Following Judah's Lion: Pray Without Ceasing

Following Judah's Lion: Pray Without Ceasing

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Pray Without Ceasing

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Many of the so called “Christian” television programs elicit your prayer requests and suggest that they will pray for them, as if they have a pipeline to God which the average pew dweller does not have access to. But when we examine the Apostle Paul’s views on prayer requests, he always asked for others to pray for him and never asked for people to send their requests to him. The difference is obvious. These television hucksters are using prayer to get mailing addresses and donations.

And in a stunning exhibition of spiritual skullduggery they attach a monetary offering to the prayer request and openly suggest that will activate the hand of God. Few things could be more false and blasphemous. The sacred gift of prayer is beyond words. That God would desire to communicate with us is ponderous, but that on top of the gift of eternal life the Lord would also answer our prayers is mind boggling. So when men and women who say they serve Jesus abuse and use His precious name for personal gain, it is spiritually outrageous.

Do you desire to express righteous indignation? Well do not get angry over the sins of the lost regardless of what sin they are committing. But turn your scorn toward all these false prophets who have invented evil things and are making merchandise of saint and sinner alike. Read the letters of Paul and the teachings of Jesus. Nowhere do they mix money and prayer. And not only do these purveyors of spiritual filth speak abominable lies, but they train the people to concentrate on themselves. Its their children and their health and their job and their finances that God will help if only they give to that particular ministry so that particular minister can pray over them.

I Tim.4: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

These men and women have fallen into a demonic snare and they teach things that are against Christ and are leverages of the flesh. They care nothing for the things of Christ; they only care for themselves. Many live in mansions and fly their own jets, and many shower their families with the financial overflow. And even while they live opulent lifestyles that are blatantly in opposition to all the New Testament teaches, the people remain ignorant and willing to be slaughtered at the hands of wicked men and women.

And being energized by demonic spirits, these filthy dreamers dismantle the Word of God and craftily put it back together in ways that speak evil and for personal profit. They love to be honored and they love to be admired. Instead of humility they treat God’s Word and Jesus Himself as if they were created for their benefit. They speak of Abraham’s covenant more than they speak of the New Covenant. And they show literal contempt for the cross which gets only a rare mention. In fact, they even have the gall to attach personal prosperity to that sacred tree. It is an abomination!

And looking into the camera they elicit millions through false promises and manipulation. “God told me there are 300 people…” is only one of the diabolic templates for their spiritual mischief. As if God desires or needs their money. But lazy sheep as well as deceived goats listen to these instruments of unrighteousness and many follow in their paths. Pray is not a toy and it is not a means to an end. Prayer is most sacred and must be practiced in humility, worship, and faith.

And when these television stations hold their telethons, they invite these men and women to display their fundraising prowess. Nothing is too extreme and nothing is too bizarre. Promises abound as well as hollow words whose only worth is to rob people in order to promote the entire wicked spectacle. And there are the station managers who gaze at these evil ministers in order to give them the aura they need to manipulate and deceive the viewers. The entire construct is a disgrace to the cause of Christ.

II Pet.2: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

I do not offer these words lightly, in fact I offer them with fear and trembling. The Apostle Peter could never have imagined the way the faith would be mocked today. Like a circus ringmaster, men and women teach open heresies and take God’s Holy Word and “prove” their own lies. And this is not done in private or behind the walls of a cult. This is done openly, publicly, and broadcast around the entire world! And these programs use all kinds of tactics in order to achieve their goal of wealth.

They take carefully orchestrated pictures of themselves or their employees sitting with poor African or Haitian children and beg you to help them, but all the while they themselves live in splendor. They have no shame and their manipulation knows no bounds. Flying on jets, staying in hotels fit for a king, eating the finest foods, wearing designer clothes, and living with their families in unfettered opulence they need to keep the money flowing in. And they even brag about being rich and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

But God has called us all to prayer, and the concept that your requests will be more powerfully heard through the lips of another is “having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.” It mocks God and makes prayer a cast system. It is modeled after the Roman Church and not after the New Testament which teaches all believers are priests. It makes prayer a multi-level marketing tool and thereby mocks God. It is cultish and robs millions of believers of the life changing experience of prayer. It completely misrepresents the purpose and power of prayer. And instead of relishing the sacred meetings with God and the sheer power of His presence, it makes prayer little more than eliciting the help of a handy man and paying him ahead of time.

But we have not learned this from Christ. We must reject it all and warn others about following these wicked men. I am often amazed and somewhat depressed when I hear believers talk of being edified by the likes of Joyce Myers or Joel Osteen or Kenneth Copeland or many, many others. And it is a great challenge to attempt to correct them without appearing angry or self righteous and without spoiling their faith. But we must speak out and warn others even while we guard our own hearts from being lifted up. Beloved, we live in a time of great apostasy. It is the great falling away. And it would seem that all things are now ready for the Bridegroom to appear.

Ti.2: 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Watch and pray. And pray without ceasing. Some of you have let that lantern of prayer grow cold. Trim that wick and light it once again. Pray without ceasing.

Jude: 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.