WEEK 2: Our Spiritual Family – Our Church
Week 2 – Monday 23 February – Sunday 01 March
Lent Focus: Our Physical Building
We see many examples of the importance of the Temple of God in the Word of God, ranging from physical temples being built on earth to the one existing in Heaven[1]. We also have Jesus walking through these physical temples[2] and referencing Himself, God[3] [4] and us[5] as the new Temple. Until Christ’s (soon coming) return, it is IMPERATIVE that we, as the Temple of the Holy Spirit, have a settled place to meet, worship and bless His Name – just like the New Church did after Jesus ascended into Heaven[6].
This will be our focus this week – for the LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY AND THE LAMB PERMANENTLY ESTABLISH US IN 180 GROVE GREEN ROAD SO WE AND THE GENERATIONS TO COME CAN CONTINUALLY BLESS HIS HOLY NAME! (Luke 24:52-53 ESV). By doing this, we expect our VERY BIG GOD to vindicate His Holy Name on behalf of the Oasis of Love Family! Hallelujah!!
Ezekiel 36:22-23 ESV
Therefore say to the house of Israel (Oasis of Love Christian Centre) Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel (Oasis of Love Christian Centre), that I am about to act, but for the sake of MY HOLY NAME…..And I will vindicate the holiness of MY GREAT NAME….. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you (Oasis of Love Christian Centre) I vindicate my holiness before their eyes!
There are infinite ways (and systems) that God can use to accomplish this – we will spend this time studying some of these ways this week – to build up our most holy faith and expectation.
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[1] Revelation 11:19 ESV
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
[2] John 10:23 ESV
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade Solomon.
[3] John 2:21 ESV
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
[4] Revelation 21:22 ESV
[And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
[5] 1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
[6] Luke 24:52-53 ESV
And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Monday 23 February – The God of Abraham is our God!
We always hear it mentioned that Abraham is our Father in the faith, but do we really understand why this is? It is because when there was no physical hope, when every situation and natural means was dead, Abraham believed that God could still perform what He had promised him – to make him the father of many nations – AND GOD DID IT!!!
Romans 4:16-21 ESV
[16] That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, [17] as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. [18] In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” [19] He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. [20] No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, [21] fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Prayer Focus
Today, we put to death ALL unbelief regarding us obtaining our physical place of worship and become FULLY CONVINCED that God WILL permanently establish us at 180 Grove Green Road!
Tuesday, 24 February – The God of Isaac is our God!
Genesis 25:5 ESV
Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
Genesis 26:12-14 ESV
[12] And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, [13] and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. [14] He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him.
As Abraham gave all he had to Isaac, and as we are Christ’s and Abraham’s offspring (Galatians 3:29 ESV), all things are given unto us as well! HALLELUJAH! We see the blessing in action where Isaac sowed in the land and reaped in the same year. We, as the Oasis of Love Family, have sown into many ‘lands’ – foundations of different Ministries with good soil. These charitable acts do not go unnoticed by God, as we see with the centurion:
Acts 10:4 AMP
Cornelius was frightened and stared intently at him and said, “What is it, lord (sir)?” And the angel said to him, “Your prayers and gifts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God [an offering made in remembrance of His past blessings].
Additionally, we see God using these as a point of contact to bring the centurion with a Destiny Helper in the form of Peter:
Acts 10:20, 22 AMP
[20] Get up, go downstairs and go with them without hesitating or doubting, because I have sent them Myself.” [22] They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man well spoken of by all the Jewish people, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear what you have to say.”
Prayer Focus
Just as the centurion’s prayers and charitable donations ascended as a memorial offering before God, we ask in the Name of Jesus that God remembers all of our prayers and charitable donations to date and that these ascend to Him as a memorial offering.
Also, just has God orchestrated a divine connection between the centurion and Peter to bring about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, may God also bring us into connection with our Destiny Helper(s) to bring about the acquisition of our Building!
Wednesday, 25 February – the God of Jacob is our God!
It never ceases to amaze me how God is able to make something out of nothing; to make the impossible possible, by introducing new methods and systems that are beyond comprehension! Jacob’s life is no exception to seeing this wonder. Jacob truly met his match in his father-in-law, Laban – the deceiver was himself deceived many times! But our Covenant-keeping Father was forever faithful and merciful to His promise to Abraham. When Jacob was to leave Laban, he had nothing except his family. No means of support. When asking Laban for his wages – the worst of the flock – even this wasn’t given to him. But let’s see how God brings restitution/compensation:
Genesis 30:33, 35-43 ESV
[33] So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.”
[35] But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. [36] And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock. [37] Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. [38] He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, [39] the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. [40] And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. [41] Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, [42] but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. [43] Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Genesis 31:5-13 ESV
[5] and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. [6] You know that I have served your father with all my strength, [7] yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. [8] If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. [9] Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. [10] In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. [11] Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ [12] And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. [13] I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’”
Prayer Focus
Just as God gave Jacob a new wealth-generating system in a dream, we declare in the Name of Jesus that God will give the Oasis of Love Christian Centre Family wealthy generating systems to become prosperous and wealthy to purchase our Building outright in Jesus Name!
Thursday, 26 February – The God of Joseph is our God!
As there was a time for the fulfilment of God’s promise to Joseph, the set time for the Oasis of Love Christian Centre Family to arise and be established has come!
Psalm 102:13 ESV
[13] You will arise and have pity on Zion (the Oasis of Love Christian Centre); it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come.
Genesis 40:14-15 ESV
[14] Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. [15] For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
Genesis 41:14, 16, 28, 33, 37-44 ESV
[14] Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.
[16] Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
[28] It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
[33] Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
[37] This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. [38] And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” [39] Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. [40] You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” [41] And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” [42] Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. [43] And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. [44] Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Prayer Focus
Just as Joseph asked to be remembered to Pharaoh when it was well with whom he helped, that God, our ever-present help in time of need, will:
1. Remember us and our faithful service to others (including our current Landlord), and
2. Elevate us at the right time.
May He favour us with influence and power and establish us in our local (Waltham Forest) and international communities until His return in Jesus Name!
Friday, 27 February – The God of the Widow is our God!
If God were to ask us the same question that Elisha asked the widow – WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE HOUSE – what would our answer be in light of our current situation? It is likely to be the same – Nothing / Not enough.
However, we see that the widow was given wisdom – for she said “nothing EXCEPT A JAR OF OIL”!
2 Kings 4:1-7 ESV
[1] Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” [2] And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” [3] Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. [4] Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” [5] So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. [6] When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. [7] She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
REMEMBER: We have something that none of these examples had – THE NAME OF JESUS AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!!
Prayer Focus
Let’s challenge ourselves today with the same question – to ask our Father in the Name of Jesus to give us a spirit of wisdom, revelation and understanding in the knowledge of Him to show us what we have in our house that we have overlooked.
That these things: ideas/talents/gifts are used as points of supernatural multiplication and increase to produce what is needed to purchase our Building with a surplus remaining to sustain us until His return!
Saturday, 28 February – The God Paul, Silas and the Early Church is our God!
Acts 16:25-26 ESV
[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, [26] and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
Acts 4:34-35 ESV
[34] There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold [35] and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
As we begin to bring this week to a close by destroying EVERY limitation of how God CAN and WILL permanently establish us in our Building, let’s stir up a deep, fiery expectation of sudden and immediate financial breakthroughs!
As Paul and Silas did, remember not to focus on our current limitations, but on our Great and Awesome God!!
Prayer Focus
Expect that as we focus our time on worship and praise:
1. The God of Abraham will arise AND breakthrough AND perform His Promise!
2. The God of Isaac will cause a sudden manifestation of what He has given to us, and we’ll have an immediate harvest of financial provision!
3. The God of Jacob will suddenly reveal awesome systems of generating immediate, long-lasting wealth and riches!
4. The God of Joseph will grant us immediate, supernatural favour and connect us with our Destiny Helpers!
5. The God of the Widow will reveal to us the power in the Name of Jesus, and what overlooked ideas/talents/gifts we have that can be used to generate immediate wealth!
Imagine ourselves being so wealthy like the early Church, to have lands, houses and assets in abundance that we can sell and bring the proceeds into the House of God to further His Kingdom on Earth! Glory to God forevermore!!
Sunday, 01 March – Thanksgiving for Answered Prayers!
Leviticus 26:12 ESV
And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:33 ESV
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Revelation 21:3 ESV
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Revelation 21:7 ESV
The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
God has revealed His heart toward us from the beginning of time and at the end of time: To be our God, and we be His children. And as a GOOD Father, He has freely given us ALL things to enjoy (Romans 8:32, 2 Peter 1:3). These ‘things‘ include the place we continue to fulfil Hebrews 10:24 – and have done so for almost 18 years!
Prayer Focus
Let’s conclude this week by thanking God in the Name of Jesus for these past 18 years together, and looking forward with joy to the next 18 years together.
Let praise and thanksgiving arise from deep within as we ponder on God’s blessings we have experienced together as a Family.
Just as Jesus came out of the greatest battle of His life full of the Holy Spirit and power (Luke 4:1, 14), we declare that we come out of this time of prayer and fasting with our ‘tent’ secure and full of wealth, possessions and power to enjoy all things given us in Christ Jesus. Amen!
Job 5:17, 19-27 ESV
[17] “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. [19] He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. [20] In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. [21] You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. [22] At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. [23] For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. [24] You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. [25] You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth. [26] You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. [27] Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.”
Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV
[19] Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.
Link to this week’s Prayer Leader’s Bio