Span-05 Apostolic & Prophetic Foundations 2 of 8 — Art Katz

Continue, may we hear not only your words, but the voice of your speaking, the tone and the mood of it, the disposition, the urgency, what it is that your own voice resonates, in and through and beyond the words themselves.

Elijah’s Ministry of Restoration

We are a generation that needs to hear not only the words of the Lord, but the voice of the Lord. Grant us that privilege, even now and in these days. In Jesus' name we ask it, amen. So the ministry of Elijah is the ministry of restoration.

Elijah must restore all things. What does that word mean to you? Restore what? I wish that we had more of a chance to interact. I could hear from you. I would not be asking you rhetorical questions, but actual questions.

What does restore mean to you? If that's our calling, that there's an Elijah task, an Elijah company, that the corporate thing made large, we're not talking about a single individual in the last days, but a corporate band, bearing the Elijah task, to restore all things, not some things, all things.

And let's be truthful. You didn't know that there was anything to be restored? You're quite satisfied with the status quo, with things as they are. What does the word restore imply? Something that at one time existed, an earlier time, that no longer exists now.

It's been lost, lost through time, lost through the indifference of men, through the ignorance of men, that did not know that there was something to be retained, kept and preserved, because it was original, given by God.

And that needs to be restored, even the prophetic calling itself, the church as it was at the first. Have you heard of Watchman Nee? How many have never heard of Watchman Nee? Yes, don't be embarrassed.

You have to remedy that. A Chinese teacher of the word, among his books, the normal Christian church, the normal Christian life, you want to read an exposition on Romans chapter 6, go to Watchman Nee, he'll tell you what death to self means, who spent 25 years in a communist prison camp, because to whom much is given, much is required.

You have an obligation to know who Watchman Nee is, an obligation to be familiar with his principal writings, one of the giants of the faith of the 20th century, make it your business, it's basic literacy, you heard of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, I won't ask you to hold your hand up if you've never heard, basic cultural literacy, the great men of the renaissance, what's the renaissance, cultural literacy, history, that has influenced modern times, you have an obligation to know these things, I don't want to be carried away from my subject, evidently there's something to be restored, if it's not restored, the Lord will not come, Acts chapter 3, I think it's verse 20 or 21, he is contained in the heavens, waiting for the restoration of all things, spoken by the prophets, since the world began, haven't you ever seen that?

The Lord himself is self-contained, he has imposed upon himself a restriction, by which he cannot come, he has required a condition, out of his divine wisdom, that something must be restored, that allows his coming, restored by whom?

Who do you think? What if I say, I'm not going to go on, if you don't answer that question, class is dismissed, I'm going to go home and pout, because you couldn't answer that question, the Lord himself is waiting, bound and contained in the heavens, waiting for the restoration of all things, spoken by all the prophets, since the world has begun, it must be important, he'll not come, unless his all things are restored, it's the ministry of Elijah, restored by whom?

Come on, tell me, who's going to restore? The world? The church, and the church that does not consciously recognize its task, that enables the Lord's coming, by its restoring all things, that does not consciously understand this, does not consciously embrace this, is not the church, and you can continue to have services, but you have lost your apostolic authenticity, your reason for being, there is to restore, what the church ought to be, as it was given at the first, what the prophetic call was, when it was given at the first, what the function of the Holy Spirit is, when it was given at the first, many things, the restoration of Israel itself, to its place in God, as his covenant people, through the church, of a prophetic kind, do you say mamma mia in Spanish?

Wow, this is more than a schedule of services, this is an ultimate task, an ultimate requirement, that must be fulfilled in the last days, by a church of an ultimate kind, who is sufficient for these things?

We need to say that more often, with trembling, and we will not fulfill this, except as the church, but as the church, in its corporateness, in its corporate strength, as the body of Christ, together, are we in that place now?

The Early Church as the Pattern of Corporate Life

No, it needs to be restored, those that believed were together, it meant more than sitting alongside each other in the pew, they were so together, that no man thought that the thing which he had, was his own, there was no need among them, it affected even the view of their economy, how to perceive their possessions, and their relationship with each other, is that our condition today?

Far from it, we are the aggregate of individualities, sitting alongside each other, being in the same room of course, so we can receive the benefit of the lectures, but in terms of our actual life, islands of individuality, coming together only because we have to, to receive the benefit of the class, otherwise we prefer our isolation, and our privacy, as the world does also, something needs to be restored, and it's going to take something, because it will be powerfully resisted, the task of restoration, is ultimate task, for one reason, so many things have grown up over the ages, the traditions of men, church policies, methods of operation, that needs to be rooted out, plucked up, destroyed, before there is a building and planting, do you think men are going to willingly give up their traditions?

Do you think men are going to willingly give up their traditions? If this is how we have always done it, always, since when? 20, 30, 40 years? Was this the way it was in the beginning? Watchman Nee says, do you want to understand what is the pattern of God?

What is the intention of God? Go back to the beginning, see what it was at the first, originally, that's what needs to be restored, not in some wooden way, that we are playing with the book of Acts, but that essential reality, affected and established in our time, in the same spirit, truth and reality in which they knew it, that it can again be said, those that believe are together, really together, tradition will oppose it, flesh will oppose it, our own desire for privacy will oppose it, and men might resist physically, you constitute now a threat to the things that are established, that men think normative, and don't want to see altered, they are comfortable that way, and secure that way, and they will say of Elijah what they said of Elijah, have you come to trouble Israel?

Troublemaker, you are disturbing the church, that's the Elijah task, God waits for it, and it must come, and when it comes, it will come through the church, of an ultimate kind, of a prophetic kind, Elijah had to challenge all Israel, and he commanded Ahab to assemble all Israel on Mount Carmel, bring your false prophets, whom you trust, and think to be God's own prophets, let them build their sacrifice, build their altar, I'll build mine, let that God be God who answers by fire, if we are going to require things of the nation, and of the church, to restore its primeval glory, there will be greatly resisted, we will have to demonstrate our credentials, by fire, so we are not just talking about a little period in the history of Israel, although it was that, we are talking about a pattern, a paradigm, do you know that word?

Something essential, that was expressed through a flesh and blood man, but it's not limited to history, it's God's statement and intention for all generations, especially the last, our generation upon whom the ends of the age have come, who know that they are living in the last days, do you know that?

Do you know that? Is that in your deepest consciousness? Or not at all? Or these days are just like any other days? And everything remains as it always has been? And will continue to be? Wow, I know, you are in a place of apostasy yourself!

Prophetic Urgency and the Judgment of the Last Days

You don't know that these are the last days? And you are not living as though these were the last days? And we are going to warn others? Do you see how much needs to be restored? You are living as though these were not the last days, you are not living prophetically, your life itself is a lie, that needs to be repented of, it's not that you don't know that these are the last days because you weren't instructed, your human spirit refuses to know, it doesn't want to know, it's not convenient to know, because the last days are apocalyptic, the judgment of God, the fire of God, that will require a new heaven and a new earth, when He destroys all things contrary to His holiness.

You didn't sleep well last night brother, see that you get good rest tonight, you don't want to doze off in class, and miss this, as if it were another class, and you could afford to lose it, there is too much at stake, there is a whole world that is living in the lie, that does not know that there is an impending judgment coming to all nations, they have no anticipation, they are living in a fool's world, living for their pleasure and delight, but when the end comes, and it comes suddenly, and the Lord comes in fury, and in judgment, these same easy living men, who have blasphemed the Lord, will seek for clefts in the rocks to hide, in terror and in panic, for the face of Him who comes, because they have not been warned, by a people who knew, that these were the last days, and that those things must come, must come shortly, and they are at the door now, because we could not speak the words, because we are not living in that expectancy, and it shows, that's why Elijah is a wilderness prophet, and I would ask you again, what does wilderness mean, why was that critical and essential for him, could not he have lived in Jerusalem, and still spoke the same things, why outside, why in the wilderness, why wearing a camel's hair garment, living from locusts, and what's the other thing, such a simple diet, where are the amenities of life, does the man deserve a little comfort, why is it necessary for him to be outside, and be stripped, not just of luxury, but the ordinary amenities of life, to be a voice crying out in the wilderness, to prepare the way, for the coming of the Lord, come on you guys, aren't you students, are you just going to regurgitate back again the information you give on a test, that's okay in the world, this is the kingdom, you have an obligation, what does wilderness mean, why was it necessary for Elijah, if it's necessary for him, is it necessary for us, is there a way that we could live, in our towns and cities, in the homes of our families, and still be in the wilderness, is that possible, it's not only possible, it's necessary, what does wilderness mean, it's detachment, radical separation, so that you'll not be compromised, the false prophets, ate at Jezebel's table, and they ate well, and they burped their way, all the way to hell, compromised by their stomach, and their enjoyment, at the wrong table, loving luxury, and of course having to express that, in a way that would be acceptable, to the institution that feeds them, oh I pray you'll be students, that you'll not just read through a text, the wilderness prophet, without understanding, what wilderness is, why it's essential, how God can provide it, in the midst of our conventional life, you want to know my wilderness experience, it's not where I'm presently living, and have lived for 25 years, in the North American wilderness, 8 miles to the closest town, population 200, we are in nowhere, living on a farm, learning to be sustained from the soil, in the severest climate of the North American continent, 40 below zero weather is nothing for us, winter is 9 months out of the year, we had one of our sisters who was pregnant, going to give birth, in the winter time, we plugged the car in, an electric heater, we all have that in our engines, you plug it in all night, and it keeps the oil warm, so you start the car in the morning, it'll turn over, or else the whole thing is frozen stiff, and we couldn't take a chance with this woman, we had the car plugged in all night, the next morning she had to go to the hospital, she was hemorrhaging, the car started, but we could not shift the gears, they were frozen stiff, 25 years, but that's not my wilderness experience, my wilderness experience was in Denmark, my wife's country, where I was driven, after speaking a radical message, at the full gospel businessmen's convention, in Washington D .C., that few understood, and hated, I was pushed out, the Lord had me to live with my family in my wife's country, and it's one of the most comfortable countries in the world, maybe the most comfortable, creature comfort, is the way of life, coffee, everyday, 4 o 'clock, job, let the world be coming apart, coffee, 3 kinds of cake, first this kind, then that kind, everyday for me, was an agony, that was for me wilderness, you know what a wilderness is?

Any place where God would bring us, to any condition to which He would bring us, that strips us of our conventional comforts, of our customary attitudes, of the things that we thought assured, we've got to be stripped, God has got to deal with us at the root of our being, and the amenities of civilization, not evil in themselves, insinuate themselves, to take the edge off, to dull, and tranquilize us, from the things that are ultimately real, and ultimately true, as God Himself sees them, and desires them to be seen, and expressed, to be a wilderness prophet is not only your experience and training, it is your continual experience, as it is mine, are you willing for that?

Are you a pilgrim, and a stranger, and a sojourner in the earth? Or the world is too much with you? You are the expression of your culture, your nationality, your time, no prophet ever was that, he stood above time, above his culture, above his generation, he was a man for all seasons, he was a heavenly man, he never condescended to the world, he wasn't compromised by it, he was a wilderness prophet, God provided, even by ravens, twice a day, when Elijah had to leave and live by the book sheriff, why did he go there?

The word of the Lord came to him, he said, go and abide there, but Lord there is no provision, and I will send ravens, twice a day, morning and evening, they will carry your food in their beaks, so Elijah arose, and he went, according to the word of the Lord, if you guys are going to bury me one day, who knows, may take place, put this on my gravestone, Art Katz, born 1929, died 1990 something, and these words, so he went and did, according to the word of the Lord, that's the statement of his life, and it says everything, is that your statement?

Are you willing that it should be? Are you here because the Lord said so? Then he said, get thee up, and get thee to the Bible school in Guatemala City, or you decide it, it would be a nice thing to go, I do not have much better things to do at the moment, it's bound to be a blessing, the girls will probably be pretty, it will be pleasant, why not?

Is that how you make your decisions? You will never be a prophet, decisions predicated on reason, logic, self-interest, that's the way the world does it, that's not the way the prophet does it, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, so he rose, and he went, and the Lord brought him, food by the ravens, and he got his water from the bookshelves, even in the family, now I know you're not Jewish, but do you think that a raven is a clean bird?

Not at all, a raven is a bird that eats dead carrion, God says, I'll feed you twice a day, I'll send you your food through the ravens, through the vultures, those that eat dead and rotting things, what a provision for a Jewish prophet, couldn't he have used another means?

Something more suitable to the man's culture? It's as if God went out of the way, to choose that which would be most offensive, much greater a test, but show me where it says Elijah complained, where Elijah reminded God that he's Jewish, and where your own word says we should have nothing to do with unclean things, not a word, of protest, or of complaint, or even asking for an explanation, he arose and he went, according to the word of the Lord, don't you love that?

Elijah as a Pattern for the Last-Days Church

How would you like a church like that? My God, the house would be filled with glory, this is for our instruction, this is not an historical peculiarity, this is a pattern of the last days thing, Elijah must come and restore all things, and reconcile the fathers to the sons and the sons to the fathers, lest the Lord come and smite the world with a curse, we ought to call a moratorium on every other subject, and concentrate on Elijah alone, for he's the pattern of the end, and our call, the Elijah band, don't look for some single hero, this is for us all, or it's not at all, the church and its corporate-ness, together, understanding itself as a last days entity, with a last days task, and determined to do it, willing for the preparation, of being separated from seducing and compromising comforts, that it might be a wilderness people, even in the midst of a civilized place, brother, do we have to wear camel's hair garments?

That's symbolic, but we don't have to wear the best clothing, and have many changes of clothing, and be so concerned for our appearance, and pamper our bodies, as if that's where our effectual life is, not the external thing, it's the internal thing, by a people who simplify their life, and are not seduced by style, and have to be the first ones in their neighborhood to have it, so you can show off, as if what you are is external, simplify, reduce the influences of your life, so that you won't be subtly compromised, so that you won't be single-eyed before God, eating what He puts before you, wearing what He provides, you have a task, well, didn't I say this was a pattern?

Elijah, Jezebel, and the Unholy Alliance of Religion and Politics

Elijah and Jezebel, unholy alliance, politics, and religion, of an occult kind, this is ecumenical, and we're in process toward it now, world religion, with governments, establishing global order, and peace, and security, in the last days, without God, it's what the world needs, there's too much division, too much enmity and strife, one world, one faith, one religion, one political order, it's what mankind needs, it's what mankind wants, global logic makes it evident, there's only one who stands against it, only one, Elijah, it's unholy, it's not God's way, it's not God's answer, and he opposes it, and so also must we, you watch this, this is going to become increasingly true, ecumenicism, Catholics and Protestants together, with Islam, with the Buddhists, with Judaism, the world's great faith, no longer divided by its different doctrines, doctrines are not all that important, especially when they divide, world unity is what's important, peace, it's happening now, already, and who will oppose it, who will blow the whistle against it, that men of whom the world was not worthy, shed their blood, were burned at the stake, were pulled apart by horses, were thrown asunder, and lived in caves and holes in the ground, for the faith that was once and for all given to the saints, and without compromise its truth, for human convenience, and died for it, and are overhead right now, looking upon us, as an invisible cloud of witnesses, who are not complete without us, oh brother, now you've gone too far, now you've lost credibility, do you believe that, that what's going on here, is that important, that there might be overheads, an invisible cloud of witnesses, the word witness means martyr, of those who have suffered and tortured and were killed, for the faith, of whom it says they're not complete without us, they're not complete without it, and they're waiting, but they're not waiting idly, they are already in the eternal realm, they are overhead, as invisible, looking, watching us, praying for us, bringing something to bear, to help us through, because they understand the importance of these days, more far beyond we ourselves, you really have a heightened sense of importance of these days, you're carrying on as if this is some historic event, that will affect the church of the nations, in the last days, and be a factor in the Lord's own coming, as if eternity is at stake, that's the way I view everything, that's how the prophets viewed everything, that's how the apostles viewed everything, this is definitive seeing, and we have moved away from it, one day is like another, another class, without the sense of the eternal importance, the sense of once and for all, that shall not be given again, so critical God has his witnesses over us, that seeing needs to be restored, so it's true seeing, and gives to life the importance that it deserves, or we condemn our lives, and our churches with us, for triviality, that's prophetic seeing, needs to be restored, you need to fight for it, everything will contend against it, your own family and friends will call you fanatic, you'll be accused of arrogance, what makes you think you're that important, I can tell you this out of my experience, that which is real humility, will be construed as arrogance, not just by the world, by the church, and that which is arrogance, will be thought humility, Oh brother don't call on me, I'm not a public speaker the way you are, that appears to be humility, that's arrogance, that's denial against God, if he's calling on you to speak, don't give him that salesman stuff, don't give him that salesman stuff, I'm not called to speak, the world will misunderstand you, misinterpret you, count on it, and be able to bear it, for the Lord's sake, this is the church, of a prophetic kind, that needs to be restored, you can say amen, if you agree, you know what Elijah said to the nation when they assembled before him in Mount Carmel, they were happy to come, yes, let the prophets build their sacrifice, and Elijah, and let that God be God who answers by fire, we know it's not going to happen, but we'll get rid of this nuisance, one sin for all, we'll reveal him for the fraud that he is, there's no fire from heaven, especially on his altar, because he is the false prophet, he says unpleasant things, if any fire falls it will come from their sacrifice, they're the true prophets, they tell us pleasant things, they speak peace, peace, how long do you hold between two opinions, Elijah is addressing an apostate nation, what are the two opinions, one is the external continuation of their Judaism, they have their priests, their sacrifices, their high feast days, they have continued and all that, but it's only an opinion, it's not where their true life is, just like the church today, Sunday phenomenon, at an hour that we can at least sleep in a little bit, after we're out late Saturday night, in pleasure that we deserve, give us a chance to sleep in, and then we'll have our service, an hour or two, but not enough to ruin the day, there will still be time for the golf course, and the football game, and watching how many homers are being hit, it's the religion of convenience, it is normative Christianity, even in its charismatic form, where is the prophet, who will not let God's people get away with it, how long are you going to hold, in this condition, having some form of religion for Sunday, while your regular life reveals where your true interest is, business as usual, you're willing for any kind of religion, that will allow you to perform business as usual, because the religion is not where your heart is, it's where your business is, your heart is where your business is, your interests, your security, your comfort, and I'm not going to let you get away with it, how long do you hold between two opinions, it's ultimate challenge, and it needs to come again, by an Elijah band, who themselves do not hold, or they could not speak that to others, they are on God's side, as the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, I don't stand before men, I don't eat at Jezebel's table, I don't join your minister's alliances, I'm not one of the boys who goes along, I'm single-eyed, I'm exclusive, I'm fanatical, I'm absolute, I stand before God, somebody else may be paying my salary, but they're not my God, He is, that's the provision, it comes through a company, or the government, my business will come through, what's those birds, ravens, because I have such a view, that sees through circumstances, and men and situations, everything comes to me from God, I stand before Him, therefore I can call you, to stop between two opinions, and let God be God, or let this come into your spirit, nothing has changed, this is the conflict of the ages, religion as a nominal culture, giving a certain appearance, of relatedness to God, which in fact is not true, because men have their real gods, who are the gods of this world, the God of their business, their profession, their golf course, their pleasure, it's the ages old conflict, and only a prophet can see through it, and cry out against it, and call men to the absoluteness of God, or they will be eternally ashamed, but in order to see through that, which is very subtle, because the worship is so impressive, has other forms, but the heart of it, self-serving, convenient, to allow men their real business, their first priority, is not God, and the prophet knows it, and will not let them get away with it, God sends the prophet to the brook, and feeds him by ravens, until the brook itself dried up, do not think that the prophet is exempt from the conditions of the judgment, which his word itself brought, he has to live in the world that has judged, and somehow find his provision in God, and so day by day, no rain, the brook began to dry up, and Elijah being a logical man, recognizing that without water there is no life, that he could see the source visibly drying, has got now to begin to make other arrangements, so it is sensible, it is logical, he has to preserve his prophetic life, his ministry is too important, to perish for the want of water, so begin to think of alternatives, and take them, that will be your temptation, to move out of the obedience of God, make your own arrangements, reasonable, logical, can not be blamed for that, is not why God has given us a mind?

Elijah did not move, he would have remained in the same spot, until the water had stopped flowing, until the stream went dry, and he would have perished there, he is not moved by circumstances, he is not moved by his own logic, he is moved by one thing only, the word of the Lord, and until it comes, he stays, if you are not obedient to the word of God unto death, how then is that obedience?

How then is that faith? Faith, partial obedience is disobedience, we must not determine our own movements, only the word of the Lord, that is what made Elijah what he was, he did not determine by what he saw, by what he heard, only the word of the Lord, his principal reason was not self-survival, self-preservation, is not that where the rubber hits the road?

Come on brother, let's get realistic, in the last analysis, with all of this talk about religion, prophets, spiritual things, the law of life is self-preservation, God did not call you to be a fool, when the water is running out, get yourself up, make your own determinations, preserve your life, self-preservation, the foundation of all reality, what else could it be?

The glory of God? Exactly, the true prophet has another motive, the world has its motive, self-preservation, by whatever means, the prophet, the glory of God, whatever means, obedience, even unto death, these things are written for us, upon whom the ends of the age have come, for I tell you dear children, with all authority that I have in God, you can count on it, the brook will dry up, it will dry up, there is a famine coming, economic institutions are going to topple, the just shall live by their faith, and a God who speaks, and whose word can direct us, when he sees that we will not be directed by any other means, the word of God will come, and it will bring us to another place, where did it bring him?

Obedience to the Word in Elijah’s Journey to Zarephath

The word of God came to him, arise and go, to the city of Jezebel, to Zarephath, verse 9, which belongs to Sidon, Jezebel's country, and dwell there, one thing to be fed by ravens, and now I have to go into the enemy's own camp, that hates my guts, for the spirit of Jezebel cannot bear the spirit of the Hebrew prophet, Lord, this is not reasonable, you know what the next line says?

Underline it in your Bible, the first line of verse 10, mark it with a yellow marking pen, so that it stands up off the page, it speaks to all the ages, very few words, so he arose, and he went to Zarephath, no ifs, no buts, no ands, no requirement for an explanation, God speaks, he goes, do you know why God answered Elijah's word?

Do you know why God answered Elijah's word? On that day in Carmel, when all Israel was assembled before him, and the false prophets had all day been leaping on their sacrifice, and cutting themselves, and crying out, showing that they were deceived, that they thought that an answer would actually come, they thought they were actually in contact with God, and were false, and didn't even know themselves as false, and he mocked them, and he chanted them, maybe your God is sleeping, maybe he's in the men's room, he wasn't too polite, then he came to his altar, and he looked up at heaven, God, if fire doesn't fall now, this is my last day on earth, these people will pull me apart, there won't be enough left of me to pick up with a bladder, but there's something here more important than my physical preservation, my father and my God, you have to show yourself to a nation that has forsaken you, and doesn't know you as a living God, and has gone after false gods, they have mocked your servants, they are not expecting fire to fall, but if I have been obedient to your word, honor my word, honor my prayer, and let your fire fall, and it did, it consumed the sacrifice, the wood and the stones, saturated by water, the people when they saw it, they fell on their faces, the Lord is God, the Lord is God, fire came down at Elijah's word, why?

Because Elijah had obeyed God's word, so he arose and he went, he lived by the word, he honored the word, and God honored his word, and he will honor our word, when everything comes to the final crisis, and God has got to authenticate us, he will answer by fire, he will honor our prayer, because we have honored his word, and live by it, not by circumstance, not by reason, not by logic, not by analysis, this is written for us, by whom the ends of the age have come,.

So what brought you to this Bible school? You thought it would be a good idea? Why not? Got to be a blessing? Did the Lord say so? Did you even so much to think as to ask him? Or did you automatically assume that he would follow behind and confirm your choices?

The way everybody does, the way all Christians do, and nobody ever faults them, or raises the question, because we are not accustomed to prophetic obedience, that moves only by God's word, and no other consideration, brother I am here because the Lord said so, I hope that's true of you, and if I can encourage you, you are here because God has said so, even though you didn't think to ask him, because I have already prayed, Lord, assemble your congregation before me, those whom you have appointed, even though they are in the right place for the wrong reason, but now after today, they will walk differently, more consciously, by the word of the Lord, and the word of the Lord only, so I want to pray for you, to finish our time together,.

Consecration to Prophetic Obedience

Do you love the high call of God in Christ Jesus? You are called, you are chosen, you are appointed, God's last day's servants, prophetic men, handmaidens of the Lord, who are not moved by circumstance, but only by the word of the Lord, they have the faith to believe for it, and if it does not come, they will not move, even if it means their death, for there are more important things than dying, it is God, his word, his honor, his glory, Lord, I bless these children, let the words that have come this morning, go into their hearts like an ax, find them in their foundations, in the wellspring of their life, in the deeps, where their real life is, and put this word there, as a living word, that will not fade away, they are children of obedience, who love God, more than their life, and will serve him, uncompromisingly, until the end, seal them, raise them up, establish them, I bless them, in Jesus name just a suggestion, it would not hurt, if you found a private place, even before you go to lunch, maybe even here at the steps of this platform, Lord, it is true, I did not even think to ask you, I assumed that you would be blessed, I presumed upon you, and this is arrogance, this is exalting my opinion, over you, and I do not want to take a step, to go anywhere, do anything, before I get this straight with you, forgive me, for that presumption, by the grace of God, I will never do it again, but I ask you forgiveness now, even for the decision to come, to a good thing, that I assumed you would necessarily approve, and I had not thought to ask, or to wait, forgive me, wash me by your blood, of that sin of human presumption, because I want to keep current with you, from this day forth, from this day forth, I am making a resolution, a vow before you, I am receiving this as my commission, I will live only by the word of God, that comes, like Elijah, find a place of prayer, establish that, turn our time together into an event, because you transacted with God, he will hear you, it will change everything, for the future, bless you, precious God, that you are at the top, every day is a remarkable journey with you, unpredictable, because you are the God who is a creator, the one who makes all things new, you are a living God, so Lord, we come before you this morning, take us where you will, do with us what you will, it has to be good, because that is what you are, so we are so privileged, to be the sons and daughters of such a God as you are, oh, redeem our time together Lord, change us, deepen us, enlarge us, to serve you, with all our hearts, in these last days, in power, to the eternal praise of your glory, in Jesus name we ask it, Amen.