The wedding you don't want to miss!

When we think of weddings it's all about the bride, showcases the bride, makes the bride the one to watch and be near. But, the wedding I am writing about is all about the bridegroom. His name is Jesus. He is the one to watch for , he is the most important, he is the one to be married to. He has paid the bride price and is coming back for His bride.  We the church are His bride (Ephesians 5:27) and we are to be pure and holy, without spot or wrinkle. (Ephesians 5:27)
 As in the parable of the 10 virgins ; Jesus told that parable not to the multitudes but, to the disciples why? Because the message is for the church. Out of the 10 only 5 were ready and waiting for the bridegrooms return. Many of us call ourselves christians but, are not waiting and ready for His return. When the bridegroom returns it will be to late for those who are not prepared (saved).
 I found this comparison between a Jewish wedding and the marriage of Jesus to His church. I would like to show you the amazing way this opens your eyes to the clarity of the message.

A Jewish man's relationship with his Bride to be	Christ Jesus' relationship with His Bride to Be
A Jewish man would approach the girl of his choice with a legally binding contract/covenant.  If accepted it was a fully binding agreement on both parties.	Jesus approaches us and if we accept He makes a  covenant with us
The contract would include the price that that man was willing to pay for his bride.  The more he would pay, the more it would show his love for his bride.	Jesus paid the highest price for us, sacrificing His life for us, shedding His blood. (1Cor. 6:19-20)
The contract was sealed when the man and woman would drink a cup of wine together.	Jesus had His disciples drink of His  blood and eat of his flesh and asks all of us to do the same. (communion)
Some form of benediction would be given symbolizing that the covenant relationship between the two had been  established.  At this time they were considered married.	Jesus said do this (communion) in remembrance of His, until He returns.    (Mat. 26:28-29)
The man/groom would then leave the girl at her home and would depart to go to his home, usually his father’s house.   There he would prepare a bridal chamber for them to honeymoon in.	Jesus left to return to His fathers house to prepare a place for us. (Jn. 14:2-4)
The length of time before the groom returned to get his bride was usually a year. The actual timing of his return was up to his father. When the father said it was time, the groom would return for his bride.	Jesus says only the Father knows when He will return. (Mat. 24:36)
While the groom was away, the bride prepared herself for their marriage.  She would keep herself veiled in public, a symbol that she belonged to another and was set apart and bought with a price.	We, the church, as His bride are to prepare ourselves for His return. We are to keep ourselves pure and unadulterated. (2Cor. 11:2)(Eph. 5:25-27)
Custom was the she was to have an oil lamp ready for her departure, as the groom was to come for her at night.	We are to always be ready for Jesus’ return for us. (Mat. 25)
When the time came, the groom, along with his best man and other attendants, would leave his father's house in a torchlite procession (as it was done at night) and go to fetch his bride.	Jesus will come back down from heaven and we will meet Him in the air. (1Thes. 4:16-17)
Since the bride did not know the exact timing of the groom's coming (she had an idea when it was to happen, but did not know the exact timing of his coming), the groom's arrival was preceded by a loud shout or shouts to give her a few moments to arise, trim her lamp, gather her things and then the groom would get her and bring her back (veiled) to his father's house and the place he has prepared for her.	Jesus will return for us with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God announcing Him. (1Thes.4:16-18)
The groom and his bride would return to his father's house, where the wedding party and guests would escort them to the chamber. There the groom and his bride would consummate the marriage for the first time (be intimate).	We return to heaven (Father’s house) with Jesus to be made fully clean (2Cor. 5:10) and then begin the wedding party.  (Jn. 3:29)
After consummation, the groom's best man would announce the consummation to the wedding party waiting outside. The wedding party and the wedding guests would then celebrate the wedding feast for the next seven days and the groom and his bride would honeymoon in their bridal chamber for the next seven days.	We remain with Jesus in heaven for 7 yrs.- during the time of the Great Tribulation on earth.
When the marriage week was over, the bride and the groom would emerge, the bride would be unveiled so all could see her face.	We emerge with Jesus fully clean and righteous for all to see. and the great wedding supper would be celebrated.  (Eph. 25-27)
After the marriage supper, the bride and groom would depart for their own dwelling place to live.	Jesus (now with us His bride) return to earth, His rightful home, to rule forever.   (Col. 3:4)     (Rev. 19:13-14)         (2Tim 2:12) (1Cor. 6:1-3)

    Now suppose the young girl, suddenly appears at her window, only to say, "I am not ready yet; go away and come back later". How would the bridegroom feel in that situation? His friends have all made the long trip with him, only to see him embarrassed by a bride who isn't even keeping watch for him!   Everything to this point has been done explicitly for her benefit. Might her lack of exuberance at the sight of her bridegroom’s sudden appearance indicate she has another lover. Folks, this scene breaks my heart! It makes me downright angry too! To think that Jesus has paid the ultimate price for us, for us to have everything; granted many gifts to us; and then for the Church to not be eagerly yearning for his sudden appearance is an insult to the Father!

So here is my question. Are you ready and eager for the return of your bridegroom Jesus? Or do you have another lover (the world) and need to get ready (saved and set apart for the bridegroom only). Will you be taken to the bridegrooms bosom or will it be to late for you? Please my friend , I beg of you, forsake all and give your all to Jesus this very day, this very hour, this very minute, for we know not when the bridegroom cometh.

Shekhinah Glory come!

Some of us have sung this song, some have even prayed this song or worshiped to it, others have heard of it and thought it to be a good song, and still others have never even heard of it. But, what is it and why are we praying for it to come?

While studying up on this subject, I came across a lot of very interesting information on this subject so I am going to share some of that with you(if i shared it all it would take a book for sure).

The word shekhinah is not actually found in the bible but, the meanings for it are, and the Hebrew translation tells us where it came from and what it means. It is actually derived from the word shakan or originally (shkn). Jewish scholars actually coined the word shekhinah from the word shakan to mean the same " to dwell, inhabit, or abide" In the Encyclopedia Judaica the word shekhinah is defined as "the Divine Presence, the numinous immanence of God in the world, a revelation of the Holy in the midst of the profane" (volume 14 pp1349-1351).
So the essential meaning of this word in every day terms is , the Glory of God dwelling amongst His people on the earth, or in a particular place. We see that quite often throughout the old testament and occasionally in the new testament we see it but, not as it was in the old testament. 
We begin at the beginning of the bible in Genesis; God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve before they sinned, and He spoke audibly to them. Now in 1 Kings 8:27 we see that King Solomon states that even the heavens can't contain His presence.In Exodus 33:20 it says no man may see my face and live,  so therefore we know that it was God's presence that walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden. From the time they were cast out of the garden until God lead the Isrealites through the wilderness with Moses it was only His voice that was heard.
Then God's presence appeared to Moses in the burning bush and spoke to him. And from then on through the Wilderness His Glory was with them and Moses in a cloud or in a pillar of fire. When Moses asked to see more of God so God answered him by allowing His goodness to pass before him, but, because of the power of His presence he hid him in a rock so that all he was able to see wouldn't destroy him.
 When the Isrealites built a tabernacle for God His Glory filled it and even Moses could not enter  in. So when the Isrealities finally built a permanent temple for the Lord the place called the Holy of Holies was where the Lord's presence dwelt, between the cherubim on the ark of covenant and when the priest entered to do their duties they tied a rope around their ankles with bells on it so that if the entered with any sin  they died instantly and the other priest were able to pull them out. So in this we see that God's glory can not look upon any sin. Which I believe is an example of why God turned His face from Jesus His son when he was upon the cross, because he took on the sin of the world.
And we see that when Israel's sins were so great that God removed His Presence from the temple.

In the New testament we see where God spoke to John the baptist and when Jesus was baptized in water The voice of God was heard by everyone there. But, during the time of Jesus we see no mention of God's presence on earth except when in John14:9, Jesus states that "if you have seen me you have seen the Father."So in this we see that God dwelt among them through Jesus. After the crucifixion of Jesus, we again see the Glory of God come when the disciples were in the upper room praying, a sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the temple and tongues of fire rested on each one of them and THEN they were filled with the Holy Spirit.When Stephen was accused of blasphemy and address the high priests the Glory of God came on Him and his face shined like that of an angel. When Paul was persecuting the christians , the voice of God spoke to him from a great light and he was blinded.
 So in the New Testament we see that a few times The Glory of God was seen or heard but, mostly it was in Jesus or upon the Christians. But, in Revelations we see that once again the Glory of God will inhabit the earth and dwell in His temple.

So what is it we are crying out for , the voice of God to speak to us in an audible way? The Glory of God to dwell among us or  in us ? 

Die to self that you may live in Christ!

                                           John 12:24; Romans 6-(KJV)

John 12:24 says, "Verily, Verily, I say unto you; Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone but, if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
Romans 6:8, " Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."

We are told in the scriptures that we are to die to self but, what does that mean? It means that as you invite Christ into your life , you no longer live but, Christ with in you lives. How you are to act, respond, live, spread the gospel, love others, etc. is through Christ ; not of your own accord. lest it be with a worldly or fleshly attitude. We are to no longer walk in the way we did before we came to Christ. We are to walk out our salvation through Christ.

When satan tempted Adam and Eve he brought sin into the world and with that sin is a desire to please self only. And we are called to please God not self. If we were meant to be self pleasing then we would not be made to bring glory to our King.

When you are saved you become a different person because now you have Christ living in you.  Look at your life and think back to before you were saved. Did you care about others before, or did making yourself happy matter the most to you.? In your job were you ok with stepping on others to get ahead ? In your personal life did you have friends that weren't there to help you in some way or were you a friend to the helpless and homeless? Did you lie, steal, cheat to get anything you wanted ? Now look at your life with Christ. Are you that same person today? Or have you turned over your life to the one who lives through you for the glory of God?

Look around you, are there people in your life, in your church,  that you would never be seen with or never have made part of your life before Christ?

To know how to live as Christ follow his example. Jesus never did things for his own personal gain. He lived his life entirely for the glory of God. He was not to good to be seen with or help the poor and the downtrodden. He had no problem hanging out with the unlikeable such as the tax collector , he even helped a roman soldier. He gave his life for everyone even those who didn't yet know him. He was always fair , honest, loving and kind.

What better example could we get of dyeing to self than that of Christ Jesus that lives within us!

Ephesian 4:22-24 tells us :to put off your old self,which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Are you a chicken or an eagle?

Isaiah 40:31 says "BUT, THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD WILL FIND NEW STRENGTH, THEY WILL SOAR HIGH ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES.THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT FAINT."

Matthew Henry's commentary says that, " If we go forth in our own strength we will faint and utterly fall. But, having our hearts and our hope in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus."

Most times chickens hang out in packs. they follow along blindly behind all of the others. generally it is the rooster they are allowing to lead them. They don't choose where they go and they don't say hey this doesn't feel safe I'm not going there. So in essence they follow along even unto their deaths. If you cut the head of  a chicken off it will still run around aimlessly for quite a while. As if in a state of confusion.

When a person hangs out with the crowd and goes wherever it goes and does whatever it does with no conscience and not choosing a better way they are in essence the same as a chicken. And when you separate them from the pack (symbolistically cutting their heads) off they run around in a state of confusion until they die.

Eagles fly solo and seek out the best of everything, food, nesting place. etc. They depend on no one except the great creator.  They soar majestically higher than any other bird. and if you watch them you get the feeling of extreme peace. Like the eagle people who don't follow they pack , and keep themselves pure before God, and they put their complete hope and trust in the God above , they soar like eagles in a peaceful and tranquil life know that in their death they will be in the arms of Jesus.

Is your life like a dieing chicken; in a state of confusion and fear? Or are you soaring high and peaceful connected to the almighty God?

Chickens are not fliers and never get more than a few inches from the ground. They are gullible and easily under attack on a consistent basis.An eagle rarely fly but, does jump from perches depending on the air condition and they grace of God to keep it soaring. leaving itself totally in the hands of God.

Are you stuck in the danger zone , completely open and available for an attack from the enemy? Or are you placing your life and trust completely in the Hands of God; depending on Him to keep you soaring above all the dangers and garbage of this life?

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all that you do, and He will show you which path to take. " NASB

The Priority of kingdom focused prayer- the conclusion

The urgent need for a new prayer focus
 Acts 1:14-24; Acts 2:1,42, 46-47; Acts 4: 23-24,31; Acts 6:5-7; Acts 12:5


Have you ever stopped to think about how the apostle Paul managed to plant the gospel and establish so many churches without todays technology? The simple answer is that God Almigty was in it! The church was praying about GGod's agenda, instead of praying about it's own agenda. Who else besideds christians (the church) have the responsibility of bringing the kingdom of God to this earth? Yet, when the majority of local churches meet to pray, the focus is often on matters of perceived crisis (the church sick list, families with urgent needs , etc.) rather than matters of higher priority (the unsaved, what God is doing). Revival and spiritual awakening will not come to our communities or to our nation as long as the local church continues to place the focus of prayer on physical illnesses. Yes! prayer for the physically sick  is biblical. Don't! stop praying for the sick. But, there is no scriptural justification for this kind of prayer to be the main emphasis when the church meets for prayer. It is often said that today's church is spending more time praying  to keep the saints from going to heaven then praying to keep the sinners from going to hell. The enemy will not hinder the prayers of the church for sick people as long as those prayers continue torob the church of time that could be spent praying for lost souls and kingdom concerns.
Greg Fritzell wrote: "A church's prayer power will only be as great as it's prayer focus." We must encourage a shift of focus from our agenda to God's agenda when the church of Jesus Christ meets to pray. The people who are truly in critical condition are not the saints who are sick, but the sinners who are lost.

Mid-Week Prayer Meeting Survey

a) Do you spend more time naming, describing, and discusing requests than you spend in actual prayer?
b) Do your prayer requests primarily focus on the health-related needs of the saints?
c) Do you refer to your mid-week assembly as "pryaer meetin", yet spend the majority of the time doing something other than praying?
d)Do you sense the leadership of the Holy Spirit to move the focus of your prayer meeting from man's agenda to God's agenda?
e) Do you believe there would be a powerful move of God upon your church if the mid-week service became a time of kingdom-centered prayer?
God wants to show you great and mighty things which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3) Call to Him, and listen as He reveals things you could never have thought of on your own. Pastors, you should always allow God to confirm His will and timing for making adjustments. If God does give you confirmation, be obedient and be consistent. You should expect to hear the devil's growl whenever you take an initiative like this one that sheds light on darkness and releases powerful prayer regarding the kingdom. It could be that something miraculous you have been asking God to do in your church will happen, as you lead your hurch to adjust it's prayer focus to being kingdom-centered.

Steps that Pastors may consider

1) Ask God to confirm this initiative in your heart.
2) Together with your congregation, agree that God's word teaches the priority of kingdom-focused prayer (Matthew 6:9-10, 33). Agree on the desire to see God glorified through the prayers of the church.
3)Preach and teach on the subject of God's kingdom, and on the need to focus the prayers and ministries of His church on His agenda.
4) Lead the congregation to make a unified decision to focus on kingdom concerns at the regularly scheduled weekly prayer meetings. Let the church hear you pray for the concerns of God's kingdom. Singing, and the reading of scripture can still be included, but consider spending the majority of the time in actual prayer.
5) use the twenty-one kingdom related topics list below for a guide. Take several weeks if necessary to explain and review the decision to focus on kingdom-centered prayer. Recognize this adjustment as an important teaching opportunity on the subject of prayer, not merely a new approach to a meeting.
6) Provide the opportunity for church members to publicly testify during worship services of answered prayer and of blessings from making kingdom- focused prayer a priority.
7) Prayerfully appoint a faithful, spiritually mature church member to the position of Church Prayer Coordinator. Develop a written job description for the coordinato that will help maintain kingdom-focused prayer as a priority ministry of the church.

Twenty-one Kingdom- Related Topics for Church Prayer meetings

Pray for:
1) the various ministries of your church, with a focus on those related to missions and evangelism
2) the predident, vice-president, cabinet, senators, congressmen, and supreme court judges of the United States
3)governmental leaders locally and throughout the world
4) the name of the Lord to be exalted in the community
5) the specific needs of specific missionaries
6) for your pastor and pastors everywhere who preach Jesus as the only way for salvation
7) the return of Jesus Christ
8) a loving, forgiving, unified spirit among ministers and churches in your community
9)Pray prayers of thanksgiving for what God is already doing in your community
10) divine intervention in community, national and global matters that dishonor God
11) christians currently experiencing persecution throughout the world
12) genuine spiritual awakening and revival to come to your church and to your ommunity
13)lost people by name
14) new converts will be discipled and will share their faith
15) sincere confession of sin and biblical repentance will occur in your heart, your family, your church , and your community
16) the churches in your area would consider hosting an area-wide evangelistic crusade
17) more laborers to enter the harvest, locally and abroad
18) your church will seek to discover, accept and carry out, God's will towards the establishment of God's kingdom in your community
19) currently unreached people groups around the world
20) denominational leaders and initiatives
21) your personal interest in lost people will grow from a concern to a burden
You are encouraging the church to pray outside the box. you are leading the people of God to pray with God's heart.

Fruit that remains

The far reaching ifluence of kingdom-focused praying will be immediately realized by prayer meeting participants.They will notice remarkable changes taking place in their own lives. Kingdom-focused intercessors sense the reality that their prayers are having a dramatic effect on the most important matters in the world. Kingdom-focused prayer means standing in the gap between fallen man and a righteous God. This kind of prayer produces much fruit that remains eternally. And best of all, our heavenly father will be glorified by our learning to pray the way Jesus taught us!

The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer- Chapter 5

Kingdom-Focused Prayer and your life

Matthew 6:9-10

With over eighty New Testament references to the kingdom of God made by Jesus, it is clear that our Lord considered the subject to be taken seriously. What does the kingdom of God mean? It is not a reference to a certain geographical territory. Simply put, the kingdom of God is the reign of God by His authority.

Two rival kingdoms

There are two rival kingdoms in this world- the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. Satan's kingdom of darkness and evil is opposed to God's authority and glory. Kingdom prayer expresses the desire for the devil's kingdom to be demolished, and sends the devil a message that you have read and understood the last chapter.

Then there is God's kingdomscripture describes God as the " great king above all gods"(Psalm 95:3) and as the "King of glory"( Psalm 24:10). His kingdom is one of grace and glory. When you pray " Thy kingdom come", you show your desire for His grace to increase and for His kingdom to flourish in your own heart and in the hearts of all men.

God's kingdom is both present and future. It is present wherever Jesus is present. Christ said the kingdom of God is within you or in your midst. (Luke 17:21). Yet, God's kingdom is also future in that it is incomplete.Our world still contains lost people in rebellion against God and governments that do not acknowledge Him as king, resulting in widespread misery. For this reason we must understand the meaning and importancee of kingdom-focused prayer.

How to pray kingdom-focused prayers

When things that are eternal become your focus above things that are temporary, you have a new outlook on life. You want to reach the place in your prayer life where the name of God will be glorified and the purposes of God magnified over everything. A prayer warrior's primary focus adjusts from things that are temporal to things that are forever. Kingdom-focused prayer has the following characteristics:

a) A focus on the will of God and matters of eternal consequences.

b) An expressed desire for all men to acknowledge God as king.

c) A pleading for spiritual awakening and true revival throughout the world.

d) A desire to see spiritual maturity among church members and leaders.

e) A longing for all men to render loving, willing, and glad obedience to God.

f) A heart felt desire for His kingdom to be promoted in every department of social life, and in all governments and nations.

g) Specific, personal, persistent intercession for the lost.

h) An unselfish and humble attitude, and a willingness to fast as directed by the Spirit.

i) A petition for righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romanss 14:17).

Kingdom-focused prayer may be divided into five specific areas of extreme importance: God's rule in your heart, God'ss rule in your family, God's rule in your church, the spread of the gospel throughout the world, and the return of Jesus Christ.

1) Praying for God's rule in your heart

The prayer for God to rule in your heart must precede prayer for His rule in any other place or person. (Psalm 66:18) says " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."It should be your desire for your personal king to rule your thought life, your behavior, and your attitude. It should be your desire to yield gladly to His authority and to give Him full allegiance. His kingdom comes into your heart to the extent that you adore and worship Him and are led by His Spirit.

The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your heart:

2 Chronicles 7:14-15; Matthew 6:33; Mark 12:30; Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5 :15; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:22

2) Praying for God's rule in your family

It is the duty of every man to make certain that God rules in his own heart, so that in turn God can rule in his family. The bible tells us that God's rule in our homes is extremely important. Everry relationship in the home- the marriage relationship, the relationship between parents and children, the relationship between siblings, and the relationship with additional family members- needs to be under God's rule. The prayer "thy kingdom come" means that we desire to be just as close to the Father in our private lives as we are in our public lives. Daily family prayer and worship times should be established and maintained in every christian home. The following verses may be used when praying for God's daily rule in your family:

Joshua 24:14-15; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 24:3-4; Isaiah 54:13; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colssians 3:18-21; 2 Timothy 1:12

3) Praying for God's rule in your church

The local church is under relentless attack from the enemy because of it's significant role in the establishment of God's kingdom Even with all it's faults, the church still has the potential to do more for the kingdom of God than any other institution or organization. The following list can serve as a guide, but you should also pray specifically for your pastor's needs whenever unique circumstances arise in his life, in the church, or in the community.

a) Pray for your pastor to remain in the discipline of a daily quiet time for his own bebefits, rather than mainly for the benefit for others.

b) Pray for your pastor to prioritize his life with a discerning mind.

c) Pray for your pastor to be holy in every way.

d) Pray for your pastor to do the work of an evangelist and fulfill his minstry calling

e)Praying fo your pastor's family by name, for health, protection and blessing.

f) Pray for your pastor's preaching and teaching to be prepared in the closet of prayer, and delivered in the energy and power of the Holy Spirit.

g)Pray that your pastor will be delivered out of the lion's mouth.

h) Pray that your pastor will not become boastful, manipulative, or jealous.

i) Pray for God to set a guard over your pastor's mouth.

j)Pray that your pastor will be unhindered by feelings of failure and rejection.

k) Pray for God to forgive those who hurt and unjustly critisize your pastor.

l) Pray for your pasto's burden for lost souls to deepen.

m) Pray that your pastor's decision making will be the result of time spent in much prayer.

n) Pray for your pastor to resist following human traditions or religion that denies the power of God.

Your church staff, your deacons, and elders, your lay leadership, the missionaries and ministers you have sent out- should all be prayed for daily by name. God's rule in your church will be accomplished best through leadership that listens to and relies on Him. Praying for God's rule in your church begins with inviting the Holy spirit to bring powerful conviction of sin upon each individual. Unconfessed, unrepented sin in the camp robs the church of power and purity. Always remember that obeying Jesus' instructions found in (Matthew 18:15-17)- when done with a Christ-like compassionate spirit for the purpose of restoration- produces a cleansing effect on the congregation that permits God to do something lasting and powerful among you. The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your church:

Isaiah 56:7; Ezekial 33:30-33; Acts 6: 1-4; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 1:9-14; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4

4) Praying for the spread of the gospel throughout the world

Praying people into the kingdom of God must become your priority because salvation was God's primary reason for sending His Son into the worrld(John 3:16-17). Therefore (Matthew 28: 18-20) is known as the great commision not the great suggestion. J.Sidlow Baxter said it well:"Men may spurn our appeal, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our person, but they are helpless against our prayers." "thy kingdom come" means praying for and rejoicing over evangelistic and mission work throughout the world. "God bless all the missionaries" is not a prayer that will have much effect. Pray specifically for more laborers (Luke 10:2), For safety, health, boldness, opportunity, success and favor among those sharing the good news, for the conversion of lost men, women, boys, and girls. Pray for the families of those who have recently died while serving on the mission fields. Pray that God's kingdom may come to every country and people group on earth. And don't forget to pray that God would use your witness, your boldness. your obedience, and your words to enlarge His kingdom where he has placed you at the present time.The following verses may be used when praying daily for the spread of the gospel throughout the world:

Psalm2:8; Matthew 28: 18-290; Luke 10:2: John 3:16-17; Romans 10:1; 1 Tomothy2: 1-4; 2 Timothy 2:26

5) Praying for the return of Jesus Christ

"Thy kingdom come" means asking for the return of Jesus Christto establish His kingdom on earth. The last prayer recorded in scripture is a prayer for the return of Jesus Christ:"Come,Lord Jesus " (Revelation 22:20).

Do you hope Jesus will tarry until some selfish desire is fulfilled or some self-centered goal is achieved in your life? God forbid! The heart of every true believer should long for the day when our Lord Jesus will come back again, and when the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ!The following may be used when praying daily for the return of Jesus Christ:

Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:13; Luke 12:37; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:6,23; Titus 2:13; Revelation 22:20-21

When God's rule comes to your heart, your family, and His church, the revival and spiritual awkening that occurs will without question overflow into the surrounding community. Kingdom-focused prayer- the prayer that puts the focus on God's priorities- brings you into a closer, more intimate relationship with the Father.

The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer - Chapter 4

                                                       Priorities that honor God
         Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:15-17
          Phillipians 3:13-14, Colossians 3:2-3, Revelation 2:4


Priorities are those things you intentionally decide are most important in your life. You probably spend a significant amount of your time and your money on your priorities. They are things that matter most to you. The bible instructs you to set godly priorities and then live by them. Christians should order their lives after the things God says are dear to His heart instead of things offered and emphasized by this world. Establishing kingdom priorities ivolves recognizing God's agenda and then carrying out His agenda.
                         How to establish Godly priorities

Prayer provides the relationship with God through which you will hear His heart and see His priorities. There are 3 important choices that will enable you to establish Godly priorities for your life.

1) Be most interested in the things of God rather than in the things of this world.

The Apostle Paul established Godly priorities, writing " But this one thing I do... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 3: 13-14) Your primary interests directly affect your central focus. Rest assured the devil and his accomplises will make every effort to move your focus away from God's primary activity and desires for your life.When the minds of believers are on things other than God's priorities, we are distracted and become an easy grooup on which the devil can work. Therefore it is very important to understand and be alert to kingdom issues so that we are not vulnerable to satan's deception. Make no mistake about this: your primary interests determine your focus. Whatever or whomever you love, will motivate you. The more you get to know God, the more you will love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you will be motivated toward kingdom-centered prayers rather than self-centered prayers.Kingdom issues will become more of a priority in your prayers when they become more of a priority in your thoughts. So you must make a conscious effort to bring your thoughts and your desires to the point where kingdom issues take absolute priority over evrything else. Paul said it plainly, "Set your affection on things above, not on things of the eart." (Colossians 3:2)
Some suggestions for Kingdom Thinking
a) Read slowly and prayerfully through the parables, noting the primary lesson Jesus taught in each.
b) Believe by faith, that when you are right with God, all that God can do for you will be done. (Matthew 6:33)
c) Honestly answer this question as you review your life: Will it matter to the kingdom of God that I lived.?
d) Place more emphasis in your prayer time on matters of eternal importance rather than on matters of temporal importance.
e) Ask yourself; How can I be at work to establish the kingdom of God where I am?
f) Learn everything you can about, pray for, and ask God to show you where you can become involved in missionary and evangelistic work.
g) Identify the areas of your life that are in special need of the Lord's rule and authority.
h) If your life on earth ended tonight, would you be able to saywhat Jesus said: "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4)
i) Give careful thought as to how you can be certain it is God who receives the glory in everything you do.

2) Take the right cues

Charles F. Hummel explains how easy it is to take our cues from what seems urgent instead of from what is actually important. "Here is the secret of Jesus' life and work for God. He prayerfully waited for His Father's instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus had no devinely-drawn blueprint; He discerned the Father's will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means He warded off the urgent and accomplished the important."
Be aware that wrong cues may also emerge from your own reasoning (Proverbs 3:5)says:" Lean not unto your own understanding", the secular media, urgent phone calls or e-mails, and at times, well-intentioned friends and family. The best cues for recognizing and establishing Godly priorities have always been a life of prayer, obedience to the Holy Spirit and the study of the Word of God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will supernaturally enable and empower you to establish His desires in your life.

3) Carefully study the high priority of prayer in the life of our Lord
Jesus.

Our Lord didn't pray simply to instruct or to set an example for everyone. (John 5:19-20) From this passage we learn that there is an intimate relationship the Father had with His Son. It is a relationship He wants to have with you because He loves you so deeply. Through a prayer-centered relationship, your heavenly Father wants to reveal to you what He is doing and how you can join Him in what He is doing. This close relationship through which God's priorities are revealedcome about when kingdom-focused prayer becomes priority, as it was in the life of our Lord. Before He began His earthly ministry, before He chose His disciples, before He taught the multitudes, before He healed people, before He performed miracles, at every major crisis, before He died on the cross- Jesus prayed. Prayer was a necessity. Prayer was His life. And He continues in prayer. (Hebrews 7: 25)
He made it clear that prayer is the great factor in the spreading of His gospel. The most defining statement in scripture regarding the prayer life of Jesus is found in (Hebrews 5:7)  " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Praise God for hearing the prayers of our Lord Jesus, and for hearing our prayers when we are rightly come before Him!