Saturday, January 29, 2011

Bob Jones would be a failure as a Prophet in some Places

No matter what you think of Bob Jones (I have a high opinion of him just to set the record straight) he would not be very successful as a prophet in many of our churches. He's slow, quiet, deliberate and pauses to hear from God as he speaks. When he's done hearing from God he stops prophesying. He only says what God says. I want to be more like that. Few words then stop.

That doesn't seem to be the prophetic pattern in many churches.

I don't think Jesus would be a very effective prayer leader at some gatherings:

Jesus raised up a long dead man by Praying this (John 11):
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42: And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43: And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44: And he that was dead came forth


I wonder if we could be so in tune with the heart and purposes of God that we could speak with that same authority in our churches...simple, pure, steady and then ONE COMMAND on all creation. Remember Jesus did this as a MAN. Not as God. Just like we are supposed to.

I don't think he would be in the flow of many of our fellowships.

Perhaps it's time to slow down, speak with authority out of intimacy with the father and command all creation to come into line with the Word of God. I don't think people needed ear plugs when Jesus prayed.

In fact I'm guessing that when Jesus prayed over his Disciples (John 17), it was a pretty intimate moment. That's what a sound system should do, allow for greater inclusion. I'm not convinced we have that figured out. The Disciples asked him, don't teach us to cast out demons, don't teach us to raise the dead or feed 5000. They asked him: TEACH US TO PRAY

I suspect that these prayers drove that request.

The 27 Recorded Prayers Of Jesus


1. Praying prior to Bethlehem (Hebrews 10:5,7)

2. Praying at His baptism (Luke 3:21,22)

3. Praying before His first preaching tour of Galilee (Mark 1:35-39)

4. Praying after the healing of a leper (Luke 5:12-16)

5. Praying before choosing the twelve disciples (Luke 6:12,13)

6. Praying after being rejected by certain cities in Galilee (Matthew 11:25)

7. Praying prior to the feeding of 5000 people (John 6:11)

8. Praying after feeding 5000 people (Matthew 14:22,23)

9. Praying as He healed a deaf man (Mark 7:32-37)

10. Praying prior to feeding 4000 people (Mark 8:6)

11. Praying before Peter's great confession (Luke 9:18; Matthew 16:14-17)

12. Praying during His transfiguration (Luke 9:28-35)

13. Praying after hearing the report of the seventy (Luke 10:17-19, 20, 21)

14. Praying before teaching the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1; Matthew 6:9-13)

15. Praying at the grave site of Lazarus (John 11:41, 42)

16. Praying over little children (Mark 10:13-16)

17. Praying in the temple on Palm Sunday (John 12:20-28)

18. Praying over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 19:41-44)

19. Praying in the upper room prior to His death (Matthew 26:26-28)

20. Praying for Peter (Luke 22:31-34)

21. Praying His great High Priestly Prayer (John 17)

22. Praying in Gethsemane prior to His death (Mark 14:32-42; Matthew 26:39-46)

23. Praying on the cross (Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:46; John 19:30; Luke 23:46)

24. Praying at His resurrection (Hebrews 2:12,13; John 20:17)

25. Praying at Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)

26. Praying at the Ascension (Luke 24:50-53)

27. Praying today for the believer (Romans 8:34; I John 2:1; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24)

LORD teach us to PRAY!

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