Come, bless the LORD, All you servants of the LORD, who by night stand in the house of the LORD

 (Psalm 134:1). David's tabernacle employed singers and musicians who ministered to the Lord day and night, or twenty-four seven as we say these days (1 Chronicles 9:33; 13:8). And this is what this morning's Psalm is all about. Now it was prophesied that in the last days God would raise up David's fallen tabernacle (Amos 9:11).  In 2007 I heard of the International House of Prayer at Kansas City (IHOPKC), that at that time had operated twenty four seven for eight years.  It continues today, and there are now many such places, all over the globe.  IHOPKC is live streamed from their website ihopkc.org.  It, and its fascinating prophetic history described there,  are worth checking out. IHOPKC describes what they do as  “the harp and bowl model.”  The harp is worship, and the bowl “the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). It is a “scriptural, God-focused, dynamic structure that facilitates the flow of sustained, enjoyable prayer.”

Back in 2007 I could not say that I found prayer enjoyable, but  I was fascinated,  and decided to visit. I guess you could call me a “God chaser.”  I took my family to Africa in 1990 chasing after what I understood was revival there, but it had long past. At IHOPKC I was not disappointed. IHOPKC, like any move of God is controversial, and again with all that we encounter, we need to learn to chew the meat and throw away the bones. We are called to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), it means to make life long learners of the Kingdom. By and large however, we have made converts conforming them to the theology and practices of  our own little group or denomination. New converts, like little children,  are eager to learn, but after  they are conformed,  their understanding too often finishes up setting like cement.  Secular education speaks of life long learning, but too often in the church,  we cease to learn anything new.  And much or our teaching essentially consists of warning the flock not to explore outside the group.

We must of course test all things and hold fast to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21).  And certainly we need to make sure our people have a firm foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11; Hebrews 6:1, 2). After this we need to teach them to discern, and that “if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:2).  I have been privileged over the years to have resources to go to various places to check things out. And time after time, I have come away, feeling like a little boy sitting on the seashore of the vast ocean of what is available in the Kingdom to be known.  Clearly not everyone has such resources, but these days the internet is available,  and it's all on line sitting there to be discovered and discerned.

Father,  one of the ways that we the church have been conformed to the World,  is that we have held on very tightly to what we have allowed your children to believe.  Forgive us Lord, help us, help me,  to allow Holy Spirit to be our teacher. Give us grace to trust You Lord, and to not be constantly trying to correct each other.  Give us discernment Lord,  teach us how to have our senes exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14) in Jesus Name Amen