8/5/2012TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 1 of 7 Isaiah 64:1-2 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! 3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. • The word “rend” in this Scripture means to “tear open”. o Isaiah is crying out to God for an open heaven! “Oh, Lord, rend the heavens and come down! We need you!” o Can you hear the cry of the prophet‟s heart as he laments in prayer and petition to God? Quote from NEW SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE BIBLE (Nelson‟s Publishers) Is 64:1-3 When intercession breaks thru. „Awesome things that we did not expect‟ (Is 64:3) is a perfect description of genuine revival, because the unpredictable and unusual are the characteristics of great spiritual awakenings. Isaiah wanted God to behave as He had in the past. Recalling the Scripture about God‟s visit with Moses on Mt. Sinai, Isaiah longed for a repeat performance. Exodus 19:18 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently. (B) Peter…. „He Saw Heaven Opened.‟ READ Acts 10:9-16 – 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. (worship) 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened … the LORD your God . The Scripture was speaking about “physical hunger”. o He could have been in a million places. o Would it have been possible for him to have this experience without praying? o Peter had positioned himself to hear from the Lord. but he chose to go to prayer. or he would not have been praying on the housetop in the first place. or possibly misplaced it somewhere? • Or could it be that we just don‟t have a full understanding of what prayer can do? 2. DILIGENT OBEDIENCE READ Deut. The presence of God came upon him in such a mighty way. doing the right thing. 28:1-14 – 1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today. but I also believe that Peter was hungry spiritually. o As a result. the vision that he saw changed his whole life. Peter Was Hungry For God ----------------------------The above Scripture also mentions that Peter was very hungry and wanted to eat. (C) Jesus … „As He Was Praying. o He was definitely in the right place at the right time.8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 2 of 7 What was Peter doing on the housetop? He was praying. Heaven Was Opened. heaven was opened • Prayer is like a “key” that has the power and potential to open up the heavenly realm for God‟s people. why don‟t we use it more than we do? • Have we lost our key. Jesus was baptized too. that he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened. o How many times have we missed it because of our wrong choices? B2. If prayer is a key.‟ Luke 3:21 – 21When all the people were being baptized. And as he was praying. 8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 3 of 7 will set you high above all the nations on earth. • There‟s more involved in this process than just speaking words that have not taken root in our hearts. it‟s going to take everything that we have within us to obey the voice of the Lord. • He will not always ask us to do the “easy thing” for His kingdom. but we must listen and obey Him by the Spirit. His word must be made a reality to us. we will know exactly what we need to do. our churches. we will find it very difficult to obey. If we truly want to see the heavens opened over our homes. to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. it‟s going to take more effort than just saying a lifeless quick prayer in the morning before going to work.‟ Deut. which is characterized by persevering or painstaking effort. If We Obey … „The Lord Will Open The Heavens. our schools and our nation. thinking that we can just name it and claim it. we see the Lord strongly emphasizing the importance of obeying His commands. the storehouse of his bounty. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany („overtake‟ AMP) you if you obey the LORD your God: … Once again. • He uses the adjective fully (kjv „diligently‟). . 28:12 – 12 The LORD will open the heavens. deep inside. • We must learn how to appropriate His word into our lives. There are thousands of promises in God‟s word that are available to each and every one of us. if we would just learn how to lay hold of them. yet. • However. • Most of the time. • We must not reason things out with our minds. and everything will be all right has deceived some of us. • Sometimes. B. ” (Deut. And opened the doors of heaven. The angel answered. Now it shall spring forth. And given them of the . and the earth which is under you shall be iron. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. have yet to see your breakthrough come. Nor consider the things of old. "What is it. Had rained down manna on them to eat.e. "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Behold. SACRIFICIAL GIVING -------------------------(A) Acts 10:1-6 Cornelius 2… and prayed to God regularly. „record‟-memorial. I will do a new thing. 3422 – a „reminder‟ (memorandum). • Are we ready to start pressing in to what God has prepared for our lives? 3. He distinctly saw an angel of God. His prayers and generosity brought salvation to his household!! Have you been walking in obedience to God and been faithful “Do not remember the former things.8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 4 of 7 • It‟s going to take a genuine commitment on our part.” (Isaiah 43:18-19). Cornelius‟s prayers and giving had come up to God as a „memorial‟ unto God. • We‟re on the verge of something big and exciting! many of you. although you‟ve been praying passionate prayers. i. "Cornelius!" 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. Lord?" he asked. Strong‟s concordance no. who came to him and said. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. 28:23). • This describes limited access to the blessings of Heaven… God wants us to live under an open Heaven. The Bible talks about this: • “And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze. where we have free access to His abundant blessings! “Yet He had commanded the clouds above. • Notice the key to receiving all of these abundant blessings. that you would come down…For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear. if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves. and said to him: "I have heard your prayer. SCRIPTURES ABOUT OBEDIENCE: Important note: Our obedience does affect whether or not we experience God‟s blessings on the earth. and living under an open Heaven: Obedience to God‟s commands! This is a conditional promise! “Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night. • The open Heavens here symbolically represented blessings from the Lord. and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain. this one will be blessed in what he does • Deut. and I will love him and manifest Myself to him • James 1:25 . Nor has the eye seen any God besides You. Isaiah prayed: • “Oh that you would tear the heavens. it is he who loves Me.Oh.” (2 Chron 7: 12-14). or command the locusts to devour the land. and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. Men ate angels‟ food. Who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:1. then I will hear from heaven. and will forgive their sin and heal their land.8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 5 of 7 bread of heaven. that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments.4). that it might be well with them and with their children forever! . or send pestilence among My people. He sent them food to the full. • John 14:21 .But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it.” (Psalm 78:23-25).He who has My commandments and keeps them. and pray and seek My face. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father. 5:29 . and turn from their wicked ways. • Matt. For then you will make your way prosperous. 6:33 . This was none other than the temple of Diana. At this location it was called 'the safest bank in Asia. He was now worried that Pauls preaching wad affecting his wealth. What do these Scriptures teach us? • Prayer isn‟t a magical formula.This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth. and her worship was the uniting political power of Ephesus and other cities. and so was represented with many breasts On her head was a mural crown. built of shining marble. and then you will have good success. supported by a forest of columns. that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. . each 56 feet high. He said that all of asia worshipped Diana. One of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. The image was believed to have fallen from heaven. but you shall meditate in it day and night. and all these things shall be added to you. As Ephesus was the capital of Asia. Diana of Ephesus was naturally the idol "whom all Asia and the world worshipped. Paul had been preaching that there was reallyno gods thathave been made by human hands. 342 feet long by 164 feet broad." Games were celebrated at Ephesus in her honor. Demetrius a silversmith thatmade silder Diana shrines had become wealthy.But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. She symbolized the generative and nutritive powers of nature. each hand held a metal bar. the lower part was a rude block covered with mystic inscriptions and animals.' nations and kings stored their most precious things.8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 6 of 7 • Joshua 1:8 . Diana was said to be the mother of all life The ritual of the temple services consisted of sacrifices and of ceremonial prostitution. and each colums over 6 feet in diameter. it‟s about being in right relationship with God. Finished 460 years before the birth of Christ It took 220 years. and cried out. and her magnificence should be destroyed. what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana. whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings. Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew. saying. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised. and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? The whole of Ephesus had become worshippers or ne koros which simply means temple keepers.8/5/2012 TEMPLE KEEPERS Page 7 of 7 Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought. Ye men of Ephesus. they were full of wrath. he said. They swept they cleaned they stood guard they gave sacrifices offerings and even gave there very children to this temple of diana . Why would some mommas and daddys take their little boys and girls to this sexually charged so called temple for them to see rituals of temple prostitution? Why would all of asia and all of Ephesus worship this sex goddess? The answeris found in Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people.