Opinion. Observation. Application.
Today, Wednesday, October 28, 2020 is 6 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. This is an exciting “Window” of opportunity to not only pray–but experience God’s presence in answer to our prayers. I have been calling the 40 days leading up to November 3, 2020 the “40 Day Window of the Watchmen of Prayer.” My challenge each day is to set your prayer alarm for 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; 6 PM (whatever your time zone) and pray repentance for our sins as a nation and thanksgiving for God’s presence we are able to experience. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN US IN THIS ENDEAVOR! Pray from your heart. If you have other needs, lift them to God after you pray repentance and thankfulness. Yesterday I mentioned we need to pray, turn it over to God, BUT REMEMBER TO VOTE. I have a story to tell about the first time I voted at 18 years of age, but I am going to wait another day or two. Today, I have another thing to focus on. I want us to consider the surge in COVID cases in our prayers. There are things that are so important for us to consider in light of this harmful and deadly disease. It is important for us to consider how easy Americans have gotten off for so many years. The rest of the world struggles in health related ways and rarely have we had things to deal with that are this deadly. We need to always be thankful for God’s mercy. If we thank God for His provision and protection we are more likely to experience it because our eyes will be tuned and focused to see it. If we become bitter, resentful, or have an attitude about what we have lost, we are more likely to be pulled into the dark pit. KEEP BEING THANKFUL FOR THE LIFE GOD HAS PROVIDED. IT IS ALWAYS THE BETTER WAY!It is important to consider others above yourself. A clear Scriptural imperative is to “love your neighbor as yourself”–“Do unto others the way you would have them do unto you”–“Think of others before yourself”–“Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought”…..I read people posting that Timothy passage about the End of Times where “people will be LOVERS OF THEMSELVES.” It is so important (right here–and–right now) for us to look at every situation/every step we take and ask ourselves: “WHAT REFLECTS ME PUTTING OTHERS FIRST IN THIS SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE?” If you put others first, you will never error. It is important to consider time is getting short. COVID 19 is another reminder that last Book of the Bible is not just “made up.” (If I get a chance in the next week or so I want to talk about those “murder hornets” they discovered up in Washington ). Is everything “up to date” in your life? Are you “up to date” with God? Are you “up to date” in your relationship with others. It is important for us to be up to date and teach others that NOW is the time to be up to date and stay up to date. Thanks for joining with us in prayer at 9–NOON–3–and 6!God Bless and Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Tuesday, October 27, 2020, is 7 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. Last evening at 9: 15 PM Eastern Time, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court! Deepest appreciation to all of you who have been praying for her and her family during this time of confirmation. Those of you who have followed our ministry from the earliest days know how often I have talked of the moment when we finally (PRAYED-IN) a majority on the Supreme Court of Constitution Originalists, who believed their place was to truly be the third branch of our Government who ruled on the Constitutionality of the laws created by the Legislative Branch and Executed by the Executive Branch. There was a time back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I started taking law courses to research and discover as much as possible about our religious freedom and the Constitution. BTW–I only got about 5 courses in. Deepest respect to my attorney friends–that is hard work! I don’t “think like an attorney” enough to understand or follow legal proceedings. BACK TO THE WORK BEFORE US! We have 7 more days to be “Watchmen on the Wall of Prayer.” Let’s set our prayer alarms and pray like the ancient “Watchmen” would give the report at the top of the hour on the quarters of the day. Set your prayer alarms for 9 AM; NOON: 3 PM; 6 PM. Let’s pray for repentance of our personal and national sins, and for our thankfulness for God’s provision and presence. Further, pray from your heart about what is before us in this election. There are plenty of implications and things to pray for, but let’s turn this election over to God. I believe if God were to be standing before us at this moment He would say to us: “TURN THIS ELECTION OVER TO ME.” We have to “turn it over to God.” Period. WELL…MAY BE ONE MORE THING: Vote. Don’t forget in the middle of all this praying, vote yourself! Those of you who follow these thoughts who are not from the United States, please pray for us. Pray that we will prayerfully turn this election over to God AND we all vote. God Bless and Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Monday, October 26, 2020, is 8 days from November 3, 2020, the Election Day in the United States. It has been 50 to 60 days ago God started speaking to my heart about the meaning and importance of “40” in Scripture. As we closed in on 40 days before this year’s Election Day, I had a spiritual quickening that this 40 days was a “Window” of opportunity for us to tune in and really pray for God’s presence and direction. All of it in the shadow of the importance of repentance. The final concept was that of the “Watchmen” from ancient times. The “Watchmen on the Wall” would observe the horizon with vision and perception and every quarter of the day starting at 9 AM, then NOON, then 3 PM, then 6 PM, give the observation verbally. There were no TV cameras or internet so you had to send someone from your family or neighborhood to the Gate of the City to hear the report of what was happening in the outside world. The “40 DAY WINDOW OF THE WATCHMEN OF PRAYER” came out of that month of prayer/thought/study. Facebook (and my blog on a tab of my website tcrg.org) have been my “Platforms” to challenge everyone who would listen and heed the call to set your prayer alarms at 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; and 6 PM and pray repentance and thankfulness to God and our need for His presence and direction in our lives and the life of our nation. Eight days are left to join in. I am heartfelt in my appreciation for all of you who have joined and shared in this 40 Day Window of the Watchmen. When I heard this idea I knew it wasn’t something you could “brand and sell” like so many ideas Pastors use and implement today. As the days have unfolded we have watched the different dynamics play out and those dynamics are compelling! Today (or as I understand it)–TONIGHT, with 8 days left could be one of those “WINDOW MOMENTS.” It was reported that tonight could be the vote on Judge Barret’s confirmation by the United States Senate to be the next Supreme Court Justice. I am encouraging, challenging, pleading, (begging) you to set your prayer alarms for 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; and 6 PM to pray intensely for/on this vote for tonight (or when ever it could happen, but it needs to happen sometime in the next 8 days), because this is the Window of opportunity for the clear majority of the Supreme Court Justices to be returned to “Constitutional Originalists.” “Originalists” in that they seek for the laws of our land in the United States to be interpreted through the vision of of what the Constitution actually SAYS and not the idea of interpreting the Constitution through the vision of “what the Founding Fathers meant if they lived today.” (A far-reaching and far-fetched approach to our 3 branch system of government). The truth is, none of us know how Judge Barret, when she is confirmed as Justice Barret will rule on any case pending on the schedule (docket) of cases that have gone through the lower courts and are reaching the Supreme Court. The belief is if you confirm a “Constitutional Originalist” to the Supreme Court–AND–you have a majority of Justices who are “Originalists” then (because the appointment and confirmation is a life time term) you can (over time) create an environment of law and order through the process created and prayed over by our Founding Fathers more in line with the freedoms, respectfulness, honor, and love the United States of America was created. The true importance of the moment of Judge Barret’s confirmation is not whether they will over turn this case or that case–the true importance is that we will be able to finally be able to REPENT AND ASK GOD’S FORGIVENESS because during our “Watch” (get it, we have ALWAYS BEEN “Watchmen on the Wall”)–during our “Watch” be weren’t keeping an eye on the things the enemy was using to use against us. The “interpretation” of when life begins is a good example. Generally speaking a “Constitutional Originalist” believes the Constitution of the United States PROTECTS a baby in its mother’s womb because the baby is a baby (a protected life) NOT a mass of cells thrown together that is less than the life carrying the baby. I want this to be thoughtful and prayerful, not ugly and judgmental–we need to ask God’s forgiveness every day for the 62,000,000 babies who have been aborted since the early 1970’s. We need to repent and intercede for those who don’t realize the level of sin and the outrage it is to God. Next up–I really don’t know, and don’t know anyone who can/could really predict how “Constitutional Originalists” will interpret the law of the land known as “Obama Care.” In the political circles around the United States Senate they know there is a challenge to Obama Care coming up before the United States Supreme Court and in their hearings, the Senators have been asking Judge Barret where she stands on it. The Supreme Court will make a ruling as to whether the Health Care Reform Act enacted under President Obama’s administration is Constitutional or not. I DON’T KNOW–REALLY DON’T KNOW. I do believe we need to pray for the Justices of the Supreme Court during their process of review of the law. It is important to many people for many reasons. The Apostle Paul encourages us to “pray without ceasing” and it is clear why we should always be in an attitude of prayer–BECAUSE THERE ARE A BOAT LOAD OF THINGS TO PRAY!!! Today is a very important day!God Bless & Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Sunday, October 25, 2020 is 9 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. “Election Day” is beginning to have a whole new meaning in the United States with the millions of people who have already voted either via mail-in ballot or early voting options. Regardless of (when) the voting takes place, November 3 is the deadline to vote in our elections in the United States. Leading up to the November 3, 2020 we have been joining together to pray for our nation. We need God’s presence and help in our time “of trouble.” I have been seeing it from an ancient Biblical view of the “Watchmen on the Wall” of Jerusalem. At the top of every quarter (the “Watch” is spaced in 3 hour intervals): 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; 6 PM (in whatever time zone you live) we stop and pray for repentance and thankfulness–repentance of sin and thankfulness for God’s blessing in our lives. Set the alarm on your phone and join us. We started 31 days ago, but TODAY to get started is perfectly fine–glad you found us! Please join us. Setting a prayer alarm for 9–Noon–3–6 (four times a day) will certainly interrupt your life, but we probably could use some “spiritual interruption” from time to time. God’s basic relationship is with an individual. YOU. God’s basic relational unit is His personal relationship with YOU. You don’t have to “go through” someone else or some–“thing” else to relate to God. This is by God’s design, not man’s design. If it were left up to (humankind) a human would make you believe you have to go through them (a certain human) to get to God. I need to jump in with a touch of theology, but please read on, (I am coming to a point, but don’t want to lose you). Theologically–our sinful nature separates us so far from God He can’t (couldn’t) even look at us, but Jesus took all of the complication of the sinful nature on Him. When we open our lives to Jesus–repent of our sins–and invite Him in, the wonderment of a personal relationship with God is restored. Note that Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by (through) Me.” Don’t let the tricks and schemes of organized religions and their practices make you think there is some other way to get to God, or some other way for God to relate to you. Many religious leaders take it upon themselves to “rally” you as cheerleaders to their own particular brand of religion. Some go so far as to provide “criteria of acceptance” into their brand. Others lay it out so it is “easy” to believe. Still others lay it out so it is “hard and difficult” to be accepted by their religious community. All of these schemes are often unwittingly done to appease human pride or human gain–not the EDIFICATION OF THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE. Here is the thing–when you come to terms with the idea that God wants to relate to me personally and that happens through a personal relationship with God THROUGH CHRIST–organized religion has a place to play in regard to developing your relationship with (and in) God deeper and richer, and better equipped for the next step of this journey.Here goes the next step:GOD WANTS US TO SHARE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM–WITH (AND INTO) THE LIVES OF OTHERS. Part of relating to God is to realize God’s desire to relate to EVERYONE. God’s deepest desire is to speak and relate to you in such a way you can relate His great love to others. WE HAVE COVID 19 TO THANK FOR HOW THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S GREAT LOVE NEEDS TO SPREAD TO THE WORLD–One. Person. At. A. Time. Just like COVID 19 spreads from person to person, so the love of God–the message and teachings of Christ needs to spread from person to person. Person to Person Contact. The enemy is using the disease of COVID 19 to hurt, to scare, to kill, to destroy through the basic process (PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT) that God gave us to advance HIS (GOD’s) message of love to this world. God help us to learn the lesson of Heart to Heart–Person to Person advancement of HIS love. God Bless & Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Saturday, October 24, 2020, is 10 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day, in the United States. We are still in the ” 40 Day Window of the Watchmen” (of prayer) leading up to our Election Day. Just like the “Watchmen on the Wall” in ancient Middle East, the “Watchmen” would stand guard with eyes positioned in all directions. The “Wall” was large and thick and protected the citizens of the walled in city from all enemies. However, the Wall was only as good as the people watching for approaching enemy attack. The sharper the eyes of the Watchmen and the clearer the alarm of harm OR even the assurance of the safety–crying out “FRIENDS ARE APPROACHING FROM THE EAST” or “THE ENEMY APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH WITH 20,000 STRONG”–Would give the citizens a time of preparation. The keener the Watchmen, the quicker the citizens could or would prepare. In the context of my challenge leading up to Election Day: Please set a prayer alarm for the ancient reporting time–the quarters of the day time: 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; 6 PM. Next, join Marceil and me in a prayer of repentance for ourselves and our nation, followed by a prayer of thanksgiving. Each day I have been presenting a “prayer model” for what I have been thinking, but today (with 10 days left before the US Election Day) I have a different suggestion. After you pray for repentance and thanksgiving, please pray for a spiritual “quickening” for people to be discerning, wisdom, and responsible citizens. If you are an international friend, who is not an American, please pray for us. As citizens we have become misguided and misinformed at too many levels. I mean no dis-respect (I SERIOUSLY MEAN THIS)–I want to challenge you and your family and friends, not “beat you up.” This was easier when I led from a pulpit, but now I have to write it out. Ha! My “pulpit” has become a post and a blog. The hardest part of this is, rarely do I get a chance to really “cut loose” in a pulpit. Most of the time when I am asked to preach the Pastor is in a “series” and actually presents me with their notes to use as a guide. In fairness, I am told: “Adapt this any way you want,” but the truth is–from someone like me who doesn’t have a public pulpit (and generally a prophetic approach to preaching in the sense of “forth-telling” NOT FORE-TELLING), it is a boundary and limiting of what God wants to use me as a voice into our culture and lives of people. THANKS FOR LETTING ME GET ALL OF THAT OFF MY CHEST. (Not that you had any choice)–Ha! (No wonder I get an outline of what to preach). Double Ha! Here is what I want to speak into our culture: 1. READ! When was the last time you read something for yourself rather than heard it from a speaker, a “pundit”, or someone spouting their opinion. There is a vast universe of “success through acquisition of information” if we would just invest some time in reading. YouTube videos are great–but you can watch three different videos and get three different approaches of how to put something together. Watch all 3 videos! Then decide YOUR best approach. I am saying read, listen, contemplate, pray, and THEN DECIDE. Let God speak to you. By the way–over the years–I have harped on the single most important thing we can do for our children around the world was to teach them to read–AND HELP THEM ENJOY READING. When we tried some initiatives in Haiti it was always with the basis of teaching the Teachers how to best teach children to read so that the children could read their Bibles as a first and most important resource to morally successful living. 2. Try to curtail drinking from the FIRE HYDRANT OF OPINIONATED INFORMATION. I don’t really know how to tell you to stop it in your own personal world. Maybe there are certain people or groups of people you should stop “hanging out with” or spending time. Maybe we all need to take a searing self inventory of the amount of opinions we personally spout. It is tough to be brutally honest with self! The way to honesty in this regard is to ask yourself–“Do I spout a bunch of stuff I am thinking OR do I provide people with resources to form their own conclusions?” PLEASE DON’T JUST PASS OVER WHAT I JUST WROTE. I really don’t think we help people or our situations as much as we think we do. Help people along by providing them with tools to think for themselves. Encourage thoughtful dialogue EVEN IF it is different from your way of thinking. Stay unified in developing a point of view–not forcing your point of view upon others. Christ followers have the saying “God is in control.” If you really believe that, then you should also believe, I don’t have to force my opinion on someone. If I believe “God is in control” then I also believe God can speak into people’s life as they are open to reading, thinking, and understanding. LET GOD BE IN CONTROL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU BELIEVE AND SAY THAT HE IS IN CONTROL!3. Sorry to keep harping–I am serious–I AM TRULY SORRY TO KEEP HARPING about American civics. Our Founding Fathers created the 3 branches of Government so we could have what was believed to be “Separation of Powers.” The “Separation of Powers” was authored and proposed by one of our former Presidents (and lessor quoted), James Madison. George Washington was the first President and used James Madison’s work on the preamble of the Constitution and their discussions and writings during the Constitutional Congress sessions in Philadelphia to make it clear that the Presidency of the United States of America WAS NOT A MONARCHY. When Americans go to the polls on November 3, or vote absentee, or vote early, or vote by mail, we ARE NOT ELECTING A KING! We are electing a single person to be responsible to “EXECUTE THE LAWS HE/SHE HAS AGREED WITH PROPOSED BY CONGRESS.” I am not diminishing any of our candidates in my life time as far as their knowledge of this fact, but for some reason Americans talk in terms (and seem to believe at some level) the power of the Presidency is that of a Monarch (a King). When the candidates for President talk, they sound like they will become “Kings” when elected. The Executive Branch of the Government of the United States can’t legally do a fraction of what the candidates in the debates or their Political advertisements say they can do or promise to do! I am carrying on about this, because I am burdened by it, and think it needs to be a matter of thought, reflection, and most importantly PRAYER. Prayerfully consider that the “bones” (structure) of our great nation, the United States of America, is well thought out and was truly prayed over–but we have gotten our eyes so far off of God and on to our own selfish motivations/agendas that we lose our way. Hence, let’s set our prayer alarms and pray for repentance and thankfulness. God Bless and Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Friday, October 23, 2020, is 11 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. I have started every post out this way the last 29 days (those of you “following” already know this) because God spoke to me in mid-September to start 40 days before the Election Day to call people to prayer as “Watchmen on the Wall.” I felt God prompting me (notice I am not saying “Thus says the Lord….” because I don’t want you to stop reading this if this is your first time hearing about this idea). The idea was the “40 Day Window of the Watchmen.” Challenge everyone who will to set prayer alarms for the 4 Biblical “Watches” of the day–9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; and 6 PM. When the alarm goes off pray for repentance of sins for yourself and then our nation–FROM YOUR HEART. Next, prayerfully give thanks to God for His provision and blessing in our lives and to our nation.–FROM YOUR HEART. If the prayers are “FROM YOUR HEART” that is all that matters. The format or wording is not important to God, it is the heart! However, if you need a prayer type reminder here it is: “FATHER, WE DECLARE OUR REPENTENCE OF OUR SINS; WE EXALT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; WE EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS; WE LIFT OUR NATION BEFORE….PLEASE:FORGIVE US,UNIFY US,HELP US,DIRECT US,HUMBLE US,HEAL US,REVIVE US,RENEW US….”On this 11th day before the Election Day (and winding down on the 40 Day Window God has given us), things are heating up. The stakes are high and we have a (Window of Time) to seek and cry out to God for his mercy and help. There is all kinds of information, misinformation, truth and untruth that circulates every where from everyone–the media; the news; political advertisements; friends; families. I was especially taken by some political ads that came on back to back just before the 7 AM news a few minutes ago: Two candidates opposing each other in the upcoming election who went on TV and paid money to flat out attack each other on the exact same three or four issues–nothing really factual, but very personal. Watching the Presidential Debate last night it was staggering how the accusations fly and they are NEVER really answered, but diverted back to an accusation against the opponent. This is further complicated by you and me. YES–we are often accomplices to the corruption. How? We are accomplices when we continue on and on to defend someone when we don’t really know the truth about them or the situation, but we feel we have to “have their back” because people have heard us support them. (I know I am treading on thin ice–sorry about that–HOWEVER–let’s call it out). When you defend someone based upon your past support and not on the current facts, you are basing your current position on PRIDE. This came to mind last night when one candidate would say “you received millions of dollars from such and such foreign nation…” Instead of really answering the accused would say, “WELL…this guy (pointing to the other guy) did such and such….” Nothing gets answered or resolved. Johnny Cash wrote the song in 1970, “What is Truth.” He was talking about the war in Vietnam and the protests and unrest of the 1960’s–racial equality; young people trying to be heard; and exposing the hypocrisy of those older trying to keep them silent. Cash’s ideology was basically–“You can tell people to sit down, shut up, and do what you are told, but that will only last long enough for your own hypocrisy to be exposed.” What is the TRUTH? How do we know it? How do we navigate situations/circumstances/things said, so that we know or hear some truth? Answer: HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE OF MY ACROSTICS!!! I am 61 years old and communicate with acrostics. BOOM. What is T.R.U.T.H. ???T–Transparent. You will be hearing the truth when someone says things like: “That is partially true and partially twisted.” “I messed up.” “I am sorry about the part of that I had control and could have done it differently.” “There is some truth in what you are saying, but if you give me a few moments I can and will explain the situation, and then you decide the truth.” FURTHER–Transparency is not some forced or made up thing. Transparency means I am a sinner. I am saved from my sin only by God’s mercy, forgiveness, and grace. I must be forgiving of others (and not accusing of others) as well. PLEASE NOTE–WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE ACCUSE WITHOUT ADMITTING THEIR OWN CULPABILITY, YOU ARE NOT HEARING THE TRUTH. R–Real. You will be hearing the truth when you feel it. Truth is like cream content that is in raw milk. If you let the milk from the cow sit over night, the entire cream content will rise to the top. (If you have no idea what I am talking about I apologize–but it makes you a real “city slicker”–Ha!) Let things settle. When they settle, the truth rises. People and situations not motivated or driven by the truth usually talk not stop and don’t ever let things settle. They probably know if they didn’t keep stirring things up, the truth would come out. The person who talks and talks and talks is usually the person who isn’t real (and who isn’t telling the truth). U–Understanding. You will be hearing the truth when you seek to understand. Understanding comes through listening, NOT through talking. Listen. The truth is revealed through asking questions, not spouting opinion. T–Telling. You will be hearing truth when a leader “tells” NOT “sells.” Truth is a risky thing because it doesn’t manipulate you into a position. Truth is presented (the “telling”) and you decide. There isn’t some sales pitch or agenda. Truth is not a sales pitch or an agenda. H–Healing. You will be hearing truth when THE HEALING COMES! BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE–when you hear truth you generally will feel an “OUCH.” After the “OUCH” the healing will come. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!” “Set you free” is a healing process. OUCH–then AHHH…..pain and then healing. I hope this helps. God Bless and Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Thursday, October 22, 2020, is 12 days from the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. We are setting our prayer alarms for the 4 “Watches” of the day time–9 AM; Noon; 3 PM; and 6 PM. God challenged me to do this during the 40 days leading up to the November 3, 2020 Election Day. I am calling it the “40 Day Window of the Watchmen” (of prayer). At the 4 watches, I invite you to join us (Marceil and me) in a prayer for our nation of repentance and thankfulness. Pray from your heart, but if you need a prayer use this one: “FATHER, WE DECLARE OUR REPENTENCE OF OUR SINS; WE EXALT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; WE EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS; WE LIFT OUR NATION BEFORE….PLEASE:FORGIVE US,UNIFY US,HELP US,DIRECT US,HUMBLE US,HEAL US,REVIVE US,RENEW US….”Yesterday, Marceil and I were talking about God answering prayer. We began to recount the number of prayers God has answered in, through, and during the pandemic of COVID 19. As we were talking I remembered a conversation from my childhood between my father and his best friend. Dad’s best friend had lived a pretty much pagan lifestyle until moving his family out of state. We visited them about a year after they moved to Colorado. The friend was telling Dad about coming to the Lord and learning about the power of prayer. (This was years before my dad came back to the Lord, so Dad wasn’t exactly buying it, but I was always interested in the things of God so it really stuck with me). Dad’s friend, Don Tooley said to him, “John, I have learned that prayer is so powerful, we ought to be careful as to what we pray! Think of this John: What if Jonah was on the side of the ship with a fishing pole praying that he would catch a fish?!?” My dad chuckled in sarcasm, but it really stuck with me.Combining the conversation with Marceil yesterday AND the comment from Dad’s friend back in 1968, I have a couple of reflections about this season we are experiencing. “WHAT IF’S” 1. “WHAT IF” we were praying for people to look to God? Wouldn’t a way for that to happen be a world-wide event that caused people to realize there is something that is happening they don’t have any control?2. “WHAT IF” we were praying to be closer to God OR: “Help me become more and more like Jesus” OR EVEN: “Help me to draw closer to you?” Wouldn’t a way for us to “draw closer to God” be a time when he forced us to isolate and feel a form of “solitude”? SOLITUDE is a spiritual experience where everything is blocked out except the presence of God. Jesus constantly ran toward solitude. I know….I know…we always think in terms of the time Jesus spent with people, but the truth is every time he was with people, he jumped in a boat, to get across the Sea of Galilee so He could get time alone with God. Solitude with God–in prayer–in communion with the Creator of the Universe is a precious gift. BUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE WITH THE PRECIOUS GIFT WE GAVE US OR IS GIVING US DURING “STAY AT HOME ORDERS” OR REQUIRED QUARANTEED TIMES? Have we seen it as an answer to our prayers, and really leaned in and drawn closer? OR–have we whined, complained about our exhaustion of being isolated, and binged on Netflix? 3. “WHAT IF” we were praying the world would come to Christ? Wouldn’t a world-wide pandemic do it? No? How about if JUST THE CHRIST FOLLOWERS SPOKE UP; STOOD UP; SPOKE OUT; RAISED THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD; QUIT BEING SCARED AND FEARUL; and simply said it–COVID 19 is bringing me closer to God! COVID 19 is an answer to my prayers. COVID 19 is a terrible disease that wrecks health, takes lives, destroys economies, changes our way of life–BUT FORCES ME TO DEPEND UPON A POWER AND PRECENSE GREATER THAN MYSELF. 4. “WHAT IF” we pray for “God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven”–MEANING: I am praying The Lord’s Prayer over my life every day? COVID 19 is; can be; should be; applicable at some level to every concept in The Lord’s Prayer. However, for the application to make sense in the face of a world-wide pandemic means you have to–“DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW JESUS.” The surge in so many areas of the US, Europe, Israel, and in the rest of the world we don’t know about or get reported (of the COVID 19 virus) MAY JUST BE an answer to our prayers for our world! I’m not sure we understood how important those days were when we were shut down. I believe God cares so much about us/for us that He is divinely interceding for us to draw closer; to lean in; to learn of Him! God Bless & Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, October 21, 2020, is 13 days before the November 3, 2020, Election Day, in the United States. We are in/inside of/under the season I am calling the “40 Day Window of the Watchmen of Prayer” and asking everyone who will to set their alarms on their cell phones for “prayer alarms” at 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; and 6 PM to pray for repentance for ourselves and our nation of our sins and to thank God for His blessings upon us. Pray from your heart. If you desire to participate in a united prayer here is a suggestion: “FATHER, WE DECLARE OUR REPENTENCE OF OUR SINS; WE EXALT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; WE EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS; WE LIFT OUR NATION BEFORE….PLEASE:FORGIVE US,UNIFY US,HELP US,DIRECT US,HUMBLE US,HEAL US,REVIVE US,RENEW US….” They are calling it the “second surge” of the COVID virus. The Midwest is dealing with it very close to home. It took months for it to get here, but HERE IT IS. I know many felt like it was overblown and some felt like it was some kind of political conspiracy. We are literally “all over the place” when it comes to mask wearing or not–hunkering down in place or not–how far reaching the local, state, and national government can go or should go in response. In our local area, the Health Department spokesman mentioned Churches should all go virtual because Church attendance was the “main spreader” of the virus at present. (Or something like that) It is causing a lot of push back from Church Leaders. I’m not sure how far I want to “wade into” all the information. I definitely DON’T want to dive into opinions, because this “Window of the Watchmen” is simply about prayers of repentance and thankfulness—40 days of it. The drama of our time is evidence enough how necessary it is for us to pray at least 4 times a day for our family, our friends, and ourselves. However, there are a few areas I want us to wade into. My heart-felt desire is for these thoughts to be re-direction, not opinion. If you disagree or you feel a “check” in your spirit about any of this–please go with what God is saying to you and chalk it up with the idea that (I wrote this too early in the morning for people to be up writing posts. Ha!) BUT–if you are in agreement with me spiritually on these points, it is your spiritual responsibility to take on the mantle of them and believe, share, and walk in faith and freedom! We are past the time of just giving a “thumbs up.” We are past the time of saying “I am praying about that”–WE ARE IN THE TIME (AND A SHORT WINDOW OF TIME)–where we actually need to be “PRAYING ABOUT IT” and yielding to God’s control. 1. WE ARE AT THE END OF TIME BEFORE CHRIST’S RETURN. The Devil is trying to distract us even while he knows time is short. The streets of Jerusalem are literally silent. Marceil showed me pictures this week of how deserted old city Jerusalem is currently. The gates we know and love are closed. The Sacred Western Wall is silent. There is something happening in Heaven that defies all human logic. The Creator of the Universe is about to announce to the Archangel, Gabriel, to blow his horn! Jesus is about to split open the Mount of Olives and burst through the walled up Eastern Gate. We are moments away! Those deserted streets are about to be filled with the presence of Him they have (we all have) forgotten about. I have studied the Scriptures about this stuff my whole life. Marceil and I have even written a couple of books about the End of Time, yet, it is complex. Interestingly God didn’t lay it out in a way where we can have a comprehensive check list. Over the last 2000 years we have discussed it, argued about it, and studied it by the hours. Whatever belief or outlook you have about it–BELIEVE THIS: IT IS HERE. WE ARE HERE. THE TIME IS NOW. 2. We are living in a time that is like Noah getting the ark prepared for the coming rain. First, (like Noah) we don’t know all the issues we might face. He didn’t know how long he might be inside the ark. We don’t know (for sure) about a rapture (PLEASE, PLEASE, GO WITH ME, NO ARGUEMENTS, I AM JUST TRYING TO URGE YOU ON). Basically, there are more things we don’t know than what we do. (Honestly) Second, it is time to quit putting stuff off. Time is short and we must be urgent. Just like Noah had to get the animals in the ark to preserve them, who is in your life who doesn’t know Christ? You are present here and now to invite them into the (ARK) –the “ARK” in this case is eternal life through repentance and full surrender to Christ. 3. It is time to really analyze where you are investing your treasure. If your resources really belong to God it is time to USE THEM FOR GOD. Jesus taught us–“Don’t store your treasure here on earth where month and rust corrupt and thieves can break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where month and rust do not corrupt and where thieves can’t break in and steal.” Jesus went on to say, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also!” The teaching of Jesus is that we spend too much time on things that don’t matter. If your resources REALLY BELONG TO GOD, you need to invest those resources in ministries that are doing God’s work. Time is short! Don’t let God find you hoarding for yourself, that which belongs to Him. I have heard several people say recently, “I can’t give my money to the Church because I don’t trust what they will do with it.” I have a question to the folks who really believe that nonsense–CAN GOD REALLY TRUST YOU WITH IT? You are holding on to it because of some standard you set–(God didn’t set it). Let God deal with ministry leadership. James chapter 3 says those who lead ministries will be held to a higher standard. Let God deal with them. It is time for Christians to quit holding back and give like Jesus return is going to be by NOON today!4. This is the BEST TIME TO LIVE! Enjoy every moment. Live with energy and intention. Look for the “God Moments” in every moment. “Where sin abounds, grace abounds more”–that Scriptural concept extends into times just like this where people are nervous, exhausted, stressed, and desperate. The earth “oozes” and even “cries out” for God. The earth desperately misses those moments when God would walk in the “cool of the evening” with Adam. The Creator of the Universe had a master plan of you and me living in and tending a Garden. We were created for the environment of the Garden of Eden, NOT of stress, worry, and fear. So don’t stress, worry, or be fearful. “Greater is He that is IN ME”God Bless & Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Tuesday, October 20, 2020, is 14 days before the November 3, 2020, Election Day in the United States. On this 14th day before this election I would like to invite all of you (just as God challenged me) to be part of the “Watchmen of Prayer” during the 40 Day Window (leading up to the Election Day). We are setting our cell phone alarms as “prayer alarms” for 9 AM; NOON; 3 PM; and 6 PM each day using praying this prayer (not word-for-word, but as a template of ideas): “FATHER, WE DECLARE OUR REPENTENCE OF OUR SINS; WE EXALT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; WE EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS; WE LIFT OUR NATION BEFORE….PLEASE:FORGIVE US,UNIFY US,HELP US,DIRECT US,HUMBLE US,HEAL US,REVIVE US,RENEW US….”I heard a comedian say about the comedy sketches they are writing that this is an impossible time to try to be funny because it is like our culture is “hopscotching around land mines.” The vitriol (I hope I am using that word in the right context and not just trying to sound intellectual) and hostility in every word that comes out of people’s mouths is outrageous. WE SHOULD BE OUTRAGED. God has to be so disappointed in what we are doing to each other. The system of Government in the United States was formed and forged through layers and years of thought process, study, discussion, writing, and just plain hard work. The three branches of government: The Legislative (Congress) with two distinct bodies–House of Representatives and Senate makes the laws; The Executive branch executes those laws; The Judicial branch verifies the laws through a court process using our Constitution of the United States as the guiding principle. I didn’t start this post by thinking of posting a civics lesson, (but, you know what?)–AMERICANS NEED A CIVICS LESSON! Further, our POLITICIANS ALL NEED A CIVICS LESSON, Pick your favorite candidate (and it doesn’t matter who)–THEY ALL NEED A CIVICS LESSON. You and I just keep listening and picking up their phrases, their tone, and their attitude. Instead of focusing on what the real issues are, every single thing is personal because everything is focused on personal attack with venom, not on what really will help people in their lives. Where are the Christ Followers in this culture? We are the ones who lost our voice and our INFLUENCE because we didn’t read the Bible and understand that: OUR LIVES ARE NOT OUR OWN. Christ followers today are the ones who were given so many chances to make a difference in this cultural cesspool of sin before us, that we have forgotten the “weapons of our warfare are mighty.” HOW DID WE LOSE OUR INFLUENCE (I KNOW WE LIKE TO BE DEFENSIVE SO I WILL NAME A FEW WAYS). 1. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when we start doing “book studies” rather than Bible studies. When you spend your time studying what men say about what God said, rather than reading, studying, and sharing together what God actually said (and is saying), we lose spiritual traction and vitality. We have “watered down the truth that being a Christian and following Christ is hard work.” It is hard work. Jesus said that following Him requires us to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and following me.” How or why did we ever get to the point where we are afraid to tell people the truth about this? We think we are being “accepting” of people when instead we are afraid of actually laying it out for them to decide. We miss the truth of Jesus–(“If I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me”). Instead of lifting up Jesus, we are lifting up the “version of Jesus” we think is acceptable to people of our culture. Harsh? Maybe. (BUT TRUE). 2. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when we hold secret sins in our personal lives that we either will not or feel like we can not repent and turn from. We neutralize the Holy Spirit by living secret lives of sin and/or behaviors that no one else knows about, yet some how feel like “there is too much at stake” to come clean. I am declaring it right here and right now–COME CLEAN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! Repent, turn from your sin. LET GOD LOVE YOU! 3. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when our spiritual leaders spend more time “creating” a worship experience, and then “branding the SERIES” than they do actually listening to the voice of God and spending time with God in prayer. Modern worship is pleasing to the ears and exciting on the eyes–but is missing the spiritual center of bringing people to God. We use words like “exciting worship” and “energy in the room” rather than “I feel God moving deeply in my life.”4. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when we spend our time complaining about what we don’t have rather than express thanks for the blessing we do.5. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when we waste our time on personal pursuits and not investing our the most valuable asset God bestows upon us (Time) into and on pursuing God and His majestic presence in our lives, in our homes, in our communities, in our nations. 6. Christ followers lose the voice and influence of Christ when we live more and more in the pattern of the world. The more you live in the pattern of the world, the more you will become a “friend of the world.” The more you become a friend of the world, you become an enemy of God. Christ followers should love God and love others in such a way that forgiveness and kindness are the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth.” Instead of being critical, we should be forgiving others quickly and easily. Instead of judging the sins of others we should be kind to everyone. Accepting of sin? NO–but we all know there is a HUGE difference between acceptance of sin and being kind toward others (simply done but toning down the rhetoric and bringing down the attitude a few notches). COME ON. It is not that complex to apply the teachings of Christ to this sinful world. IT HAS TO START WITH ME. God has given me (us) a 40 Day Window of opportunity. An opportunity to pray for repentance, to be thankful, to forgive, to be kind, to intercede for others who haven’t received this level of conviction yet. LET’S BE CHRIST FOLLOWERS WHO RECOVER THE VOICE AND INFLUENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST FOR THIS TIME! God Bless and Much Love, Marc & Marceil
Today, Monday, October 19, 2020, is 15 days from November 3, 2020, the Election Day for the United States. In quick review, we are presently in the “40 Day Window of the Watchmen of Prayer.” During this period of time (and please know it is still not too late to jump in and join us), where we are setting a prayer alarm during the 4 daily “Watches”–9 AM; Noon; 3 PM; 6 PM and praying repentance and thanksgiving for our country. Please pray from your heart, but if you need a prayer example: “FATHER, WE DECLARE OUR REPENTENCE OF OUR SINS; WE EXALT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; WE EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS; WE LIFT OUR NATION BEFORE….PLEASE:FORGIVE US,UNIFY US,HELP US,DIRECT US,HUMBLE US,HEAL US,REVIVE US,RENEW US….”If we all join together it helps to push back the clouds of confusion, darkness, disunity, and distraction. The more the better so please share the idea with others if it touches your own heart. I (Marc) really feel like God has given us a “Window” of opportunity to make a real difference in our country. If we were each honest and felt like we could just “say it” I think each of us would admit–we really don’t like everything that is going on right now. Further (and if I were to wade into to it just slightly)–if we were brutally honest, we would admit to ourselves that even the political side we favor doesn’t really make us happy to be associated with it at times. I don’t believe we feel this way because we aren’t suppose to feel “comfortable” with/in political systems. Politics is the striving of the world. James explains to us “you can’t be a friend to the world and a friend of God.” “Anyone who calls himself a friend of the world, chooses to be an enemy of God.” Don’t feel bad when you aren’t comfortable with the man-made systems or organizational systems of this world. We pray and we trust God. Speaking of trust…..if we spend any time at all pondering the question: Do I trust God(?)–we should actually be challenging ourselves at a deeper spiritual level. The real question about trust should be: CAN GOD TRUST ME? Do you realize that everything you have in your life, God has entrusted you with? Your health, your family, your resources, the way you acquire your resources, every breath, every heart beat–is actually God’s trust in you (NOT YOUR TRUST IN GOD). Is God (right) in trusting you? Are you trusting worthy? A little strong for a Monday morning? I know, I know, everyone else is giving you “Monday morning encouragement” and I am giving you a Monday morning kick in the rear! Ha! But the truth is–we have become big babies and have weakened our God given, God inspired, God anointed place and privilege in Christ Jesus. “And they overcame him (the enemy) by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH.” (Revelation 12:11) The powerful Scripture of the OVERCOMER. Can God trust me with that? How can we NOT set four prayer alarms today? Fifteen days before an important Election Day and pray for repentance and thanksgiving. GOD CAN TRUST ME because I understand the power (AND RESPONSIBILITY) of using the greatest resource he provides (TIME) to intercede through prayer. God Bless & Much, Much Love, Marc & Marceil
