My People Who Are Called...

Recently at the Onething Prayer Center God called us into accountability. There was for a time so much of the usuall ministry "stuff" going on that our focus, our attention had become distracted. While God was still moving it was by His mercy and grace. Don't rush to any conclusion, I understand that we all live by His mercy and grace. But, we do not want to use God's mercy and grace with a sense of entitlement. It was by the leading of God that we have suspended all live music in the worship sessions through the end of October. WE HAVE NOT SUSPENDED THE SESSIONS. WE ARE SIMPLY FOCUSING ON THE PRAYER PORTION OF WHAT HAPPENS AT ONETHING PRAYER CENTER. Maybe the simplest way to say it is that we are fasting our gifts and simply returning to our basic call to pray. We will use IHOP live or specifically recorded session for background music. Everyone is still expected to come to the session at their scheduled time and come in an attitude of prayer. I believe that God is going to stir our hearts during this time. Perhaps to know Him better? The last line of this verse could surely apply to me. For Ed shall return to Me with his whole heart.

It was May of 2006 when I had decided to look closer at prayer. The very first verse God gave me was Jeremiah 24:7. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

I love personalizing the word, so here goes. Then I God, will give Ed a heart to know Me (God), That Ed would know that I (God) am the Lord of Ed's life, for Ed will return to Me (God) with his whole heart.

Shortly after that I made my first visit to IHOP (International House of Prayer) I came back wrecked for anything else other that a life committed to prayer. It was not a call from God to do a house of prayer. I still do not have a call to do a house of prayer even though there is one. What I did have and still have is a call to deeper relationship with Him.

A heart to know ME... that I am the Lord? Doesn't God give everyone a heart to know Him? Yet what about free will? It almost sounds to me like God will force it on these people? Then I must say from another perspective that I don't know any one who would say that they didn't already have a heart to know God and further that they have no doubt that He is Lord. I percieve that the problem is that, what that looks like is personal and intimate for each person so there is nothing that we can look at and make a judgement. The more I type the more complicated it can get. Let's just leave that as the first verse God brought before me.

The next verse God brought to me was 2 Chronicles 7:12-22. But this time He gave me a little more detail as to what it meant and what it would look like. Perhaps the Jeremiah verse was just to tell me that many would come and they're journey's would look different. And maybe that's to tell me not to throw the babies out with the bath water?

2 Chronicles 7:14 - 22 came after we, Onething, had already chosen a place for Onething to exist in. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice."

Message Version - God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, "I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship.

You have to love it when God is so clear. While I do not consider myself to be anything like Solomon I did consider this word as a confirmation for us being at this address just as Solomon did.

Everything begins in prayer. Solomon prayed and God answered. What if Solomon had not prayed? Prayer was the invitation for God to enter into the situation. Then you have to love God's reply, "I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. There is so much in His reply. A temple of sacrifice, a house of worship. Is the implication that worship is a or requires sacrifice? Selah (pause and think on this)

Let me close today with some general comments. The purpose of this blog is for any and all to share, bring revelation to the words discussed. It's the moden day version of Acts where they went from house to house. We are going from house to house via the modern technology of a blog. So day by day and word by word we'll look at word. It is our intent to share whatever is sent in response to my initial thoughs so let's use considerate ministry and not cut and past from study guides, concordences, commentaries, etc. I want everyone to also know that it is not my intent to teach this but to share my journey in this and let each of you find through your own journey into it what God would say to you. I have way more questions that I do answers. Further it is not my job to have your answers. It is only my job to stir your heart to go and find your own answers.