Morning-Star Rising Newsletter

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MORNING STAR RISING
SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWSLETTER & DEVOTION

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Terry Mosley -- Editor
Rev. Terry Mosley -- Chief Minister
Holy Ghost -- Associate Minister

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Why Is It So Hard for Christians to Pray?

Mr 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

I've been perplexed for some time about a problem that has persisted in the church for years - and it concerns me deeply. The problem is, why is it so hard for Christians to pray?

Scripture makes it clear that the answer to everything in our lives is prayer mixed with faith. The apostle Paul writes, "Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). Paul is telling us, "Seek the Lord about every area of your life. And thank him ahead of time for hearing you!"

Paul's emphasis is clear: Always pray first! We aren't to pray as a last resort - going to our friends first, then to a pastor or counselor, and finally ending up on our knees. No - Jesus tells us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). We're to go to the Lord first - before anyone!

It's heartrending to read the Prayers sent to our ministry from multitudes of broken Christians. Families are breaking up, spouses are divorcing, people who walked faithfully with Christ for years are living in fear and defeat. Each of these people has been overcome by something - sin, depression, worldliness, covetousness. And year after year, their problems only seem to get worse.

Why is it so hard for Christians, in times of crisis, to seek God for their desperate needs? After all, the Bible stands as one long testimony that God hears the cries of his children and answers them with tender love:

    "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry" (Psalm 34:15).

    "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (verse 17).

    "This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

    "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

    "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22).

    "...the prayer of the upright is his delight" (Proverbs 15:8).

    "The Lord...heareth the prayer of the righteous" (verse 29).

    "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer" (Psalm 102:17).

    Listen to David's great boast: "In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul" (138:3). David said, "I've proven you, God! In all my trials, I turned to no one else. I sought only you - and you heard me, answered me, and gave me strength for the battle I was facing!" "Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee..." (81:7).

These promises and testimonies are overwhelming evidence of God's care. And they're so varied, profound and numerous, I don't understand how any Christian could miss them!

Yet when it comes to prayer, the Bible gives us more than promises. It also gives us warnings about the danger of neglecting prayer: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation..." (Hebrews 2:3). The Greek word for "neglect" here means "of little concern; to take lightly."

The context of this verse is a discussion of things related to our salvation - and prayer is obviously one of these. God is asking, "How do you expect to escape ruin and devastation in the dark times coming, if you haven't learned to commune with me in prayer? How will you know and recognize my voice in that day, if you haven't learned to hear it in your secret closet?"

I believe God is deeply wounded by the neglect of prayer among his people today. Jeremiah writes: "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number" (Jeremiah 2:32).

Here is my big question - the one thing I simply cannot understand: How can God's own people - who are under constant attack from hell, facing trouble and temptations on all sides - go week after week without ever seeking him? And how can they claim to love him and believe in his promises, yet never draw near to his heart?

Yet, even with all these powerful warnings about the dangers of neglecting prayer, Christians still find it hard to pray. Why? I believe there are four reasons for this:

1. Some Christians Don't Pray Because They Have a Lukewarm Love for the Lord

2. Some Christians Don't Pray Because They've Perverted Their Priorities!

3. Some Christians Don't Pray Because They've Learned to Live Without Prayer!

4. Some Christians Don't Pray Because They Don't Believe God Hears Their Prayers!

Jesus said, "...whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22). Simply put, Christ is saying, "If you truly believe, you'll be willing to wait and expect an answer from your heavenly father. And it won't matter to you how long it takes. You'll hold on in faith, believing he'll answer!"

The Writer of Hebrews Calls Us to "Draw Near to God"!

Hebrews 10 contains an incredible promise. It says God's door is always open to us, giving us total access to the father:

    "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:19-22).

A few verses later, we're warned the day of the Lord is fast approaching: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (verse 25). God is saying, "Even now, as the time of Christ's return draws closer, you must seek my face. It's time to go into your secret closet and get to know me!"

"Don't let the truth slip away from you! Stay awake and alert. You have an open door into God's holy presence - so, go into him with full assurance of faith, making your petitions known. Christ's blood has already made the way for you - and nothing stands between you and the father. You have every right to enter into the holy of holies, to receive all the help you need!"

When we take lightly Jesus' sacrifice - which he gave so we could have access to the father for all our needs - we "do despite" to the grace of God, provoking his anger!

    "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" (Psalm 31:19). "...they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing" (34:10).

Go to your secret closet regularly, and seek him with all your heart. That's your answer to a healed marriage, to unsaved family members, to every need in your life. Your answers may not come overnight. Yet, God will do his work in his time and his way. Your part is to believe he is faithful to answer - because you're his beloved child!

By David Wilkerson
May 11, 1998

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MORNING-STAR RISING UPDATE

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We  have  set up our New Morning-Star Prayer List. You can subscribe and we will send you several Up Dates a month. https://www.morning-star.com/prayer-request/prayer_list.html This has been a long time coming what  a Blessing. Please be Praying for Morning-Star and Paul, who are getting married this Month. in New York/  We want  this to be a Blessed Time, and for the Lord to shower this Lovely Couple with all his Blessings. Star has WAITED on the LORD and Paul has WAITED on the LORD.
He has  Honored their Waiting and Given them each other.
 It will be a Time of Great Rejoicing.

Pray for our Web Master to be Anointed to be a Blessing to all those who need his Help. He is a Faithful Servant of the Lord. Pray for God to give me his Clear Vision on things to come/  as the Prophetic  Word unfolds in my Life.

Blessings and much thanks to you all. Love  Terry & Star

Online Prayer

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PROPHETIC WORD

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STAY IN THE SECRET PLACE

... I would like to share a word the Lord spoke on Sept. 11, 1994, a word which has become a Divine Standard in my life - by which I lay along side everything that would come into my life.. I question: how does it measure up to the standard of total and complete dependence upon Jesus Christ? Maybe others have received this instruction also?

My Yoke: Dependence Upon Me

Whatever steals your dependence upon ME is evil. Anything that is raised up and places itself in MY place is evil. Anything that places itself in MY place is evil. Anything that steals your dependence on ME is EVIL.

Anything that places itself as a necessary covering, steals your dependence upon Me and is a deception from the Evil One. My Yoke is easy, for My Yoke is only this: Dependence Upon ME. Dependence upon Me is the only yoke you need. All other yokes are bondage from the enemy.

Turn and repent from these yokes that you have picked up. Turn and repent from the Evil. Am I the Lord of your life? AM I? Not unless you have shed those yokes of bondage that you have been carrying. I am revealing these Yokes of Bondage... for apart from Me all is evil. Take up My Yoke for it is easy. Have Faith that I am all that you need.

The word as I received it on Sept. 11, 1994 --

Linda

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THE BRIGHT AND MORNING-STAR

Re 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

Re 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.

Lu 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us,

Lu 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

2 Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

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Easton & Smith Thayers Greek Lexicon & Dictionaries
5459 fosforov phosphoros {foce-for'-os}

from 5457 and 5342; TDNT - 9:310,1293; adj

AV - day star 1; 1

1) light bringing, giving light
2) the planet Venus, the morning star, day star

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