Night Watch Service

Have you ever read the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120 to 134) as a unit? The word ascent (the King James Version uses the word degree) indicates that, as you read these Psalms, progress is being made. These Psalms are like a pilgrimage from one place to a higher place. 

The pilgrimage begins in Meshech (by the Black Sea) and Kedar (in the Arabian Desert), living alone as an alien among foreign people who hate peace. Our goal is the temple in Jerusalem where God dwells. We progressively move closer. Soon "our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:2).
The Night Watch Service I wrote about in my last post is described perfectly in the last two of these pilgrimage Psalms. Psalm 133:1-2 reads:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Running down on the beard,

The beard of Aaron,

Running down on the edge of his garments."

Yes! How good and pleasant it is to be there with your brothers and sisters and the precious oil of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 134 is like a synopsis of the whole evening:
"Behold, bless the Lord,

All you servants of the Lord,

Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,

And bless the Lord.

The Lord who made heaven and earth

Bless you from Zion!"

And the LORD who made heaven and earth (imagine how huge and powerful He must be) blesses us. It's beyond comprehension.

Prayer Services

Last night I was at my church until 4:15 in the morning. We had a Night Watch Service of prayer which had started at 7:00 the evening before (so we went for nine hours and I was there the whole time). We worshipped God and had different members from the congregation lead in various aspects of prayer such as thanksgiving, intercession, and praying for specific needs.

We've also been fasting throughout this past week, and during the week had two prayer services in the mornings, one during the evening and services every day during the lunch hour.

Tonight a gentleman name Dolu Ashani led us in the session on "praying for specific needs." He told us to make a list of ten things we want God to to do for us in the coming year. Dolu encouraged us to think big; pray to "achieve uncommon success." My list included salvation requests for family and friends and requests for God to move within various aspects of our local church. However, Dolu encouraged us to pray for ourselves. I prayed that God would establish me as a professional artist working in my own studio this year (this blog is a testament that I've been praying for this specifically for several years now, although it's been my desire for many, many years since I graduated from art school). I'm not giving up. People during the service were prophesying that we were experiencing an "open heaven."

I also requested to take take a trip to Israel to photograph the country, and to take various digital communication courses at nearby school of technology.

I'll just mention these three specific requests for now (art career, trip to Israel, studying digital communication). The rest is up to God.