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Maranatha Refresh – Matthew 11 – Maranatha Vision Project

Jul 21, 2019
5 min read

Maranatha Refresh

“Refresh” means to give new strength or energy to someone, renew fading hope and heal exhaustion, stoke embers into flames and replenish whatever has been poured out.

Refreshing Renewal > Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

Saving Power > See, I was born in sin and was in sin from my very beginning. See, you want truth deep within my heart. And you will make me know wisdom in the hidden part. Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and happiness. Let the bones that you have broken be full of joy. Hide your face from my sins. And take away all my wrong-doing. Make a clean heart in me, O God. Give me a new spirit that will not be moved. Do not throw me away from where you are. And do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Let the joy of your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you. Then I will teach wrong-doers your ways. And sinners will turn to you. (Psalm 51:5-13 NLV)

Make Disciples

Recovery – Following Jesus and making disciples invites spiritual warfare. One reason we are still here is because there is so much intense distraction around fulfilling the Great Commission. When we participate in Jesus’ mission, we share in his suffering.
Master – Jesus invites us to learn from him, to watch how he faces spiritual attacks in the Gospels, to watch the early missionaries in Acts. As lifelong apprentice disciples, we will always be learning how to facilitate Jesus’ kingdom coming within all peoples.
Trust – Trust means to lay down my rights to be in control, and to give my life over to follow the leadership of another. Trust means I don’t need all the answers. Trust means I don’t have to understand. Trust leads me to rest and refresh in the Spirit.

Holy Spirit Prayer

Jesus wants to give rest to his disciples, but we have to value and desire his rest.
Every disciple gets exhausted and worn down. Jesus heals and refreshes our spirits.
Jesus is our Great Shepherd and Wise Teacher; he patiently guides us with love.
We will struggle against sin across our lifetime; we must keep asking forgiveness.
We need new wineskin hearts. We depend on the Holy Spirit to keep us humble.
Jesus saves! We can trust him and surrender. We can model peace for others.

Personal Reflections > How am I weary and heavy burdened today? What influences in my life cause me to struggle or burn out? When is sometime soon that I will rest and refresh in the Spirit? Who do I know right now that needs some guidance to enter into Jesus’ rest?

Refreshing Renewal Scriptures

Living Water Rivers > On the most important day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and shouted out to the crowds – “All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being, just like the Scripture says!” Jesus was prophesying about the Holy Spirit that believers were being prepared to receive. But the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out upon them, because Jesus had not yet been unveiled in his full splendor. (John 7:37-39 TPT)

New Self > But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, because the truth is in Jesus. You took off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of truth. (Ephesians 4:20-24 HCSB)

Recovery Refuge > Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

Trustworthy Comfort > On that day you will say, “Praise the Lord! He was angry with me, but now he comforts me. See, God has come to save me! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord is my strength and song; he is my salvation. Oh, the joy of drinking deeply from the Fountain of Salvation!” In that wonderful day you will say, “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the world about his wondrous love. How mighty he is!” Sing to the Lord, for hehas done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy. For great and mighty is the Holy One of Israel, who lives among you. (Isaiah 12 TLB)

Want more lessons? Please visit >blazingtrees.org/maranatha

To book James for a training, please reach out > info@blazingtrees.org

#Jesus #hope #maranatha #storytellers #overflow #makedisciples

Refreshing Rest – Psalm 23 – Seraphim River Project

Jul 5, 2019
2 min read

Refreshing Rest

>> Pray Scripture <<

Comfort > Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my anointing upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my anointing is easy to bear, and the mantle I give you is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Desert Streams > “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.” (Isaiah 32:1-2 NIV)

Eternal Glory > Now the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. The dominion belongs to him forever, amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

Falling Rain > “May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.” (Psalm 72:5-7 NIV)

Morning Joy > LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me. LORD, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit. Sing to Yahweh, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Sorrow may last for the night, but his joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:2-5)

Refreshment > The LORD is my Shepherd; he faithfully provides everything that I need. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; he guides me along the right paths for his name’s renown. (Psalm 23:1-3)

Rest > Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly God is my Rock and my Salvation; he is my Fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and honor depend upon God; he is my Mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our Refuge. (Psalm 62:5-8)

Strength > Yahweh is my Strength and Shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me,and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Yahweh gives his people strength. He is a Safe Fortress for his Anointed King. Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a Shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.(Psalm 28:7-9)

<+>

Seraphim River Project > to teach disciples how to pray in the Holy Spirit.

+> James Harvey, Blazing Trees CEO/Founder

#Jesus #hope #maranatha #storytellers #makedisciples

Discover more prayer resources @ blazingtrees.org/river

Book James for an online team training or virtual prayer gathering > info@blazingtrees.org

Overflow Mission Week – Seraphim River Project

Jul 4, 2019
3 min read

Overflow Mission Prayer Focus

Prayer Focus Overview > This week’s prayer focus is about overflowing in the Holy Spirit, practicing being filled with the Holy Spirit as a lifestyle and culture rather than an event, truly being satisfied alone in Jesus Christ, identifying any and all footholds our adversary has in our hearts or lives and bringing those strongholds to him for deliverance, healing, and spiritual renewal, becoming spiritual gift givers to the nations through our prayers, friendship, and disciple making. Maranatha!

Open Rivers > The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together, that they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it. (Isaiah 41:17-20 NKJV)

Prayer Focus > forsaken places, forgotten lands, miraculous streams, diverse trees, new life in the desert, breathing on dry bones, living water wellsprings

Counterfeit Glory > There was no water for the people, so they came together against Moses & Aaron. They argued saying, “We should have died in front of the LORD as our brothers did. Why did you bring the LORD’s people into this desert? Are we and our animals to die here? Why did you bring us from Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain, figs, grapevines, or pomegranates, and there’s no water to drink!”

So Moses & Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. There they bowed facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD said to Moses, “Take your walking stick, and you and your brother Aaron should gather the people. Speak to that rock in front of them so that its water will flow from it. When you bring the water out from that rock, give it to the people and their animals.”

So Moses took the stick from in front of the LORD, as he had said. Moses & Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock, and Moses said, “Now listen to me, you who turn against God! Do you want us to bring water out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick. Water began pouring out, and the people and their animals drank it.

But the LORD said to Moses & Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, and because you did not honor me as holy before the people, you will not lead them into the land I will give them.” (Numbers 20:1-12 NCV)

Prayer Focus > temptation to impatience, not raising ourselves up, trusting and waiting on God’s provision, quick to listen and slow to become frustrated, unconditional love for everyone

Holy Spirit Fountain > Jesus replied, “If you only knew who I am and the gift that God wants to give you – you’d ask me for a drink, and I would give to you living water.” The woman replied, “But sir, you don’t even have a bucket and this well is very deep. So where do you find this ‘living water’? Do you really think that you are greater than our ancestor Jacob who dug this well and drank from it himself, along with his children and livestock?”

Jesus answered, “If you drink from Jacob’s well you’ll be thirsty again and again, but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied! For when you drink the water I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the HolySpirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!”

The woman replied,“Let me drink that water so I’ll never be thirsty again and won’t have to come back here to draw water.” (John 4:10-15 TPT)

Prayer Focus > Jesus is the key, love God with all our hearts, discern worldly and heavenly waters, Holy Spirit “Thirst Quencher,” cultivate filling and overflowing Holy Spirit lifestyle

<+>

Seraphim River Project > to teach disciples how to pray in the Holy Spirit.

+> James Harvey, Blazing Trees CEO/Founder

#Jesus #maranatha #storytellers #hope #makedisciples

Discover more prayer resources @ blazingtrees.org/river

Book James for an online team training or virtual prayer gathering > info@blazingtrees.org