The Mercy Seat Blog

Intercessor- The Supreme Vocation

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:31:04 GMT

This officially kicks off a short string of thoughts as we approach Passover on April 26th. The purpose of this blog is to draw our attention to and focus on the blood of Christ. I’d just like to start things off strong with a quote from E.M. Bounds.

“Only glimpses of the great importance of prayer could the apostles get before Pentecost. But the Spirit coming and filling on Pentecost elevated prayer to its vital and all-commanding position in the gospel of Christ. The call now of prayer to every saint is the Spirit’s loudest and most exigent call. Sainthood’s piety is made, refined, perfected, by prayer. The gospel moves with slow and timid pace when the saints are not at their prayers early and late and long.”
-E.M. Bounds, “Praying Pulpit Begets a Praying Pew”

Our pews are filled with countless numbers of people that have no idea who they’re called to be. Our bookstores are filled with best-selling ideas trying to coach us through this life with some semblance of successfulness. I have nothing against that. But if you’re looking for your purpose or call in life, then let me suggest that you take a look at Ezekiel 22.

“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” (Ez 22:30 NIV)

The role of the intercessor is the supreme vocation. God is looking for intercessors, and the fate of the nation hangs in the balance. It puts a revelatory spin on Jesus’ words, “You are the salt of the earth,” if you consider that salt is a preservative. You might be thinking, “That’s great, but prayer isn’t my gift.” Not so! You’re called to be like Jesus. Sure Jesus was an evangelist, an apostle, a shepherd, a healer and showed unsurpassed acts of compassion. We can follow his leadership in each of those areas, but it is His role as the Great Intercessor that we are called to truly emulate. He hung on a cross in the gap between God and man’s destruction. He now calls us to take up our cross and join him for the sake of others.

I am eager to explore with you in the coming days some truths of how Jesus’ blood has provided us access to God’s throne. Interested in coming along? Let’s draw near with full confidence.

Matt Lockett

Who’s Responsibility Is It Anyway?

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:45:27 GMT

Matthew 27 gives us a “behind the scenes” look at Judas right after his betrayal of Jesus. It says that when he saw that Jesus was condemned he was suddenly seized with remorse for what he had done. What happened next gives us a glimpse of the reality of bloodguilt in the New Testament.

Grief-stricken Judas attempted to repent for shedding innocent blood before the chief priests and elders, the architects of the whole agenda. Their response was profound, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.”(NIV) Later when Pilate is unable to persuade the crowd to release Jesus he washes his hands publicly and echoes, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility.”

After reading these passages I was struck with the thought, “Who’s responsibility is it anyway?” Ask this question now: Who bears the responsibility for the innocent blood of 50 million babies that have been legally aborted in America since 1973? Does it fall on the government? Is it the abortion doctor’s? Perhaps it’s the sixteen-year-old girl’s? Is it the Church’s? The answer is simply “Yes.” Just like with Judas, the chief priests and Pilate, everyone desperately wants to wash their hands of bloodguilt. It’s easy to point the finger at someone else and say, “That’s your responsibility.” The truth is we’ve all been stained crimson by this national, corporate sin.

So what are we to do? Our response can’t be like Judas who tried to absolve himself by simply throwing the blood money back into the temple. We must allow God to deal with our hearts on this. The most common response I hear from people concerning abortion is, “I agree that it’s bad, but what can I do about it?” Well, actually there’s a lot you can do! But to begin with the answer is simple–as God’s people we must take responsibility and apply the blood of Christ. This needs to happen on both an individual and corporate dimension.

Daniel did this when he stood in intercession for Jerusalem. He didn’t point his finger at any named culprit. He identified himself with the faulty state of the nation; repented on behalf of his kinsmen; and sought the forgiveness of the Lord.

“We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets… We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!” (Da 9:5-6, 18-19 NIV)

Who will stand before the Lord in this way for the sake of our nation? Who will take that responsibility?

Nothing But The Blood

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:18:20 GMT

Since Bound4LIFE began in October 2004, we have always ended our Silent Sieges by singing “Nothing But The Blood.” We believe God is wanting to breathe new life on this old hymn. What a beautiful message it is giving hope to the sinner.

We recently decided to record that old song that everyone knows so well and give it away as a free download. Our hope is that worship leaders everywhere will take it up once again to lead God’s people into intercession for the nation. Recorded by a couple of our worship leaders, Daniel & Autumn Katz, the song has been modified to a minor key.

“The minor key opens a completely different door to walk through.”
–Autumn Katz
The mp3 and chord charts are available for FREE download here.

See Autumn talk about the first time God touched her heart concerning abortion.

Don’t Take Your Eyes Off Of It

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:02:45 GMT

Let me return to the passages in Matthew 27 that I discussed in “Who’s Responsibility Is It Anyway?” The NIV is the only translation to render verses 4 and 24 “It’s your responsibility.” Let me preface this by saying that I’m definitely not a student of Greek. In fact, I probably know just enough to be dangerous. :)

A quick word study though shows the word “optanomai” used here. The KJV translates the two passages here as “See thou [to that]” and “See ye [to it].” The definition of this word used in these passages is derived from several other words that all refer to actual optical vision. In this case, however, it’s not a passing glance or watching from a distance. It is a prolonged gaze with “wide-open eyes.” Judas and the crowd were instructed to stare at the innocent blood of Jesus.

When I saw this definition, the Holy Spirit spoke to me,
“Stare at the Blood, and don’t take your eyes off of it.”

Would you join with me to stare intently at the blood of Christ for this next season of time leading up to April 26th? Let’s study and search out the Word of God for truth and cry out for revelation of Jesus’ blood. I believe that as the Church gets revelation on the shedding of innocent blood there will be a corresponding revelation of Christ’s shed blood. Could it be that we haven’t fully understood either one?

With the life band prayer we’ve prayed for years, “God, end abortion and send revival to America.” Though seemingly unrelated, I believe the potential for a Great Awakening is directly tied to how we deal with the issue of abortion in the nation. We need revelation concerning blood. We need to understand the importance of blood to God. I’m praying that a great Communion Revival will come to our shores–one that does not exalt any man or pulpit, but one that exalts Christ’s sacrifice.

22 …without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (He 9:22 NIV)

This is THE foundational truth of the gospel. Unfortunately, there is a preaching dynamic that’s mirroring a natural one in a profoundly negative way. Even as our weak constitution forces us to turn away at the sight of blood, churches are deliberately deleting any mention of blood in the pulpits. For the sake of trying to create a modern, relevant spirituality the preaching of Jesus’ blood has been forsaken. What we’re left with is a Westernized pseudo-faith that is no faith at all. We’re left smitten with the shame of powerlessness brought on by doubt and an unforgiving guilty conscience.

Let’s pray together that the Church will rediscover the foundations of her faith in Jesus’ blood. There is wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (He 12:2 NIV)

All Whos Who Have Blood That Is Red

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:58:34 GMT

This is the day that many of us have been waiting for for over three years. Horton Hears A Who the movie opens in theaters everywhere today. The old Dr. Seuss book has been embraced by pro-life people everywhere as a powerful allegory for ending abortion. I think God is up to much much more than just happy coincidences though. I believe He is shouting to the nation right now from every conceivable angle that abortion must end.

Some might think that young minds must be shielded from a subject like abortion. I couldn’t disagree more. The ending of abortion will require the participation of everyone. There can be no shirkers. Who knows? It might be a child’s part that tips the whole thing like the young lad Jo-Jo in the story.

So to that end, I want to highlight another children’s book that has just hit the scene. Justice Loves Babies is a wonderful life-affirming story that communicates in a gentle way how God authors life in the womb. Written by two intercessors that have prayed with Bound4LIFE in front of the Supreme Court, this amazing book will help engage the youngest of children in the place of prayer. I know that the prayers of our young ones have great sway on the heart of the Father. To get a copy of the book go to JusticeLovesBabies.com.

So please take your family, friends, your whole church this weekend to see the movie Horton Hears A Who. If you are unfamiliar with our history connected to Horton Hears A Who story, the following is an article by Lou Engle detailing it’s prophetic significance.

If you hang around the Dream King,
You get into His dream stream,
You join yourself to His dream team,
And you do the Martin Luther King thing.

This was the poem of our heart when we launched the Justice House of Prayer (JHOP) in DC. A band of young people dared to dream and pray that another great move of justice would roll down like the waters of justice that swelled and swept away segregation in the days of that great prophet Martin Luther King, Jr. Now, once again, like the sound of many waters, God is shouting: “I have a dream! Let the unborn go free! Let them be conceived in liberty, and let them be adopted in infancy.”

Dr. Seuss Book

God is communicating His big dream of ending abortion in a most profound way through the dream stream story of Horton Hears A Who by Dr. Seuss. In February 2005, one of our youth, a 15-year-old girl at the Justice House of Prayer, had a dream. In the dream she saw a large, beautiful building with the words “The Who” appearing over it. She and her sisters entered the house and began to look throughout the building until they found the attic where there was a series of old books from the past that they knew would be needed for the future. She shared her dream with the JHOP team. I knew the dream was from God, but I wondered, “What is ‘The Who,’ and what are these old books?”

The next morning while pondering the dream, I received a remarkable email from a man in Kansas City that included a sermon he gave several years ago on what must occur for abortion to end. He felt led to send it to me, even though he thought it was unusual that the analogy the Lord had given him was based on the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who. When I read this, I instantly connected “The Who” in the dream with “The Who” in the book. I was immediately interested!

In this children’s book written in 1954, we find an elephant whose name is Horton. He is the prophetic Church with big ears and a large trumpet. He can hear what no one else can hear—the sound of these little people called, The Whos, who live in the microscopic town of Who-ville.

In the book, we also find a kangaroo who wants to kill all the little Whos, because he cannot see or hear them. He doesn’t believe they exist. Immediately the thought came to me, “The kangaroo is the kangaroo court!”—it stands for the Supreme Court who issued the death decree of ‘73 in Roe v Wade, and legalized abortion. Wow! I realized that what I was reading was a parable from the past that was now going to be used en masse, for the ending of abortion. The theme of the whole book amazingly is, “A person’s a person, no matter how small!” And the remedy for the crisis is that every voice must be raised loudly and urgently to rescue all the little unborn Whos. With the kangaroo’s death decree hanging over Who-ville, Horton implores the mayor “to CALL a big meeting, get everyone out, make every Who holler, make every Who shout!”

This Book Speaks of Abortion

Graciously, The ElijahList blasted this story February 16, 2005. Amazingly, the next day I received an email from a woman who said she read The ElijahList article and received three confirmations the following day at her Day Care Center. One child came in with a Horton Hears A Who backpack, a second was carrying a Who-ville doll, but the third–a ten-year-old boy–came to her and said, “Ma’am, I had a dream last night. I dreamt of Horton Hears a Who, and all the little Whos were not saying YOPP; they were crying STOP!!!”

Oh, my God, there is a massive cry being raised up from the young ones of the earth, praying and prophesying, “STOP ABORTION, STOP! STOP! STOP!!!!!!!!!!” What are the chances of this divine confirmation? Those who read this are now held accountable. The whole Church must cry out now—STOP ABORTION!

Soon after, another man connected with me and said, “My ten-year-old daughter was reading Horton Hears A Who to her little brother.” She came to her father and said, “Dad, I think this book is about ending abortion.” That afternoon, he read The Elijah List article on Horton Hears a Who. This man now leads our Bound4LIFE ministry.

Again, amazingly, we found out that Fox Movies is doing a major motion picture in 2008, called, Horton Hears A Who, starring Jim Carrey.

The Lord is SHOUTING to the nation! Will we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying?

A great convergence is upon us. If the Church understands the times and what God is seeking to bring forth, we can shout to the nation, before the movie comes out, that Horton Hears a Who is about the ending of abortion–so when millions of people watch the movie, they will all be thinking, “A person’s a person, no matter how small–The Whos are the unborn!”

Can you see it? This is God’s trumpet to the nation! God is marching out, shattering ideologies, and moving His great Mind and Heart into the earth. He moves the media and makes it His pawn. Oh, the brilliant Wisdom of God! He takes a book out of the archives of history that millions have read since 1954, pulls it out, and slams it into the present through a movie. The light penetrates the lie, the armor of the strongman is stripped away, the demon is named, and can now be cast out!

Oh God, we need a national exorcism of this spirit of death that has ruled over us for 34 years! Every voice must be counted. Buy the book! Spread it around! Start children’s prayer meetings to end abortion! Support crisis pregnancy centers! May your voice be heard in your voting. Pray for Jim Carrey to be radically saved—he could shout to the world, “This movie is about ending abortion!”

A young woman had a dream knowing nothing of the movie or Jim Carrey’s involvement. She dreamt that Jim Carrey was a Christian and that he was carrying a briefcase with two books in it. The first one was called, Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, by Derek Prince, and the second one was a book called, Mobilizing The Army of God. Could this man and this movie mobilize a pro-life army of young people who will fast and pray for justice?

The front page of Time Magazine (last year, 2007) showed a hand with four different-sized fetuses resting on it. The article is saying that there are more crisis pregnancy centers than there are abortion clinics in America, and that abortion is at its lowest rate since the beginning years of when abortion was legalized. In the same magazine, there is an article about Jim Carrey, and he is seeking spiritual enlightenment, but doesn’t know Jesus yet. Save him, God!!!

“It is time for all the Whos who have blood that is red to come to the aid of their country, he said.” Suddenly, Dr. Suess kicks out of Who-ville and into national prophecy, not even knowing it. Christians must come to the aid of America carrying the Blood of Jesus, which alone can wash away our sins. It is not enough that Jesus died; the Blood must be applied to the doorposts of our national guilt. Oh, that millions of Christians would plead, “Jesus, I plead Your Blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. God, end abortion and send revival to America.” Go to www.Bound4LIFE.com to see how you can be a part of a mass movement of pleading the Blood of Jesus over our nation.

The YOPPS Must Be Heard

The voices of Jo-Jos just bouncing their yo-yos must now be heard. The Jo-Jos are Christians who are enjoying their comfortable careers, but are oblivious to the crisis. They are the youth in our Church youth groups who play with their iPods and who browse in their Windows. While living for entertainment, they have no idea that they were meant to be a part of God’s great movement to end abortion! Their voices must be heard now!!! Let Myspace® and You Tube™ become their Eieffelberg towers from which they shout out their YOPPS and their STOPS.

Why would God give this dream stream to a group of young people who pray everyday in front of the Supreme Court calling on God to raise up righteous judges who will reverse Roe v Wade? To encourage hearts and release a movement through their prayers! So that it will be said:

“How true, yes, how true,” said the big kangaroo, “and from now on you know what I am planning to do? From now on I am going to protect them with you!”

Brothers and sisters, let us believe that the Supreme Court will protect all the unborn little Whos, that God’s big dream will come true, and that all the Whos’ dreams could come true too.

It is profound that in the dream, the young lady saw not just one book, but a series of old books needed for the future. Read Horton Hatches an Egg. It is about a bird who wants to go play, rather than sit on her egg. So Horton, the elephant again, sits on the egg until the egg hatches. When the egg hatches, out comes, not a little baby bird, but an elephant with wings.

The moral of the story is this: he who cares for the unwanted child—that child will take on the nature of the one who cared for it. It is the spirit of adoption! God is calling the Church to adopt and care for the unwanted children in the nation. We have got to be Jesus’ love answer. We can’t just be pro-birth we must be pro-life!

Let the prophetic Church arise and carry the heart of Heaven! Let them hear The Call for united fasting and prayer on behalf of those who have no voice! Let the prophetic Church hear what the world can’t hear, and may they blow the trumpet once again, declaring, “God has a dream, and we have His dream, and millions will be mobilized to become the river of justice rolling down again…”

Lou Engle, TheCall

Spiritual Novacaine

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:03:26 GMT

At twilight on the eve of Passover God’s people were instructed to mark their doors with blood. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” It was a foreshadowing of the mercy that was to come for all those “under” the covering of the blood of the Jesus.

Ezekiel 9 tells of another marking that God instructed. It’s a story of a city under siege, yet the people refuse to turn to God their only source of salvation. Angelic guards were called forward and with them came another angel carrying a writing kit. This heavenly scribe is told to search throughout the people and mark only those that grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done. The guards followed him with destruction, and only those with the mark were passed over. How’s that for a picture of a guardian angel?

Why did God deal so harshly with His people? In His own words, “The land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’”

I believe a marking is taking place in our nation even now. Dare we go on in ignorance and say, “Surely the Lord does not see what’s going on”? I don’t believe that God is looking for those who are wringing their hands or simply shaking their heads in dismay. He’s looking for someone to connect with His heart and share in His desire for the nation–plans for good, plans for hope, plans for a future.

Who will groan with the Lord?

What effect does it have on you when you hear that 50 million innocent human beings have been killed? Joseph Stalin pointed out, “One death is a tragedy. One million is a statistic.” Do the sheer numbers fail to impact us with any reality?

How about this–the CDC just released a study showing that one in four teenage girls have an STD. That’s 3 million girls in America. Among African-American girls, the rate is 50 percent. How does that make you feel? Do you feel anything?

We do not perceive the pain of these numbers because we have anesthetized ourselves with spiritual Novacaine. The nerve endings of our spirit man are numb, so the tragedy continues without our awareness like some kind of moral root canal.

“Oh, that we would feel again Lord.” Somewhere along the way we were told that emotions are bad. I understand where this came from, but the danger comes when we cease to feel anything. We need to know how God feels. Not for an ecstatic experience, but so we can become like Him and join in His heart. If we attempt to engage God merely on an intellectual level, then abortion will never be more than an empty statistic; the girls walking into the abortion clinic in your neighborhood will be nothing more than a mélange of faces that all look the same.

We serve an emotional God. Don’t forget that you have relationship with Him because He first LOVED you. And He’s JEALOUS for you. I believe right now God is looking for spiritual moms and dads that will stretch themselves out over a generation and cry for life…for as long as it takes.

19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The LORD heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.” (1 Ki 17:19-24 NIV)

Is it any wonder that the Spirit of Elijah is marked by turning the hearts of fathers to children instead of fiery Mt. Carmel showdowns (Mal 4:5-6)?

Would you get privately before the Lord and ask Him to soften your heart all over again? Don’t be in a hurry either. Tell Him that you want to feel again. Ask Him to share his emotions with you. Ask him how He feels about this young generation. Extend your heart beyond your own home and begin to think about those in the high school down the street. What about the entire city? Allow Him to take you into His heart and share in the burden for an entire generation.

The Passover Lamb and the Great High Priest

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:24:36 GMT

This is a holy week for Christians. This past Sunday marked the celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry of Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” This Friday is when we observe his crucifixion before the chants of an angry mob. How’s that for a dramatic drop in the polls?

Easter is a moveable feast. The calculation of its date was set long ago, but the gospels place the events of Easter at the time of the Passover. The gospel of John actually puts the crucifixion on the day set for the slaughtering of the lamb. This weekend represents the centerpiece of the Christian faith–the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

The blood that He shed has made a way for us! He is both our Passover Lamb and the Sacrifice of Atonement. Two Jewish holy days came together in Jesus. The Passover celebrates the deliverance of the Hebrews from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. The Day of Atonement was set up for the high priests to present blood for the sins of the people. Jesus presented his own perfect blood in the heavenly tabernacle as our Great High Priest.

7 … For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Cor 5:7 NIV)

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. (He 6:19-20 NIV)

24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. (He 9:24 NIV)

Strict guidelines were given for the high priests to present sacrificial blood on the Day of Atonement. Only the high priest could step behind the curtain into the Holy of Holies beyond the eyes of man. The truth of the matter was that he might die in the process. A rope would be tied to him so that he could be pulled out if that happened. However, if he walked back out, then everyone knew that the sacrifice was accepted.

When Jesus died, he also performed a priestly administration of blood, which had to be carried out beyond the eyes of man. There was only one place he could do that, so he stepped beyond the curtain of death itself. He administered his own sacrificial blood in God’s presence. Then he walked back out! The resurrection of Christ is so much more than a wondrous miracle. When this Priest walked back out of death’s curtain, it proved to all that the sacrifice was accepted.

17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! (1 Co 15:17 NKJV)

Thank you Mel Gibson for providing us with such a powerful picture of Christ’s passion. This Friday (and every day) let’s look to the cross for God in his great mercy has forgiven us. Then let’s rejoice on Sunday that Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted. His blood is sufficient for all time.

The Value of Christ’s Blood

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:07:17 GMT

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (He 10:19-22 NIV)

What is the value of Christ’s blood to you? Maybe you’re thinking, “That’s a weird question.” Yet each of us must come to a personal understanding of the value of Jesus’ blood. What’s difficult is that we tend to assign merit to things based on the perceived worth to us. When it comes to blood, however, we must always view it based on God’s point of view and not our own. That’s when we cross into the realm of faith and can then begin to apply the Blood’s power.

“Now the whole trouble with us is that we are trying to sense it ; we are trying to feel its value and to estimate subjectively what the Blood is for us. We cannot do it; it does not work that way. The Blood is first for God to see. We then have to accept God’s valuation of it. In doing so we shall find our valuation. If instead we try to come to a valuation by way of our feelings we get nothing; we remain in darkness. No, it is a matter of faith in God’s Word. We have to believe that the Blood is precious to God because He says it is so (1 Peter 1:18-19). If God can accept the Blood as a payment for our sins and as the price of our redemption, then we can rest assured that the debt has been paid. If God is satisfied with the Blood, then the Blood must be acceptable. Our valuation of it is only according to His valuation–neither more nor less. It cannot, of course, be more, but it must not be less.”
-Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

I like that last part. Our value of the blood must never be less than what God says it is. In faith we accept the Father’s highest regard for the blood of His son. From that place we believe in its full power of redemption. We receive unmerited forgiveness of our sins as we watch Jesus’ blood wash us white as snow. We experience the cleansing of our unrelenting conscience that only his perfect blood can provide. We stand justified in God’s eyes, and step into a holy life through the blood of Christ. Glory!

You’ve been bought at a very high price, and God was the one that determined it. He does not discount you. You weren’t on sale. He paid full price!

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (1 Pe 1:18-20 NIV)

The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down and sing, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Rev 5:9 NIV)

Ask God for revelation on the Blood of Jesus. Let him reset your value of it today to match His own. Let’s stand together in faith for this nation to be transformed by that kind of knowledge.

What Will You Do With This Light?

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:52:36 GMT

We are all experiencing a dramatic development right now in the preaching of the Word. The Body of Christ is being exposed to the doctrine of shedding innocent blood at an unprecedented scale thanks to TheCall and God TV to name a few outlets. Tens of thousands are gathering in stadiums and living rooms around the globe to hear this mysterious truth revealed perhaps for the first time in their lives. This message is not a new one by any means, but it has been largely misunderstood and absent from our pulpits. It is not taught in seminary, yet it remains a basic truth that transcends both Old and New Testaments. It defies being dismissed simply as “an Old Testament thing” or something that doesn’t affect us anymore.

Without it there can be no strong case made for the immediate urgency for ending abortion. Without it abortion never rises beyond being an “issue” allocated to the extreme right wing of the Church.

But that’s changing.

First let me say that’s very sobering. Judgment isn’t based on the level of wrongdoing so much as it reflects the light God has given us. That means once we’ve heard the truth of bloodguilt, we are then held responsible for it. The message of Matthew 12:38-45 has to do with an entire generation being judged based on what they did with the light given them. Jesus said that the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba will rise up at the judgment and condemn an entire generation that rejected him.

What will it mean for our generation when God moves to set the captives of the womb free? If we continue to reject His light, then no excuse or alibi will remain. He will be completely justified as He was in the 1860’s. Abraham Lincoln understood this when he said,

“Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue . . . until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Isn’t it interesting that the Civil War was immediately preceded by the Second Great Awakening? God revealed Himself in greater dimensions, and with it came the exposing of His heart regarding slavery. Lincoln understood the times and seasons of his day knowing the importance of preserving the union at that critical moment. This generation is in a similar moment, and the future of the nation hangs in the balance.

But God is raising up deliverers right now. Be encouraged because Deliverers can mean only one thing–God intends to act. Rees Howells said that, “God Himself had declared war on Nazi Germany.” I believe that God Himself is moving to end abortion.

So this moment in time holds both a great question and opportunity. What will we do with the light that we have been given? Will the Church respond to truth, or will we turn away from this stark spotlight? Will we experience a dramatic turn like the people of Nineveh did, or will we be held responsible for the cumulative shed blood of the innocent like the generation Jesus rebuked in Luke 11?

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. 52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” (Lk 11:47-52 NIV)

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:52:48 GMT

I’d like to clarify some thoughts and motivation surrounding The Mercy Seat event on April 26th. Like most things there tends to be two extreme points of view concerning the future of America. One says that we’re the Promised Land and God will bless us. The other sees nothing but a nation overrun with wickedness and is eagerly expectant of God to pour out His wrath on us. I’d like to humbly put a little of this in perspective for the event.

First, can we all just be thankful that mercy triumphs over judgment? Embracing this eternal truth will do the most to reset your actions and expectations for the future. I have the utmost interest in working to better various aspects of government policy and society not just for me but for the sake of my children. I have two girls and two boys that are growing up quicker than I care to acknowledge. I refuse to have a retreat-ist mentality that says, “Well it’s all going to hell in a hand basket anyway.” I will not hunker down and just hope to hold on. Not for me, but mostly not for my children.

For those that believe that God is sitting on the edge of His throne just waiting for the opportunity to smite America I must disagree with you. If anything, I believe He’s on the edge waiting for the opportunity to visit the nation once again with great awakening. “Come Lord!”

However, I also reject the thought that we can just continue on a freight train of prosperity regardless of what we do. That’s ridiculous. But how do we live? Are we living lives that manifest this very attitude as we run after the American dream? Do we go on with life continuing in sin entertaining thoughts that God either doesn’t see or doesn’t care? Do we take no thought or care for the injustice in the land? Does the apparent lack of judgment on ourselves and our nation make us feel like God doesn’t really mean what He says? Tremble at that thought.

No, the reality is that this is a land of promise, but the fullness of God’s plans for us is contingent on how we align ourselves with Him–both on an individual and corporate level. That includes our lives, homes, churches, communities, states and nation. We are called to pray for His will to be done in the earth as it is in heaven. Law originated with God. He never abdicated earthly government…but the Church did. This is not an attack on democracy in the least, but I believe the Church is called to be the head and not the tail. We’re called to lead and not to follow.

I’m re-reading an old book right now by Frances Frangipane called America on the Threshold of Destiny (1999). I so appreciate his view that we are to take prophets of doom and wrath with a grain of salt. Warnings should always come with a promise of hope. And yet there are times when God’s people have to respond to the urgency of the moment. It’s the “who knows?” moments that the future pivots on. I believe April 26th could very well be one of those moments.

There is great urgency right now. Do you feel it? We probably don’t realize just how urgent it really is. God is sounding the alarm right now over the issue of abortion. This is a sound that the entire Body of Christ must respond to. This isn’t just a pet social issue that we can take up or set aside. God is broadcasting this call to His entire Church. The Mercy Seat on April 26th will play a vital role in mobilizing the Body of Christ to engage in unified prayer in response to that call. People have asked me, “What do you think will happen if we do this?” Honestly, my thoughts have been more focused on what might happen if we don’t. We must, “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God…” (Ro 11:22 NKJV). Does that qualify as being a prophet of doom? I don’t think so, but we must be willing to run into the gap and intercede on behalf of the nation. I believe the eyes of the Lord will meet us there (Ez 22:30).

Consider this: there’s a big difference between judgment and wrath. Corrective judgment is always guided by mercy. Wrath is the venting of His anger. Know that God loves this nation and the people in it a whole lot more than we do. We stand on the covenantal promises of all the godly men and women that have gone before us. If judgment does come, we can be assured that He will always use the least severe means necessary to reach the maximum number of people at the deepest level. Mike Bickle from the International House of Prayer recently made the statement that he does indeed have great hope for America…as long as we deal with the issue of blood. I agree with that contingency. How long can God delay justice for the oppressed?

Our corporate call right now must be for MERCY. When we cry out for mercy, we are scratching God right where He itches so to speak. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

“Intercession is the essence of the life of Christ. Jesus beheld the depravity of mankind’s sin. He did not excuse it. He examined it carefully, and then took the form of a man and died for it. He calls us to pattern our lives after His. Indeed, we are not minimizing sin when we maximize Christ’s mercy. We are not white-washing sin; we are blood-washing it.”
-Frances Frangipane, America on the Threshold of Destiny

Inside the Heart of Jesus

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:18:29 GMT

The following is a word put out today by Jill Austin of Master Potter Ministries

“I was inside of His heart! The incense! The thick heavy smells began to overwhelm my senses.”
-Jill Austin

Suddenly, I found myself on the chest of Jesus. Like John the Beloved, I could feel my face up against His linen robes–the soft fabric around my face. I could hear His heart–the sound of eternity–that gigantic chamber of love, embracing me. I felt so loved and so protected.

This intimacy of His heart went deep into my very being. Leaning! I was leaning deeper into His heart. I could feel His arms embracing me. And then, I could feel His heart open up. And I’m drawn into the literal heart of Jesus—the eternal residence of this tremendous heartbeat.

This heartbeat is resounding through all of eternity with the tapestry of sounds and rhythms. It’s a celestial worship. Oh, the worship! The glory! His heart was a literal chamber of chanting of prayers. A tabernacle of Glory! The Ancient of Days! This Jewish King!

“The incense…The thick heavy smells…The chanting!”

I was inside of His heart! The incense! The thick heavy smells began to overwhelm my senses. The chanting! There was an awakening of my heart to these ancient prayers to God. Holy! I’m going deeper into the thick smoke. I began to perceive that these walls and this tabernacle are not made of stone, but they’re made of flesh.

His heart was gigantic. There is this gigantic wall–like “Heaven’s Wailing Wall.” Every name, every individual, every face, every destiny, every dream was written on the wall of the Lord’s heart. But then, I could hear the intercessors and crying out from the lost, from the earth down below.

I could hear crying out, “Oh Lord! Lord, my father! Lord my father! He doesn’t know you! Lord, my mother she’s in so much pain! Lord, my children!” I could hear the cries and the groans of the intercessors, crying out for the lost. “Lord do you hear their cries? Will you save them?” There’s so much pain. There is so much anguish.

Heaven’s Wailing Wall!

And then, I could hear the Lord’s heart responding. His heart was breaking! This “Heaven’s Wailing Wall,” it was as though the whole wall was bleeding and crying and groaning in the depths of His being! To each one of the names written on His heart, He goes, “I know your circumstances. I know each one of you so intimately. I feel your pain. I know the anguish! I know the pain you’re going through. Will you come to Me? You are not forsaken! Come to Me! I love you!”

Sounds of War

And then, there were sounds of war. It was the sounds of war and violence as these two governments of God and satan are colliding. And then I saw these evil diabolical armies from all the nations of the earth surrounding this great city! I heard a cry! A cry within these ancient walls! The voice of Rachel, lamenting and crying out for her children!

And then, there was another sound. It was a sound that was deep in the heart of the Lord. It was a sound of groans. It was a sound of travail. And then, there was the sounds of the martyrs from underneath the throne, and they were crying out, “How long, Oh Lord? How long, Oh Lord? Will you avenge our blood?”

And then there were the sounds of the demonic, destroying! The sounds of demons, with suicide and hopelessness and depression, saying, “I will destroy you!” There were the sounds of disease, ravishing and destroying bodies! The sounds of tormented, demonized people crying out for freedom and deliverance!

There were cries of the tormented and of the lost. You see, even in Heaven’s heart the lost were crying out, “Is there a God? Does He feel my pain? Why was I born? I want to die! It hurts too much to live!”

I hear this great orchestration of all these prayers and worship culminating into a warring crescendo. Such glory! Such awe! Such pain! Such mystery! And then the Lord was interceding and dispatching warring angels. The heavens were at war.

His very heart became Heaven’s Wailing Wall! Weeping and proclaiming and calling forth the great love of His heart. He says, “I command My angels to go and war and set the captives free! So many need to come to Me! So many are lost!”

And then He said, “If you want to see My heart, the key to apostolic authority is love. If you want to move in signs and wonders, then you need to know My heart. If you want to see Heaven break into territories and take whole cities, then you need to move with this radical resurrection love!”

“You need to hear what I hear. You need to feel what I feel. Will you have My compassion? You need to have My heartbeat. Are you willing to be a deliverer? Will you let Me come and take My sword, and cut open and circumcise your heart—so that you will feel and so that you will bleed? So that your very heart will become ‘Heaven’s Wailing Wall?’”

“Will you feel the pain of the lost and the broken, so that you can intercede and cry out in deep prayer and travail? To help to birth My heart?”

“Can I write their names on your heart? Are you willing to become lovers? Will you love with My love? I’m calling you to ‘Heaven’s Wailing Wall.’”

Jill Austin
Master Potter Ministries

2008- A Year to Passover

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:06:13 GMT

The following is an excerpt taken from an 8-Day Prayer Focus to “awaken the reality of change” that was just put out by Chuck Pierce.

2008- A Year to Passover, Overcome, and Go Through into FREEDOM!

Purim fell approximately one month before the beginning of Passover. The Biblical Feast of Purim (Esther 9:18-28) is celebrated in the final month of the Hebrew calendar. I believe this is a significant timing so we end a season in victory and are freed to cross over into our future. Nisan, the first of months, begins at sunset on April 5. This leads us into our Passover season (Leviticus 23:4-8). Passover was the time of crossing out and over into FREEDOM! The dates of this Feast are very significant. Passover commemorates the final plague on Egypt when the firstborn of the Egyptians died and the Israelites were spared. Passover is linked with the power of the blood smeared on their door posts (Ex. 12:11, 21, 27, 43, 48). Passover was also called the feast of unleavened bread (Ex. 23:15; Deut. 16:16) because only unleavened bread was eaten during the seven days immediately following Passover (Ex. 12:15-20; 13:6-8; Deut. 16:3-8). Unleavened bread reflected the fact that the people had no time to put leaven in their bread before their hasty departure from Egypt. The observances of Passover are found in Joshua 5:10-12 (the plains of Jericho near Gilgal), 2 Chronicles 30:1, 3, 13, 15 (during the reign of Hezekiah); and 2 Kings 23:21-23 (Josiah’s unique Passover).

During New Testament times, large crowds gathered in Jerusalem to observe this annual celebration. Jesus was crucified during the Passover event. He and His disciples ate a Passover meal together on the eve of His death. During this meal Jesus said, This is my body, and this cup is the new testament in my blood (Luke 22:7, 19-20). The New Testament identifies Christ with the Passover sacrifice: For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. The word denotes the lamb that was slain at the feast (Mark 14:12-14; 1 Cor. 5:7). The use of wine (Luke 22:17, 20), of sauce with the bitter herbs (John 13:26), and the service of praise were introduced. Passover was a type of the great deliverance wrought by the Messiah for all His people from the doom of death on account of sin, and from the bondage of sin itself, a worse than Egyptian bondage (1 Cor. 5:7; John 1:29; 19:32-36; 1 Pet. 1:19; Gal. 4:4, 5).

Get Ready to Crossover! I would encourage you to read the chapter on The Blood War in God’s Unfolding Battle Plan.

One Mother's Intercession

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:50:50 GMT

The wounded mother Rizpah moved beyond her own pain and into the role of an intercessor. Her extreme stand on behalf of the nation paved the way for healing and restoration on a massive scale and serves as an example for us as we seek to reverse the curse that’s on our land.

There had been a famine in all of Israel and no one, not even King David, understood the cause. For three years straight this went on until David sought the Lord for insight. A curse had come upon the land, and its source was traced to a broken covenant under the previous leadership. It was because of King Saul’s bloody house, and no one knew what to do about it.

David asked the remnant of the Gibeonites what could possibly be done to make things right. The answer was surprising. They didn’t want money. They didn’t want land. They said, “Give us the seven sons of Saul to be hung before the Lord.” It wasn’t revenge or restituition. It was atonement. And so David delivered seven descendants, two of which were the sons of Rizpah. All of this took place during the Passover season.

What happened next is somewhat perplexing. The famine didn’t end. The scriptures tell us that Rizpah, this distraught mother, stood guard over the bodies from the barley harvest until the first rains came.

10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. 11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead… 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land. (2 Sam 21:10-14 NIV)

Rizpah kept watch over the sacrifice for month after month after month. Presumably, she was there for more than five months before the fall rain came. Commentaries, however, will tell you that the bodies would have fully decomposed after two months and that there would have been nothing left to protect. So why did Rizpah stay? The answer is stunning. Rizpah moved beyond being a grief-stricken mother to being an interessor for the entire nation. Her continued watch sent the crystal clear message, “The sacrifice cannot be in vain. I will not leave until we get rain!”

This intercession moved the heart of the king.

We are faced with a very similar scenario in America today. Perhaps you feel as though abortion does not effect you or that it’s not your responsibility. Jesus’ words bring the fear of God in our hearts as we read Matthew 23.

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! (Mt 23:29-32 NIV)

This same story is recounted in Luke.

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs… 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. (Lk 11:47-51 NIV)

We may entertain thoughts like, “I would have stood against the Germans that slaughtered the Jews in WWII.” The reality is that we approve of the legal aborting of innocent children if we do nothing to reverse it. This begs the question, “What will it mean for us if the bloodguilt of 35 years of legal bloodshed is downloaded on one generation?”

A generation has hung on the hill like the seven sons of Saul. And yet we have the promise of a better blood that God’s people can apply. The blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of 50 million children crying for justice. If we do not exalt the atoning blood of Christ in the nation, then another generation will have to hang on that hill. We must recognize that the land suffers under the curse of bloodguilt. This is tragic. But we must move even beyond our own pain and into intercession. Who will take a Rizpah stand on behalf of the nation exalting the blood of Christ? It is a determined, extreme stand to take. It is one that says, “The sacrifice must be honored. I will not leave until we get the rains of revival.”

Secret Identity

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:56:04 GMT

This evening will begin the first Jewish month of the year Nisan and the beginning of the Passover season. I just wanted to make a brief declaration to you as we officially begin this time.

It begins with a man named Mordecai, the adoptive father of Esther. The spirit behind Haman’s decree of death was already at work. Mordecai, a Jew, had previously been concealing his identity, but something shifted. He seemed to move out of identity crisis, and he began to stand against the evil man Haman by not bowing down. Ultimately, the stage is set for Haman’s demise, but it is the words of Haman’s own wife I would like to highlight.

...Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared. (Es 6:12-14 NIV)

You see it was Mordecai coming to a realization of who he really was that set events in motion. Now take a look at another case of questioned identity.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Mt 16:13-18 NIV)

Our identity comes from the revelation of who He is and who He says we are. Beloved I ask you, are you the children of the Living God? If that’s really who you are, if that’s your true identity, then I declare that no decree of death or even the gates of Hell itself will be able to stand against you.