Come and Help Us

     The call of missions is so sacred and crucial that unfortunately many within the body of Christ have missed out on it's importance.  In our Prayer Force for this week lets look at a very real statement being shared by many both at home and abroad, Come and Help Us.  In Acts chapter 16 verse 9 the word of the Lord declares, "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, 'Come over into Macedonia and help us.'"  The gospel of the Kingdom was desperately needed in Macedonia and the Holy Spirit encouraged Paul and Silas to change their current plans and head there.

     Those words from an unknown man prompted the birth of churches in Asia minor that would become great mission houses for the Lord.  The church in Philippi would become one of the greatest works of the Apostle Paul's extensive ministry.  How did it begin?  Certainly not through advertising or marketing schemes but by a word from a man used of the Holy Spirit.  Look at the success they encountered as they went obediently to where the Spirit led them to and found people open to the gospel.

     The Holy Spirit set the atmosphere and the people in need of the truth were ready to receive it from the men of God.  Come and Help Us, words so innocent and simple, yet it would reap tremendous results.  The entire city would be impacted by the word and works of God as done through vessels of honor.  Could that mysterious man who appeared in the vision have been the Philippian jailor whose family needed salvation?  Whoever it was, his compelling request was accepted and one woman got her deliverance from an evil spirit while others rejoiced in the message of hope, power and glory!  Come and Help Us, have you heard it lately?

July 1 - July 7, 2007

The Birth of A Mission House

     "And laid them down at the Apostle's feet: and distribution
was made unto every man according as he had need."
Acts 4:35

     God's Kingdom is a place of missions, it is the primary link between fallen man and the God who made him.  Missionaries are sent from those mission houses to a world filled with lost, destitute people in search of help.  To have mission houses throughout the world, they must be birthed by the Spirit of God in the missionaries who are desirous of doing the will of God.  Hence, the birth of a mission house must occur on a daily basis to accommodate all who will come there for assistance.

     We that this was done right in Jerusalem as the Apostles got down to business and began doing mission work or the Great Commission.  Notice what occurred in causing this birthing process to begin; they saw a visible need that they were commissioned to meet.  The Gospel was being preached, souls were responding, the church experienced growth, and some of those who became believers had financial problems.  What did they do to solve this problem?  Did they have bake sales or chicken dinners sold, perhaps bingo?

     Now while that might have done some good, they did not resort to that option, they instead relied upon the truth of God's word and the result was that great grace came upon them all.  The were united for one cause, Missions, the very heartbeat of God!  People soon began to divest their portfolios and possessions, and love prompted those with an abundance to help those who had a need.  This is the purpose of a mission's house, it is an apostolic center where distribution can be made to those who are less fortunate.  On July 5, 1992, God called us to birth a mission house here in Kaneohe and we have distributed things ever since!

Spiritual Battles

     In Revelation 12:7 we're told, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels."  In our Prayer Force for this week we want to study a subject called Spiritual Battles.  Listen, we are fighting these battles everyday and like in all wars, there has to be Winners and Losers.  Let me tell you that you do not have to be a loser!  The strategies are laid out each day, the battlefield is your mind and the enemy desires to inflict heavy casualties against your body. 

     Look around at those who are afflicted; don't you see how the enemy attacks them relentlessly?  He seeks to take their limbs, remove organs through disease and have them so debilitated that they will never accomplish the will of god for their lives.  Within the body of Christ, those who are faithful are not exempt from these spiritual battles either!  They draw fire constantly; some are engaged in trench warfare, where single handedly they must contend with their enemy.  There are others who, along with their comrades are under "heavy" fire by the enemy and are "pinned down" and cannot move.

     Spiritual Battles are real; we must be aware of them and have the right frame of mind to fight courageously.  You cannot afford to be at ease while engaged in spiritual battles.  If you are, there will be those around you who will be taken out because of your in attentiveness.  Spiritual battles are not only fought in the heavenlies, but right here where we are.  As a good soldier, we must fight the good fight of faith, while being sober and vigilant.  If you are doing this, then you will be triumphant in your Spiritual Battles.

July 8 - July 14, 2007

We Are At War!

     "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strongholds."
II Corinthians 10:4

     Hey Christian, in case you haven't realized or figured it out, We Are At War!  If you were to talk to Christians who attend "their" churches, you will be amazed to see the numbers who are clueless about this war we are currently engaged in.  Don't be surprised if you hear them say, "War? ...What war are you talking about?"  They have fallen for the propaganda the enemy uses against humanity every single day, after all he is the mastermind behind it.

     Sit in churches and listen to what's being taught to the congregations and you will hear messages about Self-Help, empowerment, Hyper-Faith, Money Management, How to Be Successful In Your World, etc.  Congregants rush to purchase these teachings so they can immediately implement these principles and become prosperous.  they have no clue that we are at war!  The "we" here is the entire human race, not only Christians.  Do you think the enemy has any use for the unsaved?  No he does not!  He hates them as much as he hates believers.

     We are at war everybody and you better have that mindset before the enemy clobbers you.  Each day the enemy uses weapons of mass destruction against us that are intended to kill us.  But for God's grace and mercy, we would have perished some time ago.  there are angels who assist us in these daily battles, and if need be, they can call reinforcements to help us win.  If a soldier does not realize he or she is at war with an enemy, they will be no good for those they are with, because they are a weak link.

Living For God's Purpose

     In life we can be very selfish, always desirous to take care of ourselves, making sure everything goes our way.  In reality that is not the way we are to live; we are actually here on earth Living For God's Purpose.  Let's discuss this in our Prayer Force.  Each day God has a plan laid out for each of us to accomplish, but most of the time it's left neglected.  It remains that way because we are too caught up in our world, trying to get things done and make ends meet.  We get too busy.

    The Kingdom of God needs faithful workers to do the will of the Father and because you are born again you must realize that you are living for God's purpose.  This means you must check in daily to see what each day's assignment is for you to accomplish.  Going to Costco's, Sam's Club or Wal-Mart is not just for shopping; there are people there you must help spiritually.  Your job was given to you so the person needing God's help will be touched by you.  Do not take this lightly.

     Living for God's Purpose means that your life is not your own, but is to be under the control of the Holy Spirit who will direct you to where you belong at the right time.  The reason it seems like there is so much to do in ministry and the Kingdom is because many do not see that they are to be Living for God's Purpose, and someone else has to cover their assignments.  You must understand this important principle, that you are to be Living for God's Purpose, not your own!  You are in His kingdom and must abide by His rules!  Begin today to see where you have missed it so you can make a quick recovery and begin Living for God's Purpose.  You'll be glad you did, my friend.

July 15 - July 21, 2007

The Mark of Endurance

     "And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake:
but he that endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Mark 13:13

     In our Christian walk we will encounter many obstacles and trials that are designed to impede your progress or stop you from completing your assignment.  Listen, irregardless as to the size of your ministry or church, you are being targeted by the enemy because he hates our Lord and feels the same way about us.  When times of attack come your way, you remain steadfast, vigilant and sober so you can wage a good warfare.  God is there with you every step of the way, though you may not see or feel Him.

     Yeshua has placed within every believer a certain gift, which we call the mark of endurance to carry you through everything gthat rotten enemy brings against you.  Deep within your spirit you feel that pulsating beat prodding you to keep on trucking.  "Don't stop!" it yells out.  "Come on, you can take it cause you're gonna make it!"  The mark of endurance pulled Yeshua to Golgotha's hill to be disrobed and crucified before the Father.

     The mark of endurance caused Abraham, Moses and Elijah to walk up their mountains to talk with Abba.  How do you suppose David made it to the throne?  What did it for Esther and Ruth?  It was the mark of endurance that kept them while others who were close to or by them quit and gave up.  In spite of what you're going through or may go through, allow the mark of endurance to sustain you.  after all, this is what has kept our ministry going over the past 15 years!

How Do You Spell Integrity?

     Our Prayer Force for this week is in the form of a serious question: How Do You Spell Integrity?  We already spelled the word for you, but we are actually wanting you to define the word in relation to yourself.  Are you a person of integrity?  Do you seek to be a person of integrity?  Does integrity mean anything to you at all?  If a tree is known by its fruits and we believers are trees of righteousness, then what kind of fruits are we producing?  I was recently given some fruits that were very tasty and delicious.  It obviously came from good trees.

    When we leave our homes and meet with people, our integrity is on the line, you will be judged by many people whether you like it or not.  Don't get me wrong, integrity is needed at home too, but in the public's eyes more people get to see and comment about our actions.  Are there changes that must be made concerning your integrity?  How do you spell integrity?  You do realize that your integrity gives you a reputation, and your reputation can either bless or curse you.

     How do you spell integrity?  Is it with your first and last name?  I spell integrity in many ways: God, Yeshua, Holy Spirit, the Word, truth, honesty, devotion; the list is quite long.  I want to know that when I say something, I stand behind it with my integrity.  Once a friend told me that someone they knew called me a liar because I made a promise that wasn't kept.  After going over with them what was said and the time frame it was to occur in, it shut them up.  When what I promised arrived in the specified time, that person felt very embarrassed about what they said about me.  How do I spell integrity?  I would love to say Paul Kamanu Sr., Apostle.

July 29 - August 4, 2007

Honor Your Word!

     "When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it;
for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed."
Ecclesiastes 5:4

     How many people have given their word to others concerning doing, giving or paying something but after time have failed to keep it?  Are you guilty of this dear one?  Are there people waiting on you to fulfill your vow or promise?  I honestly believe that most people did not plan to renege on their promise, but because of circumstances found it very difficult to clear matters.

     There are others who actually plan to fleece someone for their selfish gain; it happens everyday!  Listen dear ones, the Spirit of the Lord would have you to honor your word, to Him and all else.  whenever you make a vow to God, you need to Honor Your Word and pay the vow.  Why would a person lie to, of all people, God?  To pay your vow means to be in right standing with God and all He is.  Do not allow anyone to prevent you from doing what you promised.  Honor your word, get it paid before God comes to collect!

     To honor your word shows integrity on your behalf.  It tells others that you are a person that can be trusted.  Does your word mean anything to you or does it simply not matter?  I am glad that God kept His word when He spoke over you and I.  Can you imagine where we would be if He didn't?  I have been disappointed many times by those who made promises to me, the church and our ministry but did not keep them.  Because of their failure in keeping their vow, we wound up in debt with our creditors, fell out of grace with potential business partners and were made to look like liars.  Vows are very important when made and we must do our utmost to honor what we say!