Nehemiah Prayer Vigil

When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious.  They plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.  So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.     Nehemiah 4:7-9

 

Dear Riverside Friends,

 

Please join us in prayer as we "watch the wall" over our community. The Spirit has been moving powerfully in our community, and we know as we work to "repair the walls" of our church, our families, and in all of our relationships, we will face opposition. We also want to pray over the transition as we move to our new facility.... We will pray to our God to overcome any opposition that might come against us. We will also pray prayers of repentance. We will begin a community wide 3 day prayer vigil at noon on Thursday, Sept 4th. It will end at noon on Sunday, September 7th. Sign up sheets will be available at the services on Sunday for 30 minute prayer time slots. 

 

Shema,

Sonia Roper

Jesus Clears the Temple

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.”

 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 

                                                                                                                                      Matthew 21:12-14

“Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.”(v.14) This is such a familiar story, but I never paid attention to the verse that followed the dramatic clearing of the temple until I heard a Bill Johnson teaching about the passage. He made a point to say that before Jesus could heal the blind and the lame, “He had to clear out the thieves. He didn't want to release blessing and share the glory with a defiled system of thievery. Jesus drove out this spirit, and when He did, another one was able to manifest.” This statement drew me up short. It was not the focus of Bill's message, but it was the message God had for me. It turned on that  proverbial light bulb in my head. I had been struggling with this reality; that even though many us love God and want to follow Him with all of our hearts, souls and might, we often get stuck in patterns of doubt, fear, pride, unforgiveness and assorted other sins. I'd been asking God, “Why is this so?” If we profess to trust you, know you and have faith in you, how can this condition be more the norm than the exception? Why do we get so stuck? 

God used Bill to draw me to this passage to answer my question. 

From this this passage, God  reminded  me that because of the work of Jesus,  we are the temples that house the living God now. He lives in our hearts. But we all have places, or dens in our hearts where we allow thieves to take up residence. Most of these thieves enter our hearts from past woundings. For some of us, we gave these thieves a home in our hearts so long ago, that we're hardly aware of the space that these invaders have taken over. We've gotten so used to operating on the limited free space that's available in our hearts, that we don't have any idea what the full joy and freedom that Jesus won for us, really feels like. Think of your computer's hard drive; when it's full of junk and short of  space, it doesn't operate very well. That's what out hearts are like too.  We house junk  in them (opposing spirits or thieves) and limit Jesus' ability to work in our lives. And that's why we're stuck. James also describes this principle when he says “... he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded  man...” Just like the clearing of the temple story in the book of Matthew, we need to clear out the opposing spirits in our hearts to keep from being stuck or “tossed about”. We need to make room for Jesus to work. Then a spirit of healing can be manifested and our faith can move forward.  We need the truth of the gospel to expose and penetrate those pockets in our hearts where thieves hide out and steal from us. God wants us to reclaim those areas for Him so that we can be free to live out the lives He planned for us. He's calling us to a personal temple clearing!

 Dear Jesus, expose those areas of our hearts that we have given over to the enemy. Just like You “cleared the temple”, help us to “clear out”  our hearts so that we can boldly and honestly proclaim that we “Love You with ALL of our hearts, ALL of our souls and ALL of our might. AMEN

Sonia Roper

WHAT DO I TELL THE HURTING ?

What do I tell the hurting Lord?
How do I ease their pain?
Help me to know and share Your heart ...
For Your thoughts and words are never in vain.
"Tell them they are not alone.
Tell them "I am."
Tell them to seek Me.
Tell them about the Ram."

God upheld the covenant of love,
so that Isaac could live.
He did the very same for us,
For Jesus, He did give.

"If I take something away,
I will always give something in it's place.
I have born the sin of the world...
giving you redemption in it's place.
What if I hadn't promised you?
What if I didn't care?
Surely it would look like I had abandoned you
or at the very least, ceased to care.

But you must know Me better than that - for
I will always care.  
As for my people who are crying out...
those who fall under your care...
release the Word that brings them hope...
and in My great power...I will take them
there.

"There" is the place where My Kingdom reigns,
where my Truth is abundant, where justice rules
and mercy triumphs...where all that is under My
authority prospers. Where the heart beats in 
perfect harmony with Me and where there
is unity in place of discord... joy in place
of sorrow and where a day is like a thousand years.

Tell them not to grow weary, to have faith and
stand firm.  Tell them to not look with their
eyes and expect to see... but to see from their
heart and expect to know. I've hidden these
things from the wise and prudent and revealed
them to babes so that those who earnestly seek me
would find the path that leads them "there." 

Tell them every time they feel defeated to 
think of my Son on the cross...despised, ridiculed,
hated, wrongly accused and dying...but even in 
suffering there is fruit and even in dying there
is life. 

For I do not give as the world gives and to those who overcome the world, I give the Kingdom and it is "there"....in your "overcoming," that My Kingdom reigns...whether through death itself, great sorrow or loss, it is that when you have done all - you stand. "Am I alone?" you wonder. 

"Is there anyone standing with me?" you ask. When you are really seeking,really listening, really believing, you know that... "I am."

Dear Riverside Prayer Friends,
Whether you've been following the Lakeland revival
or not, it is my hope that the 2 following letters
will greatly encourage, inspire and bless you.
They are amazing in themselves and filled with
great love, hope and strong belief in His power.
The power to change and transform the world one heart at a time
through an unlikely person in an often hostile and disbelieving world.
If for no other reason than to appreciate a man standing
up for a friend and another man's great appreciation
for the way God worked in his family through this
event, I hope you'll read them.
Sincerely and with Love,
Gina Higgins


From Bill Johnson Ministries' E-Newsletter July 2008

The Florida Outpouring
An Important Commissioning Service

Church history is loaded with successes and failures. For some reason this is especially true with the activity of revival. In time, all revivalists become heroes of the Church. But they are not always valued in their day by their peers. As my grandfather once told me, "Not everyone liked Wigglesworth." We love Wigglesworth today, but mostly because he is dead. We encounter his offensive ways in books, not in the same meeting we're attending. And when the Church becomes exposed to someone who is different, or even ministers differently, the insecure tend to criticize and reject him. Many of us have determined to change this bad habit. Some of the members of the Revival Alliance went to Lakeland, Florida, to commission revivalist Todd Bentley and welcome him into our network of networks. We refuse to leave our friend alone to face the opposition and criticism that has been leveled at him these past few months.

John Arnott, Che Ahn, and I were involved in the commissioning. Peter Wagner helped to spearhead the event. Peter's involvement was significant because he witnessed the difficulties that John Wimber went through when he helped to initiate a great move of God in the early 80's. Peter then watched John Arnott go through the same opposition some years later. He didn't want to see that same course of action affect another great move of God, or another great man of God.

I rarely make my letters and e-mails known publicly. Actually, this is the only time I remember doing so. But because of the effect sharing has had on our church, it was recommended I pass this on to you. I was asked: "How in God's name can you endorse Todd Bentley?"
This is my response:

Have you spent time with Todd? Do you know him? Have you watched him with his wife? Or have you seen how he treats his kids? Have you spent any time with his staff? Have you been to his ministry? Has he been to yours? Have you laid hands on him and prayed? Has he laid hands on you and prayed? Have you grieved over tragedy together? Have you celebrated victory together? Has he sought your counsel? Has he traveled a great distance just to meet with you privately for advice? Have you ever received his counsel? Have you been in the room when God has shown up on him and used him in stunning miracles? Have you seen him operate in the word of knowledge or the prophetic? Have you met with his council of elders? Have you personally benefited from his gift? Has he benefited from your gift and ministry? Has he ever honored you for who you are in God? Has he partnered with you as a friend? Have you sacrificed for his welfare, or that of his family? Have you sought God with him? Have you ever worshipped the Lord with him?
I didn't think so. I have.

And I'll continue to support those who I have walked with in life and ministry. He's my friend. More importantly, God calls him friend. And if you and I were ever friends on that level, and people hated you and turned against you, and started web pages to tear down your ministry, and criticized you to your friends, and wrote against you in Christian magazines, and criticized you on the radio and wrote e-mails to other conference speakers and authors, I'd still be your friend.

By the way - criticism in the form of a question is not a question. But to respond to your statement, "How in God's name can you endorse Todd Bentley?" It's easy. I do it in God's name.

Todd is a good friend, but more importantly, he is a friend of God. I've met very few people in my life who are hungrier for God and will take extended periods of time just to seek Him. God has entrusted him with an extraordinary outpouring for a reason - He can trust him to do whatever He says, regardless of the opinions of others. He is bold - amazingly bold. The miracles are legitimate and increasing. The Church of America has asked for a great revival. God wonderfully placed this move in a package that few would have expected, just to see if we're as hungry as we say we are.

Thanks for your loving support of this ministry!

Much love,

Bill Johnson


A letter from Sonia Roper's brother-in-law's experience at Lakeland:

"Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Luke 7:22-23

Is the revival in Lakeland genuine?

Yes.

It's hard to say what we went there to see, and thus it's easy to say that what we saw, what we experienced, was anticlimactic. None of us were "slain in the Spirit", we saw no astounding creative miracles, we did not have visions of Jesus or of angels, nor did we receive any profound teaching. If we were seeking signs alone, we would have come away greatly disappointed. Nevertheless, the outpouring is real, the Spirit Who gives it is real, and the Jesus we serve is very real indeed. The issue, I begin to understand, is not to focus on the signs and wonders, but on the Giver of the signs and wonders. Just like John the Baptist, whom Jesus testified was the greatest man who ever lived, we can get caught up in doubt if we in our flesh we emphasize what we expect to see rather than what the Lord God wants us to see. If we make that mistake then we will be offended by Him and we will miss His great blessing for us.

So what did we see? Let me say what I saw, for Charlayne, Shannon, and Katie each have their own stories.

- I saw my daughters enter into a level of worship of the Holy God that I had not seen on them before. I saw them abandon themselves in adoration of Jesus, along with hundreds of others crowded up close to the stage. I saw them lead us, the parents, up the front so that we could all press in to the Spirit of the Living God as He came down. We did not have to drag them there to Lakeland; they went willingly to meet their God.

- I saw people overcome by the Holy Spirit, collapsing in tears of repentance or in fits of laughter at the holy joy of God's Presence.

- I saw people delivered from great bondage to sin, addiction, doubt, pain, and much more that held them back from the fullness of life that Jesus wants us all to have.

- I saw total strangers reaching out to lay hands on those in need and to pray for them, and I saw those prayers answered.

- I saw people come with faith to have blind eyes and deaf ears opened, troubled minds restored, crippled bodies made whole, and wasting addictions cancelled. If God did not perform these miracles on the spot, then that does not make Him any less God. He will heal and deliver in the way and time and place He chooses. Our task is only to believe and not doubt.

- I saw hope where there was none before. I saw a commission of the Holy God on His people.

Those of us who came to Lakeland already possessing a measure of wholeness should not expect more; rather we should expect a confirmation of a divine calling. That is what I experienced. Just as Jesus went about doing good, destroying the works of the devil, so must we; so must I. The task is to bring relief of suffering to those who hurt and to acquaint those who do not even know that they hurt with the fact that they are stricken unto death. Without Jesus all - from the most comfortable to the most pained - are only marking time until they enter the tomb. All their endeavors serve only to keep the darkness of the grave out of their attention span until it overtakes them. Unless we who have the True Hope break in with the Power of the Living God, the grave will over take them for all eternity.

That is what I learned at Lakeland. I hope to go back and learn even more, but even if not I know that my prayer has been answered: God did not let me or my family leave there unchanged.

Blessings,

Al

PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN

Posted by Jamie King

© Photographer: Maszas | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Hello Father, 

I am sitting at your feet this morning asking for direction.
I long to be in your exact will and purpose.  Our children Lord, are on my
heart.  I see a culture that is not raising their children Lord. They are
afraid of messing them up, or tired from a hard weeks work, they are not
"kid" people, they are overwhelmed in their marriage, or they are
overwhelmed out of their marriage... How do I speak to that? 

It all seems so consuming Lord!  In the midst of it all sit children; scared, alone,
struggling, and hurting.  They need their mommies and they need their daddies,
but we are so consumed with other things.  I know you gave them to us
Father.  You entrusted each of them to us with purpose.  You knit them so
perfectly Lord in our bodies, even when it was not our plans.  How Lord do we
do this well? How do we honor your Kingdom in a way that you would say,
"Well done my good and faithful parent!"  

How Lord, can we love parents in a way that enables them to be who you are calling them to be for their children? Forgive me Lord when I have been judgmental or unsympathetic.  I am so blessed with a Godly husband and family.  Lord help us to all take a step back when we are moving too far into peoples homes, and have only been invited into the living room!  I pray Lord that you give us understanding. I also pray that we are merciful yet firm in your call to us as a community. How do we do that Lord? I cherish the fire you have given us to love these kids enough to not let their parents give up!  Help us to do that with love and an unfailing dedication to the heirs of Your Kingdom!

You are Holy and Magnificent!

Amen 

FEELINGS-Are They Real? Are They True?

Posted by Angela Gilbert


-David, upon bringing the ark into Jerusalem, rejoiced with dancing in the street.
-The lame man of Acts 3, upon being healed, leaped with joy as he walked through the temple praising the name of God.
-The Israelites, upon hearing Ezra magnify God, shouted in unison, 'Amen! Amen!'
-Isaiah, upon seeing the Lord high and lifted up, fell upon his face in worship.
-The angelic host, at the announcement of the Messiah's birth, broke forth in heavenly praise of our Lord.
-Stephen, as he died at the hands of assassins, saw the glory of Christ and was filled with the peace and joy of God as he entered His presence.

Are feelings real?

Yes, they are real. God created them as a part of our humanity. Our ability to feel is even vital to our existence. What if we didn’t ever feel fear? Would we just let the rattlesnake slither right up and bite us? What if we didn’t ever feel safe? What kind of existence would that be? How effective could we be in our work in God’s kingdom?

Close your eyes. Think about how many and what kinds of feelings you experience in a typical day…

Do feelings tell the truth?

That is harder to answer: the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.
When you feel defeated, it’s a very real feeling, isn’t it? But is it true? Matthew 7:7-8 says no.

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.

When you feel afraid, is it real? Of course. But, being a follower of God requires that we dig a little deeper. Is it true? Here’s what Exodus 14:13-14 says:
Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

So, we need to check our feelings for truth. How do we do that? We go to THE SOURCE of truth: God’s word.

When we have negative feelings, the ones that are clearly real but not true, the best way to move past them is to give them a name, give them some time in quiet prayer and thought, and then “act” out of line from that feeling. Unresolved anger starts to resolve when you name it, deal with it and then act lovingly. Unforgiveness can be transformed when you recognize it for what it is, process what has led to the feeling, and then act forgiving. The big one, fear, is best dealt with by acknowledging what it is, recognizing that it is not from God, and then doing the very thing that you fear, but that God says you can do.

2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

When we have positive feelings, they also need to be checked. Surprisingly, that feeling can also be deceitful. Have you ever heard someone say, “God told me that I wasn’t really supposed to marry Johnny, but that Frank is my soul-mate, and it feels so “right” to be with him, so I’m divorcing Johnny.” That is a very obvious example, but the positive feelings that don’t come from God are always deceitful in the same predictable pattern: Satan tries to distract us from the truth and goodness of God’s word.

So, it is good for us to realize that feelings shouldn’t necessarily dictate our course of action. As in every single question that we ask in our Christian walk, the answer can be found, every time, perfectly, in the Bible. We have an opportunity to show others how to set their feelings in a proper perspective; being examined under the light of God’s word.

Heavenly Father,
We thank you for your goodness and for being the author of all truth. Thank you for giving us the gift of our feelings. Thank you for the richness it gives to our lives. Please help us to examine our feelings under your perfect light, with no condemnation but in truth and peace. Please help us to encourage a healthy emotional attitude in our community, and to even be an example to others in how we choose to act on our emotions.
We ask all these things in your son’s holy name,
Amen.

"Stepping Up"

Posted by Gina Higgins




There is a moment when one little phrase can cause all the partial revelations seen in pictures, soaking prayer, and real life to rush forward and "create the whole."
Then you realize that God has been saying repetitively "one" thing (well, one "gigantic" thing) through so many "different" and seemingly "unrelated" avenues - that you almost missed it! It is in this moment, that the "unrelated" becomes "related," and the "unclear," suddenly "clear!"
Whether it's a spiritual staircase you are supposed to climb; an area of brokenness you feel you are supposed to share; a difficult situation you must engage; or a desire of your heart that you finally have the confidence to pursue...it is in these many "different" situations, different lives and different hearts that God is saying the same thing.


To the mother of a teenager running with the wrong crowd, doing wrong, the LORD is saying....STEP UP!
To the "little girl lost," finally found and ready to share her story, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the woman feeling convicted that her error could cost Jesus a heart, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the woman knowing it's time to climb but feeling unsure how to begin, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the parents whose children have gone wayward and off the path, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the people in need of Jesus but that have yet to open the book, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the woman who knows a friend in need who is destitute and frail, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the groups that gather and are in need of purpose, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the leaders that lead and the teachers that teach, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the quiet and the shy; the humble in heart, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the confident and the bold; the fearless in spirit, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the spouse who is comfortable and resistant to change, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the one who knows better and has committed offense, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the men who are absent, whether in body or spirit, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!
To the people who follow the Shepherd, the people that hear His voice, the LORD is saying...STEP UP!


"Step up" into My presence, into the place where I dwell.
"Step up" into My peace, where you can hear Me well.
"Step up" into My covering, where I can hide you in the Rock.
"Step up" into My shielded grace, so I can care for you, My precious flock.
"Step up" into My loving arms into to the place where you are safe...only after you have received from Me, can you run this lengthy race.
"Step Up" into all the places that I call you to be My voice.
"Step Up" into the many situations where I am calling you to make a choice.
"Step Up" into the place that I have prepared for you - a place you know not yet - but soon it will all be revealed, it's plans in motion, I have set.
Continue on your journey with all your heart, your strength and mind, remember "I am always with you," you are the branches and I am the Vine.
Never will I forget you, forsake you nor leave you behind; never a greater, more encompassing love will your heart be able to find.

Parenting Prayer

Posted by Angela Gilbert

Father God, one of the great challenges for us as parents: how can we parent as you do? In our depths, we want to have your patience, your grace, your mercy on our children as you have on us. Yet, they constantly fall short of our "plan." How much more should it frustrate you when we fall short? We know the cost. We know your love and your sacrifice. Rather than show frustration with our disobedience, our lack, you show a love that draws us closer. You remind us gently of the way you would have us walk. Please, God, shower on us all the blessing of your parenting style. Please let us parent through your love and grace, not our human expectations. Please draw us closer to you so that we might be better teachers for our children. We love you for being our perfect Father!
Amen.