FEAR NOT FOR YOU WILL NOT BE ASHAMED - God’s Church will not go out under reproach - we will be afflicted and storm-tossed. Yet we are also promised a foundation made of sapphires. These sapphires represent spiritual knowledge and wisdom, insights into the very heart of God. Those who endure suffering come out armed with greater insights into God’s mercy. You may be tempted, tossed, afflicted and alone, but through it all He is forming underneath you a rock-solid foundation. It is all so that you may comfort others in their trials. - “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.” - Everywhere we turn in the last days, we will see God’s glory breaking forth in a last revival. Christ’s Church will stretch beyond all former limitations to spread the good news. “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited” Simply put, the Church will gain strength and raise up multitudes in Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy is meant not only for the Church Body but also for individuals. Isaiah makes it clear in this verse: We are told that we will be afflicted and storm-tossed. Yet we are also promised a foundation made of sapphires.

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Fear Not for You Will Not be Ashamed

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God’s Church will not go out under reproach - we will be afflicted and storm-tossed. Yet we are also promised a foundation made of sapphires. These sapphires represent spiritual knowledge and wisdom, insights into the very heart of God. 

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Those who endure suffering come out armed with greater insights into God’s mercy. You may be tempted, tossed, afflicted and alone, but through it all He is forming underneath you a rock-solid foundation. It is all so that you may comfort others in their trials.

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

 

 

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.” - Isaiah 54:4

 

Everywhere we turn in the last days, we will see God’s glory breaking forth in a last revival.

Christ’s Church will stretch beyond all former limitations to spread the good news.

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited” (Isaiah 54:2–3).

Simply put, the Church will gain strength and raise up multitudes in Christ.

As we look more closely at Isaiah’s prophecy, we see it is meant not only for the Church Body but also for individuals.

I know godly servants, friends of mine, who have laid hold of this prophecy as a personal word from the Holy Spirit.

And they have built up their faith by its promises: “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more” (Isaiah 54:4).

Isaiah makes it clear in this verse: God’s Church will not go out under reproach.

Yet just a few verses down, we read this warning to the last-days Church: “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires” (Isaiah 54:11).

We are told that we will be afflicted and storm-tossed.

Yet we are also promised a foundation made of sapphires.

What does this mean, exactly?

When God declares, “I will lay thy foundations with sapphires,” 

His message is, “When everything in the world is being shaken, you will not be moved. The foundation I’m laying underneath you is as solid as these stones. What I’m doing in you cannot be shaken.”

These sapphires represent spiritual knowledge and wisdom, insights into the very heart of God.

We know that those who endure suffering come out armed with greater insights into God’s mercy.

You may be tempted, tossed, afflicted and alone, but through it all He is forming underneath you a rock-solid foundation.

It is all so that you may comfort others in their trials.

David Wilkerson was called to New York City in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts, as told in the best-selling book The Cross and the Switchblade. He went on to create Teen Challenge and World Challenge, Inc. to minister to people’s spiritual and physical needs.

In 1987, he established Times Square Church. As its founding pastor, he faithfully led this congregation, delivering powerful biblical messages that encourage righteous living and complete reliance on God.

David Wilkerson also had a strong burden to encourage his fellow pastors. He founded the Summit International School of Ministry; and from 1999 to 2008, he held international conferences to strengthen church leaders.

His passion to support believers, build up leaders and care for the poor is still at the heart of World Challenge’s ministries to this day.

https://worldchallenge.org/verse/isaiah-544

PRAYERS OF AGREEMENT - A Symphony to God’s Heart - Jesus promised that whatever we agreed upon in prayer, it would be done for us by our heavenly Father. Our agreement is as important as our prayer. It’s okay that we have different styles. We each may have a different burden or focus, but with passion we agree with one another’s prayer. God hears our prayers of agreement not so much as a tolerance of one another’s quirks, but as a symphony of passionate voices – each voice as a unique instrument, yet all participating in the same glorious song.

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A Symphony to God’s Heart

Francis Frangipane

During seasons of prayer, when congregations unite for intercession or groups meet in homes to appeal to God, it is important we stay united in Spirit, supportive and passionate with the goal of touching the heart of God. 

Even though we pray differently or come together with different styles or burdens, our unity plays an important dynamic in obtaining spiritual success.

For instance, when my wife and I pray together, I like to pack all the meaning I can into a couple sentences. I might pray a simple prayer, “Lord bless and fill my kids,” What I mean, is Lord touch them, forgive them, provide for them, guide them, use them and protect them.

My prayer is like a “zip file.” It’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. It appears small, but when God opens it up, there’s a lot of meaning in my prayer.

My wife’s prayers are longer than mine. She tells the Lord everything He needs to know about the kids, as though He were just meeting them for the first time.

She explains what they need in life and offers suggestions to the Lord on how to get them into their future. She touches God’s heart because she is so compassionate about her children.

The main thing is, we agree with each other when we pray. We don’t judge each other. We listen and appreciate our different approaches and styles.

Usually, when we are finished praying together, she will continue interceding alone.

I can hear her in the background: “Lord, remind the boys to wash their bed sheets and help them to get enough sleep, and don’t let them eat junk food.”

It’s okay, as their mother, she’s consumed by her love for them.

When we get together in a group at church, the same principles apply: we all agree with each other.

It doesn’t matter if one person prays longer or with more detail than another. We pray for our nation along with other nations and their leaders.

Some pray for the governmental leaders of nations; another might pray for gang leaders, while someone else will pray for business leaders.

We’ll stand in repentance for the sins of our nation, asking God to forgive our national sins of pride, injustice and murder (especially concerning the unborn); we ask for mercy concerning our greed and national arrogance, and we ask for forgiveness for the immoral nature of much of our entertainment industry.

We each may have a different burden or focus, but with passion we agree with one another’s prayer.

Jesus promised that whatever we agreed upon in prayer, it would be done for us by our heavenly Father (Matthew 18:19).

Our agreement is as important as our prayer. It’s okay that we have different styles: I pace. A dear friend of mine rocks back and forth. Another karate chops the air. Yet, even though our styles are different, our hearts burn together in strong agreement.

Interestingly, the word agree as used in the Gospels was the Greek word sumphoneo. From it we get the English word symphony.

In other words, God hears our prayers of agreement not so much as a tolerance of one another’s quirks, but as a symphony of passionate voices – each voice as a unique instrument, yet all participating in the same glorious song.

Beloved, let us stay in agreement when we pray. Avoid strife at all costs. Whether our expression is one of weeping or rejoicing, warring or worship, our prayer of agreement can be symphonic to the listening heart of God.

Francis Frangipane is the founder of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids IA and has traveled throughout the world ministering to thousands of pastors and intercessors from many backgrounds. Francis’ heartfelt prayer is to see established in every city, Christlike pastors and intercessors, united before God, revealing the love of Christ to their communities.

Over the past decades, Francis has served on a number of other ministry boards. However, in recent years he has gradually resigned from these various boards. As of June 2009, he has also retired from his position as senior pastor of River of Life Ministries. In this more simplified life, Frangipane is devoting himself to prayer and the ministry of God’s word.

https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/category/men-devotions/frangipane/page/2/

NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD - Cleland Boyd McAfee - There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

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Near to the Heart of God.

(There is a place of quiet rest)

Cleland Boyd McAfee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UnFNHWJ0tASharonMennoniteBibleSESamonte

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4C70AcYkD0KodiakCreations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHCTRKXONcABestLovedHymns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7cLqrf_JXEBob’sPraise&Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyUzQn-TcKsOrchestraRodSmith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWaqpv64pM0GregHowlettNathanielMorales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NI_JVeXu2UinstrumentalDanDibble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MigKlUYzuYEinstrumentalEMediaForWorship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2efdGQ4nHYaccompanimentLucindaRamsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayb4ZzoponoorganChicoRiverJr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuhKNKeWf1AviolinJaimeJorgeLLBNTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8d4NkNI5zYlightinthedarkness7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCpqP3jnnP8MarthaReedGarvinTuberiffic08

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHGYZKGPxvEaccompanimentthisisredz 

1 There is a place of quiet rest,
near to the heart of God,
a place where sin cannot molest,
near to the heart of God.

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Refrain:
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
sent from the heart of God,
hold us, who wait before thee,
near to the heart of God.

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2 There is a place of comfort sweet,
near to the heart of God,
a place where we our Savior meet,
near to the heart of God. 

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[Refrain]

3 There is a place of full release,
near to the heart of God,
a place where all is joy and peace,
near to the heart of God. 

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[Refrain]

Cleland Boyd McAfee (September 25, 1866 – February 4, 1944) was an American theologian, Presbyterian minister and hymn writer, best known for penning the gospel hymn, "Near to the Heart of God," and its tune called "McAfee". He wrote the song after the concurrent deaths of two of his young nieces, caused by diphtheria.

McAfee was born in Ashley Missouri, in 1866, as one of five children. His father, John A. McAfee, was the founder of Park College in Parkville, Missouri. The younger McAfee graduated from Park College in 1884, and later graduated from Union Theological Seminary in New York. McAfee went on to serve as a professor of philosophy, choir director, pastor and dean of Park College until 1901, when he left to minister at the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. McAfee moved from First Presbyterian in 1904, to pastor the Lafayette Avenue Church of Brooklyn, in Brooklyn, New York. McAfee also taught systematic theology at McCormick Theological Seminary, from 1912 to 1930.

In 1912, McAfee authored the treatise, "The Greatest English Classic: A Study Of The King James Version Of The Bible." He was moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in the United States, and led the Pres­by­ter­i­an Board of Foreign Mis­sions from 1930 to 1936. He died in 1944.

On August 10, 1892, McAfee married Harriet "Hattie" Lawson Brown; they had three children, Ruth Myrtle, Katharine Agnes, and Mildred Helen. Mildred Helen McAfee Horton went on to become the first director of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the United States Navy...