forever!

Monday, December 3, 2007

We felt that God wants us to exchange our rags for His garments. In the parable of the father giving his son a wedding banquet, those invited came up with excuses not to come. The father then went out and invited anyone he saw. However, some came unprepared in their rags.
We must come to Jesus’ banquet with the righteousness that He has given us, not with our own righteousness, or filthy rags. We must submit and surrender to His lordship, His reign.
From a recent message from Christian Assembly, RAGS may stand for resentment, anxiety, greed and superiority. Let’s get rid of these things and exchange them for the righteousness that comes from what Jesus has done.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Father of Lights

Father of lights, You delight in Your children
Father of lights, You delight in Your children

Every good and perfect gift comes from You
Every good and perfect gift comes from You
Every good and perfect gift comes from You
Father of lights

Father of lights, You never change, You have no turning
Father of lights, You never change, You have no turning

We felt that God has many good things in store for us. We’ve been waiting…and we believe they are coming soon! He is a good Father to us!

John 3:16-17
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

God is mighty to save. How easy and how capable is our God to save us no matter where we are!
We declared to God that He is our Savior!

Mourning Into Dancing

Where there once was only hurt,
He gave His healing hand;
Where there once was only pain,
He brought comfort like a friend.
I feel the sweetness of His love
Piercing my darkness.
I see the bright and morning sun
As it ushers in His joyful gladness.

He’s turned my mourning into dancing again,
He’s lifted my sorrow.
I can’t stay silent, I must sing
For his joy has come.

His anger lasts for a moment in time;
But His favor is here
And will be on me for all my lifetime.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

God is so worthy to be praised! We spent time worshipping God with His different names. And as we worship, we believe that we will be freed from our shackles.

You are Holy (Prince of Peace)

You are holy (You are holy)
You are mighty (You are mighty)
You are worthy (You are worthy)
Worthy of praise (Worthy of praise)

I will follow (I will follow)
I will listen (I will listen)
I will love You (I will love you)
All of my days (All of my days)

I will sing to (You are Lord of Lords)
And worship (You are King of kings)
The King who (You are mighty God)
Is worthy (Lord of everything)
I will love and (You’re Emannuel)
Adore You (You’re the Great I am)
And I will bow down (You’re my Prince of peace)
before You (Who is the Lamb)
I will sing to (You’re my living God)
And worship (You’re my saving grace)
The King who (You will reign forever)
Is worthy (You are ancient of days)
I will love and (You are alpha, omega)
Adore You (beginning and end)
And I will bow down (You’re my Savior, Messiah)
Before You (Redeemer and friend)
You’re my Prince of Peace
And I will live my life for You

We felt that God wanted to bless us. He is a God that blesses!
We were also reminded of the story of the lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5). Sometimes our unbelief, or even our focus on our own lameness, prevents us from being healed. These things prevent us from receiving God’s blessings.
We prayed for those that are weary and wanted to receive God’s blessing but were having a hard time believing.
We realized the individuals we prayed for are the very compassionate ones of our church. Perhaps God wants to restore and renew the area of compassion in our church.

Psalm 146: 8-9

The Lord opens the eys of the blind.
The Lord lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans
and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

We felt that God wanted to bless us. He is a God that blesses!
We were also reminded of the story of the lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5). Sometimes our unbelief, or even our focus on our own lameness, prevents us from being healed. These things prevent us from receiving God’s blessings.
We prayed for those that are weary and wanted to receive God’s blessing but were having a hard time believing.
We realized the individuals we prayed for are the very compassionate ones of our church. Perhaps God wants to restore and renew the area of compassion in our church.

We felt that God wanted to bless us. He is a God that blesses!
We were also reminded of the story of the lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5). Sometimes our unbelief, or even our focus on our own lameness, prevents us from being healed. These things prevent us from receiving God’s blessings.
We prayed for those that are weary and wanted to receive God’s blessing but were having a hard time believing.
We realized the individuals we prayed for are the very compassionate ones of our church. Perhaps God wants to restore and renew the area of compassion in our church.

We were driving around and saw a plot of land blocked off. A new plaza was to be built. Jonathan commented about the depth of the foundation. There was a large, deep hole dug out and some foundation structures were beginning to be laid. Immediately, I felt God impress upon my heart that this is the situation with the Exodus. In the past 7 years, He has been digging in preparation for the foundation to be laid. Perhaps we haven’t seen much with our physical eyes, but He has been faithful in preparing us. And now…He is ready to lay the foundation, He is ready to begin building…building His house of prayer in our midst.

I am overwhelmed at the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. He is so good. I just read Haggai before i saw this plot of land and have read it a few more times since. Haggai takes place in a time that people got tired of rebuilding the temple of God because they probably didn’t see much progress. They went back to building their own houses, taking care of their own business. God encourages them to come back and rebuild and He will bless them.

Let’s continue to build God’s house. Let’s make it a priority, above building our own homes and our own lives. And He promises to bless us! We are in a very exciting time. Let’s be a part of what He is doing!

Emily

Jeremiah 19:7-8
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Ezekial 47:6-8
He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.


God reminded us that He brings a living water that can quench the thirst in our souls. God offers the stream of life to the weak and the weary and to all who need renewal, restoration, and refreshing.


Invitacion Fountain

All who are weak, all who are weary
Come to the rock, come to the fountain
All who have sailed on the rivers of heartache
Come to the sea, come on and be set free

All who are weak, all who are weary
Come to the rock, come to the fountain
All who have climbed on the mountains of heartache
Reach to the stars, come on and give your life

All who are weak, all who are weary
All who are tired, all who are thirsty
All who have failed, all who have broken
Come to the rock, come to the fountain

If You lead me Lord I will follow
Where You lead me Lord I will go
Come and heal me Lord I will follow
Where You lead me Lord I will go
I will go

We worshipped Jesus. He is King!

We prayed/praised/worshipped Jesus in different tongues: Taiwanese, Japanese, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin. In our ‘not so fluent’ languages we wanted to represent these different nations worshipping Jesus.

Hosanna

I see a generation rising up to take its place
with selfless faith
with selfless faith

We spent the rest of the night asking God to raise up a generation in various nations that will rise up to take its place, to love, worship and serve Jesus. We interceeded for these nations. We also prayed for the oppressed women in these areas. Jesus is worthy of praise and worship from these nations!

When will they see, when will they know
they are blind
They don’t know my Savior
They don’t know my God’s alive

Open the eyes of the blind
Let them hear my Savior’s cry
To release them
From the darkness of the dungeon