Persistent Prayer

"And he said 'let me go, for the day breaks'.  But he said,
'I will not let you go unless You bless me."'
Genesis 32:26

If you were to do a study of the life of the Jewish patriarch, Jacob, you would discover that most of the time he sets an example you would not want to follow.  His life is filled with striving in the flesh. He was clever, true....yet relied on his own abilities and not the Lord.

In Genesis 32, we find the turning point in Jacob's life and an example for us to follow. Sadly, it took Jacob being crippled to bring an end to his self-will, yet from this we receive a powerful example.  In his brokenness, Jacob latched onto the Lord and would not let go and kept begging for the Lord to bless him.  As a church, we can easily fall into the trap of trying to reach the world by  our own wisdom, programs, and abilities. What the world needs is a church that understands its own inability, yet will desperately cry out to God on behalf of the world. My hope is that we will be  a church that will latch hold of God and persistently intercede for salvation and revival.

Gracious Invitation

 
"But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully and killed them."
Matthew 22:5-6

In this parable of Jesus, we are told of the response of some people to an invitation by a king. Judging by their response, you would think he invited them to a funeral or a time share presentation.  The astounding point of this parable is that the king hadn't invited them to something dreadful, but to something wonderful...his son's wedding feast.  Those invited should have been honored, but instead, some disregarded it and others were angered by it.

We have seen throughout history and even today the same response to our King's gracious Gospel invitation.  His summons is not something bad, but to a blessed eternal feast with his Son.  Sadly, rather than being humbled by His call, many ignore it or are angered by it.

We are the King's blessed servants whom He has entrusted with His divine invitation to man.  As we bring the King's call to the world, it's important to understand that man's rejection of the King's invite does not reflect on the wonderful grace  of His offer, but it reflects the nature and heart of man.  We must never allow indifference or flat out rejection rob us of the joy and goodness of the Gospel entrusted to us. Be bold & invite!