July 27, 2008

• You are Jerusalem by Pastor Samachen

  We had a visiting prophet come to Living Word Chapel last night, and God showed up huge.  The prophet’s name was Prophet Samachen from India.  He came with people who could translate for him, taught us a wonderful Bible study and prophesied for some of our members. Even those whose names were not directly called received a powerful blessing from the anointing of God that came upon our group.

  One thing Pastor Samachen reminded us about is the fact that while many were in the congregation praising and worshipping God, their minds were elsewhere.  They were thinking about home, tomorrow, their jobs, etc.  Their minds were not centered on God.  It is so important to realize that God needs to be our primary focus. 

  Pastor Samachen does not speak English, so he came accompanied by a translator and a driver who also was able to translate. Pastor Samachen and Pastor Abraham work together at times in India, and both bring the blessings of God to people in areas of India where many evangelists do not travel.  They share the Word of God at great price and with great bravery, for where they are located Christians are not treated well by the locals.

  Pastor Samachen brought us to

  Psalm 122:1-3  I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
  Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,

  Notice that it said that “I was glad.”  This was said before they were in the Temple or the House of God. It was spoken outside of the House of God.  So why were their hearts rejoicing?  We can all visit the house of God, and then go back rejoicing. If we are this glad outside of the House of God, how much more happy we will be inside His house.

  All of us need to remember how wonderful it is to be in God’s House and invite others to come and be blessed, and then our church will grow and be packed.  And we will also be blessed.

  We want to keep our vision big.  Write down your vision.  Claim your vision.  Then satan will be defeated.  Satan wants to sit on top of us, but really satan is under our feet.

  Notice that it says in verse 2 that our feet are standing.  They are speaking about Jerusalem.  Our heart is burning inside.  How happy we will be when we enter New Jerusalem.  Jerusalem means a place where God dwells.  We are each Jerusalem!  I AM JERUSALEM.  God dwells in Jerusalem.  The proof is in the Bible.

  Zechariah 8:3  “Thus says the LORD:  ‘I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts,  the Holy Mountain.’”

  God dwells in Jerusalem. Pastor Samachen called 4 people to help illustrate his next point.  He put himself in the middle as Jerusalem – a mountain, for we go up to Jerusalem.  And around Jerusalem he put four people and pointed out that Jerusalem is surrounded by four hills (mountains), and then he shared about each of these mountains.

  1st Hill: MOUNT MORIAH

  This is where Abraham brought Isaac when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, His only son.  Abraham obeyed God in faith and God spared Isaac for Abraham showed his willingness to worship God at all costs.  Mount Moriah is the place of sacrifice and worship.  There is deliverance in worship. Abraham offered his sacrifice and went back dancing and rejoicing. On our way to Jerusalem we can also go to Mount Moriah.

  2nd Hill:  MOUNT ZION

  Isaiah 2:3 Many people shall come and say,  “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
  

  In Zion there is teaching.   I will see God in Jerusalem, go to the place of worship, go where good teaching is available.  Some people are good at worship, but do not have the teaching. When we are in Heaven we won’t need the teaching on the Word, but here we do.  Mount Zion is where we can go to get good teaching.

  3rd Hill:  MOUNT PARAN

  This is the place of signs and wonders and miracles.  We will see miracles in Jerusalem. Not only are we Jerusalem, but our church is also Jerusalem. We will be able to see Jesus, worship, have teachings and signs and wonders.  We will jump, dance and rejoice. The deaf will hear, eyes will be healed, cancer healed, burdens lifted, demons cast out, bondages broken.  We go with expectancy.  We come to the Church bound and leave as good priests, apostles, and people in the five fold ministry.  This is a specialty of Jerusalem.

  4th Hill:  SALEM

  In Salem bread and wine is available, and the cross of Calvary. It is good bread and wine. We look at Jesus and can only praise and worship.

  The four hills surround Jerusalem.  We are each and every one a hill, but we are not separate.  Pastor Samachen had us looking at our hand, how awesome a creation our hands are, how beautiful they are, how each of our fingers can move independently, but at the same time are bound together. You can’t take a finger out of your hand.  In our churches we are each specialists in our own field.  We can be used separately, but are still part of the whole body of Christ.  We are all connected.  We should never forget that we are connected.

  On Jerusalem our feet are standing, and our being is quiet.  Our feet can sometimes be inside Jerusalem, but our minds can be elsewhere – we can be thinking about New York. We can clap and dance, but be thinking about our houses, our marriage, etc.  We need to leave all that aside and not only have our feet, but our minds inside Jerusalem.

  Oh Jerusalem. Both our feet are inside the gates, and it is a city we build together.  There is a connection with each other.  We have love for each other.  There should be no fighting, but rather we should have a love for each other.  That is what Jesus wants from us.  Jerusalem is the place where God dwells.  This church (our church and ourselves) are known as Jerusalem from this day forward.

  In Jerusalem we see things that God mentioned – we inherit and receive blessings from God.

  Psalm 128:5  The LORD bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

  There is a prosperity of blessings in Jerusalem when we come to Jerusalem we will be blessed.  When we bring others to Church, they will be blessed.  We are going to be blessed. Take our places expecting that we will be blessed when we come to Jerusalem.  You can see God in Jerusalem.  Have good worship in Jerusalem.  Have good teaching in Jerusalem.  See signs and wonders in Jerusalem.  In Jerusalem we can meditate on the Cross of Calvary, and share bread and wine.

  These blessings are available.  God gives us abundant blessings.

  Acts 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;

  The promises of the Lord are for NOW, for our life.  God gives us promises for the desires of our heart, for life partners, to be able to save 10,000 souls, new houses, cars.  The promises are available.

  We need to remember the promises He has told us about, and trust that He will give us those promises. They may not come instantly, but God will give us what He has promised us.

  My God is almighty.  My God is omniscient.  My God is the Sure Foundation.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He gives us goodness and mercy.  This is the God that we serve and worship today.

  Pastor Samachen told us that as a child he was the dumbest person in his family, had no education, and everyone blamed him, not knowing what to do.  Jesus promised a lot to him, telling him that he was going to be a prophet.  At first Pastor Samachen did not believe it.  God also told him that he was going to be sent to America, Europe, and Australia.  It was hard for Pastor Samachen to believe.  But God gave him all the promises that He made.

  If God gives us a promise it will come to pass.

  Pastor Samachen was told to leave his church behind, it was a large church, but God wanted him to reach out to others.  He left his home church, a church that was large, had a good sound system, good worship, but he had to leave that. Pastor Samachen chose to believe Jesus.  Jesus’ promises are very big.  By making this move in obedience to God Pastor Samachen is able to reach more brokenhearted people. 

  God told Pastor Samachen that He would be with him. If Jesus gives you a promise, if He tells you to leave a place and go to a new place, obey Jesus.  He will be with you wherever you go. Take hold of your promises.  Catch them. God will never forget the promises He gives you.  Jesus will never forget the promises.  God will do a miracle for you and then He will give you even more promises.

  Praise God, this was such a teaching in season for me.  To move to new territory and take on new challenges is difficult for me, for I tend to want to rely on myself and trust myself and make little changes. This is showing me so clearly how much I have to trust Jesus, rely on Jesus, and let Him be the director of my life.

  Praying your Sunday is blessed.

  Heather

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