PRAYER EMAIL - FEBRUARY 18

 Greetings,
". . . for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat:  for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness."     II Samuel 17:29

This scenario of David's life and those fleeing with him, all started back in chapter 11.  David sinned against the Lord.  And God told David that those of his own household would rise up against him.  What a contrast is found between the covenant that God established with him that he would always have a lineage for the Lord and that those of his own household would rise up against him.  That now, out of that same lineage that arose covenant and blessing, also would raise up treason and evil.  Sin has consequences!  And now, after years of Absalom, plotting and scheming evil against his father, its all in motion.  David has fled from Jerusalem, Absalom has entered the palace and city.  Absalom who had been in exile was now made king, and the king David, is now removed. CONTRAST!! 

Here in this one verse as David and those with him are fleeing, God's mercies still abide with David.  God moves men to supply and help David.  Yet there is still this reference to 4 actions that they are reaping in this plight:  1.  hungry; 2.  weary;  3.  thirsty and 4.  the wilderness.  The physical things are always an issue with our day to day living.  Yet we are warned by Christ, 'worry not about food, or raiment, for your Father knows that ye have need of these things.'  Yet, the need is there and it is real for David and those with him of family, friends and fellow warriors.  We are also warned by Paul, 'to set our affections on things above, not on things of this earth'.  Be eternally and spiritually minded in regards to necessity of these things.

Hungry - the need and want of food to maintain strength and health;  Are men hungry for the meat of the Word?  Do they hunger after God's righteousness?  Again, spiritual focus, not physical.  And prayer should be offered by the church to restore a proper hunger for the things of God.  Far too long, too many Christians and the church are dieting and eating the half-truths of this world and sustaining on the junk food of sports, entertainment and self.  Oh, that men would hunger for the meat of the Word!  But alas, far too many in the church are still sucking a bottle after 10 or more years in the church.  show me those eating properly and in right relationship to their spiritual age and I will show you those with a proper time in the Word of God and in the prayer chamber, being fed by Biblical sermons and teachings and discipled.  

Weary - men are weak and wore down, tired;  Often in the Christian life, all of our added distractions, chores, needs and wants add up and these cause us to be too busy.  This 'busyness' wears us down physically and mentally and emotionally.  Improper time to rejuvenate causes men to grow weary.  Gideon and his men pursuing the enemy, were 'faint, yet pursuing'; and David and his men came to the brook, 'faint and weary'.   This weariness of life takes its toll on the spiritual life of the church.   Far too many would rather sit back, rest and just be eased with worship music and services rather than rise up and engage.  Far too many want to just sit and watch a ball game rather than enter into the prayer chamber.  But this weariness is not because of the over abundance of ministry for most.  Yea, but rather, the abundance of earthly indulgences.   Our priorities are wrong and we wear ourselves out for the wrong kingdom.  I don't know many that have the apostle Pauls' mandate, 'spend and be spent'; or should I say, 'weary yet pursuing Christ'.  

Thirsty - parched and dry;  Christ water of life declared, they that drink shall never thirst again.  Then why would a Christian or the church be parched and dry?  No doubt, they have been cut off from the fountain of God.  From under His throne flows the eternal water that springs from Him, it is sufficient for all things.  And men thirst after flesh, after sin and after anti-God things.  This false thirst, never satisfies.  Yet more and more Christians spend huge amounts of day and time thirsty after these things that cause greater parched lip and dryness of soul.  Only abiding in Christ and being much alone with Him will gain the plenty of sufficiency to keep one from being thirsty.   

In the wilderness - away from society, city and left in woods and fields.  Per se, there is nothing wrong with being in the wilderness.  God sent Elijah and John the Baptist into the wilderness to be away from men.  But this of David's group was away from Jerusalem, away from the temple.  And with all these other issues facing them, they are left feeling abandoned and isolated.   There is much depression, discouragement and isolation among people today, and as much in the church today.  Fellowship and growth in the work of the Lord is centered more on humanism that building God's kingdom.  Ministers call it 'burnt out'.  The secret for this is as Paul taught to be all things in all circumstances.  And no matter what is going on and all these other issues of hunger, thirst, weary and wilderness, be much alone with God.  For He will supply all that we need.  There is sufficiency in Christ.   

These 4 areas that attack and deplete God's people may be sent by God or allowed by God to prune and refine us.  But the greater percentage, I believe, is that men bring these things upon themselves because of neglect to the spiritual life.  Prayer chamber, is usually the first thing to be abandoned and missed.  Then a neglect of the Word of God and then a neglect of church.  But all these do not happen over night, it is a progression.  The wise will recognize they are losing ground and find rescue in returning to Him.  And those facing this may lift up the cry of Job, 'Oh, that I was as in days past'.  Andrew Murray - 'Those who will be much for God, will be much alone with God.'  Stay close to Him, no matter what life is throwing at you.  And if you find yourself facing these 4 needs and wants, know where He is that can take care of it all!

PRAYER TARGETS:
EPIDEMICS
1.  Drugs/Alcohol - Super Bowl continues to bring in greater revenue for this destruction upon our land;  and greater totals of death being accepted as 'normal' now;  

2.  Children - continued abuse, neglect;  more headlines of teachers and those in authority taking advantage of these children; Perversion and continued blight on society and homes;

3.  LGBT - 

4.  Natural Disasters - earthquakes have been down for a large portion of this year; no 7.0 so far this year, troubling for whats coming; Drought conditions in US are less severe, but still hold for over 3/4 of the nation;  world wide drought is severe in multiple areas and causing shortages and crop damages and wildfires;  latest is that by 2050 Atlantic coast line will rise by 1 foot, impact on east coast;

5.  Plagues - covid is lessening in US; mandates being removed;  but deaths have still continued at over 1800  per day this last week;  people may be moving on, but death is still upon us;  church never addressed this and nation never dealt with cause of God sending plague;

6.  Great Evil - murder-suicides went over 100 this past week, in the first 45 days of this year; and mass shootings are over 50;  3 mass murders so far, and I fear an opening of greater evil is on our horizon;  battle fought and won in the minds and hearts;

7.  Economy - 

UPDATES:

--bible readings -up through I Kings 8; 
--The Activity of God - part I of I Corinthians is finished;  moving into part II, chapter 9 - 16;  T - 110 pages left;
--A Word - Jeremiah 14:1 - 5 - all verses completed;  time ahs allotted me to go back and catch up on verses started in chapter 13 and finish them.  all verses finished except10, 11, 13 - 16;
--Thursday Hour of Prayer - finished worship study on 'Wait';  looking at starting 'fear of the Lord';  and using confession in Ezekiel currently;
--Monday bible study - up through John chapter 15;

Started:  February 18, 2022

Finished: