Leaving the cave while you can!

Ever need a shelter from the storm?

Wouldn't a cave be a good place to hide? Wouldn't it be a nice and safe place to get out of the weather? I am about to put a thought out there, could it also be a "Prison"?

In the story of Lot, God wanted him to go to the mountains, but Lot wanted things his way. So, he asked if he could go to Zoar. Once he got there, he didn't have the faith in God to take care of him. This put Lot in a fearful state and caused him to run and hide in a cave.

I must confess.............I've been there, in need of a shelter, scared, desperate and not knowing where to turn next. What else but go crawl up in a ball, suck my thumb and lick my wounds. This is my own personal "cave."

I would like to make a comment and suggestion about us going into our "caves."

In Joshua 10, there is a story of 5 Amorite Kings. These kings hid in the cave at Makkedah from Joshua and his army after realizing they where about to lose the battle.  When Joshua heard about these kings hiding in the cave, he had his men roll a stone in front of it to hold them there.

You see, what was at first their shelter from the storm or their "hiding place" has now become their "PRISON."

When we run from the problem and "hide" we tie God's hands from giving us the victory in the situation. Some will say, "You can't tie God's hands!" I beg to differ. He will never force Himself on us nor will He place His will with ours. We have to put our will with His. He is a gentleman.

I will wrap things up with this thought. We have to be very careful about "hiding in caves." We will get comfortable there, then just like in Joshua it can and will become a prison. Then when you are in a prison, who is the decision maker as to when you get out??????

NOT YOU!

Here is the kicker to all of this.  The story in the 10th chapter of Joshua has many great things that I am attempting to apply in my life and I encourage others to do also.

Read it, the kings first went to the cave to hide from their troubles. Then Joshua found out and had his men roll a stone in front to prevent them from leaving. (They where no longer in control) nor had the power to leave when they wanted. Then the aweful finality to this story is that when Joshua had finished fighting the battle he returned to that cave and he slew those 5 kings. Then he had his men throw them back into the cave and roll the stone in front again.

THE HIDING PLACE BECAME A PRISON AND ENDED UP AS A GRAVE!!!!

I realize this is alot shorter then usual, but if you would like to know  the complete "story" Read Joshua or come hear me preach tommorow @ AHF in Murray Ky.

Until next time God Bless!

"Prayer Warriors"............ are they extinct?

This is something that most of us talk about doing at least  to other "christians" anyway. But, how often do we really, I mean "REALLY" get alone with God Almighty and pray? Psalms 5:2 says, "Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee do I pray." Ever wonder why David was so beloved by God? He was a man that prayed! It wasn’t a lay me down to sleep type prayer. Nor a God is good God is great type prayer either. This guy knew how to get in touch with God. Even in the midst of his failures, and short comings. David knew how to get in touch, tuned in, a hold of ............fill in the blank.

How many times do we go to God, in need of his touch and we don’t go boldly before the throne of Christ? Or other times we ask but, we don’t expect the answer and have already accepted defeat. You see we need that "SECRET or SACRED PLACE" That place where we can get alone with God. He always there, always desires our time our praise, and our worship. Matthew 6:6 says, " But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee."



I consulted with Brother Webster on the definition of prayer and this was the results.



prayer (prâr) n.


A reverent petition made to God, a god, or another object of worship.


The act of making a reverent petition to God, a god, or another object of worship.


A fervent request:


The section of the complaint or bill that contains this request.


An act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving: One evening a week, the family would join together in prayer.


A specially worded form used to address God, a god, or another object of worship.


prayers A religious observance in which praying predominates: morning prayers.

As I am writing this I recall a sermon I once preached. "A Sacred Place!" Jesus had that "sacred place", The Mt of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane. That place where Jesus, God robed in flesh communicated with God the Spirit. We desperately need that "PLACE" in our walk with God. I want that place; I desire to have that place. And not just a "PLACE" but, one I put to use on a daily basis.

How many times do we treat God as if he is Santa Claus? Or the Tooth Fairy? Or maybe a Coke machine? I just walk up, pull out my change (request) and expect God to bail me out again and save me from the terrible situation that I have got myself into.

We treat God as if he is a Christmas ornament. Keep him in a box, stored in our attic till we need him. I sadly must tell someone today, it doesn’t work like this.

Jesus said, "Pray and faint not!" 1Th 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing; " Folks I could write all night about the scriptures and our need to pray. In fact the word "Pray" alone is mentioned 302 times in the Bible. This does not include the other words such as prayer, praying, prayed etc.

PRAYER IS TO THE CHRISITAN AS BLOOD IS TO THE HUMAN BODY! NECESSARY!



Mar 14:38 says, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."


We are flesh, we all have weakness whatever it may be. We cannot overcome the flesh by shear will. But, don’t be afraid. We have "THE WORD" that gives us a promise of hope. We need to pray. Ill say it again............WE NEED A PRAYER LIFE!



Mar 11:24 says, "Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them."



All things are possible through Jesus!




According to the Washington Post, a detailed study in 2008 states that 92% of Americans believe in GOD! The article which was released just over a year ago in June goes on to say "Most Americans believe that angels and demons are active in the world, and nearly 80 percent think miracles occur!" The following is a brief script from the article.


"The study detailed Americans' deep and broad religiosity, finding that 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit -- including one in five of those who call themselves atheists. More than half of Americans polled pray at least once a day.


But Americans aren't rigid about their beliefs. Most of those studied -- even many of the most religiously conservative -- have a remarkably nonexclusive attitude toward other faiths. Seventy percent of those affiliated with a religion believe that many religions can lead to eternal salvation. And only about one-quarter of those surveyed believe there is only one way to interpret their religion's teachings."




What I am about to say may offend some, and others may scuff. But, this is a scary place to be. In a place in time where if you take the writing at face value 1 in 5 Americans claim to be atheist. And 70% of so called " religiously conservative" believe that there is multiple ways to get to heaven. Folks I’m about to have a fit................THERE ISNT BUT ONE WAY YOU CAN GET TO HEAVEN!




It's not a secular thing, it’s not a organized religion thing. America wake up! It’s a BIBLE THING, and if we would understand this our walk with God would drastically improve. The Bible says Repent, be Baptized in Jesus Name(not 3 names or some other name) Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."


And last but not least Acts 2:38 says, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."


As I bring this to a end for this week, this scripture comes to mind, James 5:16 "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."




Until next week remember Jesus is God. I pray that all who read this may have a Blessed week

Below is a good writing I found online about Effectual-Fervent Prayer

The Power of Fervent Prayer

A. Peter was in prison awaiting his execution. The Church had neither human power nor influence to save him. There was no earthly help, but there was help to be obtained by the way of Heaven. They gave themselves to fervent, importunate prayer. God sent His angel, who aroused Peter from sleep and led him out through the first and second wards of the prison; and when they came to the iron gate, it opened to them of its own accord, and Peter was free.

B. ‘Prayer has divided seas, rolled up flowing rivers, made rocks gush into fountains, quenched flames of fire, muzzled lions, disarmed vipers and poisons, marshaled the stars against the wicked, stopped the course of the moon, arrested the sun in its rapid race, burst open iron gates, released souls from eternity, conquered the strongest devils, commanded legions of angels down from heaven. Prayer has bridled and chained the raging passions of man and routed and destroyed vast armies of proud, daring, blustering atheists. Prayer has brought one man from the bottom of the sea and carried another in a chariot of fire to heaven. What has prayer not done?’

What is it that makes our prayer effectual (or effective)?




1. Fervent prayer is putting your whole self---all of your attention, your mind, your will, and your emotions---on that thing you’re praying about. That means your mind is focused on prayer instead of drifting off on other things. Fervent prayer will make a difference in the lives of people, but we must understand that it takes an effort and a sacrifice of our time.

2. In Matthew 15:22-28, the Canaanite woman would not take no for an answer. She asked for her daughter’s healing, and three times she was rejected. But she wouldn’t give up. She understood the heart and character of the Lord Jesus. She not only received the healing of her daughter, but was commended by Jesus: "Woman, you have great FAITH!"

3. James gives us Elijah as the example of effective prayer in action (see verses 17-18). What gave Elijah the boldness to pray that the rain would stop, and then, at his word, start again? (1 Kings 17:1; 18:41-45).

• Elijah’s prayer was BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD!

All of Israel had turned away from the Lord to worship Baal, the idol-god of a cruel heathen religion. Up stands one solitary man, a total unknown, and boldly proclaims to the king that "there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word!’’ But his authority was based on a promise and warning found in Deuteronomy 11:13-17:

4. Daniel also Discovered the Secret

In Daniel 9:3-19. Daniel poured out his heart in prayer before God that his people, who had been taken out of their homeland and held as captives in Babylon, would return to their land. The basis of his prayer can be seen in verse 2:

" . . . I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years’’.



The Lord had spoken right at the time when Judah had gone into captivity that they would be in Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Daniel, reading the Scriptures one day, came across that promise and realized that the 70-year period was almost completed. However, he didn’t just sit back and wait for God to do it. Daniel began to PRAY that what God had promised would be fulfilled. The Lord has chosen to give us the privilege and responsibility of being involved with Him in His purposes on earth. Daniel lived to see his people return!
• Effectual prayer, then, is prayer that is based on God’s Word. When we know the promises that He has given, and understand His character and the principles by which He works as revealed in His Word, we can pray with confidence and authority, knowing that our prayers will be answered.

• Seek God’s Prayer Plan for Your Life!



There are many levels of prayer. God knows exactly where each of us are in our prayer life and our knowledge and understanding of prayer.
He will honor even the most pitiful prayer a person offers in faith, if that is all they know to do. But He will not let us stay at that level.

He wants us to move to greater levels of understanding, faith, and power.

And the best way to progress is to simply say, "Lord, teach me to pray powerful and effective prayers."

It's time to Give Up!

                                                     It’s Time to Give Up!

Sometimes the hardest thing in life is just giving up. No, not that kind of giving up-there’s no place for quitters in God’s army. We have to be like Paul and press daily. Philippians 3:14-I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus .The giving up I’m talking about is giving up our will for His. Realizing we are not in control and shouldn’t want to be in control. God was God way before we were even a twinkle in our earthly father’s eye. So why can’t the God who started it all be in complete control of our lives. What do you think—can He handle it? Lord knows we certainly can’t. He knows the future from the past. Like the saying “He’s already been there and done that.” Literally! When we wake up before we have time to start worrying just give up right there in bed—ok Lord, I’m on my way to another day and I have my plans made but your plans are much better. Help me to see through your eyes. To find the place that you have prepared for me, help me to overlook my own agenda to see your divine purpose for my life today.

We, speaking to myself as well, tend to want to have everything planned out. Thinking, well I got my schedule all put together and this is how is going to work out. Thankfully, God has His own set of plans that supersede our plans and meets our needs.

By giving up, total surrender; we can begin to see through His eyes. With the Holy Spirit that God has given us. He has equipped us with His vision. It seems that in our day to day living we get film over our eyes and smudges from living in the world. We are in it but should not be of it- John 15:19. It also reminds me of the scripture the washing of the water by the word, Ephesians 5.26. With our daily devotion time, yes, I did say daily. Just like you take a natural bath daily we need our spiritual bath daily. There is no other way to wash away the world and the worries without the Word and prayer –oh let’s not forget the fasting. It needs to be an essential part of our lives. Everything else will pass away but the Word will last forever.

Isaiah 40.8-The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

 Temporal VS Eternal

So one of our greatest desires should be to give up- relinquish all control to the one who holds tomorrow. He holds you in the palm of His hand and even has the every hair of your head numbered.

Who better to be in control then the one who made it all! –JESUS! It reminds me of that old song-“Give up and let Jesus take over”. So the next time life is not going as planned remember who is in control and just GIVE UP!

May God richly bless you in all your daily life, thank you for taking time to read this blog when you pray please remember the Lewis family-- Stacey Lewis

Satan! Im coming out of my corner, the Blood is against you.

It seems in the day and times that we live in that we are so busy with "our" lives. That we forget some of the essentials of life.(spiritual life) I bet nobody runs out of the house for work and doesn't take the "necessary" essentials. Those being our clothing, shoes, car keys and so on. Now let me preface what I am saying by admitting I am as guilty in this matter as the next guy. But, I also don't want to go through life just being "one of the guys" either. You see there is something that I and We as Jesus Name, Sanctified Believers are not applying to our lives nearly as much as those who have gone before us.

THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!!!!!!!!

When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me, my soul cries out hallelujah .....Praise God for saving me! Without the Blood, this wouldn't be possible. The day and age we live in now is a high tech, high demand life. Where does God fit into our schedule???? Is it 5 minutes? 1 hour? Maybe we treat Him like a favorite out fit, we just try Him on, only to decide on "wearing" something else that day. Or maybe try and put Him on for something special. I.E. We need HELP!

You see it’s all about the Blood!! Like the song, “It’s nothing but the Blood of Jesus!” Gen 4:10 says " And He said, what hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground. " Even though Cain had killed Abel his blood cried out from the ground. When the ground opened up and received the blood, the heavens spoke and said, "I have heard the voice of thy brother’s blood crying to me out of the ground!" Say to yourself, "The blood can speak!" You don't have to defend yourself, the blood will speak! If you ever get it on you, it will get in your life! Blood leaves a stain in you that you cannot get out! I thank God for the Blood! For the power that is in the blood!

Without the Blood we could not survive for a moment. Either spiritually nor our flesh. Our Hearts pump the blood to the rest of our body, same as the Blood of Jesus covers our entire lives. Without the Blood of Jesus we would be lost, sick and no healing, UN-forgiven, and have no hope of eternity in Paradise.Same as without blood in our fleshly bodies we are DEAD! Blood makes the brain function, think, decide, gives direction to the rest of the body. Without the blood in us we don’t exists. And without the Blood of Christ we don’t have an spiritual existence either.

I am troubled in my spirit that in this day and age we have become so excited about Pentecostalism, and it is wonderful, and I am endeavouring to do my part of it, I am excited about the liberty of it, the gifts of the Spirit, and all that happened on the Day of Pentecost; but somewhere in the process of time we have become so excited about "Pentecost", we have forgotten that Pentecost is only the after effects of a "Passover Experience". It was at the Passover that the blood was shed, and if there is no Passover, there can be no Pentecost! Exactly fifty days from Passover, Pentecost instantaneously occurred on it's own. If we have a real Passover experience, Pentecost is a automatic follow-up to a real blood atonement experience that will happen in the life of every believer.

We need to preach the gospel! We need to Love the gospel, we need to teach the gospel. We do not need to alter, change, or repair it. It is able all by itself to save from the gutter-most to the utter-most, any soul that will come to Him! It doesn't matter what their vice or sin is, if he or she comes to Jesus, the blood will wash him white as snow! Satan the blood is against you! You're not just fighting me, you're fighting the blood. When the blood falls on you, it will give you a voice! Healing! Miracles! You will speak in tongues! Change your heart! Attitude! Leave the night-club! Throw away your dope! Your lottery tickets! We need the power of the Blood! Life is in the Blood! You go ahead and thank Him for your Mercedes, but I thank Him for the Blood! Satan the Blood of Jesus is against you!

Well, I hope this gets you to think and maybe re-evaluate your walk with God and whether or not you are "Covered by the Blood." Until next time remember that Jesus is our Christ, Creator, Deliverer, Eternal Life, Faithful and True, Faithful Witness, First and Last, Good Shepherd, Great Shepherd, Great High Priest and the only Head of the Church.